Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Conviction of Power, Arcane Blessing, Divine Guidance, and Sanctuary of Thought. The critical strike nodes are very important for this build because Spark is a critical strike based build. You can use a Hazardous Research jewel in the blue circle above in standard to make Spark fire in all directions without Vaal Spark of the Nova. A Watcher's Eye unique jewel should also be used for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, 120% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground while affected by Zealotry, and 15% increased cast speed while affected by Zealotry. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are also important for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. 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 a minimum of four Endurance charges and Power charges with the Conviction of Power ascendancy which reduces your physical damage taken, increases your elemental resistances, and increases your critical strike chance. The Divine Guidance ascendancy gives 30% increased maximum mana, makes 10% of your damage taken be taken from your mana before life, and makes increases to your maximum mana apply to damage at 30% of their value. And finally with the Sanctuary of Thought ascendancy you will gain 20% of your maximum mana as extra maximum energy shield, 25% increased mana reservation efficiency, and skills will cost 50% less mana. This 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)

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

Cast When Damage Taken Support (keep at level one)

Blind Support

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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

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Helmet (4-link)

Summon Lightning Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

Elemental Army Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Grace

Zealotry

Discipline

Enlighten Support

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Boots (4-link)

Clarity

Flame Dash

Herald of Thunder

Enlighten Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace and Discipline are the best defensive auras for this build and give very high evasion, energy shield, and increased energy shield recharge rate. Zealotry is the best offensive aura for this build and gives spell critical strike chance, increased spell damage, and creates consecrated ground when you hit an enemy. Herald of Thunder is selected to increase your lightning damage and creates lightning storms that damage enemies. 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 and Mana Mastery, enough added mana or optionally the Charisma amulet anointment (explained in the anointment section later in the guide), 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 armour to be effective.

2. Vaal Spark of the Nova has higher damage effectiveness than Vaal Spark and makes Spark fire projectiles in a circle.

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

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

5. If you would prefer to try out a totem build playstyle Hierophant that also performs well at the endgames you can check out the Arc Totem Hierophant Guide here Arc Totem Hierophant Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Caster Weapon

Look for increased spell damage, critical strike chance for spells, global critical strike multiplier (very important), increased cast speed (very important), high mana, and added lightning damage to spells. You can also optionally switch a modifier for +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 can optionally be used as well.

Lioneye's Remorse

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

 

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 get a +2 to level of socketed projectile gems corruption.

Belly of the Beast

This is the budget option that is great early on when you need a higher life option. It has up to 40% increased life, 15% to elemental resistances, and 50% increased flask life recovery rate. You can also go for a strong corruption for more currency.

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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 for increased critical strike chance with spells and percent of physical damage taken as an element.

The Broken Crown

A budget option that has up to 15 to all attributes, 20% increased damage when you are on low life, and 61% chaos resistance.

 

Gloves

Rare Critical Strike Against Shocked Enemies Gloves

Look for increased critical strike chance against Shocked enemies, life, dexterity, and resistances, and add projectiles pierce an additional target at the crafting bench. Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors should also be used to add lightning exposure on hit and a chance to Unnerve enemies on hit which makes affected enemies take 10% increased spell damage.

Rare 7-Link Gloves

There's an alternative option if you can afford gloves with supported by Faster Casting, Faster Projectiles, and Slower Projectiles with critical strike chance for socketed skills and critical strike multiplier for socketed skills. If you use this option you should socket Spark and its support gems in your gloves instead.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, strength and/or dexterity, increased lightning damage, increased damage, resistances, and an abyssal socket. With an open prefix you can attempt a Crusader's Exalted Orb for increased lightning damage. 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 life, resistances, Onslaught on kill, Tailwind, Elusive, and movement speed.

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Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for life, +1 to level of lightning skill gems, attributes or cast speed, increased critical strike chance, and increased critical strike multiplier. You should also use Unstable Catalysts 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 use Imbued Catalysts to increase its 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 tree to give +1 to Level of All Intelligence Skill Gems.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Has 40% increased damage, 150% increased critical strike chance, and 10% increased damage to enemies on consecrated ground. 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 until you automatically use the flask whenever you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

If you don't have enough mana on your gear you should anoint your amulet with Charisma for 16% increased reservation efficiency of your skills and 6% increased effect of your non-curse auras from your skills at Cassia using an Opalescent Oil, Golden Oil, and Golden Oil. If you do have enough mana you should anoint your amulet with Heart of Thunder for 30% increased lightning damage and 6% lightning resistance penetration 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 40 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 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. 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 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

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 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. It can also 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, creates consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and gives 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground.

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Leveling Gems

Spark which is your endgame skill can be used at level one. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and can be used as early as level 10. 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 is a great ring that can be used as early as level 20 to convert damage to cold damage which makes your Spark chill and freeze enemies and it has high resistances and high increased lightning damage. You can 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 the Spark Hierophant Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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