Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Far Shot, Endless Munitions, Gathering Winds, and Wind Ward. You can get two extra projectiles from the Attack Mastery and Bow Mastery on the right side of the tree. The Leech Mastery with the Clever Thief node is very important for 1% attack damage leeched as life and 1% attack damage leeched as mana because it also works for elemental damage. A Watcher's Eye jewel is highly recommended for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, 100% increased critical strike chance while affected by Wrath, and optionally damage penetrates 15% lightning resistance while affected by Wrath. A Stormshroud jewel makes Shock avoidance apply to all elemental ailments and is recommended for 100% elemental ailment avoidance with the recommended boots. The Interrogation cluster jewel is also very important for this build because it makes Elemental Hit of the Spectrum cause Sapped, Brittle, and Scorch instead of Ignite, Chill, and Shock. When combined with Summon Skitterbots which Shocks and Chills enemies you can have five elemental ailments which is helpful because Elemental Hit of the Spectrum gives 15% more damage per elemental ailment on the enemy. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are also very important for increased mana reservation efficiency so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. This is a life build so take a healthy amount of the nearby life percent nodes on the tree for survival. Note: The above skill tree image has been updated for the new season (3.25).​

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Defensive Layers

The Wind Ward ascendancy gives 4% damage reduction per stack of Gale Force. You receive Gale Force from the Gathering Wind ascendancy along with Tailwind for increased action speed which also includes your movement speed. Elemental Hit of the Spectrum and Summon Skitterbots also cause elemental ailments which also can greatly improve your survivability.

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Gems

 

Weapon (6-link)

Elemental Hit Of The Spectrum

Awakened Elemental Damage With Attacks Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Returning Projectiles Support

Trinity Support

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Armour (6-link)

Elemental Hit Of The Spectrum

Awakened Elemental Damage With Attacks Support

Barrage Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Trinity Support

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Helmet (4-link)

Frenzy

Power Charge On Critical Support

Manaforged Arrows Support

Flame Dash (can optionally be placed in an Unset Ring and use Increased Critical Strike Support)​

Note: Put your reservation skills here if you have the +2 to level of socketed AoE gems modifier on your helmet.

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Gloves (4-link)

Grace

Wrath

Summon Skitterbots

Enlighten Support

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Boots (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support​

Summon Ice Golem

Minion Life Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Wrath is the best offensive aura for Elemental Hit of the Spectrum because it gives added lightning damage and because it can be supported by a 100% increased critical strike chance while affected by Wrath Watcher's Eye jewel. Summon Skitterbots is selected to give Shock and Chill which add to the 15% more damage per elemental ailment on the enemy with the quality of the Elemental Hit of the Spectrum gem. Wrath can 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 4 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. Frenzy gives Frenzy charges on both single target encounters and multiple target fights, casts on its own with Manaforged Arrows Support, generates Power charges with Power Charge On Critical Support, and when it's socketed in an Archdemon Crown it gives enemies -18% exposure to all elements with the Elemental Mastery taken on the tree.

3. Summon Ice Golem gives an increase to critical strike and accuracy and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

4. If you would prefer an Elemental Hit of the Spectrum build that has a higher damage ceiling at higher gear levels but lower damage on a budget you can also try out the Raider version of the build here Elemental Hit Of The Spectrum Raider Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Thicket Bow

Look for high added lightning damage, added fire damage, added cold damage, increased critical strike chance, and increased attack speed. In standard you can also look for a bow with a strong Crucible tree which can give a huge damage increase. You should roll 1% increased critical strike chance per 4% quality at the Horticrafting Station which can be added to your hideout.

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Quiver

Rare Spike-Point Arrow Quiver

Look for high life, increased damage with bow skills, increased elemental damage with attack skills, increased critical strike chance, increased critical strike multiplier, and increased attack speed.

 

Armour

​Hyrri's Ire (legacy is better)

This armour gives up to 30% spell suppression, 50 dexterity, 25% increased Chill duration on enemies, and 145-200 added cold damage with bow attacks. Legacy Hyrri's Ire can have much higher added cold damage if you are playing in standard. You can also look for a strong corruption once you have enough currency.

 

Helmet

Rare Archdemon Crown (legacy)

The legacy version of the Archdemon Crown base gives enemies -10% exposure to all elements which can be increased to -18% with the Elemental Mastery on the tree. Look for high life, high resistances, and add the combined +1 to level of socketed projectile gems/projectiles pierce an additional target modifier at the crafting bench.

Rare Helmet

A rare helmet is another great option for league play that can have high life, resistances, strength/intelligence, and optionally +2 to level of socketed AoE gems. You can also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll increased attack damage and increased damage per Power charge.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, strength, resistances, increased elemental damage with attack skills, and an abyssal socket. You should also use Turbulent Catalysts on the belt to increase its elemental damage bonus.

Abyss Jewel

Look for an abyss jewel with high life, increased critical strike chance, and increased accuracy rating.

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Gloves

Elemental Weakness Gloves

Look for the best gloves with the Elemental Weakness on hit corruption you can find. Malachai's Mark gloves are a great option for high life and Power, Frenzy, and Endurance charges on hit or you can use The Embalmers for high life and chaos resistance.

 

Boots

Rare Boots

Look for high life, chance to avoid being Shocked, resistances, chance to gain Onslaught on kill, and increased movement speed. You don't need Tailwind on your boots because you'll already have it from your ascendancies. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll increased life regeneration and a chance to avoid being Shocked which gives 100% elemental ailment avoidance with the elemental ailment Life Mastery and a Stormshroud jewel socketed in your tree. You can craft these boots by getting a tier one chaos resistance fracture (golden modifier that appears above the line that cant be changed) and roll Deafening Essences of Torment for Shock avoidance until you get high life and resistances. Next you can craft chance to gain Onslaught on kill and increased movement speed at the crafting bench for a great pair of boots.

 

Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for high life, strength and/or intelligence, attributes, increased global critical strike chance, increased global critical strike multiplier, and increased elemental damage with attack skills. You should also use Unstable Catalysts on the amulet to increase its critical strike modifiers.

Carnage Heart

This budget amulet gives up to 56 to all attributes, 20% increased elemental resistances, 2% of physical damage leeched as life, and 40% increased damage while leeching. You can also use Intrinsic Catalysts on the amulet to increase its attribute bonus.

 

Rings

Rare Elemental Damage Rings

Look for rings with high life, resistances, increased elemental damage with attack skills, and increased critical strike chance. You can also use Turbulent Catalysts on both of your rings to improve their elemental damage bonuses.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

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

Diamond Flask

Gives 100% increased critical strike chance and can have up to a 35% chance to gain a flask charge on critical strike and 17% increased attack speed. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Jade Flask

Gives 1500 evasion. Try and roll Bleeding and Corrupted Blood immunity during effect and 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 Divine Judgement for 50% increased elemental damage at Cassia using a Sepia Oil, Teal Oil, and Black Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Steelskin Buff Can Take 45% Increased Amount Of Damage

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: 16% Increased Attack And Cast Speed If You've Killed Recently

Belt: 30% Increased Accuracy 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 kill all three bandits instead for 1 passive skill point.

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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 Ryslatha is the best minor power and gives 60% increased life recovery from flasks at low life, life flask charges every 3 seconds if you haven't used a life flask recently, and enemies you hit have 50% reduced life regeneration.

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Leveling Gear

 

Weapon

Silverbranch

Silverbranch is a great level one bow with +1 to socketed bow gems, increased attack speed, accuracy, and mana on kill.

Roth's Reach

Requires level eighteen and gives up to 80% increased elemental damage with attack skills, 30% increased area of effect, and makes skills chain +2 times.

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Quiver

Hyrri's Bite

Gives strength, dexterity, intelligence, attack speed, area of effect, adds cold damage to attacks, and requires level twelve.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is a great level one chest armour that has six white linked sockets. Any color gems can be linked together inside of it which allows you to deal much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also look for 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 great level one gloves give 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to generate a Frenzy, Endurance, or Power charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

Wondertrap boots can be used at level nine and give high strength, dexterity, intelligence, and movement speed for their level.

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Amulet

Kurai Ward

A level five amulet that gives up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 100 accuracy, and 30% increased projectile damage.

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Rings

Perandus Signets

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

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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, cast speed, and movement speed as early as level 27 and can have increased attack speed or movement speed as a second modifier. You should 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, consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and gives 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever you hit a rare or unique enemy.

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Leveling Gems

Galvanic Arrow is the best elemental bow skill to use at level one because it gives multiple projectiles without a support gem. Precision is the best offensive low level aura and can be used at 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 can switch to Ice Shot with Volley Support once you are level four and switch to Elemental Hit of the Spectrum and Lesser Multiple Projectile Support once you are level 12. Make sure and pick up a Steelskin gem once you've reached level four and have 16 strength for a defensive guard skill. Dash also requires level four and can be used as your travel skill at early levels.

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Upgrades

You can upgrade your bow to Death's Opus bow at level 44 and replace the Lesser Multiple Projectile Support gem because it fires two additional arrows. Carnage Heart is the budget amulet for this build and can be equipped as early as level 20 for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% increased elemental resistances. You can also benefit from upgrading to two Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of all skills by up to 16 which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flasks. Many of 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 Elemental Hit of the Spectrum Guide! For more on PoE you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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