Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Gathering Winds, Far Shot, Endless Munitions, and Wind Ward. A Watcher's Eye jewel is highly recommended for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, increased critical strike chance while affected by Hatred, added cold damage while affected by Hatred, and optionally spell suppression while affected by Grace. A Light of Meaning jewel is very important in the blue circle in the image for 6% increased lightning damage for each passive in its radius. A Stormshroud jewel is also recommended to make Shock avoidance apply to all elemental ailments which gives 100% elemental ailment immunity with the recommended boots. The Mana Mastery should be taken for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. 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 and build ratings have been updated for season (3.27).

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Defensive Layers

The Gathering Winds ascendancy gives Tailwind and Gale Force which increases the effect of your Tailwind. The Wind Ward ascendancy gives 4% less damage taken for each stack of Gale Force but makes you lose Gale Force when you're hit. The recommended Hyrri's Ire body armour is also strong defensively because it has 30% spell suppression and very high evasion.

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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. The Frenzy gem automatically triggers when it's linked to Manaforged Arrows Support after enough mana has been spent on Lightning Arrow. Frenzy is used to gain Frenzy charges on hit, kills enemies at 10% life remaining 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, cold exposure with Elemental Army Support which lowers the cold resistances of enemies, and provides an additional target for enemies to attack.

4. If you would prefer a different bow build that has a lower damage ceiling than Lightning Arrow but is much easier to build on a budget you can also try out the Tornado Shot Deadeye build here Tornado Shot Deadeye Guide.

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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 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 bow which can significantly increase your damage.

Loath Thunder (standard bow, best in slot)

This rare mirrored bow is the best bow available in Standard currently and has more than 1200 maximum damage. This bow can skyrocket the damage potential of Lightning Arrow but you should also know it costs 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 Lightning Arrow 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 costs one Exalted Orb for a very strong starter bow for Lightning Arrow.

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Quiver

Rare Quiver

Look for high life, increased critical strike chance, increased critical strike multiplier, increased elemental damage with attacks skills, physical damage as extra elemental damage, and increased attack speed. Other optional modifiers include an extra arrow and increased damage with bow skills.

Voidfletcher

The budget quiver gives Void Shot with every arrow fired which can shotgun on single target fights. It also has 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 even better if you're playing in Standard and has much higher added cold damage.

Kaom's Heart

This extreme budget body armour option gives 500 to maximum life which greatly improves your survivability. You can optionally look for a high increased damage corruption for cheap 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 +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 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 add increased damage during any flask effect at the crafting bench. You should use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors on the gloves to add lightning exposure on hit which lowers enemies' lightning resistances 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 the Gathering Winds Deadeye ascendancy. 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 elemental ailment immunity with a Stormshroud jewel socketed in your skill tree.

 

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 improve its elemental damage increases.

Carnage Heart (budget)

The extreme 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 use Intrinsic Catalysts on the amulet to increase its attributes.

 

Rings

Rare Conductivity Ring

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

Rare Critical Strike Chance 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 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 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.

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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 the best level one bow with +1 to level of socketed bow gems, increased attack speed, and increased accuracy.

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

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

Hyrri's Bite

Gives strength, dexterity, intelligence, attack speed, area of effect, added cold damage to attacks, and only requires level 12.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is a level one offensive body 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 eventually upgrade to a Tabula Rasa with a high increased damage corruption when leveling 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 only require level 9 and give up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

The Kurai 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 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 increased 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 version)

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 legacy version is much better and has 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, increased cast speed, and increased movement speed as early as level 27 and can have increased attack speed or increased 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 yet)

This flask requires level 27 and gives 40% increased damage, consecrated ground, up to 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground, and increases enemies damage taken by 10% when they're 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 has multiple projectiles without a support gem. You should switch to the higher damage Ice Shot with Volley Support for extra arrows at level four and switch to Lightning Arrow and Lesser Multiple Projectile Support at level 12. Precision is the best low level offensive 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 and can be used as early as level 10. You can use Steelskin as your guard skill once you're 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 lets 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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