[3.6] Speedy Melee Herald of Agony Occultist | ALL MAPS | ALL MODS | SHAPER VIABLE | LEAGUE STARTER

Oba's Cursed Trove
Core
Acid Lakes
Dark Forest and Carcass
Lair of the Hydra
Pit of the Chimera
(Recommended as it uses newer set up) Forge of the Phoenix
Shaper
Depth 284 Delve + Kurgal

Note: these trees were made before withering presence got added so they don’t have it on.

Also note: this build is VERY flexible. There's a lot of room for variation and these are not necessarily perfect or ideal tree and gear setups so if you don't like some aspect of it, just tweak it.

Ascendancy: Occultist
Ascendancy Skills: Profane Bloom, Malediction, Void Beacon, Withering Presence.

Early mapping:
Skill Tree Early Maps
Path of Building Early Maps

Endgame:
Skill Tree End Game
Path of Building End Game

Bandits:
Kill All or help Alira for resists.

Pantheon:
Crab dude and whatever minor node you like.

Note there's a fair amount of flexibility in how you build this character. You don't have to strictly follow my endgame PoB, it's just the version of the build that I currently prefer.

Here’s the core gameplay loop:
• Hit enemies with static strike to get poison stacks going.
• Hit quicksilver and phase run or shield charge to run through packs.
• The agony crawler kills as you run around.
• If the crawler falls behind, re-up your static strike and/or use convocation.
• If you encounter a tough target like a boss, use molten strike and dodge any attacks you can’t tank until the crawler takes it down.

I don't have great examples of this anymore.
The weapon:


This gives you chance to poison without elder poison supports so you can run molten strike and static strike on regular four links.

The shield:


Whatever rare shield gives you the life and res you need.

The helm:


This lets you get a 5 link for your herald of agony. Alternatively, you could use a regular rare helm and the embalmer gloves.

The belt:


Poacher's mark gives you mana sustain and your crawler better accuracy and frenzy charges. Alternatively, you could get poacher's mark in that new curse on hit ring. It's pretty cheap.

The gloves:


Temp chains on hit is good.

For all other items, just use rares that give you high life and resists. Get four links in the boots/helm/gloves and use them for molten strike, static strike, and herald of agony. Put shield charge in your shield(you don't need a 4L on it) and blasphemy enfeeble + convocation in your weapon.

This sort of set up should easily work up through yellow tier maps with any combination of mods. You may need to get gear upgrades to handle red maps.

Here are the gems and links that make this build work:

Herald of Agony + Pierce + Minion Damage + Vile Toxins + Damage on Full Life or Minion Speed

Enfeeble + Blasphemy


Static Strike + Ancestral Call + Chain + Fortify (+ Poison)

Molten Strike + Multistrike + Greater Multiple Projectiles (+ Poison) + Withering Touch + Ancestral Call (if you can get it)

Convocation

Shield Charge + Faster Attacks (+ Fortify + Poison)

NOTE: You could also fit in desecrate/spirit offering instead of fortify/poison on shield charge, but I don't think it's worth it.

NOTE: for Static and Molten Strike, if you don't use Mortem Morsu you need to add poison support through Elder pseudo 5 links.

No uniques are required, but some are recommended. I've linked some of the items to make this section prettier.


Early game, Mortem Morsu is very good for getting poisons, but later you should replace it with elder rares that give static and molten strike the poison support gem on pseudo five links so you can use a shield.


Likewise, gluttony is a great belt in the mid game, but you eventually want to replace it with a Poacher’s Mark elder ring. The new curse on hit unset ring can work too.


Darkness enthroned is good even in the end game because it can give you 30% increased minion movement speed with the right jewels.


Kaom’s heart or Brass dome are good options for chest pieces. The former is better be elemental damage and the latter is better vs physical if you take armour nodes on the tree. You could even go belly if you want a cheaper more life chest. NOTE: the corruption I have linked on kaom's isn't helpful to the build. I just have been too lazy to sell it and buy a more appropriate one.


Asenath’s Gentle touch is very nice for its temp chains on hit

Severed in sleep should in theory be a good damage boost for the crawler since it will have a high chance to poison. I don't like what it would do to my defenses though.

The Embalmer is a good, cheap alternative to a pseudo 5 link elder helmet early on.


Wildfire is very good for more poisons and wither stacks from molten strike.

Also, a Careful Planning jewel can help a lot for dex requirements.

Amulet: life, resists, minion movement speed.
Ring 1: life, resists, minion movement speed.
Ring 2: life, resists, Poacher’s Mark.
Gloves: life, resists, poison support.
Main hand: multistrike or ancestral call supports, poison support.
Shield(assuming no Mortem Morsu): Armour, life, resists.
Belt (assuming no darkness enthroned or Gluttony): Armour, life, resists.
Chest (assuming no Kaom’s, Belly, or Brass Dome): Armour, life, resists.
Helmet: Minion damage support, minion gem levels, life, resists.
Boots: Movement speed, life, resists.
Abyss Jewels: Minion movement speed, life, resists.

Do whatever you like until level 16. Once you hit level 16, equip herald of agony with whatever supports you can manage(pierce should be high priority as it's good for clear speed) and use incinerate with lesser poison support to build stacks(trust me it works REALLY well at that level). Switch to attacks once you have your mortem morsu and resolute technique.

On your tree, you should be working towards minion damage and resolute technique with a few life nodes.

Once you can equip mortem morsu and get resolute technique, switch to a Molten Strike + Static Strike set up.

The priorities on static strike are ancestral call and chain. Ancestral call is huge quality of life for getting it running.

The priorities on molten strike are multistrike and GMP

Once you get all your minion stuff and resolute technique on the tree, fill in the life nodes, curse effect nodes, jewel sockets. Do armour nodes last.

For Ascendancies, the order is profane bloom(highest priority, it's huge for clearing), Malediction, and Void Beacon. Uber lab doesn't really matter.

This isn't a super expensive build by nature. I have spent multiple exalts on acquiring my gear because I've been really focused on trying to get high clear speed in end game content. The build relies primarily on gem and tree interactions so you don't strictly need any specific gear.

So basically the cost is what you're willing to invest in it to make it tankier and clear faster as these are the main attributes that improve with better gear. You could even successfully run this build in SSF if you wanted.