Looking for a mercenary build that primarily uses ammunition and not grenades.

Title says it all. I am struggling to get the right combination of ammunition and support gems together to be effective. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I am looking to have mainly a gun style build with ammunition and not all grenades.

Hey man, I'm currently only a lvl37 Witchhunter but playing with such a build using only 2 grenades on my mouse4 and mouse5 buttons and having a lot of fun. Can share what I've got so far at some stage today if you're interested. It only really started to click the last couple of levels but its a lot of fun so far. I'm a new PoE player so definitely not a min max situation just so you know.

Let me know if you wanna see and i'll throw up some screenshots of what I've got so far

me too.

I dont like the grnade playstyle. I would much rather prefer to be a gun style then grande thrower.

This is how I am playing currently. I've just started into Maps speed clearing t3 fine with just 2 ascendancy unlocks (haven't gone back for the third yet).

Keeping your weapon updated is very key it seems to trying to play a xbow build. Keep that in mind, if you have a weak weapon, you're going to have a bad time. Otherwise solo I had no issues with any bosses, tore them down quick. Helped friends with bosses they struggled on a bit as well. Really just using 2 skills.

High Velocity Rounds (Single Target)
Scattershot > Heft/Execute > Brutality

Galvanic Shards (AoE)
Lightning Infusion > Pierce > Close Combat

Need to optimize my tree a bit better. But as I said, haven't really struggled with this setup at any point in the game. Using Herald of Thunder and Ash currently as my spirit reservations.

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DarkSrife#0542 wrote:

Keeping your weapon updated is very key it seems to trying to play a xbow build.

Forgive my newb arse but when you say 'updated' you mean as close in item level to your current level as possible correct?

If I'm a lvl 30 Merc then ideally I'd have a item lvl 30 crossbow as well yes?

P.S.
I am also kinda sick of the Grenade builds, it 'feels' to my novice brain that Grenade focused/primary builds are the only workable builds for end game content, and Gas Grenades seem to dominate the Grenade builds which dominate the Merc builds.

I don't mind Grenades so much but I'd like some variety in my choice of nades to use let alone Crossbow shot types to use. I know the meta is a thing and we're very early in early access but still.

I am mostly watching AdmiralBahroo, but he is playing hardcore and max he got is level 40 ;(.
I am still around there too, but he is using galvanic shards + high velocity rounds (for bosses) + gas grenade (for bosses) too.
It's INSANELY fun, but I am not sure how to proceed with the tree, where to go. You can find on twitch vods his build.

But it's something like this: https://imgur.com/a/ZaiLdAQ
Most important is to rush towards the 'crossbow' part (like from the start) -> the one with 'Full Salvo' node.
For skills it's High Velocity rounds with scattershot + double barrel + ammo conservation.
Galvanic shards + martial tempo + lightning infusion
Gas Grenade with Corrosion and Bursting Plague
Herald of Thunder with Magnified Effect.

Let me know if you find a more advanced skill tree/ build, as I said this is only up to lvl 40

My Legionnaire Build

Galvanic Shards (Lighting Infusion, Innervate, Coursing Current)
High Velocity (Double barrel, Scattershot)

Once you get some spirit, these will beef up your clear speed with Galvanic Shards intensely:-

Herald of Thunder

Easy to obtain if you went dex root, otherwise go Herald of Ash first.

Herald of Ash

This required me to go legionnaire ascendency especially to add herald of ash as it has strength requirement and I'm mainly dex. The adaptive capability is the one you want. I'm testing different configurations with adaptive capability as it unlock tons of str and int skill gems I wouldn't of been able to play with otherwise.

Bonus defensive if you get even more spirit late game:-

Wind Dancer (great for evasion)

Currently:-

Clearing t7+ maps, decent clear speed.
Passive tree pushed dps, projectile and lightning nodes where ever I could, high dex
Gear is heavy on evasion for defense, about 87% evasion atm.
Very squishy against physical damage so need to make sure constantly moving and rolling out the way of things. However will ignore more mobs normal hits.
Weapon massive push on physical damage, and added lightning is a bonus.

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-ytQ6KatOw&list=WL&index=13&t=836s