Wondering if its better to run Cluster Jewels or to go the non Cluster Jewels tree? Comparing the damage and pen % count of if I went cluster vs non cluster seems like id be doing less damage and penning less but not sure if Clusters would give more survivability in exchange - is any one able to explain the pros/cons of Cluster vs non cluster as wanna make sure im making the right choice and couldnt find a message in the thread history explaining
With this guide I want to provide a simple caster build for beginners that is fun and easy to play.
Instead of just showcasing a build, this guide is made to be a comprehensive learning experience.
There's many indepth explanations and links to various wiki pages for new players to understand.
I've tried to keep it short, but some things just can't be explained properly with only a few words.
Path of Building is a tool that lets you fully plan characters from scratch, check out other peoples setups or import your own character to check or compare potential upgrades.
I know that some people jump straight to the PoB without ever reading the guide, which often leads to failure and is then blamed on the build. Don't be that person!
I've invested lots of time into this guide and find it very rude when people just disregard that
and ask about things that are already well explained. This unfortunately keeps happening.
+ cheap to build + smooth playstyle + good damage scaling - can't run some mapmods - requires some unique items
Main Mechanics in this Build
‣ Chaining: Arc is a lightning-based spell with the ability to chain from monsters and destroyable objects, even around corners and out of your line of sight! Each time it chains, it will also split to
a second nearby enemy from where it can't chain further. After chaining twice it can chain back to the initial enemy, hitting them twice within a single cast. The amount of times Arc can chain depends on its gem level and can be increased by enchantments.
‣ Mana: Usually, mana is used to cover skill costs and -reservation. We heavily invest into mana for great damage scaling and defenses provided by skillgems and the Mind over Matterkeystone.
This makes mana our highest priority modifier on both equipment and passives. Stacking mana also makes %-based mana regeneration sources (such as the base 1.8%) much more valuable.
‣ Elemental Overload: This keystone provides a 40% more damage multiplier in exchange for removing all critical strike multiplier, with the condition to crit atleast once within 8 seconds.
While the damage potential is lower compared to scaling crits, the damage is also way more consistent and only takes small investment, which allows us to invest more heavily into mana.
Here's a small collection of generic advice for newer players:
‣ Information: Knowledge is a strong skill in Path of Exile, and it helps to know where to find it. First there's the ingame Help Panel, which you can reach through its icon next to your skillbar.
The Path of Exile Wiki should be your first stop for further information, poedb for plain data.
If you prefer video guides, Zizaran has an informative video series called PoE University that contains information about most aspects of the game.
‣ Lootfilter: You will soon realize that there's lots of redundant loot in this game, a good Lootfilter reduces screen clutter and highlights potentially valuable or important drops. Neversink's Filter is always a good start and you can further customize it at Filterblade.
‣ Flasks: Unlike most ARPG's, this game is directly balanced around using all of your flasks.
This goes beyond the typical life & mana flasks that you're probably used to from other games, during your act progression you'll gain access to various utility flasks which grant powerful buffs. Flasks can also be crafted, but it's not needed until maps so i've kept it for their own section. For now, focus on keeping your life & mana flasks updated, get all utility flasks from quests when mentioned and try to get a feeling for your flask usage.
‣ Crafting: Gear can be enhanced through crafting and recipes, while the latter can also create currency used for crafting. You outlevel gear pretty quickly during act progression, so it's not advised to invest too much at this point. Limit it to a couple of Orb of Transmutation, Orb of Augmentation, Orb of Alteration, Chromatic Orbs and various Essences you can find for now,
use Jeweller's Orbs and Orb of Fusing only on useful gear you've looted. Try to focus on intelligence-based gear for an easier time to get the right colors.
‣ Crafting Bench: After unlocking your first hideout, you'll gain access to the Crafting Bench.
This can be used to craft a targeted affix on gear, if it isn't already there and has a slot open.
Use it to craft any damage affixes, Life, Attributes or Resistances missing on your gear.
Recipes need to be found first, the Crafting Bench tells you all undiscovered recipe locations.
‣ Trading: You can freely trade with other players if you have a Lv25+ char and aren't in SSF. Path of Exile's trading site is good for buying gear, poemap is convenient for bulk map trades.
If you want to sell something, you either need premium stash tabs, set up a shop in the trade subforums or use Acquisition. For pricechecks, look for similar stuff on the trade site, check poe.ninja or use Awakened POE Trade.
‣ Stash Tabs: The default stash space is pretty limited, if you like the game and are able to, consider buying more stash tabs. Getting a Currency and Map Tab is highly recommended, Premium Tabs make trading easier and if you want, a Quad Tab for extended storage.
Purchased tabs are account-wide and won't be lost when temporary leagues end.
There's also a stash tab sale weekend every three weeks if you're not in a rush.
Full Leveling Section
Your journey through the ten acts can be seen as an extensive tutorial, slowly confronting you with the majority of game mechanics and increasingly more difficult enemies to learn to counter.
This section will help you while playing through the ten acts and shows the recommended
passive tree progression, gem setups, quest progression and exp farming zone for each act.
The passive tree goals are just a pointer, it's not a big deal if you're over- or underleveled.
Keep in mind that this section includes major storyline spoilers, if you care about that.
‣ Kill the Zombie, pick up Fireball and switch left-click to move-only
‣ Get Arcane Surge from Large Chest and kill Hillock
‣ Get Freezing Pulse, link it with Arcane Surge and store away Fireball
‣ Check vendors for Boots with Movement Speed and a second Wand
‣ Get the Coast Waypoint, kill Hailrake on Tidal Island and get Quicksilver Flask in town
‣ Finish your quest in Mud Flats and Enter Submerged Passage
‣ Get the Waypoint, look for Flooded Depths and kill the Dweller of the Deep
‣ Get Orb of Storms, Frostblink and Skillpoint in town
Orb of Storms provides extra damage while you cast Lightning Spells within its radius.
Once you've specced into Elemental Overload, it's also useful to quickly proc the buff.
‣ Set Orb of Storms to "attack without moving" (left-click icon in skillbar)
‣ Make your way to Lower Prison, get Waypoint and then go back to town
‣ Get Added Lightning Damage and link it to Freezing Pulse + Arcane Surge
‣ Check vendors for any item with 3-linked blue sockets if needed for above
‣ Craft two wands with this recipe: Magic-rarity Wand + Topaz Ring + Orb of Alteration
‣ If needed, the recipe for Topaz Rings is: Iron Ring + Green Skill Gem
‣ Start looking out for 2x Sapphire Rings or use the Recipe: Iron Ring + Blue Skill Gem
‣ Complete Trial of Ascendancy in Lower Prison
‣ Kill Brutus, then get Clarity, Vitality and Flame Dash in town
‣ Replace Frostblink with Flame Dash and set it to "attack without moving"
‣ Activate Clarity and Vitality
‣ Progress to Ship Graveyard and get the Waypoint
‣ Look for Ship Graveyard Cave, get Allflame then get Cavern of Wrath Waypoint
‣ Travel to Ship Graveyard Waypoint and kill Fairgraves
‣ Go to town to get Skillpoint and Arc
‣ Replace Freezing Pulse with Arc and set it to "attack without moving"
‣ Equip Sapphire Rings and kill Merveil
‣ Once in town, enter the Old Fields first
‣ Start looking out for 2x Topaz Rings or use the recipe: Iron Ring + Green Skill Gem
‣ Look for the Den, kill Great White Beast and get second Quicksilver in town
‣ Continue to Crossroads and get Waypoint
‣ Enter Chamber of Sins, complete Trial of Ascendancy on Level 2 and kill Fidelitas
‣ Get Herald of Thunder and activate it
‣ Get Wave of Conviction, this provides temporary Exposure on bosses
‣ Keep Wave of Conviction at Level 1, we need it at that level later
‣ Go back to Crossroads, enter Broken Bridge and kill Kraityn
‣ Back to Crossroads once more, enter Fellshrine Ruins and Crypt
‣ Complete Trial of Ascendancy in Crypt
‣ Back to town, enter Riverways and get the Waypoint
‣ Go to Western Forest, get Waypoint, kill Alira and Captain Arteri
‣ Look for Weaver's Chambers and kill Weaver
‣ Get Faster Casting and link it to Orb of Storms
‣ Go back to Lioneye's Watch and get Skillpoint
‣ Go back to Riverways and follow the small dirt path to Wetlands
‣ Kill Oak, get Wetlands Waypoint and get two Skillpoints in town
‣ Make your way to the Ancient Pyramid, equip Topaz Rings and kill Vaal Oversoul
Once you're Level 20, upgrade your wands with the same recipe as before, but this time using rare Topaz Rings. You can use Essences to turn normal rarity Topaz Rings rare.
‣ Focus on having 75% Cold-, Fire- and Lightning Resistance from now on
‣ Kill the Blackguards in City of Sarn and enter town
‣ Go to Slums, enter Crematorium, finish Trial of Ascendancy and kill Piety
‣ Get Sewer Key in town and go back to Slums
‣ Enter Sewers, get Waypoint, find three busts and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Get Marketplace Waypoint and finish Trial of Ascendancy in Catacombs
‣ Enter Battlefront, get Waypoint and kill Captain Aurelianus
‣ Go to Docks and get Thaumetic Sulphite
‣ Back to Battlefront, enter Solaris Temple and talk to Lady Dialla
‣ Destroy the Undying Blockade in Sewers
‣ Enter Ebony Barracks, get Waypoint and kill General Gravicius
‣ Enter Lunaris Temple, kill Piety and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Get Imperial Gardens Waypoint and finish Trial of Ascendancy
‣ Go to Library and finish Siosa's quest
‣ You can now buy all unlocked gems at Siosa (currency needs to be in inventory!)
‣ Throw away Herald of Thunder and the Added Lightning Damage linked to Arc
‣ Get Arcane Cloak and link it with Arcane Surge from the Arc Setup
‣ Get Lightning Penetration and Archmage and link them to Arc
‣ Get Second Wind and link it to Flame Dash
‣ Archmage will eat through your mana, it's a good idea to use two mana flasks now
‣ Enter the Sceptre of God and kill Dominus
Boss damage might be a little low at this point, but it will pick up soon!
Start looking out for 4-linked intelligence-based gear.
‣ Enter the Dried Lake, kill Voll and enter the Mines
‣ Free Deshret's Spirit in Mines Level 2, progress to Crystal Veins and get Waypoint
‣ Get skillpoint in town
‣ Go back to Sarn Encampment, enter the Labyrinth and get its Waypoint
Read up on the Lord's Labyrinth and Izaro to get an idea what's going on. Poelab shows you the daily layouts and Izaro buffs.
‣ After finishing the Labyrinth, ascend to Elementalist and get Mastermind of Discord
‣ Go back to Crystal Veins, enter Kaom's Dream and kill Kaom
‣ Now enter Daresso's Dream and kill Daresso
‣ Get Spell Echo in town and link it to Arc
‣ Get Hextouch in Highgate and link it to Wave of Conviction
‣ Get Conductivity in Sarn Encampment and link it to Wave of Conviction
‣ Kill Piety in Belly of the Beast, and finally Malachai in the Harvest
Weapons with 30%+ Spell Damage scale better at this point, there's a recipe if needed: Weapon + rare Chain Belt + Blacksmith's Whetstone.
‣ Kill Overseer Krow and enter town
‣ Find the Miasmeter in Control Blocks and kill Justicar Casticus
‣ Get Silver Flask and Skillpoint in town
‣ Replace a Mana Flask with Silver Flask and try to roll of Staunching on it
‣ Make your way to Templar Courts and kill Avarius
‣ Get Ruined Square Waypoint and finish the quest in Ossuary
‣ Back in Ruined Square, kill Utula and finish the quest in Reliquary
‣ Get Skillpoint and optionally Unique Jewels in town
None of the jewel choices are useful to us, but you might want to keep it for later.
‣ Kill Kitava on Cathedral Rooftop
‣ You will suffer a permanent -30% resistance penalty after this fight
‣ Clear the Twilight Strand to unlock Lilly as Skillgem Vendor
‣ Get to Mud Flats and kill the Dishonored Queen
‣ Enter Karui Fortress, kill Tukohama and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Use Soul of Tukohama
‣ Finish Trial of Ascendancy in Prison and kill Shavronne
‣ Enter Prisoner's Gate, kill Abberath and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Get Riverways Waypoint
‣ Enter Wetlands, kill Puppet Mistress and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Light the Beacon and kill the Brine King
‣ Use Soul of the Brine King
‣ Find the Silver Locket in Broken Bridge and get Granite Flask in town
‣ Replace your low item level Quicksilver Flask with Granite Flask
‣ Enter Crossroads, get Waypoint then enter Crypt through Fellshrine Ruins
‣ Finish Trial of Ascendancy and find Maligaro's Map
‣ Go back to Crossroads and enter Chamber of Sins
‣ Kill Maligaro in Maligaro's Sanctum
‣ Finish Trial of Ascendancy in Chamber of Sins Level 2 and enter the Den
‣ Make your way to Ashen Fields and kill Greust, then get Skillpoint in town
‣ Get Northern Forest Waypoint and enter Dread Thicket
‣ Collect all Fireflies and kill Gruthkul, then get Skillpoint in town
‣ Find Kishara's Star in Causeway and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Get the Vaal City Waypoint, enter Temple of Decay and kill Arakaali
‣ Finish second Labyrinth and get Liege of the Primordial
‣ Go back to Highgate and get Summon Stone Golem and Summon Flame Golem
The golems can be bound to your secondary skill bar (hold Ctrl).
‣ Enter the Toxic Conduits and kill Doedre
‣ Go for Quay first, find Ankh of Eternity, kill Tolman and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Kill the Gemling Legionnaires in Grain Gate and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Enter Solaris Temple and get Sun Orb
‣ Go back to Doedre's Cesspool and go for the Grand Promenade now
‣ Get Bath House Waypoint and finish Trial of Ascendancy
‣ Enter High Gardens, kill Yugul and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Back to Bath House, get to Lunaris Concourse and get Waypoint
‣ Enter Lunaris Temple and get Moon Orb
‣ Back to Lunaris Concourse, enter Harbour Bridge and kill Solaris & Lunaris
‣ Find the Storm Blade in Vastiri Desert and look for a blocked entrance
‣ Go to town, talk to Sin and then to Petarus & Vanja
‣ Go back to the blocked entrance, kill Shakari and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Get Foothills Waypoint, enter Boiling Lake and get Basilisk Acid
‣ Enter the Tunnel and finish Trial of Ascendancy
‣ Get Quarry Waypoint, enter Refinery and get Trarthan Powder
‣ Go back to Quarry, kill Garukhan and get Sekhema Feather
‣ Go to town and give the feather to either Tasuni or Irasha to get Skillpoint
‣ Enter Belly of the Beast and kill the Depraved Trinity
Once you've speec into Golem Commander, get Summon Chaos Golem in Highgate.
‣ Go left on Cathedral Rooftop and kill Plaguewing
‣ Now go right, enter the Ravaged Square and go south
‣ Enter the Control Blocks, get Waypoint, kill Vilenta and get Skillpoint in town
‣ Optionally find the Teardrop in Reliquary
‣ Go back to Ravaged Square and get its Waypoint in the upper part
‣ Enter Ossuary and complete Trial of Ascendancy
‣ Get to Desecrated Chamber through Torched Courts and kill Avarius
‣ Enter the Canals and make your way to the final bossfight
‣ You will suffer another permanent -30% resistance penalty after this fight
‣ Talk to Lani for two Skillpoints
‣ Find Kirac in the Templar Laboratory and finish his quest
‣ Finish third Labyrinth and get Elemancer
‣ Now it's time to look at the second part of this guide!
‣ Gear up for endgame and switch to the endgame gem setup
‣ If you lack currency, run Currency Delve nodes and/or start doing the Chaos Orb recipe
i tried to use the search function but did not really find something about this, so i try it here:
I am currently running tier 10 maps and often got the feeling that i lack some survivability. I currently got 4,3k HP, 6,2k Mana and full resistances. On the other hand, my damage seems to be very high. So i am considering taking some more a more defensive node with my last ascendency.
What do you think about Bastion of Elements instead of Heart of Destruction? Since the damage is already high, this would help getting more defense.
Additionally i was wondering what you think about not skilling divine judgement and instead take the four skillpoints + one 5% maximum life skillpoint to skill discipline and training (and as side effect retribution). This is again overall less damage and more survivability.
The changed skilltree (assuming level 90) can be found here: Passive Skill Tree lvl 90
If we already skilled these nodes, there would be a possiblity to get a connection to the templars starting location, which would grant "Damage penetrates 5% elemental resistances" if we equip the Pure Talent Jewel.
What do you think about those changes? Is it worth to trade the damage with defensive skill in your opinion? Is it worth to get the 5% elemental resistance penetration for 3 additional skillpoints?
I would be happy to get some feedback!
Edit: By the way, i wanted to thank you Enki for that build and brilliant guide. I am having a lot of fun with this! :)
Last edited by Knubby on Jan 21, 2021, 10:48:22 AM
Whats a good green support for golems? Have an empty link in a piece than can support 1 red and 1 blue golem. Currently using Stone, Flame and Chaos. I went golem path in first lab and just got golem commander. Level 60
Last edited by hovereels on Jan 21, 2021, 11:51:46 AM
Whats a good green support for golems? Have an empty link in a piece than can support 1 red and 1 blue golem. Currently using Stone, Flame and Chaos. I went golem path in first lab and just got golem commander. Level 60
if you have liege of the primordial and elemancer + golem commander you can have a total of 4 golems.
Whats a good green support for golems? Have an empty link in a piece than can support 1 red and 1 blue golem. Currently using Stone, Flame and Chaos. I went golem path in first lab and just got golem commander. Level 60
if you have liege of the primordial and elemancer + golem commander you can have a total of 4 golems.
Hi, Amazing Build, but i got a problem, maybe someone more experienced can help me. I got the 3 link Wand with Wave of conviction, Hex and Conductivity, but the Conductivity is never triggered. Wave of conviction is always triggered thanks to my Wand, but the conductivity hex is not. Dont understand why. Thanks a lot for all the hard work you put into this amazing Build.
