Leveling L88 problem

Ok, I leveled from 87 to 88 on all tier 6 maps quite easily. (cleared all Tier 7-9 maps- well maybe 2 missing). When leveled 88. um let's just say I'm still at 0 exp. noticed Chaos cranked up, cool, fine. major source of my deaths. but noticing all tiers below now killing me (non-Chaos, in one shot sometimes, yes at tier 1 lol. um just had tier 6 blue/magic mob one shot me with fire (Exposure, but still.) Umm that's not right with my build I purposely ignite myself when use mokou's embrace lol. So looking for suggestions. my Builds below.

- 88 Slayer dual swords, 6.4k dps, 13.8k AC , -Life Leach – Ascendency Hunger.
- 3 sets of pets in every battle, phantasms (phantasm support), herald of purity. Savior pets, and my closure and 4th pet. Vaal’s Double Strike.
- Resists 88F/84 ice/83 Electric. cleave 38.7k dps, double strike 62k dps.
- Gloves 48% attack speed while focused.
- Utility flasks 35 Lightning/Chaos Fire (have to be 90% resists for tier 10+ to live lol.)
- 333% crit Multiplier, 3.01 speed
- Necklace. Twin Terrors 100% crit chance while duel wielding.
- Swords – Main Rebuke of the Vaal, off-hand the Savior or Agony Beak Midnight.
-Boots KahuTura’s Certainty – (immune to all ailments)
-Belt Wurms Molt Leather (Huge Leach Recovery.) I shouldn’t die but I do.
-Cleave, Vaal Cleave, Double Strike, Vaal Double Strike – Max DPS seen from Double Strike 160k-ish, Cleave 99ish
- Chaos without the flask -40. (That’s my major Death causes)
- Ascendancies – Endless hunger/Bane of Legends. (dang Elusive last trial lol)
-Pantheon: Major - Arakaali (all red, but need Terror of infinite Dreams),
Minor Shakari – need “Terror of infinite dreams.


Any insight is appreciated. I know Chaos is my t harder lol. big problem but wow. pretty frustrating lol. In no game have I seen lower level content seem to get harder. but hey new challenges. Thx Guys.

Older threads and reddit posts would lead you to believe chaos res isn't that important.

While its not the instant priority the elemental resistances are, chaos res has mattered since at least incursion (for a long while now) because you run into pockets of it often.


Tiers tend to dictate things like base damage and health of enemies - A tier one map with a reflect that you're not immune to can make completing a map impossible.

Map mods matter and its important to know what you're especially vulnerable too. For example, when I first did expedition in standard (post league) I was too focused on the benefits not mindful of the penalties. Doing only one type of damage then making enemies immune to said type of damage means having to switch characters or outright fail. Just like enemies hits kill on 20% low life when you're playing a low life character - the remnant might have a nice benefit but not at the cost of making it impossible to complete.

Extra damage increases the risk, whether its elemental\chaos damage gained based on physical, crit bonuses, general damage boosts. Things like shocked ground are really dangerous if you're not immune.

Negative resists means not only do they do full damage but extra, can't remember if -40 would act as a 1.4 or 1.8 multiplier but ultimately it means things hit even harder than they already did with said damage.

XP is penalized based on current level and map tier\level. My level 96 was originally just intended to hit 80 and wait to go back to standard. I think she was at least 93 when she started touching red maps. Now I've also had lower tier characters start t16 early, but thats largely dependent of character build and what's available to me. But just bear in mind you don't need to push map tiers as much as you need to reliably survive your map completions.

Um ok, but that didn't answer my question/concern. Why at L87 were Tier 2-6 easy for me (for some reason Tier 1 has always hated me rofl.) and L88 tier 1-6 I'm getting chewed on all the time. keep in mind I'm aware of map modifiers going in. it's not as if I started selecting mods having a 295 crit % on me or the like that. Same maps, same/similar modifiers, and once 88 I'm getting brutalized on content that I that should be getting even easier as I level. And my gear and build is incredibly stronger offensively and depending on gear rotation, defensively then it was before (an 80k jump in dmg on double strike and 40 or so on cleave speaks volumes. One month, zero exp, leveling on same maps as L87. Seeing how much I play and seeing no gain on the same content? I'm missing something here. The game is ancient so I doubt it's some new bug or anything like that :( would have been easier if bug lol. I'm completely aware of the multipliers for chaos at -40, and since my flasks are almost always up; well that drops it to -5. As said Chaos is the main culprit, but not all of it. Same mobs, same attacks as before, adjustments on certain tactics above tier 6. I don't mind a difficulty upgrade as you level on content going forward. That's expected and wouldn't be fun if it didn't, but to have that difficulty on lower tier content go up when was easy before; well that's another thing, and I can't believe in coincidence going for a full month at zero exp gain. So not complaining at all, but looking for insights as to what I'm seeing, and adjustments, outside of chaos) that I may need to make. (but sill reverse difficulty, as I'm coining it now, I can't buy it lol).

Oh, and one thing to note, now to try to avoid death, I've been doing T6 Normal Maps. Same results in the end.

"

kscaprice4#5343 wrote:

Um ok, but that didn't answer my question/concern.

If all that I wrote didn't explain to you the issue then good luck. I mean I literally explained how a tier 1 map can be deadlier than a t16.

EDIT - having seen the profile....


You have no health, only the ring granting bonus flat health (the health nodes need flat health to boost)

are using an abyssus making you more vulnerable to physical damage

you have more junk gems leveling than useful and what you have linked maxes at 4 and isn't even properly supported

your tree clearly shows you are a newer player (as in its very bad)

Basically there's still a lot for you to learn and a lot has been added over the years and there have also been plenty of meta shifts.

post archnemesis, rares are often potentially more dangerous than the map boss, especially if you aren't familiar with the mods they can receive.

The mana drain alone can make it impossible for a melee to attack for example.

And apparently you don’t read either:
1. Chaos resists is hugely important. And I’m VERY aware of that. Which leads to your #4. I do math very well thanks and understand the math on resist mechanics in this game.

2. “Map mods matter and its important to know what you're especially vulnerable too.”
Your right, but did you miss me saying it’s the same with normal maps? Meaning there are no additional modifiers to worry about in your analysis, and BTW I’m not stupid.

And I’m not playing a “low-life” character build although my low MAX life really does need help ☹ But none of my gear is set to use “low-life” mechanics, unless I’m mis-understanding that mechanic in the game. Very possible.

3. By choice I’m only using and needing 8 skill gems. Those other crap sockets are leveling other gems so I can test them out later, or try to get that Vaal mod, and during battle I only need my mouse and 4 hotkeys, with 4 on reserve. During each battle.

4. “But just bear in mind you don't need to push map tiers as much as you need to reliably survive your map completions.”

First on that one, you’re right, I only push map tiers after I level so I don’t have to worry about the exp penalty. 😉

Second: You missed the entire thing I mentioned in my original post. At L87 I cruised/leveled on, tier 6 and 7 maps of any rarity and leveled quickly. Why at L88 with the same tier maps, and don’t bring up modifiers again, and lower are killing me over and over again. I can’t even imagine a RNG having this much luck in the world of probability and death 😊

You mentioned “switch characters or outright fail” - I didn’t say I fail, and I don’t fail. I just don’t level LoL.

Now I would really appreciate some info on some items you said, like”
“abyssus making you more vulnerable to physical damage”
Which piece and please explain. After all I am a Noob Why do you think I’m asking for “Constructive” feedback. - If you’re referring to my Helm I’m quite aware of that piece and penalty, but I haven’t found a better replacement without sacrificing certain stats I do NOT want to part with. No Rares; after crafting or unveiling, have been able to compete with it for MY build, and that’s true for quite a bit of gear In my build. I purposely have chosen these build mechanics for my fun, and I am indeed aware of my shortcomings in it. (life and Chaos being the main)

On my passive tree? Any observations, suggestions, hints, etc.
So for all that you truly did NOT answer my question. “Why at L87 were Tier 2-6 easy for me (for some reason Tier 1 has always hated me rofl.) and L88 tier 1-6 I'm getting chewed on all the time.”
As in when achieving L88, did PoE introduce a new mechanic making that easy to level at 87, turn into a greater challenge. (SAME MAPS), AS in: “hold your ankles first and then learn.” Lol. Just as when I hit Act 6 and boom, resists really do matter.
And this ”post archnemesis, rares are often potentially more dangerous than the map boss, especially if you aren't familiar with the mods they can receive.” – I’d say there Harder than Boss Mobs. Boss mobs you can prepare for, strat for, and always have exactly the same mechanics. Each rare can/is different each time in slight ways, not in any particular place or environment. Do I have a list of all rares modifiers/stats? Hrmm do you have a list of 100’s in front of you with all key rares available or memorized. If so, your more hardcore than when I was playing EQ LOL.
I agree I have a lot to learn. There is always a lot to learn, even when you’re god in this game. If you don’t, you fail and that applies to life in general.

"

kscaprice4#5343 wrote:

And apparently you don’t read either:
1. Chaos resists is hugely important. And I’m VERY aware of that. Which leads to your #4. I do math very well thanks and understand the math on resist mechanics in this game.

2. “Map mods matter and its important to know what you're especially vulnerable too.”
Your right, but did you miss me saying it’s the same with normal maps? Meaning there are no additional modifiers to worry about in your analysis, and BTW I’m not stupid.

3. By choice I’m only using and needing 8 skill gems. Those other crap sockets are leveling other gems so I can test them out later, or try to get that Vaal mod, and during battle I only need my mouse and 4 hotkeys, with 4 on reserve. During each battle.

1. - You sure, because if that were the case you wouldn't question, you'd acknowledge instead you feel the need to defend yourself despite you just previously claiming you're at neg 40 and dying more often to chaos. You're also essentially insulting the one person who actually bothered to reply and try to help you. Not exactly smart.

2. White maps still have mechanics, same with the rares. Modifiers increase\MODIFY the base stats. Even if you're not modifying the "challenge" with modifiers they still deal damage. You can die during the campaign, and not so much because of modifiers since in that case only the uniques and rares have them. But a big burst from a group can one shot you all the same if they hit simultaneously.

3. The expectation is to set your main skill on a 5-6 link, higher if socketed in certain special armors. For you not to understand this basic concept and still have the nerve to express disdain towards someone trying to explain these things to you...

4. If you're dying in t1, you have an issue that's worse, because that's essentially campaign max level, and the only real difference being you can't unlock it until completing campaign and getting the third resistance penalty.
A t1 can be deadlier than t16 - but if you can't understand how....

5. I didn't miss you getting from 87 to 88, you just aren't willing to accept how lucky you got with the map rolls. It's probably because you've done so few, but shit I've got 1000s completed and you're telling me I don't understand. Ok good luck with that.

Lastly - your tree is not good, not efficient and probably what you needed at the time but not good for later end game. In the words of the usual responder "its shit". There are multiple reasons why, but its kinda pointless if you're still arguing with me over even basic things.

I know everyone has their ego but personally I'd be embarrassed to criticize someone with significantly more experience and knowledge since that would mean there are likely people even more skilled and knowledgeable beyond that.


*edit - lastly, I should also note that there are penalties to xp gain as you level. One of the biggest hurdles newer players have to get used to is when the xp loss from death exceeds the gains. Getting 20% xp gain is instantly negated with 2 deaths. Most of Poe is figuring out what kills you and avoiding it or negating it through defenses. The further along you get, the harder it gets to go further.

[Removed by Support]


Now I hope you laughed at that and eased up a bit. but if not, oh well.

-------------
Now GPT-4 did answer my question to the point, and in detail. And here’s the transcription:

Since you're stuck at zero XP for a month, the issue seems to be survivability rather than progression speed. Given that Chaos damage is your biggest threat, but you're also getting one-shot by non-Chaos sources, there might be a few things happening:

1. Defensive Scaling vs. Enemy Damage
While a Tier 6 map remains the same in terms of base difficulty, your effective tankiness might be dropping due to scaling mechanics. Some players have reported that lower-tier maps feel harder after leveling up, possibly due to hidden enemy damage scaling or resistance penalties.
2. Unexpected Damage Sources
You mentioned getting one-shot by fire exposure, which is odd given your build's intentional self-ignition. This suggests that certain map mods or enemy abilities might be bypassing your expected defenses. Some players have noted that reflect damage, exposure stacking, or penetration effects can cause sudden deaths.
3. Chaos Resistance & Survivability
Chaos damage shouldn't get stronger in lower-tier maps, but your Chaos resistance might be making it feel worse. At -40% Chaos res, even small hits can be devastating. Some players suggest aiming for at least 0% Chaos resistance to avoid unnecessary deaths.
4. Flask & Utility Adjustments
Since you're running multiple pets and high DPS, you might be over-relying on leech for sustain. If enemies are bursting you before leech kicks in, consider adding defensive flasks or tweaking your Pantheon choices.
It’s definitely frustrating when lower-tier content suddenly feels harder, but it seems like a mix of damage spikes, resistance gaps, and unexpected interactions might be at play. Have you tried tweaking your flask setup or testing different Pantheon choices? That might help stabilize things!
Let me know what you think—I'm happy to dig deeper! 🔍

----------------- oh and note: when I was level 87, my Chaos resist was -60


That’s a key detail! If your Chaos resistance improved from -60% to -40% at level 88, yet you're still struggling more now, then it's likely that something other than Chaos resist alone is making survival harder.
There are a few theories based on this:

1. Lower Chaos Resist Didn’t Feel Worse at L87
At -60%, Chaos damage should’ve felt even worse, yet your survivability wasn’t suffering as much. This suggests that either your mitigation methods were working better back then or enemy damage sources have changed in a way that’s affecting you differently now.
2. Something Else Is Amplifying Damage Taken
Since Chaos resistance got better numerically, but survivability worsened, other factors might be working against you. Exposure stacking, penetration mechanics, or hidden damage modifiers could be making even non-Chaos attacks lethal.
3. Changes in Enemy Behavior or Encounter Composition
While a normal Tier 6 map should remain static in difficulty, the specific encounters you’re running into could be tougher due to RNG. If your pets are clearing too fast, enemies might jump straight into high-damage attacks, catching you off guard.
4. Subtle Build Efficiency Differences
Have you changed anything about your skill setup, passive tree, or flask usage between L87 and L88? Even a small tweak in defensive layers might’ve affected how you sustain through bursts.

I find it amusing that you had to rely on AI because it said what you wanted to hear. But hey, now that you can just trust that AI won't possibly give you misinformation you're all set ;)

"

kscaprice4#5343 wrote:

Now GPT-4 did answer my question to the point, and in detail.

All of these statements without exception are completely wrong. Not a single mechanic works like described by your AI tool because AI only imitates language rather than give you an actual answer.

Here's what's wrong with your build in short:
- 20+ wasted passive points on nonsense and awful pathing.
- Missing about 2k life as you are only wearing a single gear piece with life on it.
- Using Abyssus to actively take more damage.
- Having a nonsensical skill gem setup. Zero synergies.

There's a lot more that could be improved but these are the basics which you should fix asap.