Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Master Toxicist, Nature's Reprisal, Nature's Adrenaline, and Nature's Boon. If you're not 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 instead of Nature's Boon which only increases the effect of magical utility flasks. A Watcher's Eye jewel is recommended for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, increased damage over time multiplier while affected by Malevolence, and damaging ailments you inflict deal damage faster while you are affected by Malevolence. A Light of Meaning jewel should also be socketed in the blue circle in the image above for high increased chaos damage. You should also try and get a 60% chance to poison from the tree for a full 100% chance to poison. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are important for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. Make sure and take the nearby life percent nodes for survival. Note: The build ratings and skill tree have been updated for (3.28).

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Defensive Layers

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

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Gems

 

Weapon (6-link)

Caustic Arrow of Poison

Awakened Added Chaos Damage Support

Awakened Void Manipulation Support

Awakened Vicious Projectile Support

Awakened Unbound Ailment Support

Awakened Deadly Ailments Support

Note: Awakened gems can be replaced with the normal support gems for seasonal play.

 

Armour (7-link)

Scourge Arrow (Scourge Arrow of Menace is no longer recommended after a major nerf)

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)

Update: Scourge Arrow of Menace was nerfed so the standard Scourge Arrow is now significantly better.

 

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

Dash

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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 and increases your damage over time and skill effect duration. Clarity is also very important for the high mana cost of Scourge Arrow. Malevolence should be used once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery 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. Vaal Haste can have its Vaal ability used without reservation once you have enough souls from defeating enemies to use it. Vaal Haste gives high increased attack speed and high increased movement speed for a medium duration.

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

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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 life, damage over time multiplier with attack skills, bow attacks fire an additional arrow, attack speed, and added chaos damage. Bow Attacks Fire an Additional Arrow has a chance to be added using a Shaper's Exalted Orb with an open prefix or you can use a Hunter's Exalted Orb with an open suffix for a chance at chaos damage over time multiplier with attack skills.

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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 typically roll blue sockets because it's an intelligence energy shield base.

Dendrobate

This budget armour 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 +2 to level of socketed AoE gems with 10% increased area of effect. You can optionally add +1 to level of socketed AoE gems with 10% 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 should add projectiles pierce an additional target at the crafting bench.

 

Boots

Rare Two-Toned Boots

Look for high life, resistances, Tailwind, Elusive, chance to gain Onslaught on kill, and increased 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, resistances, and add reduced mana cost at the crafting bench. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the amulet to increase its life bonus.

Impresence (budget)

This budget amulet 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 enemies' damage and action speed by 10% after you kill a rare or unique enemy.

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Rings 

Rare Despair Ring

Look for the Despair curse on hit, high life, strength or intelligence, resistances, and optionally craft reduced mana cost at the crafting bench. 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 craft reduced mana cost.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Gain 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.

Dying Sun (legacy is better)

Gives two extra arrows, 20% increased area of effect, 50% fire resistance, and it 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're Bleeding.

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Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with Avatar of the Hunt at Cassia for 30% increased damage with bow, 200 evasion rating, 6% movement speed, and 30% increased damage over time with bow skills 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 damage, up to 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 with 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 great 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

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 Perandus Signet rings can be used at level one for mana regeneration which 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 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 also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Silver Flask

This flask gives Onslaught for increased attack speed, cast speed, and movement speed as early as level 27 and it 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 a 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 up to 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

Caustic Arrow of Poison can be used at level one and it can be supported by Volley Support at level four to fire additional arrows. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and it can be used as early as level 10. Scourge Arrow requires level 28 but you should also wait until you have a high damage six linked bow before you start using it. Make sure and pick up a Steelskin gem at level four once you have 16 strength for a defensive guard skill. Dash also requires level four and it 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 it fires an extra arrow. You can later upgrade to Death's Opus at level 44 for two additional arrows. You can also benefit from using 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 this PoE guide! You can view more Path of Exile guides in the menu at the top of this page. Best of luck!​