Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Gathering Winds, Ricochet, Endless Munitions, and Wind Ward. You should take the Leech Mastery with the Clever Thief node because it gives 1% of attack damage leeched as life and 1% attack damage leeched as mana which works for both physical damage and elemental damage. A Watcher's Eye jewel is also recommended for up to 6% increased life, 6% increased energy shield, 6% 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. This is a life build so make sure and take a healthy amount of the nearby life percent nodes for survival.

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Defensive Layers

The Gathering Winds ascendancy gives Gale Force and The Wind Ward ascendancy gives 3% less damage taken for each stack of Gale Force on you but makes you lose all Gale Force when you are hit. Hyrri's Ire is the recommended body armour and has 30% spell suppression and very high evasion which can also improve your defenses. Kaom's Heart is the defensive body armour option that can have an increased damage corruption and 500 life which also greatly 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

War Banner

Enlighten Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Summon Ice Golem

Minion Life Support

Elemental Army Support

Flame Dash

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Boots (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

Enduring Cry

Call To Arms

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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. War Banner is selected to increase your accuracy and physical damage against nearby enemies. 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 armor to be effective.

2. Frenzy automatically triggers when it's linked to Manaforged Arrows Support once enough mana has been spent on other bow attacks. 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. Enduring Cry is used to provide a large 2223 life heal over one second, generates Endurance charges, gives an extra 2% increased physical damage reduction per charge, and 2% gives increased elemental resistances per charge. You should also link the new Call to Arms gem to Enduring Cry to instantly cast your Enduring Cry on cooldown.

4. Summon Ice Golem gives increased critical strike chance and accuracy, cold exposure with Elemental Army Support, and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

5. If you would prefer a Ranger build that's better to start off with that doesn't require a huge currency investment for a very high physical damage bow you can also view the Elemental Hit Raider Guide here Elemental Hit Raider 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 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 body armour option gives 500 to maximum life which improves your survivability. You can also optionally go 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 is the recommended helmet that gives up to 16% increased attack speed, 10% reduced physical damage, 65 dexterity, 20% increased movement speed, and 25% chaos resistance. You should also eventually look for a +2 to level of socketed AoE or aura gems corruption once you have enough currency. 

Asenath's Chant

Another helmet option that has 15% increased attack speed and casts socketed spells sequentially on hit with a 0.3 second cooldown. You should replace Summon Ice Golem and its support gems in your gloves with your reservation skills when using this helmet. You should also socket Asenath's Chant with Sniper's Mark and Tornado and link them to Arcane Surge Support and Blind Support. You can also eventually go for a +1 to Maximum Power Charges 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 20 Turbulent Catalysts on the belt to increase its elemental damage.

Abyss Jewel

Look for an abyss jewel with life, 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 you can optionally 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 life, strength, resistances, Onslaught on kill, and movement speed. You won't need Tailwind on your boots because you'll already have it from your ascendancies. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors on your boots to roll increased action speed and physical damage as extra lightning damage.

 

Amulet

​Rare Amulet

Look for an increase to attributes, high life, physical damage as extra lightning damage, increased elemental damage with attack skills, and increased critical strike multiplier. You should also use 20 Turbulent Catalysts 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 20 Intrinsic Catalysts on the amulet to increase its attribute bonus.

 

Rings

Rare Conductivity Ring

Look for Conductivity on hit, high life, resistances, added cold/fire/lightning damage, and increased elemental damage with attack skills. You should also use Turbulent Catalysts on both of 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, 20% less cold damage taken, 50% cold resistances, 30% reduced chance to be Frozen, and 30% less chance to be Chilled. Legacy Taste of Hate has higher damage. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when 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. However 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 with 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 for critical strike builds is Alira because she gives 15% increased elemental resistances, 20% increased critical strike multiplier, and 5 mana regeneration per second which are all very beneficial.

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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.

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. You should switch to the higher damage Ice Shot with Volley Support for more projectiles at level four and Lightning Arrow and Lesser Multiple Projectile Support at level 12. You can use Steelskin which is a defensive guard skill once you've reached 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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