Definition of a "Build"

I've seen a lot of debate about how many viable "builds" there are in this game. The problem with this debate I have found is people seem to have different definitions of what a build is.

So try to answer this question. What makes a build? Can you change your main skill and call it a different build? Do you have to have all different passives/gear to call it a different build? Is it possible to have a different buid even if your using the exact same skills?

I currently don't want to try to answer it but if we get a discussion going then I'll jump in where I feel like I can contribute.

id say both.

same passive tree with different skills is different build and same skills with different passives is an other build BUT also gear shouldnt be forgotten in this conversation.

Same passives with same skills but gear changing from life to es is a different build in my books.

Skill tree, gems and equips (including potions). That's your build.

I could use a FP Crit build and an Arc Crit build with exactly the same nodes taken on the passive tree but changing the gem used still makes it a different build since it's something completely different to play.

Then again there are many variations of certain builds - lets take FP as example again - which technically all are FP builds but all are different builds because they're following different paths on the skill tree.

I view a build as a plan for determining the passive nodes, skill gems, and gear that will be used and acquired with a character.

A build is the complete picture -- a recipe. I'd say that a build is incomplete if it simply lists the stat allocation at 100 nodes, or at 120 nodes. It would be incomplete if it failed to list the active skills used, or support gems used at various stages: 4L, 5L, 6L (if planning out that far).

Transitions and strategies for leveling and handling certain map mods should also be given.

I think this game has a ton of viable builds but I think to call it a different build it needs to have more different about it than simply a couple different skills/passives/or pieces of gear.

A different build should play differently in a few different ways. A crit caster build is really the same to me even if your usings a different skill. But if your a health based caster instead of ES, I would call that a different build.

Build is all encompassing in POE. (imo)

If you change anything about your build gear/gems/passives it becomes a different build.

One does not simply make a build in Path of Exile. =P

To make builds in POE I look at what gems I'll have access to,then I look at what gear I'll have access to,then I work on the passive tree.

You can theory craft them as much as you want,but realizing the build without the gear is fruitless,unless it's a generic and inferior gem reward,RNG equipment build (mostly for self founders).


As always most anything you'd like to do in POE is tied to currency and trade.

Items (Uniques), Gems/Skills used and passive nodes taken are what define a build I'd say.
Even if two 'builds' are very similar and differ in just a couple of aspects, to me those are still different builds.
However, I can see why some people might not like this definition.

I do believe in build diversity in this game, or I rather know it exists. But when I talk about build diversity I am not talking about 10 different Freezing Pulse builds that are all about spamming GMP Freezing Pulse, but the fact that you can make almost any if not every skill gem viable for endgame.
And then, for most/every skill gem, there is usually more than one way to viably use them and many ways have yet to be figured out.

This is how I see it.

-first your main skill - the one skill that you will use eventually in a six-link that will be used to mow down hordes of monsters. Could be any skill really - cleave, dual strike, fireball, discharge, freezing pulse, etc. and etc.. Pretty much any skill that can deal enough aoe damage at the end game in some way.

-second your class - you have a skill, now you have to start narrowing the description down, you could say you are a cleave duelist or a cleave shadow, both of which carry implications of very different builds even though same skill is used

-third your passive tree - now that you have your skill and your class you have to define it even further by naming specifics in your skill tree. This is where the big branching occurs. If we continue the example you could have a life based, resolute technique, armor and evasion, dual wield cleave duelist - now you know that the guy is playing a duelist with cleave and get a very good idea of which nodes in the passive tree are picked. Then again you might be a CI based, crit based, max block, 1h and shield cleave shadow. So both are cleavers but with vastly different builds.

-fourth comes your gear - the gear generally has less meaning when defining a build, but it also contributes. Again the duelist example. The life based duelist could be using axes or swords or one of both, narrowing down the build even further. But if you start thinking about it, the only difference between a guy using a 4-link and a crap 100 dps blue axe and a guy using a godly 450 dps rare axe and a 6-link is in the damage numbers. The builds could be identical. Of course there is a special case with build enablers such as facebreaker that should go on the top of the list, because they serve as the major build identifiers. But there are really very few such items, many people tend to confuse super powerful uniques with true build enablers.

-last place - your gem configuration, you will probably be surprised to see this last but the reason it's here is simple. After you play the game enough you will notice there are just mathematically superior support gem configurations - what people just call mandatory gems for certain skills. Basically the way builds branch at this step are: the experienced guy who plays the min/max skill links and the newbie that has gimped himself with bad support gems, because he doesn't know better.

stuff that I don't see contributing to build variety:

-your flasks - flask are flasks, everyone has them, if you favor a certain flask mod over another - good for you, but way too minor a detail
-your curses - special mention to penta cursers which could be a build I guess
-any random support skill you use for certain specific situation, movement skills, totem decoys, etc..