Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Righteous Providence, Inevitable Judgement, Augury of Penitence, and Sanctuary. The critical strike nodes are very important for this build because the Penance Brand of Dissipation Inquisitor is a critical strike based build. A Watcher's Eye unique jewel should also be used for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, 15% increased cast speed while affected by Zealotry, 120% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground while affected by Zealotry, and optionally 15% spell suppression while affected by Grace. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are also important for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. This is a life build so make sure and take as many of the nearby life percent nodes as you can for survival. Note: The skill tree above is updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

You will have consecrated ground when stationary and consecrated ground will linger on you for four seconds with the Sanctuary ascendancy. You will also deal 16% more elemental damage and take 8% less elemental damage with the Inevitable Judgement ascendancy. One of this builds greatest defenses is that you can cast twice and then move which gives this build excellent mobility. This Penance Brand/Storm Brand Inquisitor build also has the defensive advantage of using a shield.

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Gems

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Weapon (3-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

More Duration Support​

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Shield (3-link)

Sigil of Power

Empower Support

Flame Dash

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Armour (6-link)

Penance Brand of Dissipation (use Storm Brand of Indecision in areas where you need more clear like Delve)

Awakened Added Fire Damage Support (Awakened Added Lightning Damage Support when using Storm Brand of Indecision)

Increased Critical Strike Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Inspiration Support

Swiftbrand Support

Note: You'll need a white socket to switch support gems for Storm Brand of Indecision.

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Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Zealotry

Clarity

Enlighten Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Summon Flame Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

Vaal Haste

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Boots (4-link)

Cast When Damage Taken Support

Cold Snap

Power Charge On Critical Support

Blind Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive auras for this build and gives very high evasion. Zealotry is the best offensive aura for spell critical strike builds and gives spell critical strike chance, increased spell damage, and creates consecrated ground when you hit an enemy. Clarity should also be used for its high mana regeneration. You should use Zealotry once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery, the increased reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery, and a level four 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. Cold Snap generates Frenzy charges when enemies die in its skill effect area, generates Power charges when it's linked to Power Charge On Critical Support, and Blinds enemies when it's linked to Blind Support.

3. Sigil of Power gains stages that give high added lightning damage when you use mana in its skill effect area and when it reaches its final stage it also greatly reduces your damage taken.

4. Summon Fire Golem increases your damage, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, regenerates 2% of your life on Culling Strike, and gives an extra target for enemies to attack.

5. If you think you would prefer to try out a melee based Inquisitor build with great clearing damage that does well at the endgames you can also check out the CoC Ice Spear Cyclone Inquisitor here CoC Ice Spear Cyclone Inquisitor Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Caster Weapon

Look for +1 to level of all lightning spell skill gems, +1 to level of all spell skill gems if you can afford it, increased spell damage, increased critical strike chance for spells, increased global critical strike multiplier, and increased cast speed. You should also add 1% elemental damage per 2% quality at the Horticrafting Station which can be added to your hideout.

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Shield

Rare Shield

Look for +1 to all lightning spell skill gems, high life, increased spell damage, increased critical strike chance for spells, optionally energy shield, and add increased cast speed at the crafting bench.

 

Armour

Belly of the Beast

This defensive option is recommended if you can get blue and/or white sockets. It has up to 40% increased life, 15% increased elemental resistances, and 50% increased flask life recovery rate. You can also go for a +1 to level of socketed gems corruption.

Inpulsa's Broken Heart

Inpulsa's Broken Heart is the option that focuses on increasing your damage for large groups of enemies and is easier to get blue sockets on. It has up to 80 life, 25% increased effect of Shock, 50% increased damage if you have Shocked an enemy recently, and causes Shocked enemies that you kill to explode for 5% of their maximum life. You can also go for a +1 to level of socketed gems corruption for higher damage.

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Helmet

Maw of Conquest

Has up to 80% increased critical strike chance for spells, 70 life, 20% of damage taken recouped as life, immunity to poison, and very high energy shield. You should also eventually look for a +2 to level of socketed AoE or aura gems corruption.

 

Gloves

Rare Critical Strike Against Shocked Enemies Gloves

Look for increased critical strike chance against Shocked enemies, life, optionally dexterity, resistances, and you can add increased damage during any flask effect at the crafting bench. Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors should also be used to add lightning damage leeched as life and a chance to Unnerve enemies on hit which makes enemies take 10% increased spell damage. If you don't have 10% physical damage converted to lightning damage on a ring you can also get physical damage converted to lightning damage in the place of lightning damage leeched as life for more damage.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, increased lightning damage, increased damage, resistances, and an abyssal socket. With an open prefix you can also use a Crusader's Exalted Orb for a chance at increased lightning damage or increased critical strike chance against Shocked enemies. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the belt to increase its life bonus.

Abyss Jewel

Look for an abyss jewel with high life, energy shield, increased critical strike chance, and increased global critical strike multiplier or added lightning damage to spells.

 

Boots

Rare Boots

Look for life, optionally energy shield, resistances, Onslaught on kill, and movement speed. You should also roll physical damage as extra lightning damage and chance to avoid being Ignited using Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors.

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Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for high life, attributes, increased critical strike chance, increased critical strike multiplier, and if you can afford it +1 to level of all lightning skill gems. You should use Unstable Catalysts on the amulet to increase its critical strike modifiers.

 

Rings

Rare Increased Cast Speed Diamond Rings

Look for high life, resistances, dexterity, and increased cast speed, with an increased global critical strike chance implicit. You can also get 10% of physical damage converted to lightning damage on one of your rings if you can afford it. You should use Fertile Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their life bonuses.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Wise

This tattoo can replace a 30 intelligence node on the tree to give +1 to Level of All Intelligence Skill Gems.

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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 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, increases your block chance by 12%, and gives 6% spell block. The legacy version is better and gives much higher block chances. You should 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. Try and roll Bleeding and Corrupted Blood immunity 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 Overcharged for an 8% chance to generate an Endurance, Frenzy, or Power charge on kills at Cassia using a Clear Oil, Opalescent Oil, and Silver Oil. 

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Steelskin Buff Can Take 45% Increased Amount Of Damage

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: 16% Attack and Cast Speed if You've Killed Recently

Belt: Hits Against Enemies Unnerved by You Have 50% Increased Spell 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 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 Abberath is the best minor power to help maintain energy shield by giving 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 Lifesprigs at level one 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 strong offensive level one chest armour that has 6 white linked socket which means you can link any color gems together for much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also purchase 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 excellent level one gloves give up to 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to generate a Power, Endurance, or Frenzy charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

These boots can be used at level 9 and give up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

Karui 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

Two level one Perandus Signets can be used 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 for 40% increased movement speed and can have 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.

Silver Flask

This flask gives Onslaught which increases your attack speed, cast speed, and movement speed as early as level 27 and it can have 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)

This endgame flask requires level 27 and gives 40% increased damage, consecrated ground, 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground, and increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when you hit a rare or unique enemy.

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Leveling Gems

You can start at level one with Freezing Pulse and then switch to Storm Brand or Storm Brand of Indecision once you reach level 12. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and can be used as early as level 10. Penance Brand of Dissipation can be switched to once you reach level 28. Make sure and pick up a Steelskin gem once you are 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 at level 12 for increased spell damage, high added fire damage to spells, a 10% chance to cover enemies in Ash on hit, and a 25% chance to trigger Level 10 Summon Raging Spirits on kills. You can also benefit from upgrading to two Praxis ring 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. You can optionally use Mark of Submission ring socketed with Conductivity when you reach level 24. Many of the items in the leveling section above last until the midgame where better items will become available.

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

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