Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Master Toxicist, Nature's Reprisal, Nature's Adrenaline, and Nature's Boon. Nature's Boon should only be taken if you plan on using a magic utility flask. If you aren't using a magic utility flask you should just take the 'flask effects and charges gained' and the 'flask effects and duration' lesser nodes in the ascendancy. You should take a collection of the increased chaos damage over time, increased damage over time, damage over time multiplier for poisons, and chance to poison nodes. You will need a 60% chance to poison from the tree to reach a 100% chance to poison. A Watcher's Eye unique jewel is also recommended for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, damaging ailments you inflict deal damage 15% faster while you are affected by Malevolence, and 22% increased damage over time multiplier while affected by Malevolence. The Light of Meaning Jewel is new to this season and can have 6% increased chaos damage for each passive in its radius. The Charge Mastery is also important because it gives a 12% chance to generate a Frenzy, Endurance, or Power charge on kill. You should also take the Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery for increased mana reservation efficiency so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. Make sure and take a healthy amount of the nearby life percent nodes for survival. Note: The skill tree above is updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

Scourge Arrow of Menace is used to kill groups of enemies quickly and its poison damage is spread with the Master Toxicist ascendancy. The Pathfinder ascendancy also has several nodes that improve your flasks. With the Nature's Boon ascendancy you will gain three flask charges every three seconds and you will have a 20% chance to not expend a flask charge when you use a flask. You will also have 25% of physical damage taken as chaos damage with the recommended Darkscorn Bow.

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Gems

 

Weapon (6-link)

Caustic Arrow of Poison

Volley Support

Awakened Added Chaos Damage Support

Awakened Void Manipulation Support

Awakened Vicious Projectile Support

Awakened Unbound Ailment Support

 

Armour (7-link)

Scourge Arrow of Menace

Chance To Poison Support

Awakened Deadly Ailments Support

Awakened Void Manipulation Support

Awakened Vicious Projectile Support

Awakened Unbound Ailments Support

Added Chaos Damage Support (from The Covenant armour)

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Malevolence

Clarity

Enlighten Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

More Duration Support​

Vaal Haste

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Boots (4-link)

Summon Flame Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

Elemental Army Support​

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Malevolence is the best offensive aura for this build and increases your damage over time and skill effect duration. Clarity is also very important for the high mana cost of Scourge Arrow of Menace. Malevolence can be used once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery, an increased mana reservation efficiency implicit from an Eldritch Ichor modifier on your helmet, and a level 4 Enlighten Support to lower the mana reservation cost of your skills.

 

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. Caustic Arrow of Poison is a transfigured gem that has excellent single target damage and Scourge Arrow of Menace is a transfigured gem with great damage for clearing larger groups of enemies. These two skills together make this build a hybrid build that deals higher single target damage and AoE damage than the non-transfigured versions of the builds.

3. Summon Flame Golem gives a 20% damage increase, replenishes 2% of your life on Culling Strike, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and provides an additional target for enemies to attack.

4. Scourge Arrow of Menace and Caustic Arrow of Poison Pathfinder is the strongest poison bow build but if you think you would prefer to try a different strong bow build the Tornado Shot Guide can be found here Tornado Shot Deadeye Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Darkscorn

Gives a 20% chance for poisons inflicted by this weapon to deal 300% damage, converts 25% of physical damage to chaos damage, and converts 25% physical damage taken from hits to chaos damage.

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Quiver

Rare Quiver

Look for high life, bow attacks fire an additional arrow, damage over time multiplier with attack skills, chaos damage over time multiplier with attack skills, and increased attack speed.

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Armour

The Covenant

This armour is the best option for 10% increased life, up to 30 intelligence, high energy shield, socketed gems are supported by level 29 Added Chaos damage, and skills gain a life cost equal to the base mana cost of the supported skill. You might need a corrupted The Covenant so you can use Tainted Chromatic Orbs to get random socket combinations because the uncorrupted version will almost always roll blue sockets with Chromatic Orbs because it's a pure energy shield base.

Dendrobate

This budget option has socketed gems are supported by level 10 Chance To Poison, up to 100% increased poison damage if you have 300 dexterity, 25% increased poison duration if you have 150 intelligence, and 25% increased elemental resistances.

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Helmet

Rare Helmet

Look for high life, high resistances, and if you can afford it +2 to level of socketed AoE gems/increased area of effect. You can optionally add +1 to level of socketed AoE gems/increased area of effect at the crafting bench. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to add increased damage per Power charge and increased duration of ailments.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, strength or life percent, increased chaos damage, increased damage, resistances, and an abyssal socket. If you have an open prefixes you can use a Hunter's Exalted Orb for a chance at rolling increased chaos damage. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the belt to increase its life bonus.

Abyss Jewel

Look for high life, increased damage over time while wielding a two handed weapon, accuracy rating, and added chaos damage.

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Gloves

Rare Apothecary's Gloves

Apothecary's Gloves have up to an 18% increased damage over time implicit. Look for Apothecary's Gloves with high life, increased damage over time, increased chaos damage over time multiplier, increased attack speed, increased accuracy rating, and you can also add projectiles pierce an additional target at the crafting bench.

 

Boots

Rare Two-Toned Boots

Look for high life, resistances, Onslaught on kill, Tailwind, Elusive, and movement speed.

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Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for high life, +1 to level of all chaos skill gems, increased damage over time multiplier, attributes, and resistances. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the amulet to increase its life bonus.

Impresence

This budget option unique gives up to 16 to all attributes, 40% increased damage over time, 19-29 added chaos damage, 70 life, 23% chaos resistance, and Maddening Presence which lowers the damage and action speed of nearby enemies by 10% when you kill a rare or unique enemy.

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Rings 

Rare Despair Ring

Look for a ring with Despair on hit, high life, strength or intelligence, resistances, and crafted reduced mana cost. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their life bonuses and reduced mana costs.

Rare Ring

Look for high life, strength or intelligence, resistances, optionally increased chaos damage, and crafted reduced mana cost.

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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.

Dying Sun (legacy is better)

Gives two extra arrows, 20% increased area of effect, 50% fire resistance, and reduces fire damage taken by 20%. The legacy version has a longer duration. 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 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 Avatar of the Hunt for 30% increased damage with bow, 200 evasion rating, 6% movement speed, and 30% increased damage over time with bow skills at Cassia using a Clear Oil, Opalescent Oil, and Opalescent Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

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

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: 16% Increased Attack Speed if You Have Killed Recently

Belt: Enemies Withered By You Have -6% to All Resistances

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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 and gives 60% less Ignite duration on you, makes you unaffected by burning ground, and gives 10% increased movement speed on burning ground.

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Leveling Gear

 

Weapon

Silverbranch

Silverbranch is a great 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 gives high physical damage, 80% increased elemental damage with attacks, and skills chain +2 times.

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Quiver

Craghead

Craghead is a level four quiver that gives 7-14 added physical damage and 25% reduced projectile speed.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa requires level one and has six white linked sockets. White linked sockets allow you to link any color gems together which gives much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also look for a Tabula Rasa with an 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 resistance helmet with up to 40% to all 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 a 15% chance to generate an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy Charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

Wondertrap 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

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

Two 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 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 the flask whenever you hit a rare or unique enemy.

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Leveling Gems

Caustic Arrow of Poison can be used at the beginning of the game and can be supported by Volley Support at level four to fire two additional arrows. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and can be used as early as level 10. Scourge Arrow of Menace requires level 28 but you should wait until you have a high damage six linked bow before you start using it. Make sure and 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

The Carnage Heart amulet can be equipped as early as level 20 for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% increased elemental resistances. Death's Harp is a nice bow upgrade at level 32 with high damage for its level and fires an extra arrow. You can later upgrade to Death's Opus at level 44 for two additional arrows. 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 leveling section above last all the way until the midgame where better items will become available.

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That's all for the Scourge Arrow & Caustic Arrow Guide! For more about PoE you can view the endgame guide here Endgames.

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