Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Crave the Slaughter, Flawless Savagery, Rite of Ruin, and Blitz. A legacy Rapid Expansion unique jewel can be used in the blue circle above in standard to expand the radius of Ground Slam. The Fortify Mastery cluster should also be taken for Melee Hits Fortify and gives high life regeneration to combat the life degeneration from the Rite of Ruin ascendancy. The armour nodes with resistances and +1 to maximum elemental resistance nodes are very helpful if you're using Molten Shell because they greatly increase the armour based shield of Molten Shell. The Reservation Mastery at the bottom of the tree and the Mana Mastery are also very important for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. This is a melee build so make sure and take all of the nearby life percent nodes on the tree for survival. Note: The above skill tree image is updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

Ground Slam Berserkers have a fast attack speed with their Rage and a large area of effect attack that stuns enemies which makes it great at survival. Fortification from the Fortify Mastery also improves your defenses by making you take 23% reduced damage from hits. This build has a chance to block from using a staff which also improves your defenses.

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Gems

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Weapon (6-link)

Vaal Haste

Empower Support

More Duration Support

Summon Flame Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

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Armour (6-link)

Ground Slam of Earthshaking (you can use the regular Ground Slam gem instead if your attack speed is slow)

Awakened Melee Physical Damage Support

Awakened Added Fire Damage Support

Pulverise Support

Faster Attacks Support

Impale Support

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Herald of Purity

Herald of Ash

Enlighten Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Intimidating Cry

Urgent Orders Support

War Banner

Dash

 

Boots (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

More Duration Support

Enhance Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Herald of Purity is selected to increase your physical damage and gives four extra minions for enemies to attack. Herald of Ash gives physical damage as extra fire damage, increases your fire damage, and causes overkills to burn nearby enemies. Herald of Ash can be used once you take the Reservation Mastery, the Mana Mastery, and have two level 4 Enlighten Supports to lower the mana reservation cost of your skills.

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Gem Notes​​​

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

2. The Staff Mastery gives a chance to gain an Endurance charge on critical strikes which allows you to use Intimidating Cry because you won't need the Endurance charges from Enduring Cry. The Intimidating Cry warcry automatically casts with Autoexertion and exerts your next two Ground Slams causing them to deal double damage.

3. 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 movement speed for a short to medium duration.

4. Summon Flame Golem gives up to a 21% damage increase and provides an additional target for enemies to attack.

5. If you would like another good starter Marauder build that performs well without excellent equipment you can also check out the Fire Cyclone Chieftain Guide which can be found here Fire Cyclone Chieftain Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Staff

Ground Slam of Earthshaking requires a very fast axe, mace, or staff. A staff is the preferred choice because they can have high damage, high block chance, and high critical strike chance which increases your attack speed with the Blitz ascendancy. You can also use Tempering Orbs on rare weapons for a low chance at getting an increased physical modifiers enchantment but be aware that doing this can sometimes reforge the sockets on the weapon.

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How Do You Craft A Great Starter Ground Slam Staff?

To craft a 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.

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Armour

The Brass Dome

The Brass Dome can give more than 4000 armour, makes you take no extra damage from critical strikes, and gives 5% to all maximum elemental resistances at the cost of strength not increasing your life. The legacy version is a great option and can give more than 6000 armour, makes you take no extra damage from critical strikes, gives life from strength, allows you to allocate a Life Mastery for 15% more life because it doesn't have a life modifier, but has the drawback of lowering your block chances.

 

Helmet

Devoto's Devotion

Gain 16% increased attack speed, 10% reduced physical damage, 65 dexterity, 20% increased movement speed, high defensive stats, and 25% chaos resistance. You can look for a +2 to level of socketed aura or AoE gems corruption if you don't have it on your gloves. If you have it on your gloves you should instead look for a 6% life corruption because it's a fairly inexpensive item.

The Broken Crown

A budget option that gives 15 to all stats, 20% increased damage when on low life, and 61% chaos resistance.

 

Gloves

Rare Gloves

Look for high life, increased attack speed, increased accuracy, a resistance, and add increased damage during any flask effect at the crafting bench. If you can afford it you can also go for +2 to level of socketed AoE gems. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll increased attack speed and exerted attacks deal increased damage. 

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

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

Abyss Jewel

Look for an abyss jewel with high life, energy shield, increased attack speed, and increased accuracy.

 

Boots

Rare Two-Toned Boots

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

 

Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for high life, high attributes, increased critical strike chance multiplier, physical damage as extra fire damage, and add reduced mana cost at the crafting bench. You can use a Warlord's Exalted Orb on an amulet with the other modifiers and an open prefix for a chance at physical damage as extra fire damage. You should use Fertile Catalysts to increase its life bonus.

Carnage Heart

This budget amulet gives 56 to all attributes, 20% to all elemental resistances, 2% life leech, 50% increased recovery from life leech, and 40% increased damage while you are leeching. You can also use Intrinsic Catalysts to increase its attribute bonus.

 

Rings

Vulnerability Ring

Look for Vulnerability on hit, high life, strength, increased damage, and resistances. You should use Fertile Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their life bonuses.

Rare Ring

A Diamond Ring is the best damage option for 30% increased critical strike chance but it's not required. Look for high life, attributes, resistances, and add reduced mana cost at the crafting bench. You can also use a Warlord's Exalted Orb if the ring has an open prefix for a chance at adding increased melee damage.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Berserker

This tattoo replaces a 30 dexterity node to give Onslaught on hit which replaces the Onslaught on kill modifier on your boots.

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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. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Taste of Hate (legacy is better)

Gives 15% of physical damage as extra cold damage, 15% of physical damage taken as cold damage (legacy modifier), 30% of fire and lightning damage taken as cold damage (new modifier), 5% to maximum cold resistance, 50% cold resistances, 30% reduced chance to be Frozen, and 30% less chance to be Chilled. The legacy version has higher cold damage and better damage reduction. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Diamond Flask

Gain 100% increased critical strike chance. Look to roll Bleeding and Corrupted Blood immunity and use Instilling Orbs until you automatically use the flask whenever you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with Harpooner for a 20% chance to Impale, 30% increased effect of Impales you inflict on enemies without an Impale, and 50% increased Impale duration at Cassia using a Teal Oil, Indigo Oil, and Crimson Oil. If you can get two Impale jewels for the tree you should instead anoint your amulet with Overcharged for a chance to generate an Endurance, Frenzy, or Power charge on kill at Cassia using a Clear Oil, Opalescent Oil, and Silver Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Ground Slam Has A 24% Increased Angle

Gloves: Commandment of Fury

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

Belt: Recover 2% Life When You Kill an Enemy While You Have Rage​

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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 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

The Blood Thorn

A high damage two hand level one weapon with a 30% block chance and a 100% chance to cast Vulnerability on 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

A strong level one offensive chest armour that has six white linked sockets. This armour allows you to link any six skill gems and support gems together for 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 level one resistance helmet with up to 40% to all elemental resistances that has 10% increased rarity of items found.

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Gloves

Lochtonial Caress

Level one gloves that give 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 can be equipped at level 9 and give up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

Tear of Purity

An amulet that 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 level one Perandus Signets that each give up to 65% mana regeneration, 65 mana, 2% increased intelligence for each unique item equipped, and 2% increased 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.

Taste of Hate (legacy option)

This flask only requires level 18 and gives 15% of physical damage as extra cold damage, 15% of physical damage taken as cold damage (legacy modifier), 5% to maximum cold resistance, 50% cold resistances, 30% reduced chance to be Frozen, and 30% less chance to be Chilled. You can optionally use this flask instead of a Quicksilver Flask for leveling. The older legacy versions are much better and have higher physical damage as extra cold damage and physical damage taken as cold damage. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask 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, creates consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and gives 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground.

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Leveling Gems

It's best to use Ground Slam at level one because Ground Slam of Earthshaking has a low attack speed if you aren't using a fast weapon. 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. Make sure to pick up a Steelskin gem once you've reached level four 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 Kaom's Primacy at level 58, and then finally to your endgame weapon. You can equip Carnage Heart which is the budget amulet for this build as early as level 20. You can also benefit from upgrading to two Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of 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 become available.

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That's all for the Ground Slam Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can also view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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