Updated for Patch 3.9
The Best Crafty Guides by Odealo
Estimated budget: medium
Guide notes |
December 16, 2019 -Updated for Patch 3.9 December 20, 2019 -Added gameplay video |
Saboteur became the second most popular Ascendancy class in the Incursion League and Patch 3.3. With the major changes to Passive Skills, Mine related Skill Gems, and significant buffs to Arc Spell - Arc Mines became one of the most cost-effective combination Path of Exile. Mines, on top of being extremely powerful, provide a very budget-friendly and enjoyable gameplay mechanic. Even with the nerfs introduced in Patch 3.4 that slightly lower Mines' damage and actually introduce a downside to dual-wielding Shimmeron Daggers, this still remains one of the best Starter Builds in the game. Patch 3.9 made this the most popular Starter Build in the Metamorph League. Arc has received a significant buff in the radius of its' Chain, making it an amazing tool to farm with. Also, the difficulty level has been significantly increased, so making Saboteur/Miners the best choice for the current content. High burst DPS, solid defense and self-sustain make it one of the best classes to play currently.
You may also want to check our other Path of Exile builds here: Odealo's Crafty Guides - Full List
As a Miner character, you can plant mines, that once detonated, will trigger specific spells. Some Mines use a predefined spell, or as in our case, with the use of the Remote Mine Support Gem, you can use Remote Mines with any skill that can be used with Bows and Wands. In our case, this is Arc, which since the changes in Patch 3.3 deals insane amount of damage and provides amazing clear speed. For the defenses, this build uses moderately high Life and Blind mechanic (from Saboteur Ascendancy passives and Smoke Mines).
This video was recorded on a level 91 Saboteur on Standard League wearing Inpulsa's and random Rares |
|
PROS |
|
CONS |
|
Leveling with a Miner Saboteur is very easy. Mines deal very high damage even only with the Passives and Skill Gems, allowing you to focus on defensive rare gear and Movement Speed bonuses. Also, the main DPS setup of this build (Arc Mines) becomes available as soon as you reach level 12, which lets you level up all the required Support Gems. Out of all leveling items, we would suggest prioritizing Praxis rings and Tabula Rasa. Other than that, rest of the gear can be random rares you find during your campaign.
Suggested leveling Gem setups:
Early level Gems | |
![]() |
Freezing Pulse - decent projectile-based Spell which is available right after you start the game |
![]() |
Fire Trap - used to deal some extra DoT damage |
Arc Mines | |
![]() |
Arc - primary Spell in this build. With the use of Blastchain Mine Support, you can plant Mines that will cast Arc once detonated |
![]() |
Blastchain Mine Support - allows you to plant Mines that will cast Supported Skills once detonated |
![]() |
Minefield Support - greatly increases your DPS |
![]() |
Trap and Mine Damage Support - increases the damage of your Mines |
![]() |
Added Lightning Damage Support |
Utility Gems | |
![]() |
Clarity - increases your Mana Regenerated per second |
![]() |
Assassin's Mark - recommended Curse for this build |
![]() |
Flame Golem - increases your damage |
![]() |
Herald of Ice - will add Cold Damage to your Spells and cause AoE explosions |
Bandits:
We recommend helping Alira for the increased Global Critical Strike Multiplier, Mana Regen. and Elemental Resistances
Leveling Skill Trees:
35 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Trickery 2) Saboteur 3) Volatile Mines 4) Clever Construction 5) High Explosives
64 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Blood Drinker 2) Blast Cascade 3) Heart and Soul 4) Cruel Preparation
Recommended leveling items:
![]() |
|
(8-12)% increased Spell Damage +1 to Level of Socketed Spell Gems (20-28)% increased Spell Damage (5-8)% increased Cast Speed +(15-20) to maximum Life +(15-20) to maximum Mana Regenerate (6-8) Life over 1 second when you Cast a Spell |
![]() |
|
+(20-25) to maximum Mana +(30-60) to maximum Mana (3-6) Mana Regenerated per second -(8-4) to Mana Cost of Skills 8% of Damage taken gained as Mana over 4 seconds when Hit |
![]() |
|
+15 to Dexterity +15 to Intelligence (100-150)% increased Evasion Rating 15% increased Movement Speed (5-10)% of Damage taken gained as Mana over 4 seconds when Hit 10% increased Movement Speed for you and nearby Allies |
![]() |
|
Item has no level requirement and Energy Shield (Hidden) Item has 6 White Sockets and is fully linked (Hidden) |
Final Skill Tree:
113 Points Final Skill Tree
113 Points Path of Building(PoB) link
Ascendancy points:
Preferably in that order:
Pantheon:
Major God: Soul of Lunaris 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%, 1% increased Movement Speed for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%
Minor God: Soul of Gruthkul 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each Hit you've taken Recently up to a maximum of 5%
[DPS] Arc Mines | |
![]() |
Arc - the core skill in this build. It is triggered by detonating Mines |
![]() |
Blastchain Mine Support - allows you to plant Remote Mines that will cast Arc once detonated |
![]() |
Mine and Trap Damage support |
![]() |
Added Lightning Damage Support - grants high bonus flat Lightning Damage to your Arc |
![]() |
Controlled Destruction Support - greatly increases Spell Damage of supported skills |
![]() |
Lightning Penetration Support - makes supported skills ignore some of the monsters' resistance to Lightning Damage |
[UTILITY] Immortal Call and Smoke Mine | |
![]() |
Cast when Damage Taken Support - auto-casts supported skills after a certain amount of damage is taken. Keep this Gem at level 10 |
![]() |
Immortal Call - grants brief immunity to Physical Damage. Keep this Gem at level 12 |
![]() |
Increased Duration Support - increased the duration of Immortal Call and Smoke Mine's effects |
![]() |
Smoke Mine - used as an escape mechanic. It also creates Smoke Clouds and increases your Movement Speed |
[MOBILITY] Flame Dash | |
![]() |
Flame Dash - one of the best Movements Skills that can be used with Wands. It also will grant Arcane Surge buff |
![]() |
Faster Casting Support |
![]() |
Arcane Surge Support - grants increased Spell Damage and Mana Regen. after you spend a certain amount of Mana on supported skills. Keep it at level 7 to gain the buff after each Dash |
[UTILITY] Orb of Storms Curse setup | |
![]() |
Orb of Storms - which is used to apply your Curse |
![]() |
Curse on Hit Support - makes your Orb of Storms apply your Supported Curse |
![]() |
Conductivity - the recommended Curse for this build which reduces Lightning Resistance of affected enemies |
![]() |
Precision - use a low-level Aura to not Reserve too much Mana. It doesn't have to be linked to anything in this setup |
[UTILITY] Aura and Skitterbots | |
![]() |
Wrath - increases your Lightning Spell Damage by a lot. The best DPS Aura for this build |
![]() |
Summon Skitterbots - Skitterbots are used to Shock and Chill enemies, as well as help you detonate your Mines. They also directly increase your Mine DPS |
![]() |
Enlighten Support - reduces the amount of Mana Reserved by Supported Spells |
[UTILITY] Golems | |
![]() |
Cast when Damage Taken Support - for the Golem setup, use CwDT at maximum level |
![]() |
Summon Ice Golem - increases your chance to Critically Strike |
![]() |
Summon Stone Golem - increases your Life Regenerated per second. You can also use Chaos Golem for more Physical Damage Mitigation, or Flame Golem for some extra DPS |
![]() |
Minion Life Support |
|
Now onto the most interesting part - gear selection. Below you will find all the required and recommended equipment for this Arc Miner build. Since we have decided to make a Starter build, mostly rare gear will be included, and harder to obtain unique items will be listed as optional.
Also, if you are looking for cheap PoE Currency we would like to invite you to visit our Path of Exile marketplace section. You can access it by links on top of the page.
We can guarantee that the items listed by us will:
Stat priorities on items:
|
![]() |
|
Min. requirements: 70 maximum Life 40 maximum Mana 29% Fire Resistance 29% Cold Resistance 29% Lightning Resistance |
|
Helmet enchantment: 40% increased Arc Damage |
|
![]() |
|
3% reduced Movement Speed (Hidden) Item has no level requirement and Energy Shield (Hidden) Item has 6 White Sockets and is fully linked (Hidden) Corrupted implicit modifiers: +2 to Level of Socketed Trap or Mine Gems +1 to Level of Socketed Gems |
|
![]() |
|
+(60-80) to maximum Life (20-50)% increased Damage if you have Shocked an Enemy Recently (15-25)% increased Effect of Shock Shocked Enemies you Kill Explode, dealing 5% of their Maximum Life as Lightning Damage which cannot Shock Unaffected by Shock |
|
|
|
Min. requirements: 60% increased Lightning Spell Damage 80% increased Critical Strike Chance for Spells 20 added Lightning Damage to Spells Optional affixes: increased Cast Speed |
|
![]() |
|
30% increased Global Critical Strike Chance (50-70)% increased Spell Damage (80-100)% increased Critical Strike Chance for Spells +10 Life gained on Kill +5 Mana gained on Kill 10% increased Area of Effect |
|
![]() |
|
Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life 29% Fire Resistance 29% Cold Resistance 29% Lightning Resistance 25% increased Movement Speed |
|
Boot enchantment: 18% reduced Mana Cost of Skills if you've been Hit Recently |
|
![]() |
|
Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life 60% Total Elemental Resistances 30 Strength Optional affixes: Chaos Resistances Increased Damage |
|
![]() |
|
Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life 40 maximum Mana 40% Mana Regeneration rate 20% increased Global Critical Strike Multiplier Optional affixes: All Elemental Resistances |
|
![]() |
|
Min. requirements: 65 maximum Life 60% Total Elemental Resistances Attributes Optional affixes: maximum Mana increased Mana Regeneration Rate Lightning/Elemental Damage |
|
![]() |
|
Min. requirements: 70 maximum Life Optional affixes: Elemental Resistances maximum Mana Spell Damage |
|
![]() |
|
Passives in Radius can be Allocated without being connected to your tree | |
![]() |
|
Recommended affixes: maximum Life added Lightning Damage to Spells chance to Hinder on Spell Hit Optional affixes: increased Critical Strike Multiplier with Lightning Skills |
|
![]() |
|
Recommended affixes: maximum Life added Lightning Damage to Spells increased Critical Strike Multiplier with Lightning Skills Optional affixes: increased Critical Strike Multiplier if you have killed recently |
|
![]() |
|
Recommended affixes: increased maximum Life increased Elemental/Spell/Lightning Damage increased Global Critical Strike Multiplier Optional affixes: Attributes |
|
![]() |
|
+35% to Chaos Resistance 2% of Chaos Damage Leeched as Life during Flask effect Gain (15-20)% of Physical Damage as Extra Chaos Damage during effect Gain (10-15)% of Elemental Damage as Extra Chaos Damage during effect |
|
![]() |
|
(80-100)% increased Charges used Shocks nearby Enemies during Flask effect, causing 10% increased Damage taken You are Shocked during Flask effect, causing 50% increased Damage taken Adds (15-25) to (70-90) Lightning Damage to Spells during Flask effect 20% of Lightning Damage Leeched as Life during Flask effect |
|
Other suggested Flasks:
|
|
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
We hope that you have enjoyed this kind of guide, and we are looking forward to your feedback. We would love to hear your suggestions about which build should we work on next. Let us know in the comments below.
Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Grinding Gear Games.