Build for new league - input requested

Finally played RF - ya know, after 10 years of thinking about it. :) Has gone reasonable well.

I am not strictly SSF but effectively I am as I dont easily/happily interact with people I dont know. Social anxiety and other comorbidities.

For our new incoming league any thoughts on a Caster-ish build (so thinking Templar, Witch, or Shadow, but open to other classes). Could be Totem based or not.

Any suggestions, build guides, ideas, etc are very much appreciated.

Thanks

*EB*

Wait till patch notes before you really choose a build imo.

As for ssf caster only thing that really comes to my mind is penance brand. Spells are kind of in a weak state right now and have been for some time. Main way people play spells right now is energy blade inquisitor but that pretty much requires trading.

True self-cast builds generally start dying frequently once they reach beyond early white maps as their poor gear has little defensive layers beyond some life/ES, and armor/evasion.

I've had good success league starting a "ball lightning of static" hierophant. It's a transfigured gem (easy to get through new async trading system coming) and this gem does NOT benefit from archmage support (popular with hierophant), but the spell is effectively like a trapper/totem playstyle in which you place the static orbs at your desired location and then move around/hide as you wish.

It's much safer than the self-casting base or "orbiting" versions of ball lightning, even if the damage ceiling is much lower. Realistically, with some mana stacking and power charges, you're looking at 500k DPS which is fine to even do most red map situations.

Totems are also a safe bet with the hierophant. In this case go with the base power siphon gem with ballista totem support, or if you can get it the power siphon of archmage transfigured version (from async trading) since it synergizes with hierophant mana stacking. Both power siphon gems were nerfed in patch 3.2.6 but their damage output is still plenty for most red map situations even with poor gear. The guide at the following link still works:

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3317015

Thank you!

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Any suggestions, build guides, ideas, etc are very much appreciated.

There's an idea: you can bring a skill gem of color you like into the first lab. As you complete it, divine font will offer to change a skill gem into transfigured gem of the same color. Use it on the gem you've brought with you and select a random outcome (left, middle or right). Try to make a build around the gem you have and the character you have.

This can be powerful enough for t16 maps, eldrich guys and bosses from Zana's memories even without some crazy gear; no matter what gem you've got from the lab. I guess you can even choose your character randomly and still be able to make something decent.

Without sufficient endgame experience that "make a build around this random gem" is a terrible and frustrating idea.

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Nlckname#5587 wrote:

"

Any suggestions, build guides, ideas, etc are very much appreciated.

There's an idea: you can bring a skill gem of color you like into the first lab. As you complete it, divine font will offer to change a skill gem into transfigured gem of the same color. Use it on the gem you've brought with you and select a random outcome (left, middle or right). Try to make a build around the gem you have and the character you have.

This should be powerful enough for t16 maps, eldrich guys and bosses from Zana's memories; no matter what's the gem you've got from the lab. I guess you can even choose your character randomly and still be able to make something decent.

I will second that this is really bad advice. Transfigured gems usually have different/unusual scaling vectors compared to regular gems so if you are unfamiliar with making your own build then making a random transfigured gem build on the fly will go horribly.

Advice:

1. wait for patch notes before getting attached to a build

2. don't go too experimental for trade league start, save that for after you make your nut.

"

Nlckname#5587 wrote:

"

Any suggestions, build guides, ideas, etc are very much appreciated.

There's an idea: you can bring a skill gem of color you like into the first lab. As you complete it, divine font will offer to change a skill gem into transfigured gem of the same color. Use it on the gem you've brought with you and select a random outcome (left, middle or right). Try to make a build around the gem you have and the character you have.

This should be powerful enough for t16 maps, eldrich guys and bosses from Zana's memories; no matter what's the gem you've got from the lab. I guess you can even choose your character randomly and still be able to make something decent.

Winner for worst advice on a forum post.

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Piousqd#0073 wrote:

Winner for worst advice on a forum post.

I don't think this is very bad. Sure, this will be much weaker, than most of builds you can find on the Internet. This feels bad, no doubt. But creating something by myself feels better for me than following a guide and playing a strong character.