How to make a build - quick start guide (2.0 updated)

I'll believe that Infractem story when I see the build.

This bump is for 1.0.0.

Great post, bookmarked. As a new player I need to plan!

The first thing I would suggest to any new user is do a super basic build first. Play and get real game experience. Don't sell any gems, put one of every skill in your stash (rather than sell) and just play with the game and experiment. There is so much to learn before wasting too much time planning a build. (my humble opinion) I see endless requests in the Global Chat by first time players, what should they do...

The only other advice I would give is to watch youtube videos where the person describes why their build takes the path (through the skilltree) it does. How those skills will help you in the long run. There are some great youtube videos that really explain a lot of synergy and purpose to taking a certain path in the skill tree.

I learned quite a bit from that. Choosing targets on the skill tree that you want for your build and then calculating the least points to get those main passives while also examining all the things that you pass along the way. The shortest path might not have the right other skills or attributes that you want. You have to think bigger picture from the beginning.

great work

Thank you for that short but informative guide!
Allthough I've been playing PoE for quite a while now, I always merely copied other builds. Your guide really encouraged me to create my own ideas representing my most favorite style of play. Considering the general planning strategies you put together here really worked for me and brought my gaming experience to a whole new level.

Especially the parts about the "hook" and the numbers regarding "how much life/ES nodes should I get" were really helpfull.

Thanks!

Sometimes, you'll have to bypass "general rules of thumb", and take less than +150% ES, or less than +80-100 all stats from passives, but this generally means you'll get remaining ES and/or stats from gear.
There is also another "rule" for passives - try to get stuff, that you cant get with gear. For example, casters mostly go deeply into ES, and (sometimes) in crit and/or increased mana nodes, while skipping most spell, elemental and projectile damage nodes. Why? Because they get increased spell damage from weapons, shields and other gear. Same applies to elemental melee, archers and wander, and in lesser degree - to physical ones. Also, people usually pass resist nodes, because resists can be gained through gear.

You also ARENT forced to play in party. In fact, there are extremely awesome, powerful and fun builds, that are viable only when solo. Obviously, there are also builds, viable only in party.

And yes, always consider resource management. btw, there is 6th way to it - using Soul Taker, and 7-th - using Berek's grip - new unique ring, and 8-th - new unique flask. Though, 1-4 ways stated are probably the best.

The single biggest misstake new players do (I did it and all my friends did it), is to spec for dps/etc, and not for life/es. That part should be in big bold letters...

"

xpanterx wrote:

The single biggest misstake new players do (I did it and all my friends did it), is to spec for dps/etc, and not for life/es. That part should be in big bold letters...

I have a Witch with no life or ES nodes (well, okay, one, but that was because it was an unannounced obscure change in 1.0.0) that managed to kill Dominus and his cronies with 0 deaths.

But I'm also not a new player :P

"

xpanterx wrote:

The single biggest misstake new players do (I did it and all my friends did it), is to spec for dps/etc, and not for life/es. That part should be in big bold letters...

Yeah, THE MAIN RULE OF THUMB:
GO INTO LIFE/ES, DONT BOTHER MUCH ABOUT DPS NODES. Only when you became experienced player, you can put nodes to DPS, etc.

balance is important, yes. far more important that trying to get the fancy big nodes (keystones and the mid-sized "notables").