[2.5 Video Guide] Beginner's Earthquake, Tanky/High DPS Build Guide! [HC/SC Viable]

Video Guide: Path of Exile: Beginners Earthquake Build Guide! [HC/SC Viable]

Check this short (5-6 min) build guide video above. It will show you how the build performs and explain how to set everything up!

If you have any questions about the build, come to my twitch stream and I will do my best to answer them:

Lifting's Twitch Live Stream Channel

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This is the official thread for my Beginners Earthquake build guide. In this thread, I will cover the most basic requirements of the build. To get a more detailed explanation of how the build works and needs to be set up, check out the link to my video guide above.



First of all, what is this build and who is it suited for?

1. This build is designed for both new players and veterans alike. The build has the potential to run the highest level maps, it is very tanky and the clear speed is great!

2. Someone who seeks a build that is fairly budget friendly - no unique items are required in order to make it work. There are however a few very strong recommended ones.

3. Fans of the "total destruction" mindset!

4. A build that is both viable for hardcore as well as softcore.

5. People who prefer a build that has a video-guide linked to it.

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Build mechanic introduction:

For defenses, this build utilizes multiple Endurance Charges, permanent fortify (if going champion), a high life pool and tons of armor. The damage is scaled via frenzy charges and by converting a large portion of the physical damage into elemental damage to make it safer against reflect.

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Skill-gems and setups:

Primary Damage setup:

- Earthquake, Less Duration, Melee Physical Damage, Physical To lightning, Weapon Elemental Damage & Added Fire Damage.

Note 1: before you get yourself the Marohi Erqi hammer you should prioritize Increased Area of Effect as your 4th support gem.

Note 2: If you chose either the Juggernaut or Slayer instead of Champion then I suggest adding in Fortify instead of Added Fire Damage.

Single Target & Damage Buff Setup:

- Warchief Totem, Faster Attacks, Melee Physical Damage, Added Fire Damage, Concentrated Effect.

Defensive Setup:

- Cast When Damage Taken (lvl 13), Immortal Call (lvl 15), Molten Shell (lvl 17 ) & Increased Duration (max level)

Note: Decrease/Increase the CWDT level requirements as you see fit. I use the above setup for tier 10+ maps.

Auras/Mana Reservation & Golem:

- Hatred, Herald of Ash, CWDT (lvl 1) + Flame Golem (lvl 3).

Mobility & Charge Generation:

- Leap Slam, Faster Attacks, Enduring Cry & Blood Rage.


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Skill-trees & Ascendancy class:

Which Ascendancy class should you choose? You have 3 options:

1. The Champion for permanent fortify (no fortify support gem needed)

- Unstoppable Hero, Fortify, Inspirational & First To Strike Last to Fall.

2. The Juggernaut for tankiness and movement speed (my preferred choice)

- Unstoppable, Unyielding, Unflinching & Unrelenting (Unbreakable is a viable alternative if you have a 2000+ armor)

3. The Slayer for damage and insane leech potential (experimental)

- Bane of Legends, Headsman, Endless Hunger & Brutal Fervor

Leveling skill-tree, 35 points:


Leveling skill-tree, 68 points:


Leveling skill-tree, 91 points:


Finished skill-tree Duelist, 113 points:


Finished skill-tree Marauder, 112 points:

Note: That if you at any point need intelligence or dexterity, simply pick up the 30+ notables in the skill-tree and spec out of them later when you are able to cover these requirements via gear.
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Leveling Tips:

1. Level 1-12 Use Molten Strike/Ground Slam
2. Level 12-28 Use Sunder with a 2-handed weapon.
3. Level 28-31 Start using Ancestral Warchief together with Sunder
4. Level 31+ Start using Earthquake with Less Duration, Melee Physical Damage and Added Fire Damage while still using Anscestral Warchief for bosses and rares.
5. Try to 5-link your Marohi Erqi sometime around level 65+ and use the gem setup as recommeded above!

Check the "spoiler" below for a list of awesome and cheap unique leveling-weapons:



Bandit Quest Rewards:

- Normal : Help Oak for 40+ life.
- Cruel : Kill them all for 1 extra skill point.
- Merciless: Help Kraityn for +1 to maximum frenzy charges

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Gearing and stat priorities:

Defensive affixes, in priority:

1. Life
2. Elemental Resistances (75% on Merciless)
3. Armor
4. Chaos Resistance

Offensive affixes, in priority:

1. Physical Damage%
2. Added Flat Physical damage
3. Weapon Elemental Damage%

Jewels:

- Inc. Maximum life %
- Inc. Physical Damage%
- Inc. Area Damage%
- Inc. Dex/Int

Flasks:

- 2x Seething Divine Life Flasks of Staunching
- 1x Ample Granite Flask of Ironskin
- 1x Ample Basalt Flask of Warding/Taste of Hate
- 1x Ample Quicksilver Flask of Adrenaline

Note: If using a Taste of Hate, change from the adrenaline suffix to Warding on the Quicksilver flask so you still have protection against curses.

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Recommended unique items:

Weapon: Marohi Erqi



Chest: Lightning Coil



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Outro:

Make sure to watch the video guide to see some actual gameplay of how the build performs as well as to get a better explanation of how it works!

Video Guide: Path of Exile: Beginners Earthquake Build Guide! [HC/SC Viable]

Check out my other build guides for 2.4

- 2.5 Warchief Totems Champion/Juggernaut [HC/SC]

- 2.5 Tanky Cyclone Champion/Juggernaut [HC/SC]

- 2.5 Ultimate Beginner's Flame Totem Chieftain [HC/SC]

Stay safe!

#DoYouEvenNerd
Lifting

First! Looks Fantastic.

Gonna use this as my first Ascendancy build.

Awesome, best of luck man! :)

Question
Rampart cluster is it worth it ?

Looks great, thou I'm not a big maces fan :D
Added to favs, I think my main for this league will probably run this or a Dual Strike as first character.

My doubt comes as I'll run HC and would like to make a char that can consistently map and also run Atziri and it may be better go for ranged/caster classes for having some room for errors, lag spikes or fps freezes which you pay in HC by saying bb to your new flaming char. What do you think about it?

I thought Earthquake gem only required lvl 4? Or has that changed?

i go to play that i hope this build work or end game..

"

magvest wrote:

I thought Earthquake gem only required lvl 4? Or has that changed?

was thinking the same thing.

Thanks for the build! Straight to the top!

Do you guys think Slayer will be viable with about the same build? I plan on taking Headsman, Bane of legends and Overwhelm. Is champion that much better?