Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Polymath, Escape Artist, Soul Drinker, and One Step Ahead. The Chaos Inoculation node in the upper right of the tree makes this an energy shield build and is required for this build. You should stack intelligence as high as you can with this build because it increases the damage of Power Siphon and as an added bonus it increases your energy shield. A Watcher's Eye jewel is highly recommended for increased energy shield, increased mana, 30 energy shield per enemy hit while affected by Discipline, 100% critical strike chance while affected by Wrath, and optionally 60% increased lightning damage while affected by Wrath. An Energy From Within jewel can also be used in the upper blue circle in the image for a large energy shield increase. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are very important for increased mana reservation efficiency so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. Try and get a Corrupted Blood immunity corruption on one of your jewels so that you don't need to allocate the Resistance Mastery for it because the Resistance Mastery gives chaos resistances and you will be immune to chaos damage with the Chaos Inoculation node. You will also have very high evasion and energy shield with this build so the Ghost Dance node which recovers a huge amount of energy shield when you are hit is very helpful defensively. This is an energy shield build so make sure and take plenty of the nearby energy shield related nodes on the tree for survival. Note: The skill tree above has been updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

The Polymath ascendancy increases your damage and recovers 1% life, 1% energy shield, and 1% mana on kill per allocated mastery on the tree. The One Step Ahead ascendancy increases your action speed to 108% and lowers nearby enemies action speed to 92%. You will also gain added energy shield and energy shield leech with the Escape Artist and Soul Drinker ascendancies. This build paths through the Witch tree which has a high number of energy shield related nodes and it's an intelligence stacking build which gives increased energy shield. This build also uses the Atziri's Reflection unique shield for high intelligence, high energy shield, a chance to block, and curse immunity which improves your defenses.

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Gems

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Weapon (3-link)

Cold Snap

Cast When Damage Taken Support

Blind Support

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Shield (3-link)

Sigil of Power

Empower Support

More Duration Support

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Armour (6-link)

Power Siphon

Sacred Wisps Support (new)

Awakened Elemental Damage With Attacks Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Inspiration Support

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Wrath

Discipline

Enlighten Support

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Gloves (4-link)

Summon Lightning Golem

Minion Life Support

Elemental Army Support

Blind Support

 

Boots (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

More Duration Support

Flame Dash

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Reservation Skills

Grace and Discipline are the best defensive auras for this build because they give very high evasion, added energy shield, and increased energy shield recharge rate. Wrath should be used as your offensive aura because it can be supported with a Watcher's Eye jewel with 100% increased critical strike chance and it also gives high added lightning damage. Wrath should be used once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery, increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery, and a level four Enlighten Support to lower the mana reservation costs 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. Cold Snap generates Frenzy charges when enemies die in its skill effect area and Blinds enemies with Blind Support.

3. Summon Lightning Golem gives increased attack speed, an added lightning damage aura, lightning exposure with Elemental Army Support which lowers the lightning resistances of enemies, Blinds enemies with Blind Support, and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

4. If you think you would prefer a strength stacking Kinetic Blast and Power Siphon life build you can also check out the Kinetic Blast/Power Siphon Berserker Guide which can be found here Strength Stacking Kinetic Blast Berserker Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Imbued Wand

Look for a rare Imbued Wand that has adds 1-6 lightning damage to attacks with this weapon per 10 intelligence, 1% increased spell damage per 16 intelligence, added lightning damage, increased attack speed, and increased critical strike chance.

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Shield

Atziri's Reflection

Has up to 60 intelligence, 30% increased elemental resistances, 20% increased effect of your curses, hex reflection, curse immunity, and high energy shield and evasion.

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Armour

Replica Hyrri's Ire

Gives up to 50 intelligence, 18-347 lightning damage to wand attacks, 30% chance to suppress spell damage, and high evasion which greatly increases your energy shield with the Escape Artist ascendancy.

 

Helmet

Rare Intelligence Stack Energy Shield Helmet

Look for intelligence, intelligence percent, very high energy shield, and resistances. You can also optionally go for the +2 to socketed AoE gems modifier. Crown of Eyes is no longer needed for "increases and reductions in spell damage also apply to attacks at 150% of the value" because you get the modifier passively from the Power Siphon gem as of 3.25.

 

Belt

Synthesized Intelligence Stack Belt

This belt can have a 15% increased intelligence implicit, high intelligence, energy shield, resistances, and increased elemental damage with attack skills. You should also use Intrinsic Catalysts on your belt to increase its attribute bonus.

Cyclopean Coil

The budget option gives up to 15% increased attributes, 120 life, cannot be Shocked if intelligence is higher than strength, cannot be Ignited if strength is higher than dexterity, and 1% increased damage per 5 of your lowest attribute.

 

Gloves

Rare Energy Shield Gloves

Look for tier one intelligence, high energy shield, increased attack speed, and resistances. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll increased attack speed and lightning exposure on hit which lowers enemies lightning resistances.

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Boots

Rare Energy Shield Boots

Look for tier one intelligence, high energy shield, resistances, Onslaught on kill, movement speed, and use Eldritch Ichors and Eldritch Embers to roll a chance to avoid elemental ailments and a chance to avoid being Ignited.

Rare Intelligence Stack Boots

The high end option is strong boots with the 1-6 added lightning damage per 10 intelligence modifier but these boots can be extremely expensive. You can look for these boots with high intelligence, high energy shield, and resistances.

 

Amulet

Astramentis

Gives up to 116 to all attributes which allows you to fulfill attribute requirements and gives a huge damage increase from intelligence. You should also use Intrinsic Catalysts on the amulet to greatly increase its attribute bonus.

 

Rings

Rare Conductivity Ring

Look for a ring with the Conductivity curse on hit, high intelligence, energy shield, added lightning damage, increased lightning damage, and resistances. You should also use Intrinsic Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their intelligence bonus.

Rare Intelligence Ring

Look for high intelligence, energy shield, added lightning damage, resistances, and optionally increased critical strike chance.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Tuatara

These tattoos can replace small dexterity nodes to give four to all attributes per tattoo which increases your intelligence.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Gives 40% increased damage, consecrated ground, 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies 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 whenever 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 has much higher block chances. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

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.

Silver Flask

Gives Onslaught on single target 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. Look to 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

Your amulet should be anointed with Divine Judgement which gives 50% increased elemental damage at Cassia using a Sepia Oil, Teal Oil, and Black Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: 15% Increased Power Siphon Attack Speed

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: Adds 1-160 Lightning Damage If You Haven't Killed Recently 

Belt: Enemies Blinded By You Have 30% Reduced Critical Strike Chance

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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 also kill all three bandits for 1 passive skill point.

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Pantheon

Soul of the Brine King is the best major Pantheon power for energy shield builds because it gives Freeze immunity, 50% reduced effects of Chill on you, stun immunity if you've received a stunning hit in the past 2 seconds, and 30% increased stun and block recovery. Soul of the Brine King is important because this build is a one life energy shield build with the Chaos Inoculation node on the tree and your Freeze and Chill threshold is normally based off your maximum life. Soul of Abberath is the best minor Pantheon power to help maintain energy shield because it gives 60% less Ignite duration on you, 10% increased movement speed on burning ground, and makes you unaffected by burning ground.

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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 level one chest armour with six white linked sockets which allow you to link any color gems together for 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

A great level one resistance helmet with up to 40% increased 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 give 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

The 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

Two Perandus Signets

You can use two level one 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, 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 it whenever you hit a rare or unique enemy.

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Leveling Gems

You can start the game with Freezing Pulse which requires 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. Power Siphon can be switched to as soon as you reach level 12. Make sure to 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

You can upgrade your wands to two Ashcallers for added fire damage, increased spell damage, and a 25% chance to summon a level 10 Raging Spirit on kill. You can also upgrade to Twyzel or better yet Replica Twyzel at level 30 for more damage. Astramentis is the recommended amulet for the build and can be equipped as early as level 20. 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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And that's all for the Power Siphon Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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