Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Gathering Winds, Far Shot, Endless Munitions, and Wind Ward. You should take the Leech Mastery with the Clever Thief node because it gives 1% of damage leeched as life and 1% of damage leeched as mana and works for both physical damage and elemental damage. A Watcher's Eye jewel is also recommended for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, 100% increased critical strike chance while affected by Hatred, 70-104 added cold damage while affected by Hatred, and optionally 15% chance to suppress spell damage while affected by Grace. The Mana Mastery is also important for increased mana reservation efficiency so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. A Stormshroud jewel makes Shock avoidance apply to all elemental ailments and is recommended for 100% elemental ailment avoidance with the recommended boots. This is a life build so make sure and take plenty of the nearby life percent 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 Gathering Winds ascendancy gives Gale Force which increases the effect of Tailwind and gives Tailwind. The Wind Ward ascendancy gives 4% less damage taken for each stack of Gale Force but makes you lose Gale Force when you are hit. Hyrri's Ire has 30% spell suppression and very high evasion which can improve your defenses. Kaom's Heart is the budget defensive body armour option that can have an increased damage corruption and 500 life which also improves your survivability.

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Gems

 

Weapon (6-link)

Lightning Arrow

Inspiration Support

Awakened Elemental Damage with Attacks Support

Awakened Added Lightning Damage Support

Awakened Lightning Penetration Support​

Increased Critical Damage Support

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Armour (6-link)

Frenzy

Manaforged Arrows Support

Power Charge On Critical Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Culling Strike Support

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Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Hatred

Flame Dash

Enlighten Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Summon Ice Golem

Minion Life Support

Elemental Army Support

Blind Support

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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. Hatred is the best offensive aura for this build and gives increased cold damage and physical damage as extra cold damage. Hatred can be used once you have 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 automatically triggers when it's linked to Manaforged Arrows Support once enough mana has been spent on Lightning Arrow. Frenzy is used to gain Frenzy charges on hit, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and generates Power charges with Power Charge on Critical Support.

3. Summon Ice Golem gives increased critical strike chance and accuracy, -10% cold exposure with Elemental Army Support which lowers the cold resistances of enemies, and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

4. If you would prefer a Ranger build that's better to start off with that doesn't require a huge currency investment you can also view the Elemental Hit Raider Guide (removed due to changes to Elemental Hit in 3.25).

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Critical Strike Bow

Look for the highest physical damage per second bow you can find with optional modifiers like increased critical strike chance, chance, increased critical strike multiplier, and increased attack speed. You can also use Tempering Orbs on rare weapons for a chance at getting an increased physical modifiers enchantment but be aware that doing this can sometimes reforge the sockets. In Standard you can also look for a strong Crucible tree which can significantly increase the damage of your bow.

Loath Thunder (best in slot)

This rare mirrored bow is the best bow available in the Standard league currently with more than 1200 maximum damage. This bow skyrockets the damage potential of Lightning Arrow but expect it to cost more than a mirror to purchase.

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How Do You Craft A Great Starter Lightning Arrow Bow?

To craft a strong starter bow you can purchase an ilvl 85+ bow with a tier one increased critical strike multiplier fracture (a permanent modifier that appears golden) and roll Deafening Essences of Contempt until you get a high combined increased damage and accuracy modifier with an open prefix. Now you can use the crafting bench to roll up to 129% increased physical damage which only costs one Exalted Orb for a very strong starter Lightning Arrow Deadeye bow.

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Quiver

Rare Quiver

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

Voidfletcher

The budget quiver gives Void Shot with every arrow fired which can shotgun on single target, up to 40-100 cold damage, 30% increased projectile speed, 120 energy shield, 40 mana per enemy killed, and 30% increased cold resistance.

 

Armour

​Hyrri's Ire (legacy is better)

Gives up to 50 dexterity, 30% spell suppression, 25% increased Chill duration on enemies, and 145-200 added cold damage with bow attacks. Legacy Hyrri's Ire is better if you are playing in Standard and has much higher added cold damage.

Kaom's Heart

This defensive budget armour option gives 500 to maximum life which greatly improves your survivability. You can optionally look for a high increased damage corruption for a little more currency because Kaom's Heart is a fairly inexpensive item.

 

Helmet

Devoto's Devotion

This helmet gives up to 16% increased attack speed, 10% reduced physical damage, 65 dexterity, 20% increased movement speed, 25% increased chaos resistances, and high defensive stats. You should also look for a Devoto's Devotion with +2 to level of socketed AoE or aura gems corruption once you have enough currency. 

 

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.

Abyss Jewel

Look high life, increased critical strike chance, increased critical strike multiplier, and/or added lightning damage with bows.

 

Gloves

Critical Strike Against Shocked Enemies Gloves

Look for increased critical strike chance against Shocked enemies, high life, increased attack speed, added elemental damage, resistances, and you can add increased damage during flask effects at the crafting bench. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors on the gloves to add lightning exposure on hit and increased attack speed.

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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 physical damage as extra lightning damage 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 an increase to attributes, high life, physical damage as extra lightning damage, increased elemental damage with attack skills, increased critical strike chance, and increased critical strike multiplier. You should also use Turbulent Catalysts on the amulet to increase its elemental damage.

Carnage Heart

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

 

Rings

Rare Conductivity Ring

Look for Conductivity on hit, life, resistances, added cold/fire/lightning damage, increased critical strike chance, or increased elemental damage with attack skills. You should use Turbulent Catalysts on your rings for increased elemental damage.

Rare Elemental Damage Ring

Look for high life, increased elemental damage with attack skills, added cold/fire/lightning damage, increased critical strike chance, increased critical strike multiplier, and resistances.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Gives up to 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.

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

Gives 100% increased critical strike chance. You should 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 True Strike for 45% increased critical strike chance and 15% increased critical strike multiplier at Cassia using a Teal Oil, Crimson Oil, and Black Oil. If you plan on using the Asenath's Chant helmet you should instead anoint your amulet with Whispers of Doom for an additional curse at Cassia using three Golden Oils.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Lightning Arrow Hits 2 Additional Enemies

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: 16% Increased Attack 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 also kill all three bandits 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 level one bow with +1 to level of socketed bow gems, increased attack speed, accuracy, and mana on kill.

Roth's Reach

Requires level 18 and has high physical damage, 80% increased elemental damage with attacks, and skills chain +2 times.

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Quiver

Craghead

A level four quiver that gives up to 7-14 added physical damage and 25% reduced projectile speed.

Hyrri's Bite

Requires level 12 and gives strength, dexterity, intelligence, attack speed, area of effect, and added cold damage to attacks.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is a level one offensive chest armour with six white linked sockets. White sockets allow you to link any color skill and support 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

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

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Gloves

Lochtonial Caress

These strong 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 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

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.

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, consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground. You should 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 has multiple projectiles without a support gem. 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 switch to the higher damage Ice Shot with Volley Support for more projectiles at level four and optionally Lightning Arrow and Lesser Multiple Projectile Support at level 12. You can use Steelskin as your guard skill once you are level four and have at least 16 strength. Dash also requires level four and can be used as your travel skill at an early level.

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Upgrades

Death's Harp is a great upgrade to Roth's Reach at level 32. You can also upgrade to Death's Opus at level 44 for high critical strike modifiers and two additional arrows. The Carnage Heart amulet is the budget amulet for the build and can be equipped as early as level 20 for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% to all 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 section above last all the way until the midgame where better items will become available.

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

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