Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order for this build is Swift Killer, Heartstopper, Polymath, and One Step Ahead. You should take all of the nearby increased damage over time, chaos damage over time multiplier, and increased chaos damage nodes for increased damage. A Light of Meaning jewel is recommended in the blue circle in the image above for 6% increased chaos damage for each passive in its radius which is a major damage increase. The Charge Mastery with Overcharged is also important because it gives a chance to generate an Endurance, Frenzy, or Power charge on kill. The Reservation Mastery gives increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. You should use a medium cluster jewel near the top of the tree with small passives grant 12% increased chaos damage over time, the Vile Reinvigoration notable, and either the Student Of Decay or the Brush With Death notable. This is a life build so make sure and take plenty of the nearby life percent nodes on the tree for survival. Note: The build ratings and skill tree have been updated for the new season (3.28).

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Defensive Layers

The Heartstopper ascendancy alternates between 50% less damage taken and 50% less damage over time taken alternating back and forth. With the One Step Ahead ascendancy your action speed is at least 90% and the action speed of enemies is at most 90%. The Polymath ascendancy also gives 2% increased damage, 1% life replenishment on kill, and 1% energy shield replenishment on kill for every mastery node taken. Essence Drain has a defensive playstyle that allows you to cast and move with the increased movement speed from Withing Step while your chaos damage over time is dealing damage. This build also has the strong defensive advantage of being a ranged casting spell build that uses a one hand weapon with a shield.

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Gems

 

Weapon (3-link)

Summon Flame Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

 

Shield (3-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

Dash

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Armour (6-link)

Essence Drain

Empower Support

Cruelty Support

Awakened Controlled Destruction Support

Awakened Void Manipulation Support

Awakened Swift Affliction Support

Note: Awakened gems can be replaced with the normal support gems for seasonal play.

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Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Summon Skitterbots

Clarity

Enlighten Support

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Gloves (4-link)

Contagion

Awakened Increased Area of Effect Support

Intensify Support

Arcane Surge Support

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Boots (4-link)

Wither

Spell Totem Support

Multiple Totem Support

More Duration Support

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Profane Proxy Ring (1-link)

Despair

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Clarity is needed for its mana regeneration which keeps you from running out of mana. Summon Skitterbots is used with the Profane Proxy ring to apply Shock and the Despair curse which lowers the chaos resistances of enemies. Summon Skitterbots should be used once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery and a leveled Enlighten Support to lower the reservation cost of your skills.

 

Gem Notes​​​​

1. Steelskin is the best 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 Profane Proxy unique ring is used to make Summon Skitterbots apply the Despair curse which lowers the chaos resistances of enemies which is important because Essence Drain can normally only apply curses to single targets.

3. You should cast Contagion to prime enemies for Essence Drain and then cast Essence Drain to attack the enemies. On tough enemies and stationary fights you should also drop Wither totems for 6% increased chaos damage stacking up to 15 times.

4. Summon Flame Golem gives a damage increase to your skills, 2% life recovery on Culling Strike, kills enemies at 10% life remaining with Culling Strike Support, and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.​

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Wand

Look for +1 to level of all chaos spell skill gems, +1 to level of all spell skill gems, increased spell damage, chaos damage over time multiplier, and increased chaos damage. You should also add 1% increased area of effect per 4% quality at the Horticrafting Station which should be added to your hideout once it's unlocked. 

 

Shield

Rare Spell Shield

Look for high life, high energy shield, +1 to all chaos spell skill gems, increased spell damage, block chance, and resistances.

Lioneye's Remorse

An extreme budget defensive option that has 210 life and very high armor especially if you get the legacy version in Standard.

 

Armour

Rare Life Armor

Look for very high life, strength, and life percent optionally with physical damage taken as an element for better defenses.

Belly of the Beast (budget)

Gain 40% increased life, 15% increased elemental resistances, and 50% increased life flask recovery rate. You can also upgrade to a Belly of the Beast with +1 to level of socketed gems corruption for a little more currency.

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Helmet

Crown of the Inward Eye

Gives up to 21% increased life, mana, and global energy shield and Transfiguration of Soul, Transfiguration of Body, and Transfiguration of Mind which increase your damage, spell damage, and attack damage. You should also eventually look for a +2 to level of socketed AoE gems corruption for your auras once you can afford it.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, increased life percent, strength, increased chaos damage, resistances, and an abyssal socket. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the belt to increase its life bonus.

Abyss Jewel

Look for an abyss jewel with life, energy shield, added chaos damage, and increased damage over time while holding a shield.

 

Gloves

Rare Apothecary's Gloves

Apothecary's Gloves have an 18% increased damage over time implicit. Look for high life, strength, increased damage over time, chaos damage over time multiplier, spell suppression, and optionally a resistance.

 

Boots

Rare Boots

Look for high life, chance to avoid being Shocked, resistances, Onslaught on kill, and movement speed. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll a chance to avoid being Shocked and optionally a chance to avoid elemental ailments if you need more Shock avoidance for 100% elemental ailment immunity with a Stormshroud jewel socketed in your tree. With high tier Eldritch Embers you won't need to add the chance to avoid elemental ailments modifier and can add life regeneration.

 

Amulet

Rare Chaos Skill Amulet

Look for high attributes, high life, +1 to level of all chaos skill gems, increased spell damage, and resistances. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the amulet to increase its life bonus.

 

Rings

Profane Proxy

Makes Summon Skitterbots apply Despair, increases the level of a socketed curse gem by three, and gives up to 30% cold resistance and up to 30% lightning resistance. You should also use Prismatic Catalysts on the ring to increase its resistances.

Rare Ring

Iolite Rings can have an increased chaos damage implicit. Look for high life, energy shield, damage over time multiplier, increased chaos damage, and resistances. You should use Noxious Catalysts on the ring to increase its chaos damage.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Wise

This tattoo can replace a 30 intelligence node on the tree in Standard to give +1 to level of all intelligence skill gems.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

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

Rumi's Concoction (legacy is better)

Gives 1500 armour, 12% increased attack block, and 6% increased spell block. The legacy version is better and gives much higher block chances. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Jade Flask

Gives 1500 evasion. Look to roll Bleeding and Corrupted Blood immunity during effect and use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with Heart of Darkness to give 27% increased chaos damage and 7% chaos resistance penetration at Cassia using an Azure Oil, Azure Oil, and Opalescent Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: 40% Increased Essence Drain Damage

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: 8% Chance to Suppress Spell Damage

Belt: Enemies Withered By You Have -9% to All Resistances

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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

Lifesprigs

You can use two level one Lifesprigs that each give 40% increased spell damage, +1 to level of socketed spell gems, increased cast speed, life, mana, and life regeneration.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is a strong level one offensive chest armour that has six white linked sockets. Any color skill 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

A great 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 level one gloves 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

Wondertrap boots require level 9 and give up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

Karui Ward

This level five amulet 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 Perandus Signet rings at level one for mana regeneration which each give up to 65% mana regeneration, 65 mana, 2% increased intelligence for each unique item equipped, and 2% increased experience.

 

Flasks

Quicksilver Flask

This flask can be used at level four for 40% increased movement speed and can have increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on this flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Silver Flask

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

Bottled Faith (use a Sulphur Flask for 40% increased damage if you can't afford a 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 up to 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground. You should use Instilling Orbs on this flask until you automatically use the flask when you hit a rare or unique enemy.

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Leveling Gems

Freezing Pulse is a great starter spell that can be used at level one. Essence Drain and Contagion are your endgame skills and they should be switched to at level 12. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and itcan be used as early as level 10 for high life regeneration. 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 should be used as your travel skill at early levels.

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Upgrades

The Carnage Heart amulet is a great budget option that can be equipped as early as level 20 for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% increased elemental resistances. You should also benefit from upgrading to two Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana cost of all skills by up to 16 which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flasks. Many of the items listed in the leveling section above last all the way until the midgame where better items will start becoming available.

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That's all for this PoE guide! You can view more Path of Exile guides in the menu at the top of this page. Best of luck!