Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Master Of Metal, First to Strike Last to Fall, Fortitude, and Inspirational. A Watcher's Eye unique jewel is recommended for increased life, increased mana, increased energy shield, up to 60% increased attack damage while affected by Precision, and up to 30% increased critical strike multiplier while affected by Precision. The Iron Grip node should also be taken because it makes your strength increase your projectile damage. The Attribute Mastery is helpful because it gives high strength which increases your life and projectile damage with the recommended body armour. The above skill tree can be used if you are using a sword but this build is also viable with an axe. If you are planning on using an axe you should take the Axe Masteries on the tree in the place of the Sword Masteries and one Two Hand Mastery. The Armour and Evasion Mastery should also be taken because it gives Bleeding immunity when using a helmet with armour as its highest defensive stat and the Resistance Mastery or a corrupted jewel should be used for Corrupted Blood immunity. The Mana Mastery should also be taken for increased mana reservation efficiency so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. Make sure and take plenty of the nearby life percent nodes on the tree for survival. Note: The skill tree above has been updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

The Fortitude ascendancy gives 15 Fortification which makes you take 15% less damage taken from hits. With the First to Strike, Last to Fall ascendancy you will also automatically recover 25% life when you are low on life with a 20 second cooldown. Enduring Cry is also used to generate Endurance charges with this build to reduce your physical damage taken and elemental damage taken. Champions have an abundance of life in their tree and strong defensives from their ascendancy.

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Gems

 

Weapon (6-link)

Vaal Haste

Empower Support

More Duration Support

Summon Ice Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

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Armour (6-link)

Splitting Steel

Awakened Vicious Projectiles Support

Awakened Brutality Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Cruelty Support

 

Helmet (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

More Duration Support (or Mark On Hit for bosses with the Whispers of Doom anointment on your amulet)

Enhance Support (or Assassin's Mark for bosses which means you lose a damage anointment on your amulet)

Note: Your auras should go in your helmet if it has +2 to level of socketed AoE gems.

 

Gloves (4-link)

Grace

Precision

Herald of Purity

Enlighten Support

Note: Your auras should go in your gloves if they have +2 to level of socketed AoE gems.

 

Boots (4-link)

Enduring Cry

Urgent Orders Support

Dash​

Second Wind Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Precision is the best offensive aura for this build and gives increased critical strike chance and accuracy. Precision can be supported with a Watcher's Eye jewel with damage bonuses to Precision. Herald of Purity is selected for more physical damage and summons four extra targets for enemies to attack. Herald of Purity can be used once you have the 12% increased mana reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery 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. The Enduring Cry warcry is used for Endurance charge generation and up to 10% life regeneration per second. Endurance charges reduce your physical damage taken and elemental damage taken.

3. You can also use Assassin's Mark and Mark On Hit for bosses in the place of More Duration Support and Enhance Support. You would just lose a Fatal Blades anointment which gives 50% increased critical strike chance and 25% critical strike multiplier with swords on your amulet and need to use a Whispers of Doom anointment for an additional curse.

4. 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 movement speed for a short to medium duration.

5. Summon Ice Golem gives increased critical strike chance and accuracy, replenishes 2% life on Culling Strike, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and provides an additional target for enemies to attack.

6. If you would like another capable build that teleports through enemies and still does great damage you can also check out the Impale Flicker Strike Champion Guide which can be found here Impale Flicker Strike Champion Guide.

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Equipment

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Weapon

Two Handed Sword or Axe

Splitting Steel requires a sword or axe so in league play you can use a unique Atziri's Disfavour axe and in standard you can use a unique Legacy Starforge as great mid to high tier weapons. You can also look for a very high physical damage rare weapon.

 

Armour

The Iron Fortress

This armour makes strength's damage bonus provide 3% increased melee physical damage per 10 strength which is converted to projectile damage with the Iron Grip node on the skill tree. It also gives up to 120 strength, 1% chance to block attack damage per 50 strength, and 10% reduced movement speed. You should add grants 1 strength per 2% quality to The Iron Fortress at the Horticrafting station. You can also eventually look for an increased damage corruption once you have enough currency. 

 

Helmet

Rare Armour Helmet

Look for very high life, high strength, resistances, and +2 to level of socketed AoE gems on this slot or your gloves. The helmet should have armour as its highest defensive stat for Bleeding immunity from the Armour and Evasion Mastery. You can also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll increased attack damage and increased area of effect.

 

Gloves

Rare Gloves

Look for high life, strength, increased attack speed, a resistance, +2 to level of socketed AoE gems on this slot or your helmet, and add increased damage during any flask effect at the crafting bench. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll increased attack speed and 3% increased damage per 100 strength.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, strength, increased damage, resistances, and an abyssal socket. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the belt to increase its life bonus.

Abyss Jewel

Look for high life, energy shield, increased attack speed, and increased critical strike chance.

 

Boots

Rare Two-Toned Boots

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

 

Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for +1 to level of socketed physical skill gems, high attributes especially strength, and life. You can optionally add reduced mana cost at the crafting bench. You can also use Intrinsic Catalysts on the amulet to increase its attribute and strength bonus.

Carnage Heart

The budget option gives up to 56 to all attributes, 20% increased elemental resistances, 2% life leech, 50% increased recovery from life leech, and 40% increased damage while leeching. You can also use Intrinsic Catalysts to increase its attribute bonus.

 

Rings

Rare Vulnerability On Hit Ring

Look for Vulnerability on hit, life, strength, resistances, and add 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 Diamond Ring (for critical strike chance)

Look for high life, strength, increased critical strike chance, resistances, and add reduced mana cost at the crafting bench.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Berserker

This legacy tattoo can replace a 30 dexterity node to give You Gain Onslaught For 4 Seconds on Hit which is better than the chance to gain Onslaught on kill modifier that you normally get from your boots slot.

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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.

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 and can have up to a 35% chance to gain a flask charge on critical strike and 17% increased attack speed. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Note: You can get Bleeding/Corrupted Blood immunity from the tree so a Bleeding/Corrupted Blood removal flask isn't needed.

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Anointment

You can anoint your amulet with Overcharged for an 8% chance to generate an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy charges on kill at Cassia using a Clear Oil, Opalescent Oil, and Silver Oil. If you are using Assassin's Mark however you should use Whispers of Doom for an additional curse at Cassia using three Golden Oils.

 

Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Splitting Steel Deals 40% Increased Damage

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: 16% Increased Attack Speed if you've Killed Recently

Belt: 300 to Armour While Fortified

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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 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

Redbeak

You can use the Redbeak unique sword at level one for Splitting Steel which requires you to use a sword or axe.

Limbsplit

Requires level 13 and gives high physical damage for its level, level one Gore Shockwave if you have over 150 strength, +1 to level of socketed strength gems, and Culling Strike which kills enemies at 10% life remaining.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is a great level one chest armour that has 6 white linked sockets. White sockets allow any color gems to be linked together which allows you to deal much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also get 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

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 gloves can be used at level one for 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

These boots require level nine and give as much as 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

Tear of Purity

Requires level 5 and gives level 10 Purity of Elements, up to 20 to all attributes, 40 to life, 30 intelligence, and 10% increased elemental resistances. The Purity of Elements aura increases your elemental resistances for a 50% mana reservation cost.

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Rings

Perandus Signets

You can use two Perandus Signets 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 increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Taste of Hate (legacy option)

This flask only requires level 18 and gives 15% of physical damage as extra cold damage, 15% of physical damage taken as cold damage (legacy modifier), 5% to maximum cold resistance, 50% cold resistances, 30% reduced chance to be Frozen, and 30% less chance to be Chilled. You can optionally use this flask instead of a Quicksilver Flask for leveling. The older legacy versions are much better and have higher physical damage as extra cold damage and physical damage taken as cold damage. 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 which gives increased attack speed, cast speed, and movement speed as early as level 27 and 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 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 whenever you hit a rare or unique enemy.

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Leveling Gems

Ground Slam is an option at level one but you can transition into using Splitting Steel which requires level one at your earliest convenience. Precision is the best offensive low level aura and can be used once you reach level 10 for increased critical strike chance and accuracy. Make sure and pick up a Steelskin gem once you've reached level four and have at least 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 weapon to Reaper's Pursuit at level 33, to Terminus Est at level 51, and finally to your endgame weapon. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and can be used as early as level 10. Carnage Heart is the budget amulet for the build and can be equipped at level 20 for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% increased elemental resistances. You can upgrade 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. The items in the leveling section can last all the way to the midgame where better items will become available.

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And that's all for the Splitting Steel Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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