Explosive Concoction
Raider Build

Updated for Patch 3.17

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Raider is a class perfectly suited for fast-paced Attack Builds, and this one is a fine example amongst them. Explosive Concoction is a unique Attack that requires you to wiled no weapon, but it's compensated by the Skill's high base Fire Damage which can be further improved by a certain Flasks. Topaz and Sapphire Flasks will be used to add Cold and Lightning Damage to the Concoction's Projectiles. One of the best aspects of this Attack is the fact that the Flask's Explosions can overlap (shotgunning), making it great for boss fights if you're able to fire a substantial number of Projectiles. As you're dealing non-specific Elemental Damage with a high Critical Strike Chance, implementing the Crystallised Omniscience is an excellent idea.

Where this build shined the most, is the defensive aspect of it. You have a lot of Armour, 20k Evasion Rating, a 100% Chance to Suppress Spell Damage, Versatile Combatant Keystone for a 50% chance to Block all Spell and Attack Hits, all of it on top of 5k Maximum Life. For your Ascendancy Keystones pick Avatar of the Slaughter and Avatar of the Chase to create an exceptionally brisk character. Attribute-stacking is very expensive, where additionally you will also need to gather all the Maximum Frenzy Charges, modest Block Chance, Critical Strike modifiers, Accuracy, and increased Damage modifiers. For a build that requires such magnitude of various stats, the sky is the limit. You can invest an endless amount of currency into the build, and there would be still a lot of room to improve, as it consists almost exclusively of Rare Items.

You can also find our other Path of Exile builds right over here Odealo's Crafty Guides - Full List

1. Gameplay

The main and only Skill used to deal damage is Explosive Concoction. To apply Exposure, a fully-automated Wave of Conviction supported by Combustion will be cast as you take damage. The only utility Skill that has to be cast manually is Ancestral Protector, it grants you more Attack Speed. For a movement Skill use Dash, Assassin's Mark is the best choice for a Curse, while Molten Shell is the Guard Spell we've chosen. For Auras use Determination, Grace, Defiance Banner, and Precision.

2. Build's PROS & CONS

3. Leveling tips

The Explosive Concoction is available at level 28, you can start using it right away after reaching this threshold. Until then, we recommend Frost Blades. It's an attack similar in nature - a Projectile one that deals Elemental Damage. Crystallised Omniscience can be equipped at level 61, and it will require some tinkering with your Passive Skill tree to make it more efficient, so be prepared to spend dome Orbs of Regret. At first invest only in Maximum Life and Elemental Damage, later to include Critical Strike Chance, Mana Reservation Efficiency, Accuracy, Attributes, Spell Suppression Chance, and Block Chance. Leveling process should be quick and easy.

Suggested leveling Gem setups:

Cleave setup
	Explosive Concoction - It's good to level with, but it has to be linked with the Support Gems listed below. Before level 28, use Frost Blades.
	Elemental Damage with Attacks Support - increases the Elemental Damage of linked Attack Skills
	Greater Volley Support - It's used to fire more Projectiles. Alternatively, you can use Multiple Projectiles Support for a wider spread - it reduces your single target damage, but increases clear speed.
	Inspiration Support - linked Skills cost less Mana, have increased Critical Strike Chance, and Elemental Damage.

various Gems
	Precision - increases your Critical Strike Chance and Accuracy Rating
	Clarity - increased Mana Recovery Rate
	Flammability - a Curse that lowers the Fire Resistance of your enemies
	Dash - Dash is a simple mobility Spell that allows you to Dash

Bandits:

We recommend killing all the Bandits for two additional Passive Points.

Leveling Skill Trees:

29 Points Skill Tree
form a path to the Point Blank Keystone and pick all the notables on your way as presented

71 Points Skill Tree
Pick up all the Notables for Maximum Frenzy Charges, some more Maximum Life, and Blood Siphon notable - as is shown
 

Recommended leveling items:

The Ignomon - it is one of the best Amulets for such builds, all the stats are beneficial for your character

(12-20)% increased Rarity of Items found +10 to Dexterity Adds 12 to 24 Fire Damage to Attacks +(100-150) to Accuracy Rating +(100-150) to Evasion Rating +20% to Fire Resistance

Le Heup of All - great leveling Ring, it increases damage, Resistances, and adds a lot of Attributes

Adds 1 to 4 Physical Damage to Attacks +(10-30) to all Attributes (10-30)% increased Damage (10-30)% increased Rarity of Items found +(10-30)% to all Elemental Resistances

Prismweave - increases your Elemental Damage with Attacks, and adds flat Elemental Damage of all types to your Attacks

(12-24)% increased Global Physical Damage Adds (7-8) to (15-16) Fire Damage to Attacks Adds (5-6) to (12-14) Cold Damage to Attacks Adds 1 to (30-34) Lightning Damage to Attacks +(6-8)% to all Elemental Resistances 30% increased Elemental Damage with Attack Skills during any Flask Effect 10% increased Elemental Damage with Attack Skills

4. Final Skill Tree, Ascendancy Points, and Pantheon

Final Skill Tree:

115 Points Final Skill Tree (doesn't include Unique Jewels)
115 Points Path of Building (PoB) link

Ascendancy points:

Preferably in that order:

1. Rapid Assault
2. Way of the Poacher
3. Avatar of the Slaughter
4. Avatar of the Chase

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 Shakari: You cannot be Poisoned while there are at least 3 Poisons on you, 50% less Duration of Poisons on You

5. Final Gems links

[DPS] Explosive Concoction setup
	Explosive Concoction - An Attack that fires a number of Flask Projectiles, exploding on landing. The Explosion's damage from multiple Projectiles can overlap resulting in good single target damage.
	Inspiration Support - linked Skill costs less Mana, has increased Critical Strike Chance, and Elemental Damage
	Elemental Damage with Attacks Support - linked Attack deals increased Elemental Damage
	Greater Multiple Projectiles Support - fire more Projectiles to deal more damage and to increase your clear speed
	Greater Volley Support - even more Projectiles, upon linking this SUpport Gem all the other Projectiles will be fired parallelly
	Empower Support - Increasing the Gem Level of Explosive Concoction is a simple way to increase its damage too. If you don't have it, instead you can use  Elemental Focus Support, or Increased  Critical Damage Support​​​​.

[UTILITY] Auras setup
	Grace - Grace grants you increased and additional Evasion Rating
	Determination - use it for more and increased Armour
	Defiance banner - increases your Armour and Evasion Rating and makes nearby enemies less likely to deal Critical Strikes
	Precision - it's used to gain increased Critical Strike Chance and Accuracy, you should be able to level it all the way up to level 20

[UTILITY] Wave of Conviction setup
	Wave of Conviction - a Spell that can easily apply Exposure, reducing Elemental Resistances, keep it at level 1
	Combustion Support - Igniting with a linked Spell reduces the Fire Resistance of the target, which is also more likely to be ignited
	Lifetap Support - linked Skills cost Life instead of Mana
	Cast when Damage Taken - keep it at level 1 so it will trigger Wave of Conviction more often

[UTILITY] Curse setup
	Assassin's Mark - Increases your Critical Strike Chance and Critical Strike Multiplier against cursed targets. Killing them restores some of your Life and mana.
	Mark on Hit Support - Assassin's Mark is applied on any Attack Hit
	Lifetap Support

[MOBILITY] Dash and Ancestral Totem setup
	Dash - Dash is a default Blink Skill used to move faster and avoid danger
	Lifetap Support
	Enhance Support - increases Quality of Dash and Ancestral Protector
	Ancestral Protector - hook it up to this setup so that it will grant you more Attack Speed (only if it's a Phantasmal variant) and cost you no Mana

[UTILITY] Molten Shell
	Molten Shell - as you have over 10k of Armour, this Guard Spell becomes one of the best choices to decrease the damage you take from Hits for a short duration

5. Gear Setup

The most treasured Stats to look for on your Rare Items are Attributes (mostly Dexterity), Critical Strike Chance and its Multiplier, Attack Speed, increased Attack Damage, Elemental or Fire Damage, and Accuracy Rating. If there's any rare affix for increased maximum Frenzy Charges or damage scaling with Frenzy Charges, it's also extremely valuable. For Defenses, try to get Attributes, Maximum Life, Resistances, Spell Suppression Chance, Block Chance, Evasion, and Armour. Remember to include a source of Mana Leech or reduced Mana Cost of Skills, and increased Mana Reservation Efficiency. Attributes are important, because of the Crystallised Omniscience Unique Amulet - it's the only Unique gear piece to include in the build.

(Helmet) Rare Helmet - Aim mostly for Maximum Life and Attributes, Intelligence is the most common one on a Helmet. If you need Accuracy Rating you can find it here too.

Min. requirements: +50% to Elemental Resistances +60 to Maximum Life Attributes Optional affixes: chance to Suppress Spell Damage Accuracy Rating increased Mana Reservation Efficiency for Skills Armour Evasion

Helmet enchantment: Explosive Concoction Enchantments

(Off-hand) Rare Shield - A lot of Maximum Life and Chance to Block will be necessary. For an offensive or utility mods get Accuracy Rating, Attack Speed, and Attributes.

Min. requirements: +80 to maximum Life +40% to Elemental Resistances 10% Chance to Block Optional affixes: Evasion chance to Suppress Spell Damage increased Mana Reservation Efficiency Attributes Accuracy Rating

(Body Armour) Rare Body Armour - Maximum Life, added Critical Strike Chance, and some Attributes will be important. Try to acquire an Evasion/Armour base for the right sockets.

Min. requirements: +100 to maximum Life Attacks have +1.5% to Critical Strike Chance Attributes Optional affixes: Elemental Resistance +1 to Level of Socketed Active Skill Gems chance to Suppress Spell Damage increased maximum Life

(Boots) Rare Boots - besides Maximum Life, Attributes, and Movement Speed, look for the more expensive mods such as Tailwind, or a crafted one, like Freeze immunity

Min. requirements: 30% Movement Speed +70 to maximum Life 50 Attributes Optional affixes: Elemental Resistances You have Tailwind if you have dealt a Critical Strike Recently Chance to Avoid Elemental Ailments

(Gloves) Rare Gloves - If you have a Helmet with to Accuracy Rating, get it here as it's a common mod for Gloves. Try to acquire a pair with as many various Attributes as you can afford.

Min. requirements: +70 to maximum Life +40% to Elemental Resistances 100 Attributes Optional affixes: Accuracy Rating Chance to Suppress Spell Damage increased Attack Speed

(Belt) Rare Belt - Maximum Life, Strength, and Elemental Damage with Attack Skills are all important. You can also buy one with a Synthesised Implicit mod for increased Attributes.

Min. requirements: 70 maximum Life 40% increased Elemental Damage with Attack Skills 40 Strength Optional affixes: Chaos Resistance increased Attributes Elemental Resistances increased Maximum Life

(Amulet) Crystallised Omniscience - It's the core element of the build, it transforms your Attributes to grant you Elemental Resistances and Elemental Resistances Penetration instead of their inherent statistics.

+(10-16) to all Attributes Modifiers to Attributes instead apply to Omniscience +1% to all Elemental Resistances per 10 Omniscience Penetrate 1% Elemental Resistances per 10 Omniscience Attribute Requirements can be satisfied by (15-25)% of Omniscience

Recommended Anointments: Utmost Might Utmost Intellect Divine Judgement Disciple of the Slaughter

(Ring) Rare Rings - Rings offer a wide variety of some of the best mods. aim for Life and Attributes, especially Dexterity, but if you need Accuracy Rating or Critical Strike Chance, you can find it here too.

Min. requirements: +60 to Maximum Life 80 Total Attributes Optional affixes: Adds Elemental Damage to Attacks Non-Channelling Skills have -7 to Total Mana Cost (crafted) increased Attack Speed Elemental Resistances Accuracy Rating

(Jewel) Watcher's Eye - The Auras you're using are Precision, Grace, and Determination. Offensive mods such as increased Attack Damage are bound to Precision.

(4-6)% increased maximum Energy Shield (4-6)% increased maximum Life (4-6)% increased maximum Mana <Two or Three random aura modifiers>

(Jewel) Lethal Pride - It's used to gain more Strenght and for the additional Notable enchantments. Socket in near Fervour. You can also use Brutal Restraint instead, it grants more Dexterity.

Commanded leadership over (10000-18000) warriors under (Akoya-Kaom-Rakiata) Passives in radius are Conquered by the Karui Historic

(Jewel) Forbidden Flame & Forbidden Flesh - Picking Focal Point will massively increase your Damage as it enhances your Assassin's Mark, and make you take less damage.

Requires Class <<Random Character Class>> Allocates <<Random Ascendancy Notable>> if you have the matching modifiers on Forbidden Flame/Forbidden Flesh Recommended Keystone: Focal Point

(Jewel) Rare Jewels - Maximum Life for a Prefix, and Attributes as Suffixes are the best combination you can hope for

Recommended affixes: increased Maximum Life Attributes Elemental Resistances reduced Mana Cost of Skills increased Attack Speed increased Global Accuracy Rating

Other suggested Flasks: Life Flask with Bleeding immunity/removal Quicksilver Flask with random ailment removal Diamond Flask with random ailment removal Ample Topaz Flask enkindled with Extra Maximum Charges Ample Sapphire Flask enkindled with Extra Maximum Charges

If you have any other build requests, please leave that in the comments below.

Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Grinding Gear Games.