UPDATED: Extensive Guide to Nalaa's Static Blow Ranger Softcore Build (0.10.2B)

Extensive Guide to Nalaa's Static Blow Ranger

UPDATED 0.10.2B If respecing, go to complete build and use the **UPDATE** build. it will give you 15% attack speed, Steel skin, and +15% resistances.



This is NOT my build, I have just clarified it and made it more legible for those who don't know exactly how to build your character. This is Nalaas Static Blow build for Softcore 0.10.0f. With that being said, lets begin!

* Indicates reward from quest:
Any other Gems not marked need to be acquired by drops or bought from players

Key Skill Gems:

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Lightning Arrow * (Level 10 Green)
Frenzy * (Level 19 Green)

Key Support Gems:

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Weapon Elemental Damage x2 (Level 12 Red)
Life Gain On Hit (Level 12 Red)
Lesser Multiple Projectiles * (Level 19 Green)
Culling Strike * (Level 24 Green)
Faster Attacks * (Level 31 Green)
Life Leach (Level 31 Red)
Chain (Level 31 Green)

Utility Gems:

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Summon Skeleton (Level 10 Blue)
Spell Totem (Level 31 Red Support)
Faster Cast (Level 31 Blue Support)

Key Aura Gems:

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Anger (Level 10 Red)
Wrath * (Level 10 Blue)
Grace * (Level 31 Green)
Reduced Mana (Level 31 Red Support)

Skill Gems From Quest:

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Lightning Arrow: Normal > Act 1 > The Caged Brute
Wrath: Normal > Act 2 > Intruders in Black
Frenzy: Normal > Act 3 > Lost in Love
Lesser Multiple Projectiles: Normal > Act 3 > Sever The Right Hand
Grace: Cruel > Act 1 > Enemy At The Gate
Faster Attacks> Cruel > Act 2 > Sharp And Cruel
Culling Strike> Cruel > Act 2 > Sharp And Cruel
Faster Attacks> Cruel > Act 3 > Sever The Right Hand
Culling Strike> Cruel > Act 3 > Sever The Right Hand

You will want to get the following as soon as possible:

Life Gain On Hit, Lightning Arrow, and Lesser Multiple Projectiles.
Once you get those three skills you will be pretty set for Blood Magic around level 30. If you do NOT have Life Gain On Hit then you do NOT want to get Blood Magic as it will kill you. I will explain that later in this guide.
You will also want to get Anger, Wrath, and Summon Skeleton as soon as possible. All other support gems should be placed on gear until they can be linked with the corresponding skill gems later on so they will level up with you and not be too far behind to affect your damage output. Remember don’t put on useless gems to your character as it defaces the value of those gems if you try to sell them later.

Eventually you will want the following gems with the links(L) between them:

"

3L Single: Frenzy Faster Attacks, Life Leach/Weapon Elemental Damage (if low level) (2 Red, 1 Green)
3L AOE: Lightning Arrow, Lesser Multiple Projectiles, Life Gain On Hit (2 Green, 1 Red)

4L Single Target: Frenzy, Weapon Elemental Damage, Faster Attacks, Life Leach (2 Green, 2 Red)
4L AOE: Lightning Arrow, Chain, Lesser Multiple Projectiles, Life Gain On Hit (3 Green, 1 Red)

5L Single Target: Frenzy, Weapon Elemental Damage, Faster Attacks, Life Leach, Culling Strike (3 Green, 2 Red)
5L AOE: Lightning Arrow, Chain, Lesser Multiple Projectiles, Life Gain On Hit, Weapon Elemental Damage (3 Green, 2 Red)

3L Spell totem, Summon Skeletons, Faster Casting (2 Blue, 1 Red)

4L/no link Auras: Anger, Wrath, Grace, Reduced Mana (2 Red, 1 Blue, 1 Green)

(If your lucky enough to get 6 Links)

6L Single Target: Frenzy, Weapon Elemental Damage, Faster Attacks, Life Leach, Culling Strike, Added Fire Damage (3 Green, 3 Red)
6L AOE: Lightning Arrow, Chain, Lesser Multiple Projectiles, Life Gain On Hit, Weapon Elemental Damage, Faster Attacks (4 Green, 2 Red)

The order of key nodes will be in the following order:

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Finess
Iron Reflexes
2-3 Elemental Damage Nodes
Blood Magic
Unwavering Stance
15% Attack Speed
Resolute Technique
Catalyst
Static Blows
Iron Grip
Health

Skill tree by level:

**THIS IS PASSIVE SKILL POINTS ONLY FROM LEVELING!!**
The extra ones you get from quests should be added in the resistance and health areas along the way. Don't get too far ahead by rushing to the points. try to stay in the level ranges below, otherwise you will be super soft and die constantly.

Ok so here is how I leveled up through the tree that seemed to be very effective.
The full build is found here:
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIAAdECcQSzCC4OrRRNFHUVIBmOGjgdFCftKaUqTSzpMgkyfjKJNZI26DbpOlI64TwtPydGaUp9TeNOyFXGVgRW-lfiWK9Z81s9YVJjp2aeZ6BnvWz2bqpyqXPhdEF3YnfleA16uHzZguSGYId2iPGKr49GkAqQEZBVm42boZ_LogCiQKZXp4SpbqxZrKquk6_rtfK3PsAawdjEFcSixPbGrs9l0EfQ0NN-3Q3dRt-_42rnY-w47YPuDu5v8kXz3fT4-tL8TvzF_gr-jw==

** UPDATE **: If you had to respec completely, this route is the best for those already leveled. However not recommended for those leveling first time. You will be going through the bottom of the tree instead of going towards the middle.
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIAAdECcQSzBS0ILg6tFE0UdRjbGY4aOBrZHRQhYCftKLUppTIJMn4yiTWSNug26TpSOuE8LUCgQ5xGaUp9TeNOyFWpVcZWBFb6V-JYr1nzX6pgS2CIYVJjp2aeZ6BnvWz2bqpyqXPhdEF07XTxd2J35XgNerh673zZguSGYId2iPGKr49GkBGQVZe0m42boZ65n8uiAKJAplemz6eEqW6sWayqrLquk6_rtfK3PsAawdjEFcSixPbGrs9l0EfQ0NN-3Ubfv-Nq52PsOO2D7g7ub-9O8kXz3fT494j60vxO_MX-Cv6P

Level 1-10

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIACC4ZjjWSTshW-nRBm43Tfu2D7g4=

You will want to rush straight to Finesse through to bottom fork of your skill tree, and continuing down making your way towards Iron Reflexes.

Level 11-20

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIACC4OrRR1FSAZjimlLOk1kk7IVvpjp3RBm43Tft0N3Ubtg-4O_E78xQ==

Go the the left and down and get Iron Reflexes. Now go back up the tree a little and you will see the 3 Weapon Elemental Damage mods, get those and go straight to the left along the line of Dexterity nodes and start heading up towards the middle.

Level 21-30

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIACC4OrRR1FSAZjimlKk0s6TWSNug6Uj8nTshW-livY6duqnRBeA2bjalutfLTft0N3Ubfv-2D7g78TvzF

Make your way across and down the strength nodes and eventually to the Blood Magic node. Now before you get your Blood Magic skill at level 30, make sure that you are able to sustain your skills without killing yourself.
First: Make sure you have Life Gain On Hit (12) support gem otherwise you will die instantly. For this to work properly, you should have Life Gain On Hit (12), Lightning Arrow (10), and Lesser Multiple Projectiles (19) Linked somewhere in your gear, preferably in your bow but it doesn't have to. For this you will need a Red and two Green sockets all linked together. If you do not have these three links then I would not get Blood Magic till you get that piece of gear. Without those links you will die.
Second: Make sure you have enough Health so that your Auras can be active as well. They will now take Health off or your Maximum Health due to the Blood Magic node. If you don’t have enough Health, then I would grab a few Health nodes along the way to Blood Magic.

Level 31-40

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIACC4OrRR1FSAZjii1KaUqTSzpMgk1kjboOlI64T8nRmlOyFYEVvpYr2CIYVJjp26qdEF4DXq4hmCI8ZuNn8umV6lurpO18tN-3Q3dRt-_7YPuDu9O_E78xQ==

(due to the update, this now requires 3 more points)Grab one of the +30 Intelligence nodes to support your Wrath Aura to allow you to continue leveling it. You may have needed to grab it earlier along the tree and that is fine too. If you run into low Intelligence, grab another one along the path. There are several +30 Intelligence nodes along this path.
Go down from Blood magic along the Strength Nodes and get Bezerking which gives 15% attack speed, and grave Unwavering Stance while your there.
Go back towards the middle and go left to grab those 8%, 8%, 12% Health nodes and continue upwards till the straight line of Strength nodes going left.

Level 41-50

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIACC4OrRR1FSAZjiftKaUqTSzpMgk1kjboOlI64TwtPydGaU7IVgRW-livWfNhUmOnbqpyqXRBeA16uHzZhmCI8ZuNplepbqyqrpO18rc-wBrE9sau037dDd1G37_tg-4O_E78xQ==

Now you want to rush to Resolute Techniques by going straight left along the Strength nodes. Once you get Resolute Techniques, go directly up along the outside edge.

Level 51-60

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIABLMILg6tFE0UdRUgGY4aOCftKaUqTSzpMgkyiTWSNug6UjrhPC0_J0ZpTshWBFb6V-JYr1nzYVJjp26qcql0QXfleA16uHzZhmCI8ZBVm42iAKZXp4SpbqyqrpO18rc-wBrE9sau037dDd1G37_sOO2D7g78TvzF

Go right and get the Health nodes continuing to the Elemental Damage and Catalyse nodes. Keep going right and get to Discipline and Training node which gives you +30 Health and 12% Maximum Health.

Level 61-70

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIABLMILg6tFE0UdRUgGY4aOB0UJ-0ppSpNLOkyCTJ-Mok1kjboOlI64TwtPydGaU7IVcZWBFb6V-JYr1nzYVJjp2aeZ71uqnKpdEF35XgNerh82YZgiPGPRpBVm42boaIAplenhKlurKquk7Xytz7AGsT2xq7PZdDQ037dDd1G37_sOO2D7g760vxO_MU=

Now that you have Catalyse, head back to the left edge of the passive tree and go up the line along the outside till you get up to Static Blows. This skill is one of the most high damage Nodes for your build. you should get it around level 65, in this case 67. The thing with lightning is that the longer the duration of the lighting debuff (damage multiplier) the more damage you do. However rushing here too fast will cause your character to be too weak to do anything which will make leveling very hard.
Once you have Static Blows, go back to the middle of the tree and get Iron Grip which is located to the left of the intersection from Dexterity nodes to Strength nodes. then grab the biggest Health nodes without wasting points.

Level 71-the end

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIAAdECcQSzCC4OrRRNFHUVIBmOGjgdFCftKaUqTSzpMgkyfjKJNZI26DbpOlI64TwtPydGaUp9TeNOyFXGVgRW-lfiWK9Z81s9YVJjp2aeZ6BnvWz2bqpyqXPhdEF3YnfleA16uHzZguSGYId2iPGKr49GkAqQEZBVm42boZ_LogCiQKZXp4SpbqxZrKquk6_rtfK3PsAawdjEFcSixPbGrs9l0EfQ0NN-3Q3dRt-_42rnY-w47YPuDu5v8kXz3fT4-tL8TvzF_gr-jw==

You may have wanted to grab a few of the elemental resists on your way, but thats up to you and completely gear dependent. Now is the time to pick up the rest of those as you see in the build above,, as well as the intelligence nodes you may have missed to keep Wrath leveling with you. Grabbing all the rest of the health nodes and you should be golden!!

FAQ List

Questions:

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1) What's better Life Leech or Life Gain On Hit?
2) What level should I level my gems up to?
3) Regarding Bandit Quest, why skill points when some of the bonus’s are better?
4) What bow should I use?
5) Why do I feel so weak in Cruel or Merciless? I can’t kill anything!
6) This build is only one point away from POINT BLANK - which gives 50% damage boost to anything basically adjacent to you, then tapers off to -100% damage at absolute maximum arrow range (further than off-screen). Why not get it?
7) Given that Vaal Pact is so accessible, have you tried Vaal Pact + Life Leech?
8) Chain + Lessor Multiple Projectiles (LMP) is 70% less projectile damage. Seems a bit steep. Why put them together?
9) Should we go for Both Single and Aoe skill combinations or just the Single or AOE Gem combination?
10) Why RT when main skill = lightning that has crit effects?
11) For the auras.. Must I all on at once or should I choose from the above (auras)?
12) Why is there a level beside the gems?

1) What's better Life Leech or Life Gain On Hit?

Life Leech can only heal you a maximum of 20% per second and it is not instant. Life Gain On Hit can heal you to full health with 1 lightning arrow and it’s INSTANT so you won’t die to reflect mobs.

2) What level should I level my gems up to?

Max them out as fast as possible

3) Regarding Bandit Quest, why skill points when some of the bonuses are better?

Get all 3 skill points because if the game changes (it is still in beta) you may need to change some skills around. by having those extra points you will have that leeway.

4) What bow should I use?

Grab what ever gives you the most DPS, preferably as high base damage as possible. Normally the higher the base damage the lower the attack speed. Also look for high Elemental Damage % bows as this is your main attack.

5) Why do I feel so weak in Cruel or Merciless? I can’t kill anything!

That is the nature of a Ranger, which means you are completely gear dependent. If you have bad gear, you’re gunna have a hard time.

6)This build is only one point away from POINT BLANK - which gives 50% damage boost to anything basically adjacent to you, then tapers off to -100% damage at absolute maximum arrow range (further than off-screen). Why not get it?

The fall off range is not very long so you'll be absolutely worthless from a distance, not to mention that you just don't need the damage bonus because lightning arrow builds already deal a lot of damage. All-in-all, its not worth losing the damage from distance since you are a ranged character to begin with.

7) Given that Vaal Pact is so accessible, have you tried Vaal Pact + Life Leech?

If you can't use potions, it's GG! Potions are a secondary life saver, if you run into a room and almost die due to damage and you try to run away, and you don't have a health potion, you will probably die on your way out. Health potions also help in the situations where you are losing more health then gaining from you skills.

8) Chain + Lessor Multiple Projectiles (LMP) is 70% less projectile damage. Seems a bit steep. Why put them together?

With Chain and LMP you can hit 36 times with a single shot. If you use just LMP you are cutting your damage down a lot because you are now only hitting mobs 12 times. It's worth the "looks like less damage" but in reality it is a lot more damage per second then the skill actually says.

9) Should we go for Both Single and Aoe skill combinations or just the Single or AOE Gem combination?
Yes you should get both. The single target will kill a lot faster due to the increased atk speed and damage then the lightning arrow would to a single target. You should eventually get 5Linked gear (bow/chest) and you will want those two skills with support gems in them.

10) Why RT when main skill = lightning that has crit effects?
Your arrows will still miss without RT, when the atk can’t be evaded it adds more damage. So instead of 1 arrow bouncing just once because the 2nd one was evaded, it hits the full amount of times. This damage makes up and does more than an occasional crit would deal.

11) For the auras.. Must I all on at once or should I choose from the above (auras)?
You will want to use all of them (only 3) eventually but at lower levels your health may not be high enough to support all of them, I would pick only one of the elemental damage auras, and the evasion aura for the extra defenses. If you can run all 3 that’s great too.

12) Why is there a level beside the gems?
That’s the minimum level required for the gem to be used.

you guys said you wanted an in depth guide here it is.

Very good explanations !!! maybe there are 2/3 posiblities changing about 8-10 nodes as you need.

Why go past iron grip but don't take a point in it till after 60?

EDIT: and since you dont pick up iron grip till in the 60's, why not go to blood magic through iron reflex -> 15% allres -> golem's blood -> unwavering stance -> blood magic?

Thank you for this. What does the number in parenthesis mean?

"

Dewolff wrote:

Why go past iron grip but don't take a point in it till after 60?

EDIT: and since you dont pick up iron grip till in the 60's, why not go to blood magic through iron reflex -> 15% allres -> golem's blood -> unwavering stance -> blood magic?

Its not my build like I said. Honestly I got Iron Grip early on to get the added damage, so you could do that as well. As for the Blood Magic and not going a different route your using a lot of points to go that route. and you have to use even more points to go up in the tree after. this way you only have to go one way and it takes you half way to the next part of the build.

"

Merkoh wrote:

Thank you for this. What does the number in parenthesis mean?

Minimum level required for the gem

I use decoy totem instead of skeletons, it works great. Aside from the 3 auras I only use 3 attacks, 4L LA for groups and 4L elemental hit for bosses/single targets, and the decoy totem which leveld to max with you can take quite a beating.

EH does more dmg than frenzy, and the more +elemental you have the better it is. Nalaa uses frenzy so the speed increase carries over to LA but i rarely need to mix the 2 together, la setup is great for everything but a lone boss monster.