How to start layering defenses

So beginner advice is to focus on life, resists and energy shield, but it seems that to really progress to the difficult endgame content you need to start layering defenses.

What are the most effective defensive layers for most builds?

What are ideal numbers for each layer of defense for it to be really effective?

What are minimum numbers that you should shoot for? (ex. below X block chance, it's not worth having)

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

It would help a lot if you told us what kind of build you want to make. Not every build can effectively access every defensive layer. Some aren't available at all depending on your build or come with large opportunity cost.

Generally there are 4 types of defenses that you need to stack to comfortable levels. HP, mitigation, avoidance and sustain. Most of them are aquired by layering different mechanics over each other. Like evasion + dodge or block for avoidance, Life + mana + MOM for HP, Endurance charges and Fortify for mitigation and leech + regen for sustain just to give some generic examples. Depending on what build you plan to do you will have to pick 1 or 2 of them and focus your efforts there, only very few builds can actually excel in all 4.

It's also important to know what your comfort zone looks like. Technically you CAN get through all content with 3k life and max res if you have a cast on death portal set up and a high tolerance to dying or god like reflexes it's totally possible to play like that. On the other hand on HC you want to be as tanky as possible while maintaining adequat damage and there is a lot of room in between. Giving you benchmarks that work fine for me might very well be pointless because your comfort level is different.

"

IntellectSucks wrote:

What are the most effective defensive layers for most builds?

It is clearly Fortify.
https://pathofexile.fandom.com/wiki/Fortify

"

IntellectSucks wrote:

What are minimum numbers that you should shoot for? (ex. below X block chance, it's not worth having)

For the endgame;

- Max physical damage taken 10k+
- Max elemental damage taken 30k-50k+
- Effective hit pool 100k+. kind of depends your recovery.

You can find these numbers in PoB, Calc tab.

https://github.com/PathOfBuildingCommunity/PathOfBuilding

I use some shortcut numbers. It is not easy to answer your question entirely. Also, Numbers maybe hardcore defense specific.

update: someone post similar topic on reddit, looks more detailed.
https://old.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/ofi6kt/key_to_layered_defenses/

People use the term layered defenses broadly.

You can also think in terms of passive vs active defenses. Res and armour are passive defenses. Movement and movement speed might be considered an active defense. Even melee characters need to move. So MS on your boots really is part of your defense.

Things like fortify tied to a movement skill is a semi active defense. It requires an action on your part, but has a duration.

Flasks are a semi active defense. They require an action, but have a duration. Utility flasks are a major form of mitigation.

Auras are a defensive layer.

Auras and flasks can be swapped out before a boss fights. That can make a HUGE difference.