Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Flawless Savagery, Crave the Slaughter, Rite of Ruin, and Blitz. You should stack strength with this build because it greatly increases the damage of Kinetic Blast. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are important for increased mana reservation efficiency so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. The Impale Mastery that works with one hand weapons can complete your 100% chance to Impale with Power Siphon. A Watcher's Eye jewel is also recommended for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, added cold damage while affected by Hatred, increased critical strike chance while affected by Hatred, and optionally spell suppression while affected by Grace. If you can find an armour base strength stack helmet you can also get Bleeding immunity from the Armour and Evasion Mastery which allows you to use a damage flask instead of a Bleeding/Corrupted Blood removal flask. The Iron Grip node is extremely important for the build because it makes strengths melee damage increase also apply to projectile damage. You should also use a large cluster jewel with three notables that include Opportunistic Fusilade and Martial Prowess with small passives also grant strength and a small cluster jewel with Sublime Form for increased mana reservation efficiency for Grace. The nearby combined life and reduced mana cost nodes should also be taken because they allow you to use a damage reservation skill instead of the Clarity aura. This is a life build so make sure and take plenty of the nearby life nodes for survival. Note: The skill tree above is updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

You will have very high life on this build from stacking strength which also gives life. This build has an extremely fast attack speed and movement speed from Rage and the Blitz ascendancy which can improve your farming speed. The recommended Iron Fortress body armour also gives a 1% chance to block attack damage per 50 strength which improves your survivability.

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Gems

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Weapon (3-link)

Ice Golem

Minion Life Support

Flame Dash

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Shield (3-link)

Cold Snap (keep at level one to trigger more frequently and conserve mana)

Cast When Damage Taken Support (keep at level one so Cold Snap triggers more frequently)

Power Charge on Critical Support

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Armour (6-link)

Power Siphon

Impale Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Awakened Vicious Projectiles Support

Sacred Wisps Support

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Hatred

Herald of Purity

Enlighten Support

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Gloves (6-link)

Kinetic Blast

Sacred Wisps Support

Awakened Greater Multiple Projectile Support

Awakened Vicious Projectiles Support

Faster Attacks Support (built into gloves)

Faster Projectiles Support (built into gloves)

 

Boots (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

Enduring Cry

Vaal Haste

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Hatred is the best offensive aura for this build and gives physical damage as extra cold damage and increased cold damage. Herald of Purity gives increased physical damage and summons four extra targets for enemies to attack. You can use Hatred once you have increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery, increased reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery, increased mana reservation efficiency for Grace from a Sublime Form cluster jewel, and a level 4 Enlighten Support to lower the mana reservation costs 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. With the changes in 3.23 Power Siphon with Barrage Support no longer casts in a line for single target but thanks to this being a physical damage based Kinetic Blast/Power Siphon build Impale Support was a very strong replacement. Sacred Wisps was also new in 3.24 and is now one of the most powerful support gems for wand builds.

3. Cold Snap generates Frenzy charges when enemies die in its skill effect area, automatically casts when damage is taken with Cast When Damage Taken Support, and generates Power charges with Power Charge on Critical Support.

4. Summon Ice Golem gives increased critical strike chance and accuracy and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

5. If you think you would prefer an energy shield based intelligence stacking build you can also check out the Intelligence Stacking Kinetic Blast Deadeye Guide which can be found here Intelligence Stack Kinetic Blast Deadeye Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Imbued Wand

Look for a rare Imbued Wand that has the highest physical damage per second that you can find because this is a physical damage build. Added fire damage per strength is an option if you can find a wand that has high physical damage and added fire damage per strength. You can also use Tempering Orbs on this weapon for a low chance at getting an increased physical modifiers enchantment but be aware that doing this sometimes reforges the sockets on the weapon.

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Shield

Strength Synthesised Shield

Look for a shield with a 6% increased strength synthesis and roll tier one strength, high life, high attack speed, block chance, and resistances. Deafening Essences of Rage can be used to guarantee the tier one strength modifier on a synthesised shield.

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Armour

The Iron Fortress

Gives 1% chance to block attack damage per 50 strength, strength's damage bonus instead applies 3% increased melee physical damage per 10 strength (which is converted to projectile damage with the Iron Grip node on the tree), up to 120 strength, chance to block spell damage is unlucky, and 10% reduced movement speed.

 

Helmet

Rare Strength Stack Helmet

Look for gain accuracy rating equal to your strength, 1% increased critical strike chance per 10 strength, high life, resistances, and optionally +2 to level of socketed AoE gems. An armour base is preferred so you can get Bleed immunity from the tree.

Black Sun Crest

This budget option has up to 15% increased strength, 15% increased dexterity, 15% increased intelligence, and +1 to level of socketed gems.

 

Belt

Synthesized Strength Stack Belt

This belt can have a 15% increased strength implicit, high strength, high life, and resistances. You should also use Intrinsic Catalysts on the belt to increase its attribute bonus.

Cyclopean Coil

The budget option gives up to 15% increased attributes, 120 life, cannot be Ignited if strength is higher than dexterity, cannot be frozen if dexterity is higher than intelligence, and 1% increased damage per 5 of your lowest attribute. You should also use Intrinsic Catalysts on the belt to increase its attribute bonus.

 

Gloves

Rare 6-Link Gloves

Look for Faster Attacks Support/increased attack speed and Faster Projectiles Support/increased projectile speed built into the gloves with modifiers like 30%-70% increased critical strike multiplier for socketed gems, high strength, life, and you can optionally add +1 to level of socketed projectile gems/projectiles pierce an additional target at the crafting bench.

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Boots

Rare Strength Boots

Look for high strength, high life, chance to gain Onslaught on kill, a resistance, movement speed, and 10% increased strength which has a chance to be added by using a Hunter's Exalted Orb with an open suffix. Two-Toned Boots or high armour boots are the recommended bases. You can also use Eldritch Ichors and Eldritch Embers on regular tier one strength boots as a budget option if they don't have Hunter's influence to roll a chance to avoid elemental ailments and a chance to avoid being Ignited.

 

Amulet

Astramentis

Gives up to 116 to all attributes for a huge damage increase from strength and high intelligence so you can equip an Imbued Wand as a Berserker. You should also use 20 Intrinsic Catalysts to greatly increase its attribute bonus.

 

Rings

Rare Vulnerability Ring

Look for a ring with the Vulnerability curse on hit, high strength, life, increased damage, resistances, and add reduced total mana cost at the crafting bench. You should use Intrinsic Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their strength bonuses.

Rare Strength Ring

Look for high strength, high life, increased damage, resistances, and add reduced total mana cost at the crafting bench.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Berserker

This tattoo can replace a 30 dexterity node to give You Gain Onslaught For 4 Seconds on Hit which can replace the 12% chance to gain Onslaught on kill modifier that you normally get on your boots.

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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.

Taste of Hate (legacy is better)

Gives 15% of physical damage as extra cold damage, 15% of physical damage taken as cold damage (legacy modifier), 30% of fire and lightning damage taken as cold damage (new modifier), 5% to maximum cold resistance, 50% cold resistances, 30% reduced chance to be Frozen, and 30% less chance to be Chilled. The legacy version has higher cold damage and better damage reduction. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Diamond Flask

Gives 100% increased critical strike chance. Look to 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

Your amulet should be anointed with Disintegration which gives 60% increased critical strike chance with wands, 30% to critical strike multiplier with wands, and 20 intelligence at Cassia using a Violet Oil, Black Oil, and Black Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: 15% Increased Power Siphon Attack Speed

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: 16% Increased Attack and Cast Speed If You've Killed Recently

Belt: 30% Increased Accuracy Rating While You Have Onslaught

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Bandits

The best bandit to help in Act 2 is Alira because she gives 15% to all elemental resistances because resistances are harder to get on strength stacking builds. 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

The Blood Thorn

A high damage two hand level one weapon with a 30% block chance and a 100% chance to cast Vulnerability on block.

Limbsplit

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.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

A strong level one offensive chest armour that has six white linked sockets. White sockets means you can link any color gems together inside of it for 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 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 boots 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

Tear of Purity

An amulet that gives level 10 Purity of Elements, up to 20 to all attributes, 40 to life, 30 intelligence, and 10 to all elemental resistances. Purity of Elements increases your resistances for a 50% mana reservation cost.

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Rings

Perandus Signets

You can use two level one Perandus Signets that each give up to 65% mana regeneration, 65 mana, 2% increased intelligence for each unique item equipped, and 2% increased experience gained.

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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.

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 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

Ground Slam can be used at level one. Precision is the best offensive low level aura and can be used once you reach level 10 for increased critical strike chance and accuracy. 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'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

You can upgrade your weapon to Stormheart at level 28, to Jorrhast's Blacksteel at level 44, to Kaom's Primacy at level 58, and then finally to your endgame Kinetic Blast weapon after adjusting the tree. You can upgrade to the Carnage Heart amulet at level 20 for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% increased elemental resistances. You can also benefit from upgrading to two Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of skills by up to 16 which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flasks. Many of the items listed in the leveling section above last until the midgame where better items will become available.

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

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