Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Polymath, One Step Ahead, Heartstopper, and Escape Artist. The Immutable Force jewel can make stuns almost unnoticeable offering up to 1000% increased stun and block recovery. The Whispers of Doom node gives an extra curse and is important because it allows you to use Poacher's Mark. The Charge Mastery with Overcharged also provides you with a chance to gain an Endurance, Frenzy, or Power charge on kill. The Leech Mastery gives life and mana leech which is necessary for the high mana cost of the build. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery should also be taken for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. This is a melee build so make sure and take plenty of the nearby life percent nodes for survival. Note: The skill tree above is updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

With the Heartstopper ascendancy you will take 40% reduced damage for 5 seconds and 40% reduced damage over time for 5 seconds alternating back and forth. The Polymath ascendancy gives a high amount of life, energy shield, and mana on kill along with a damage increase based on how many Masteries you have allocated. The One Step Ahead ascendancy increases your action speed and reduces the action speed of enemies. And with the Escape Artist ascendancy you will gain a significant amount of evasion and energy shield. The Trickster ascendancy is chosen over the Assassin ascendancy because it has much better defenses for a melee build while still offering some very solid offensive strengths from its ascendancies.

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Gems

 

Weapon (6-link)

Flame Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

Poacher's Mark

Mark On Hit Support

Empower Support

 

Armour (6-link)

Cyclone (Cyclone of Tumult is better for boss fights)

Awakened Cast While Channeling Support

Blade Vortex

Awakened Deadly Ailments Support

Awakened Void Manipulation Support

Awakened Unbound Ailments Support

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Herald of Agony

Herald of Purity

Enlighten Support

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Gloves (4-link)

Vaal Haste

More Duration Support

Clarity

Dash

 

Boots (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

Enduring Cry

Urgent Orders Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Herald of Agony gives 10% more damage with poisons and gives Cyclone and Blade Vortex an additional 20% chance to poison. Herald of Purity increases the physical damage of Blade Vortex and Cyclone for higher poison damage and summons four extra targets for enemies to attack. The Clarity aura is also needed for high mana regeneration to maintain mana with this build. Herald of Purity should be used once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery, the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery, and a level four Enlighten Support to lower the mana reservation cost of your skills.

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Gem Notes​

1. Steelskin is the recommended guard skill for this build because Immortal Call requires you to use potions more often and Molten Shell requires very high armour to be effective.

2. The Cyclone of Tumult gem has high attack speed but lowered movement speed which makes it great for boss fights.

3. The Enduring Cry warcry is used for Endurance charge generation and up to 10% life regeneration per second. Endurance charges reduce your physical damage taken and elemental damage taken.

4. Vaal Haste can have its Vaal ability used without reservation once you have enough souls from defeating enemies to use it. Vaal Haste gives high increased attack speed and increased movement speed for a short to medium duration.

5. Summon Flame Golem gives up to a 21% damage increase, gives 2% life replenishment on Culling Strike, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and provides an additional target for enemies to attack.

6. If you would like to try another capable Shadow build that uses a bow and is poison based you can find a guide for the Caustic Arrow Trickster here Caustic Arrow Trickster Guide.

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Equipment

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Weapon

Rare Staff

A staff can deal high physical damage which increases your poison damage with Cyclone and has a high chance to block. The Maelstrom Staff is the best option for high damage and a 25% chance to block attack damage.

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How Do You Craft A Great Starter CwC Blade Vortex Cyclone Staff?

To craft a great starter staff you can purchase an ilvl 85+ Maelstrom Staff with a tier one attack speed fracture and roll Deafening Essences of Contempt until you get a very high combined increased damage/accuracy modifier with an open prefix. You can then roll up to 129% increased physical damage at the crafting bench using an Exalted Orb for a strong starter staff.

 

Armour

Dendrobate

Has socketed gems are supported by level 10 Chance to Poison, up to 25% increased elemental resistances, 100% increased poison damage if you have at least 300 dexterity, and 25% increased poison duration if you have at least 150 intelligence. It's an evasion armour which gives energy shield with the Escape Artist ascendancy. You can also eventually upgrade to a Dendrobate with an increased damage corruption once you have enough currency.

 

Helmet

Rare Energy Shield Helmet

An energy shield base is preferred for the Escape Artist ascendancy which makes energy shield on your helmet give evasion. Look for a helmet with high life, high energy shield, resistances, damage taken as an element, and optionally +2 to level of socketed AoE gems which is combined with up to 10% increased area of effect. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll physical damage taken as cold damage and increased area of effect.

 

Gloves

Rare Apothecary Gloves

Apothecary gloves have a damage over time implicit which is great for poison builds. Look for high life, increased chaos damage over time multiplier, increased damage over time, and if you can afford it increased accuracy rating.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, energy shield, increased life percent, resistances, an abyssal socket, and add regenerate 150 energy shield per second while a rare or unique energy is nearby. You can also use Fertile Catalysts on the belt to increase its life bonus.

Abyss Jewel

Look for high life, increased damage over time while wielding a two handed weapon, and increased mana regeneration.

 

Boots

Rare Two-Toned Boots

Look for life, resistances, Tailwind, Elusive, chance to gain Onslaught on kill, and increased movement speed.

 

Amulet

Rare Physical Skill Gems Amulet

Look for +1 to level of all physical skill gems, high life, attributes, strength, damage over time multiplier, resistances, and add reduced channeling skill mana cost at the crafting bench. You can use Fertile Catalysts on the amulet to increase its life bonus.

Carnage Heart

The budget option gives up to 56 to all attributes, 20% to all elemental resistances, 2% life leech, 50% increased recovery from life leech, and 40% increased damage while leeching. You can also use 20 Prismatic Catalysts to increase its resistance bonus.

 

Rings

Rare Despair Ring

Look for Despair on hit, life, strength, increased chaos damage, resistances, and add reduced channeling skill mana cost at the crafting bench. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their life bonuses.

Rare Reduced Mana Cost Ring

Look for high life, resistances, increased damage with poisons, and add reduced channeling skill mana cost at the crafting bench.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Berserker

This tattoo can replace a 30 dexterity node on the tree to give Onslaught but its currently only available in the Standard league.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Gives 40% increased damage, 150% increased critical strike chance, and 10% increased damage to enemies on consecrated ground. Use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever you hit a rare or unique enemy.

Rumi's Concoction (legacy is better)

Gives 1500 armour, 12% increased chance to block, and 6% increased chance to block spells. The legacy version has higher block chances. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Diamond Flask

Gives 100% increased critical strike chance and you should roll immunity to Bleeding and Corrupted Blood during effect. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with Nomadic Teachings for +2 to all maximum resistances at Cassia using a Black Oil, Golden Oil, and Golden Oil. Nomadic Teachings is used because the Trickster tree lacks easily accessible maximum resistance nodes.

 

Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: 15% Increased Cyclone Attack Speed

Gloves: Commandment of Fury

Feet: 16% Increased Attack Speed if You've Killed Recently

Belt: 30% Increased Accuracy Rating While You Have Onslaught

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Bandits

The best bandit to help in Act 2 is Alira because she gives 15% to all elemental resistances which allows you to focus more on damage from your equipment. If you don't need the resistances you can switch to Oak for 40 life which helps with survival.

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Pantheon

Soul of Solaris is the best major Pantheon power and gives 6% reduced physical damage taken when only one enemy is present, a 20% chance to take 50% less area damage, 8% reduced elemental damage taken if you haven't been hit recently, take no extra damage from critical strikes if you've been hit with a critical strike recently, and a 50% chance to avoid elemental ailments from critical strikes. Soul of Abberath is the best minor power to choose to help maintain energy shield and gives 60% less Ignite duration on you, makes you unaffected by burning ground, and gives 10% increased movement speed on burning ground.

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Leveling Gear

 

Weapon

The Blood Thorn

A two hand level one weapon with a 30% block chance that curses enemies with Vulnerability when you block.

Limbsplit

Gives high physical damage for its level, level one Gore Shockwave if you have over 150 strength, +1 to socketed strength gems, and Culling Strike which kills enemies at 10% life.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is a great level one chest armour that has 6 white linked sockets. Any color skill gems and support gems can be linked together inside of it which allows you to deal much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also get a Tabula Rasa with a high increased damage corruption which also requires level one for fairly cheap from the trade site.

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Helmet

Goldrim

An excellent level one resistance helmet with up to 40% to all elemental resistances and 10% increased rarity of items found.

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Gloves

Lochtonial Caress

These gloves can be used at level one and give up to 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to generate an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy Charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

These boots require level nine and give as much as 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

Tear of Purity

This amulet gives level 10 Purity of Elements, up to 20 to all attributes, 40 to life, 30 intelligence, and 10 to all elemental resistances. Purity of Elements increases your elemental resistances for a 50% mana reservation cost.

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Rings

Perandus Signets

You can use two Perandus Signets at level one that each give up to 65% mana regeneration, 65 mana, 2% increased intelligence for each unique item equipped, and 2% increased experience.

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Flasks

Quicksilver Flask

This flask can be used at level four and gives 40% increased movement speed which helps speed up the leveling process. This flask can also have increased attack speed or movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Silver Flask

This flask gives Onslaught which gives increased attack speed, increased cast speed, and increased movement speed as early as level 27 and can have increased attack speed or movement speed as a second modifier. You can also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Bottled Faith (use a Sulphur Flask for 40% increased damage if you can't afford Bottled Faith)

This endgame flask requires level 27 and gives 40% increased damage, creates consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and gives 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground.

 

Leveling Gems

Ground Slam is the best starting melee skill to use at level one. Precision is the best offensive low level aura and can be used once you reach level 10 for increased critical strike chance and accuracy. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and can be used as early as level 10. You should transition into Cyclone at level 28 if you have a unique Praxis ring for reduced mana costs. Make sure to pick up a Steelskin gem once you are level four and have at least 16 strength for a defensive guard skill. Dash also requires level four and should be used as your travel skill at early levels.

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Upgrades

You can upgrade your weapon to Quecholli at level 22, to Stormheart at level 28, to Jorrhast's Blacksteel at level 44, to Terminus Est at level 51, and finally to your endgame weapon. Carnage Heart is the budget amulet and can be equipped as early as level 20. You can also greatly benefit from upgrading to a Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of all skills by up to 8 which allows you to use Cyclone without mana. At level 36 you can also optionally upgrade to a Mark of Submission ring with the Vulnerability curse gem socketed in it to cast Vulnerability on hit. The items in the leveling section above last all the way until the midgame where better items will become available.

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That's all for the Poison Blade Vortex Cyclone Guide! For more on PoE you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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