Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Conviction of Power, Arcane Blessing, Divine Guidance, and Sanctuary of Thought. A Watcher's Eye jewel is highly recommended for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, 15% increased cast speed while affected by Zealotry, and 120% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground while affected by Zealotry. The critical strike nodes are very important for this build because Spark is a critical strike based build. A Light of Meaning jewel is important in the blue circle on the left side of the image above for 6% increased lightning damage for each passive in its radius. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are also very important for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. Make sure and take plenty of the nearby life percent nodes for survival. Note: The skill tree and build ratings have been updated for the new season (3.28).

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Defensive Layers

You will have a minimum of four Endurance charges and Power charges with the Conviction of Power ascendancy which reduces your physical damage taken, reduces your elemental damage taken, and increases your critical strike chance. The Divine Guidance ascendancy makes you take 10% of your damage to mana, makes increases to your maximum mana increase your damage at 30% of the value, and gives 30% increased maximum mana. With the Sanctuary of Thought ascendancy you will also gain 20% of your maximum mana as extra maximum energy shield which improves your survival.

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Gems

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Weapon (3-link)

Cold Snap (keep this at a low level so that it can be used with level one Cast When Damage Taken Support)

Cast When Damage Taken Support (keep this at level one to make it trigger more frequently)

Blind Support

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Shield (3-link)

Clarity

Enlighten Support

Flame Dash

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Armour (6-link)

Vaal Spark of the Nova

Awakened Added Lightning Damage Support

Awakened Lightning Penetration Support

Awakened Spell Echo Support

Increased Critical Strike Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

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

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Helmet (4-link)

Summon Lightning Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

Elemental Army Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Grace

Zealotry

Herald of Thunder

Enlighten 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. Zealotry is recommended as the best offensive aura because it gives spell critical strike chance, increased spell damage, and consecrated ground when you hit an enemy. Clarity is needed and gives high mana regeneration for the high mana cost of the build. Herald of Thunder is also selected to add lightning damage to your attacks. You should use Herald of Thunder once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery, the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery, and two level 4 Enlighten Supports linked to your skills 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. Vaal Spark of the Nova has higher damage effectiveness than Vaal Spark and it also fires Spark projectiles in a circle.

3. Cold Snap generates Frenzy charges when enemies die in its area and Blinds enemies when it's linked to Blind Support.

4. Summon Lightning Golem increases your cast speed, kills enemies at 10% life remaining with Culling Strike Support, gives lightning exposure with Elemental Army Support, and gives an aura that adds lightning damage to your spells.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Caster Weapon

Look for increased spell damage, increased critical strike chance for spells, increased global critical strike multiplier (very important), increased cast speed (very important), mana, added lightning damage to spells or optionally +1 to level of all lightning spell skill gems. You should also add 1% elemental damage per 2% quality at the Horticrafting Station.

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Shield

Rare Critical Strike Shield

Look for high life, energy shield, increased spell damage, increased critical strike chance for spells, and increased cast speed. Having +1 to level of lightning spell skill gems is not very important for Spark but it does increase its damage.

Lioneye's Remorse (budget)

The extreme budget option has up to 210 life and very high armor especially if you can get the legacy version in Standard.

 

Armour

Rare Armour

Look for high life, high energy shield, life percent/mana percent (important), spell critical strike chance, and resistances. Note: Using a life percent/mana percent modifier can allow you to use a damage anointment instead of mana reservation efficiency.

Inpulsa's Broken Heart

Inpulsa's Broken Heart is the option that focuses on increasing your damage for large groups of enemies. 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 look for a +2 to level of socketed projectile gems corruption.

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Helmet

Rare Helmet

Look for life, lowers nearby enemies lightning resistances, resistances, and optionally +2 to level of socketed AoE gems. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to add increased critical strike chance with spells and percent physical damage taken as an element.

Maw of Conquest (budget)

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

 

Gloves

Critical Strike Chance Against Shocked Enemies Gloves

Look for high life, increased critical strike chance against Shocked enemies, high resistances, and add the combined +1 to level of socketed projectile gems/projectiles pierce an additional target modifier at the crafting bench. You should use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll lightning exposure on hit which lowers the lightning resistances of enemies and chance to Unnerve enemies on hit which increases enemies' spell damage taken.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, dexterity, increased lightning damage, increased damage, resistances, and an abyssal socket. With an open prefix you can attempt to roll increased lightning damage with a Crusader's Exalted Orb. 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, added lightning damage to spells, and added cold or fire damage to spells.

 

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 life, +1 to level of lightning skill gems, attributes, increased critical strike chance, and increased critical strike multiplier. You should also use Unstable Catalysts on the amulet to increase its critical strike modifiers.

 

Rings

Conductivity Ring

One ring should have the Conductivity curse on hit, life, increased cast speed, increased lightning damage, and resistances. You should also use Imbued Catalysts to improve its increased cast speed modifier.

Rare Increased Cast Speed Ring

Look for high life, resistances, dexterity, increased cast speed, and increased lightning damage. If you have an open prefix you can use a Crusader's Exalted Orb for a chance at added lightning damage against Shocked enemies or increased spell damage.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Wise

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

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Provides 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 when 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 when you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with Heart of Thunder for 30% increased lightning damage and 6% lightning resistance penetration at Cassia using a Sepia Oil, Azure Oil, and Golden Oil. 

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Spark Fires 3 Additional Projectiles

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 switch to Oak for more life which helps with survival.

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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

Lifesprigs

You can use two level one Lifesprigs which 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 six white linked socket. This armour allows you to link any color six 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% to all 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 a Power, Endurance, or Frenzy charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

Wondertrap 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 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 and can have increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on this flask until you automatically use the flask when 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. It can also have increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on this flask until you automatically use the flask when 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, creates consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and gives up to 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground. You should use Instilling Orbs on this flask until you automatically use the flask when you hit a rare or unique enemy.

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Leveling Gems

Spark can be used at thebeginning of the game and only requires level one. Precision is the best low level offensive aura and it can be used at level 10 to add increased critical strike chance for Spark. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and it can be used as early as level 10 for high life regeneration. 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 chance to summon Level 10 Raging Spirits on kills. The Call of the Brotherhood unique ring can be used at level 20 to convert some of your damage to cold damage which makes your Spark Chill and Freeze enemies and it also has resistances and increased lightning damage. You should also benefit from upgrading to a Praxis ring at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of skills by up to 8 which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flasks. Many of the items in the section listed 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!​