[3.19] Odif's Build Guides for Newbies: Poison Stone Golem Elementalist

I wont be supporting this guide anymore.

It probably still works.


Odif's Build Guides for Newbies: Poison Stone Golem Elementalist

Spoiler
Hello Exiles!
Have you always wanted to try minions, but did not know where to begin?
Are you relatively new to the game?
Have you not even gotten to maps because you were so confused, or you did not know how to build a character?
Do you just want a league starter that will get you get you enough currency to play your desired expensive build?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then this build is for YOU!

Why do I make Newbie build guides?
Spoiler

Over the years, with new league content continually added to the game, it has gotten harder and harder for newbies to get deep into endgame, it's all just too overwhelming.

So, I make newbie builds, a simple and cheap build, with lots of details for newbies, that will allow newbies to get deep into endgame.

All my focus is to make this build the best possible build for newbies in the game.

Experienced users can use it also, of course.

Note to experienced players
Spoiler

I make compromises to make the build easier for newbies.
It is NOT optimized for best dps.
Feel free to tweak it around as much as you want.


Overview
Spoiler

This build is a newbie friendly, low cost, league starter build.
It will get you deep into red maps with just the currency you get on the way.
It scales with currency.
With further investments, Golems are a top tier build.



It's a minion build, so if you don't like minion builds this is not for you.



Our main damage dealer are Stone Golems
About 1/4 of our damage is physical hits, and 3/4 from poison.

We use ONE chaos golem for buffs and to proc Feeding Frenzy.

We use NO non golem minions.
Golems are tanky, and rarely die, but if they do, they respawn after 4 seconds due to an Elementalist ability.
We sidestep entirely the problem of minion squishiness.

We use Wither Totems on bosses to increase poison damage.

We use Determination Aura to have lots of Armor for us and our minions.

WE get 50% reduced curse effect from the skill tree.
We use a flask to get another 50%

We use a Chaos Golem to buff our physical damage reduction, and Stone Golems give us a LOT of life regen.


Can I do this build in SSF?
Spoiler

SSF (Solo Self Found)
You can do this build SSF, but it may take a long time to get all the primordial jewels you want. There are div cards you can farm.

Pros and Cons
Spoiler

Pros:
Very newbie friendly, lots of details for first time players.
Low currency to get going.
Scales with currency.
Relaxed minion play style.
Does not need empower or enlighten
OK defenses with minions to absorb hits, high physical damage reduction, elemental damage absorption, high life regen.

Cons:
Some recommended uniques will be expensive the first week of the league. (Anima Stone)
Can't do No Regen Maps.
Minion play style is not for everybody.
At very high wealth investment, other minion builds may do significantly better.



PoB link
Spoiler

This PoB is from my test toon I did 4 weeks into 3.19
It is from when he first started mapping, with very lame, cheap gear. No Anima stone, No +1 ammy, only a +1 helm, gems are level 16 and 17, only 2 harmonies.
It still shows 600k Shaper dps.

https://pastebin.com/feQWVyp8

This next PoB is for a level 89 toon, with an anima stone, a +2 minion helm, a +1 all gems ammy, a level 21/20 stone golem gem, the other gems are 20/20, and it has a 4% max res Brass Dome chest.
Shaper DPS is 2.5 million.
https://pastebin.com/9KM9ZjZc


er...What is PoB?
Spoiler

PoB is Path of Building, a third party software, that lets you plan and share builds.
It is completely optional.
There will be browser based skill trees linked below.

If you want PoB, make sure you download the community fork
(google search "path of building community fork")

Ascendancy, Bandits and Pantheon
Spoiler

Elementalist Ascendancy order
Liege of the Primordial --> Elemancer --> Bastion of Elements --> No 4th Lab needed!

Bandits
Kill All

Pantheon
Major: Your Choice
Minor: Your Choice

Anoint for Amulet
Spoiler

Anoint Prismatic Skin on your amulet.
This is very expensive early on, and is OPTIONAL.
It costs 2 gold and 1 silver oil.
Wait on doing this until you are wealthy.

Early on, you can anoint +30 dexterity, to help you wear gear.

What is Anointing?
Spoiler

Randomly, in maps you can find Cassia, she gives you a mission to clear some corruption from the map. The mission can drop oils, which can be traded. After the first mission you can (and should) invite her to your hideout.
She has the ability to "anoint" an amulet with a Notable from the passive tree, but it costs 3 oils. Some anoints are cheap, some are expensive.



Skill Trees (Including leveling trees)
Browser based, no third party software needed.
Spoiler

poeplanner.com links

12 skill points
https://poeplanner.com/b/gFa

39 skill points
https://poeplanner.com/b/5o-

53 skill points
https://poeplanner.com/b/5oI

79 skill points
https://poeplanner.com/b/5o2

112 skill points
https://poeplanner.com/b/5oy


Skills
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Map Starting
(Note: 5B-G stands for 5 blue sockets one green socket)
(this assumes you have the unique belt Darkness Enthroned, and at least 2 jewels with chance for minions to poison.)
Chest (Stone Golems)
Colors: 3R-2G-B
Summon Stone Golem linked to Multistrike,Chance toPoison, Melee Physical Damage, Unbound Ailments, and Withering Touch.
(Supports are listed in order of importance, in case you do not yet have a 6l chest.)


Gloves
Colors: BB and B and R
Summon Chaos Golem linked to Feeding Frenzy, Flame Dash and Determination unlinked.


Helmet or Boots
Colors: 2R-2B
Flesh Offering, Despair, Lifetap and Increased Duration
All linked together

Helmet or Boots
Colors: 2R and G and B
Molten Shell Linked to Cast When Damage Taken, Desecrate and Convocation unlinked.
(Keep Desecrate at level 1 to save mana.)

First Weapon
Colors: 2R-B
Wither linked to Spell Totem and Multiple Totems

Second Weapon
Colors: RBG
Precision and Malevolence both linked to Generosity
You may need to not fully level Precision, depending on how much mana you have unreserved.

NOTE: You cannot put the CWDT link in the weapons, or it will summon a low level unsupported stone golem, over writing your strong golems.
Thanks to artemios for figuring this out.


Starter Mapping Gear
Spoiler


**NOTE**
You will have to get strength AND dexterity on your gear.
You need 159 strength for a level 21 Determination
You need 70 dexterity for a level 21 Stone Golem
You will need 111 dexterity for a level 21 Withering Touch
You need 177 strength for the optional Brass Dome armor.
A level 9 Precision only needs 69 dexterity.
A Level 20 precision needs 118 dexterity

Required Unique
Spoiler

Darkness Enthroned belt.
You cannot transition to poison damage until you have this belt.
They are very cheap usually.


Recommended Uniques
Spoiler


Clayshaper Mace
This item got a HUGE buff in 3.19.
Dual Wield these ASAP.
They are very cheap.
They are OP as hell.
Getting 2 of these transforms your dps.

Anima Stone (expensive early league, totally optional, but buy it later when you can afford it.
You will not need this to do white and yellow maps

4 x Primordial Harmony
These are very important. They usually start out around 15c go up in price, then later drop down.. They are a high priority to get, as they lower the cooldown of the Stone Golem's Slam attack.
With 4 of them with good minion cooldown rolls, they lower the cooldown of the slam enough that the golem will spam its slam.
Try to buy them with the "Summoned Golems have (30-45)% increased Cooldown Recovery Rate" stat at least 41%

Late Game, when you rich, buy a 6 link Brass Dome with +5 to max elemental resists.


Helmet with +1 to all minion gems
Even with life and resists, these should be cheap,

6l chest

Get a 6l chest, corrupted are cheap early league, preferably with a lot of armor, some life and resists.

Weapons
Clayshaper x2
Clayshapers are super cheap, and are so much better than anything except super duper expensive minion wands.

2 x bone rings with increased minion damage.
Do not get increased minion attacks speed on rings, so as to not throw off the attack speed and cooldown of Golem Slam balance.

You will need 2 jewels with at 14% or 15% chance for minions to poison, an one with at least 12%.
Put the 2 higher rolled ones in the Darkness Enthroned belt.
Get some life and some other good stats on the jewels.

Everything else is rares with life and resists.
Bonus if the gear has Life Regen on it.

You will need dex on at least one item.

Chaos resist is very nice, but not necessary. Try and get as much as possible, but its a lower priority than elemental resist capping and life.

If possible, get gear with armor, the more the better.


Defenses
Spoiler

Our defenses are, super high life regen and decent armor and physical damage reduction, elemental damage absorption bubble, and defensive flasks.


Minions will absorb a lot of hits, so the defenses are fine for non uber content.

Manually dodging damage is key

Keep moving. Movement is a key defense

Flasks
Spoiler

Life flask with anti bleed/corrupted blood
Quicksilver flask (+% movespeed is nice here)
Granite flask (+% armor is nice here)
Quartz flask
5th flask can be your choice, life flask, mana flask, or another utility flask (Jade for evasion).

Flasks can now be crafted with Instilling Orbs which let you automate their use.
I like putting the granite and quartz flasks with "use when full", the life flask "use when bleeding"
This can be expensive depending on the price of Instilling Orbs, so probably not something you do right away.

One flask will need remove freeze, one with at least 50% reduced curse effect.

Gameplay
Spoiler

Keep Flesh Offering up.

Cast Despair curse on something.

Quicksilver flask is your friend.

Use Convocation to bring minions to you, when needed.

Put down some Wither Totems on bosses or hard rares.

Keep moving. Flame Dash to avoid danger. Defensive flasks as needed.


Gear Upgrades
Spoiler

The order of upgrades depends on price.
Due to the massive changes to minion gear this league, its hard to predict prices, so if price dictates you do these in a different order, do so!

Get two Clayshapers!
Prices by day 2 were 4 chaos, and by day 4 were 2 chaos.
Everybody should be able to afford these.
They are SUPER DUPER OP.

Get the Darkness Enthroned belt, and the 3 minion poison jewels, this will allow you to transition to minion poison damage.

Get your Primordial Harmonies
The anima stone can wait, but we need harmonies to lower cooldown of stone golem slam.

Upgrade your amulet
+1 all skill gems with as much life and resists as you can afford.
Once you get an amulet that is expensive, you can anoint it with a expensive annointment.

Get an Anima Stone.

Upgrade your helm to +2 to all minion skill gems.

Upgrade your body armor
Get a 6l Brass Dome (+5 max resist one will be crazy expensive, +4 is still good)
+2 socketed minion gems corruption is a SUPER expensive thing too.

Optional Upgrades

Better Bone Rings, with even more and better minion mods, life and resists.

Boots
Delve boots can drop with
+1 level of all Strength skill gems

Awakened gems
Get the cheap ones first.
(If some Awakened gems are cheap, get them as your first upgrade.)


NOTE:
Upgrades beyond the above mentioned might not be optimal.
Instead of investing massive currency into this build you might be better off transitioning into a minion build designed for high investment.
Like...
Kay's minion builds
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3179145
or
Ghazzy's list of minion builds
https://www.poe-vault.com/guides/ghazzy-guide-hub


Global Chat Channel for this build
type "/global 8123" in chat (without the quotes)
This will let you discus this build with others.
I will be in this channel, when I am logged in.
And I do answer questions!

CONTINUED ON NEXT THREE POSTS
Post 2 has the detailed leveling guide for newbies.
Post 3 has extensive helpful hints for newbies
Post 4 has a blog about my experiences following this guide with my 3.19 league starter.


Last edited by Odif#4251 on Nov 28, 2022, 7:56:02 PM
Last bumped on Nov 14, 2022, 2:55:02 PM
How to Level with this build (for Newbies)
Spoiler

I recommend doing all quests as you level, along with league mechanics. This will cause you to be over leveled, which helps a lot. This is NOT necessary, if you want to rush, you can.







IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT!!!!
When you get to town at level 2, check the wand vendor (nessa) and the armor vendor (tarkleigh) for linked BBB items.

Do this EVERY time you go to town, until you get them.
BBB item is for Summon Raging Spirits --> Skeletons

I cannot stress this enough, DO THIS EVERY TIME YOU GO TO TOWN, until you have both.
At low level, gem links are more important than stats.

You wil also need a BBR item in act 2.
(Skeltons will go in the BBR and Skitterbots in the BBB in Act 2)


(This assumes you are league starting. If you already have a Tabula Rasa and other leveling gear, you don't need to buy 3 link items.)

You will need some strength on gear early on.
I suggest buying a Heavy belt from nessa.
You will need dex on your gear.
I suggest buying a Jade amulet from Nessa.

Even white items are ok, you NEED the stats.
When you get your crafting bench in Act 2, you can craft strength and dexterity on your gear as needed.


You just killed Hillock and made it to the first town.
Spoiler

Take Freezing Pulse as your first reward.
Get rid of Fireball, link Freezing Pulse to the Arcane Surge you got on the way to Hillock.
Head out into Act 1. (remember to check the vendors)

How do I buy gems?
Spoiler

In acts 1-4, the vendor that sells wands and flasks also sells gems (tab 2)
They sell all gems that are offered to you as quest rewards PLUS some others.
These gems are sold PARTIALLY LEVELED, so when you can buy from them do so. They do not sell all gems, which ones they sell are class dependent. I.E. if you are a Witch they sell mostly caster gems.

In act 3 there is a side quest in the Library. When you do this, you unlock a gem vendor in the library that sells all Acts 1-3 gems in the game except the few that are drop only.
Notes:
This vendor sells all gems at level 1.
This vendor requires you have the currency in your inventory, which can be annoying.

In act 6, after you do some quests, a in town gem vendor is unlocked. You can invite her to your hideout. She sells all gems in the game that are not drop only. She sells them at level 1.

CURRENCY
Spoiler

You will need wisdom scrolls to buy the first few skill gems.
Later you will need transmutation orbs to buy skill gems.
Still later you will need alteration orbs to buy gems.
Transmutation orbs are a bit scarce early on so...

Sell unidentified blue and yellows items for transmutation scraps.
Sell identified yellow items for alteration scraps.
You need several transmutation orbs, so sell LOTS of unidentified blue and yellow items early on.
I recommend picking up ALL blue items in Act 1 and selling them unidentified.
Once you have a surplus of transmutation orbs, stop picking up blue items.

Sell armor scraps and blacksmiths whetstones to get more wisdom scrolls.

Later in the game you will get more transmutation orbs and wisdom scrolls than you can deal with, so the above only applies to the first few acts of the game. Later on, save your armor scraps and blacksmith whetstones, and stop picking up blue items.

You will always need Alteration orbs.
(crafting good flasks at high level can take hundreds of alteration orbs for each flask)
So make a habit of picking up yellow items, identifying them, and vendoring them.
To make for less trips to town, you can choose to only pick up the smaller items, gloves, helms, boots, daggers, wands, rings, amulets, and belts.

NOTE: In the below details, only quests that give access to needed gems are listed. I still recommend you do ALL quests.

Act 1
Spoiler

Goals for Act 1
Summon Raging Spirit linked to Summon Phantasm and Added Lightning Damage.
Transition to Skeletons linked to Summon Phantasm and added lightning damage.
Movement: Frost Blink transition to Flame Dash
Auras: Vitality and Precision
Flesh Offering
Details
Spoiler

(Only quests that give needed gem rewards are listed. Do all quests!

Do Medicine Chest quest
Take Quicksilver Flask and Summon Phantasm Support as reward.
Link to Freezing Pulse

Do Breaking some eggs quest
There are two rounds of rewards.
Take Summon Raging Spirit as the first round reward
Take Frost Blink as a reward in second round.
Link SRS to Summon Phantasm
Get rid of Freezing Pulse

Enter Lower Prison and take Way Point back to town
Take Added Lightning Damage as reward link to SRS.

After you kill Brutus
Take Summon Skeleton as reward, replace SRS.
Buy Vitality, Precision, and Flame Dash from vendor.
Replace Frost Blink with Flame Dash.

You many want to not level Precision too far, if you are short of mana.

Enter Cavern of Wrath and take waypoint back to town
Take Flesh Offering as a reward

Merveil (Final boss of Act 1) does only cold damage.
Buy 2 saphire rings from nessa, if you can, to make her fight much easier.


Act 2:
Spoiler

Goals for Act 2
Summon Skitterbots linked to Minion Minion Damage and Infernal Legion
Skeleton linked to Minion Speed, Melee Physical
(note this needs a BBR link, so keep an eye out.)
Auras: Vitality, Precision
Do not over level Precision, or you will run out of mana.
Movement: Flame Dash
Desecrate level 1
Flesh Offering

NOTE:
Binding orbs can be found as early as Act 2.
When used on a white item (Helm, Body Armor, Gloves, Boots), it turns it yelllow, and FORCES 4 linked sockets on it.
If you should find some, use on a hybrid Armor/ES chest, for your Skeletons. It may be worth using chromes early on, on a 4 link, to get desired colors, BUT only if the item is the proper base. I.E. Armor/ES base items are more likely to get red and blue colors.

Details
Spoiler

Do Sharp and Cruel quest
Take Minion Speed as reward, swap into Skeleton replacing Added Lightning.
If you have a BBR, Buy the melee physical for Skeletons.

Do Intruders in Black quest
Take Desecrate as reward, leave as level 1.
Buy a Summon Skitterbots from vendor, buy Minion Damage and Infernal Legion from Act 1 vendor.



Act 3
Spoiler

Goals for Act 3
Skeleton Linked to Minion Speed, Melee Physical, Added Lightning.
Movement: Flame Dash
Auras: Summon Skitterbots linked to Minion Damage and Infernal Legion
Vitality and Precision not linked to anything.
Desecrate level 1
Convocation
Flesh Offering
Vulnerability

4 links start dropping in Act 3 and can sometimes be found in a Vendor. Keep your eye out for the right colors,

Details
Spoiler

Do Lost in Love quest
Take Purity of Elements as reward.
Buy Convocation from vendor.

Do Fixture of Fate quest (Library)
Feeding Frenzy as a reward.

Buy Vulnerability and Determination from Siosa in the Library.
You will need to have the currency in your inventory to buy from Siosa in the Library.
If you don't have sockets for everything, that's ok.


Act 4
Spoiler

Goals for Act 4

Stone Golem linked to Multistrike, Pulverize, Melee Physical
Movement: Flame Dash
Auras: Determination, Vitality, and Precision
Desecrate level 1
Convocation
Flesh Offering
Vulnerability

Details
Spoiler

Do Breaking the Seal quest
Take Stone Golem as a reward.
Level it in weapon swap for now. Switch over from skeletons after you have done Normal Lab
You will need a 4R linked chest for golems, so start looking for one, or craft it with a binding orb on a pure armor chest.

Do The Eternal Nightmare quest
Take Multistrike as a reward, link to Stone Golems.

Pulverize can be bought from Siosa in the Library in Act 3.
Make the switch to Golems after you do Lab and become an Elementalist.


Acts 5-10
Spoiler

You now have your base leveling skills, and its time to focus on life and resists on gear.
Killing Kitava at the end of act 5 will give you a permanent -30% to all resists, and Killing Kitava at the end of act 10 will give another permanent -30% to all resists, so you need to start looking for gear with the right sockets that also has life and resists on it. Elemental resists are more important than chaos resist.

The other thing is to start looking for is flasks with good mods, like a life flask with anti bleeding or an enduring mana flask.

You should do the rest of the campaign without difficulty, as minions will kill all enemies with ease.


Level 41 you can use Clayshaper maces.
These require 134 Strength to use.
So you will probably need to craft some strength on your gear.
Clayshapers are VERY strong, so its worth it to buy 1 or 2 of em.

I highly....HIGHLY recommend you do some heisting while leveling. After you do Cruel Lab is a good place.
Buy contracts from the vendor for 1 chance orb, and run them.
Low level heists drop a lot of currency, chroms, jewelers, fuses, chaos, alcs. It's how you can afford to buy gear early on.


You have killed act 10 Kitava, what now?
Spoiler

Do the questline that gives you access to maps.
Do some SHOPPING

Spoiler

Try and get all the gear listed in the Entry Mapping Gear section.

Make sure your elemental resists are at 75% or higher.
If you can, get chaos resist to 75, but this is optional.
You can use your crafting bench to supplement the gear you buy.



At some point you transition away from Hit based Golems to Poison based golems.
You need the Darkness Unthroned and at least 2 minion poison jewels to do this.
This will change what support gems you have for the Stone Golems.


Start Mapping!


P.S.
I would not summon a Chaos Golem until you have 5 total golems. Just let chaos golem gem level up until you are at that point.
You only need 1 chaos golem to proc feeding frenzy, and to give you physical damage reduction.
Last edited by Odif#4251 on Sep 13, 2022, 2:55:34 AM
General Information for Newbies
Spoiler

Do not use the old PoE wiki.
(pathofexile.fandom.com)
It is no longer supported, and is full of obsolete and wrong info.
Use the following one instead, it is being supported.
https://www.poewiki.net/



Set your Left Click to MOVE ONLY



But wait, I am so confused I don't even understand the stuff in this Build Guide!
Spoiler

PoE has an EXTENSIVE in game help system.
There is a little yellowish icon just to the left of your left click skill button.
Press it, read everything.
More stuff unlocks in the help as you progress, so keep referring back to it.
It has video explanations and is amazing.


Not all Play Styles are equal for newbies
Spoiler

For Newbies, and I emphasize for Newbies, I can only recommend the play styles, Minion and Damage over Time, totems and brands.
You CAN play a "hit" build, but it will be much much much harder.
Just know what you are getting into.
(Hit builds mean you scale the damage of hits you do yourself.)

Why are Minion , brands, totems, and DoT builds better for newbies?
Simple: Damage while moving.
Hit builds only do damage while you are standing still.
Minion, totems, brands, and Dot builds do damage while moving.
Standing still in this game is dangerous, even more so for newbies who are still figuring out defenses and boss fights.

Cast and move, cast and move. With minions and DoT builds, this is what you can do.

Loot Filter
Spoiler

Loot filters are fully supported by Path of Exile.
You NEED a loot filter to play this game
You NEED a loot filter to play this game
You NEED a loot filter to play this game, really.
I recommend Neversink's loot filters.
https://www.pathofexile.com/account/view-profile/NeverSink/item-filters
(There are many others you can use, but Neversink is best for newbies, IMO)

You can click "follow" to one of his filters, then it will show up in your list of possible filters in game.

Start with NeverSink-1regular-softcore
As you get more wealthy and want to filter more stuff out, you can go to level 2, 3, 4, etc.

Wear RARES not UNIQUES
Spoiler

A common newbie mistake is to wear all the unique items you find, as in most games, uniques are better than rares.
In PoE, most uniques you find are garbage.
They lack life and resists.
Life-resist-linked sockets
That is the trifecta of leveling gear, and most uniques you find can only have the linked sockets.
There are a small number of useful leveling uniques, but out side of those, you are better off wearing rare items (yellows)
The three most valuable and useful leveling uniques are:
Tabula Rasa https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Tabula_Rasa
Wanderlust https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Wanderlust
Goldrim https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Goldrim

Attacks vs Spells
Spoiler

In PoE almost all damage dealing abilities are either SPELLS or ATTACKS.
These are distinct.
Increased Spell damage will NOT help attacks.
Faster Attack Speed will NOT help spells.

Know what your main damage dealer is, ATTACK or SPELL, and buff it accordingly, with gear bonuses, passive skill tree bonuses, and support gems.

Most Attacks use weapon damage as their base damage. A better weapon means more base damage.
Spells use the spell gem level as their base damage. A higher gem level means more base damage.

Buying Stash Tabs
Spoiler

If you are going to play PoE alot, you will need to buy stash tabs.
Free to Play, really means Free to Play for hours, but not days.
If you play PoE alot, you will NEED a currency tab and at least one premium tab.
Map tab is highly recommended.
Divination, Fragment and Essence tabs are recommended.
At least one quad tab is recommended.

One weekend a month, there is a sale on stash tabs.

Trading
Spoiler

Path of Exile is balanced around Trading.
As a newbie, you will need to sell stuff as you level through the campaign to have enough currency to buy the gear you need to start mapping.
Yes, you CAN play without trading, but it requires an expert level knowledge of crafting, something I doubt newbies have.

While you CAN sell stuff without a premium stash tab, its hard.
You have to make a post in the trading forums, format it so GGG's trade bot picks it up and lists it in their browswer based trading search function.

Or you can buy a premium stash tab, set it to public, and set prices on each item in the tab.

Knowing what is valuable is hard at first.
Most people use 3rd party software to price items.
Such software is NOT supported by GGG, but if the software is used ONLY to price things, it does not violate the ToS.

I used Awakened PoE Trade to price things.
(Remember, it only tells you the price things are LISTED at, not what they SELL at.)

Trading specifics:
The buyer should go to the sellers hide out, and wait for the seller to initiate a trade request.

Currency
Spoiler

There is no gold in this game.
There is a barter system, both when selling to NPC vendors, and for trading with other players.

The currency that is used to trade with other players, what is used to buy things from vendors, what vendors give you when you sell stuff, is CRAFTING MATERIALS.

So you can craft with your currency, or use it to buy stuff.

What should you do with all the currency you find?

Well...

Chaos orbs are the main trading currency in the game for most purchases from players.
You will likely find several as you level up.
Save them to buy gear when you are about to start mapping.

Exaulted Orbs are the trading currency for high end expensive gear. In league, exaulted orb prices vary, but are often worth over 100 chaos.

***NOTE***
In 3.19 there is a big change coming, and it MAY mean Divine Orbs are taking the place of Exaulted Orbs.


You will be lucky if you find one while leveling, but if you do, jackpot.

Save your currency when leveling.
Seriously, save it for mapping and/or gearing up for mappping.
Some exceptions:
Spoiler

Essences are level capped, the ones you find leveling are near useless at high level, so USE them. Best use is to use them on a white item with good linked sockets, or to use on white rings and amulets with a good implicit.

Essences come from those frozen statue like mobs you see on occasion. Click 3 times on them to unlock them, then fight them and their guards. An essence will ALWAYS drop, sometimes more than one.

Chromatic Orbs
If you find a really nice rare, with great mods and linked sockets, you MAY want to use chromatic orbs on it.
BE WARNED:
The colors that a chromatic gives are not fully random, they are weighted by the stat requirement of the item.
Energy Shield items are more likely to roll blue sockets.
Evasion items are more likely to roll green sockets.
Armor items are more likely to roll red sockets.
If you try to put blue sockets on a Armor item, you will use up all your chromatics and not get what you want.

In general, it is better to save your chromatics for end game, and just use the items that already have the colors you want. See the essence paragraph above.

If you are out of essences, you MAY want to use an alchemy on a white item you find. Do this sparingly, as alchemy orbs have value late game.


Vendor Recipies
Spoiler

The game has certain vendor recipies, things you sell to a vendor, that give you back something valuable.
These are hidden, but luckily, there is a handy list of all known vendor recipies in the Wiki
https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Vendor_recipe_system

The two most useful beginning recipies are:

Sell 3 flasks of the same type, and get back 1 of a higher type.
I.E. sell 3 small life flasks, and get back 1 medium life flask.

Sell an item that has a blue, red, and green socket linked together and get back a chromatic orb.
Your loot filter will highlight RGB linked items.

Bench Crafting
Spoiler

In Act 2 you will be given a quest to get a Hideout.
This is player housing.
Inside your hideout, you will be given a quest to install and use a CRAFTING BENCH!

Using the crafting bench will GREATLY help you leveling.

You can add an affix to a rare item with the crafting bench.
(As long as it does not have 6 affixes already.)
(A rare item can have at most 3 prefixes and 3 suffixes.)

The most common use of this while leveling is to add life or a resist to an item.

This is how you can cheaply and easily cap your elemental resists.

Be careful
Don't use expensive crafts on leveling items, I.E. if it costs a chaos orb.
Best use crafts that cost transmutes or chance orbs on low level items.

Note the level requirements.
Don't put a craft that has a level 24 requirement on an item when you are level 23. It will make the item unusable for you until you level up.

You will find more recipes as you progress through the campaign, and more recipes in maps.
Often recipes are found at major boss fights. Keep an eye out in your mini map for recipes, they are IMPORTANT.

In later acts and in mapping you will meet Jun, who will send on you Syndicate missions. These yield "veiled items"
When you unveil an item, you gain more recipes.

Beast Crafting
Spoiler

In Act 2 you will meet Einhar, who will give you a quest.
After doing that quest, he will give you a quest to go to the beast area, and do one beast craft.
After that, he will randomly pop up in zones, helping you, and capturing beasts.

Do these quests, capture as many beasts as you can while leveling.

Why?

At some point in the campaign, and opinions differ as to when, but certainly by mapping, you will NEED a flask with anti bleed, and a flask with anti freeze.

You can easily beast craft such flasks, assuming you have enough beasts captured.

Any non unique flask with a free suffix can be beast crafted to have anti bleed or anti freeze. (Also you can get anti poison, anti curse, and anti ignite.)

Anti bleed is called "of Sealing" or "Lizard"
Anti freeze is called "of Convection" or "Deer"

There are many other very nice beast crafting recipes, but getting anti bleed and anti freeze flasks is HUGE for late campaign. And in mapping you will want anti curse too.

Misc. Hints
Spoiler

Here is a link to a reddit list of TONS of newbie info.
https://old.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/wiki/fga

Sell Unidentified blue and yellow items in early Act 1 to get transmutation orbs.
You will likely need transmutes to buy skill gems.

Also in early Act 1, sell Armor Scraps an/or Blacksmith Whetstones to get Wisdom Scrolls.

Sell identified yellow items to get Alteration Orbs.
You will need a LOT of them later in the game, or you can sell them. They are always in demand.

There is a search bar in the passive skill tree.

You can sell a level 20 gem, with a gemcutter's prism, to a vendor and get back the same gem at level 1 with 20 quality. This is worth doing!

Trading up currency
Spoiler

You may not have enough chaos to buy what you need to start mapping, immediately after finishing the campaign.

One way to get those needed chaos is to trade lesser currencies for chaos.

Alteration Orbs are always in demand, and you may have a lot at this point.
See what you have and see what the prices are.
https://www.pathofexile.com/trade/exchange/




Some Basic Information on Minions
Spoiler

Unlike some games, like Diablo 3, the player's dps has NO effect on minions dps.
The only things that effect minions, are things that SPECIFICALLY say minions. (or Allies, minions count as allies, but NOT party members.)

Most minions scale REALLY well off of gem levels.
Most minions have a point of diminishing returns on gem levels. They will still get better, but only by a little.
Spectres get diminishing returns after gem level 25.
Skeletons, Zombies, and Golems get diminishing returns after gem level 30.
The monster level of Spectres, Zombies, Skeletons, and Golems is ONLY based on the gem level of the summoning gem.

Minions get much of their dps off of support gems.
Minions can be supported by Minion Damage Support AND any support gem that would work for the ability that they use.
Examples: Zombies do melee physical damage, so zombies can be supported by Melee Physical Damage Support or Multistrike Support. Slave Drivers use a lightning spell ability, so they can be supported by Spell Echo Support or Elemental Focus Support

Minions have a base resistance of 40% elemental resistance and 20% Chaos resistance. This is NOT effected by the killing Kitava resistance penalty that players get.

Minions are NOT effected by map mods that say "player". Such as "-12% to maximum player resistances" or "players are cursed with enfeeble" or "players have elemental equilibrium"

Minions that use attacks have a chance to miss. You need to get enough accuracy bonus for them, usually from the skill tree or jewels socketed into the skill tree. Zombie slam attack cannot miss.

Players gain no benefit from on kill or on hit effects from minions kills or hits. There are some uniques that grant minions on kill or on hit effects, and these effects will only be granted to the minion that made the hit or kill.
There is a unique gloves that gives players the on kill of minion kills.




Last edited by Odif#4251 on Aug 13, 2022, 11:39:22 AM
Here are my experiences, trying the poison variant of this build, mid league 3.19.

Getting to maps
Spoiler

Not a lot needs be said here.
SRS --> Skels did the job early. Not fast, but they kill all.
I switched over to Golems in Act 4. Dps is fine, even with only 2 golems.

Later, getting 2x Clayshapers made the dps insane for the campaign.

It was a cakewalk through the campaign after that.


Starting Maps
Spoiler

Here is the PoB for my entry into maps
https://pastebin.com/feQWVyp8

Here is pictures of the gear

Spoiler



Most of the gear is really bad.
Gems are level 16 and 17, my elemental resists barely capped, negative chaos resist, no anima stone, only 2 harmonies, i did have the Darkness Enthroned and 3x Minion poison jewels.

First map I tried was a T8
It has monsters poison on hit, and i REALLY felt the negative poison resist.
DPS was plenty, which bodes well, as just leveling gems and getting quality will massively up the dps.


Last edited by Odif#4251 on Sep 13, 2022, 6:50:01 PM
I plan to league start this one too. Hope guide gets done :)
"
heyscotttt wrote:
I plan to league start this one too. Hope guide gets done :)


I will finish it for sure...
2-3 days probably.

I am simulating a league start to finalize the leveling guide before i post that.

Some stuff is out of my control, like updates to PoB and poeplanner.net
Last edited by Odif#4251 on Aug 12, 2022, 3:23:55 PM
Ok, the build guide is done...mostly.

Only thing left to do is a 3.19 PoB link.

It has a 3.18 PoB link.

Waiting on PoB update.
I plan to league start this. Thank you for the guide. :)
i am going to play this! This looks incredible awesome build! Such a cool design :D
Thanks!

I played and fully enjoyed 3.18 with your absolution build.
This time I will try this build. hope it works!

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