Fire Elemental Hit
Melee Raider
Build updated to Patch 3.4

The Best Crafty Guides by Odealo

Estimated budget: moderately low

Elemental Hit is considered the most overpowered skill in Patch 3.3. Most of the builds floating around are based on ranged classes and using high attack speed bows as your main weapon. We have decided to take a different approach and build a very efficient map farming Melee Elemental Hit build. This build revolves around White Wind dagger, which grants very high Cold Damage bonuses, which is fully converted to Fire, making it one of the best weapon choices for Fire-conversion Elemental Hit builds. Note: with the 3.4 nerfs to Elemental Hit, which reduced the Damage of "ignored" Elements by 50%, total DPS of this build dropped down by approximately 40%

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1. Gameplay

Our Melee Elemental Hit Raider is a very swift and powerful build. It utilizes 100% Damage conversion of Elemental Hit which grants the skill insane DPS. On top of that, Raider Ascendancy grants high Attack Speed, Melee Damage, and Elemental Damage bonuses, both directly and through Onslaught and Phasing buffs. For the defensive part, this build should easily reach over 5000 Life, 20000 Evasion Rating (approximately 70% Chance to Evade) and cap the chance to Dodge Spells and Attacks both at 75%.

0:06 Tier 13 Arsenal 0:24 Temple of Atzoatl level 78 0:52 Tier 13 Malformation 1:14 Tier 14 Plaza 1:36 Tier 14 Double Boss Colosseum This video was recorded on a level 85 Raider without fully leveled Gems (level around 19 and no quality)

2. Build's PROS & CONS

3. Leveling tips

We recommend leveling with a Bow (preferable Storm Cloud) and all three elements Elemental Hit. The ranged variation is much faster and safer during early levels. The main goal is to reach the Avatar of Fire and two jewel sockets as soon as possible. This makes you extremely reliant on gear. While leveling isn't hard, and Elemental Hit deals high damage regardless of your equipped gear, at least a few uniques from the list may come in very handy. It's recommended to use a Bow with increased Attack Speed until you get White Wind Dagger. 

Suggested leveling Gem setups:

Elemental Hit setup
	Elemental Hit - the core skill in this build. Until late game, it is used with Bows
	Lesser Multiple Projectiles Support - increases the number of Elemental Hit's projectiles, greatly increasing your clear speed
	Mirage Archer Support - using Elemental Hit will summon a Mirage Archer on your back that also uses Elemental Hit but with reduces Attack Speed
	Elemental Damage with Attacks Support - core Support Gem for this build

Blink Arrow setup
	Blink Arrow - movement skill that can be used with Bows
	Faster Attacks Support

Utility Gems
	Lightning Golem - the recommended Golem for this build. Lightning Golem increases your Attack Speed
	Haste - the recommended Aura for this build. It increases your Attack and Movement Speed
	Decoy Totem - spawns a Totem which attracts nearby enemies to attack it

Bandits:

We recommend killing all the Bandits for two additional Passive Points

Leveling Skill Trees:

48 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Heart of Oak 2) Herbalism 3) Primeval Force 4) Avatar of Fire

71 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Two Jewel sockets (near Ranger and Duelist areas) 2) Lava Lash 3) Acrobatics 4) Phase Acrobatics

When you pick Avatar of Fire, it's a must have to:

1. Get two Jewel sockets for the Combat Focus Gems
2. Equip The Call of the Brotherhood ring
3. Use Cold to Fire Support Gem or Pyre Ring

Recommended leveling items:

Goldrim - one of the best leveling helmets
+(30-50) to Evasion Rating 10% increased Rarity of Items found +(30-40)% to all Elemental Resistances Reflects 4 Physical Damage to Melee Attackers Level Requirement reduced by 100 (Hidden)

Karui Ward - one of the best leveling amulets for characters that use Bows
+(20-30) to Dexterity +(20-30) to Strength +100 to Accuracy Rating 30% increased Projectile Speed 10% increased Movement Speed 30% increased Projectile Damage

Briskwrap - great leveling armour. It increases both your Attack and Movement Speed
3% reduced Movement Speed (Hidden) 10% increased Attack Speed +(120-180) to Evasion Rating +(30-40)% to Cold Resistance 5% increased Movement Speed (20-25)% increased Mana Recovery from Flasks 15% increased Dexterity

Stormcloud - the best leveling Bow for Elemental Hit. It grants very high bonus Attack Speed, which makes this Bow fully viable until you reach level 66 and switch to Melee
No Physical Damage Adds 1 to 85 Lightning Damage (36-50)% increased Attack Speed

4. Final Skill tree, Ascendancy Points, and Pantheon

Final Skill Tree:

112 Points Final Skill Tree
112 Points Path of Building(PoB) link

Ascendancy points:

Preferably in that order:

1. Rapid Assault
2. Quartz Infusion
3. Avatar of the Veil
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 Gruthkul 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each Hit you've taken Recently up to a maximum of 5%

5. Final Gems links

[DPS] Elemental Hit
	Elemental Hit - your primary source of DPS
	Elemental Damage with Attacks Support
	Cold to Fire Support - converts 50% of Cold Damage to Fire allowing the 100% Damage conversion to Fire
	Faster Attacks Support
	Ancestral Call Support - makes Elemental Hit repeat on two nearby enemies, greatly increasing your clear speed
	Combustion Support - grants high chance to Ignite, and Ignited enemies have reduced Resistance to Fire
Optional gem options
	Fire Penetration Support - can be used during Boss fights instead of Ancestral Call Support Gem

[CURSE] Flammability setup
	Flammability - the recommended Curse for this build. Keep this Gem at level 11
	Cast when Damage Taken Support - auto casts your Flammability Curse. Keep this Gem at level 8

[UTILITY] Herald of Ash and Ancestral Protector (these Gems do not have to be linked together)
	Herald of Ash - Herald of Ash increases your Fire Damage and causes AoE explosions when killing enemies
	Ancestral Protector - spawns a Totem which greatly increases your Attack Speed

[UTILITY] Auras
	Cast when Damage Taken Support - keep it at level 1 in this setup
	Immortal Call - grants brief immunity to Physical Damage. It is auto-cast

[UTILITY] Immortal Call
	Vaal Grace - used mainly for the Vaal skill, but the Aura can also be freely switched with Haste depending on circumstances
	Vaal Haste - Haste should be your main Aura in this build

[UTILITY] Golem and Blood Rage
	Blood Rage - increases your Attack Speed, Life Leech and generates Frenzy Charges
	Cast when Damage Taken Support - used at maximum (20) level here
	Lightning Golem

[MOBILITY] Whirling Blades
	Whirling Blades - your primary movement skill. It is one of the fastest movement skills in Path of Exile
	Faster Attack Support
	Fortify Support - Hits with Whirling Blades grant you the Fortify buff
	Blood Magic Support - makes Whirling Blades use Life instead of Mana

5. Gear Setup

Below you will find all the required gear for our Melee Elemental Hit Raider build. Please let us know in the comments below if we should also include items for the Crit. build. Just keep in mind that those will be extremely.

If by any chance you are looking for cheap PoE Currency, feel free to visit our market section. It can be accessed via a link on top of this page.

The recommended items from our list will:

1. Help you cap your resistances 
2. Give you enough DPS and Life to start mapping successfully

(Helmet) Starkonja's Head - one of the best helmets for this build. It's also very cheap and easily obtainable even early Leagues

50% reduced Damage when on Low Life +(50-70) to Dexterity 10% increased Attack Speed 25% increased Global Critical Strike Chance (100-130)% increased Evasion Rating +(80-100) to maximum Life 150% increased Global Evasion Rating when on Low Life

(Helmet) Devoto's Devotion - another great helmet option. Greatly increases clear speed but provides less defensive utility

10% reduced Global Physical Damage +(50-65) to Dexterity 16% increased Attack Speed (150-200)% increased Armour and Evasion +(15-25)% to Chaos Resistance 20% increased Movement Speed Mercury Footprints

Helmet enchantments: Elemental Hit deals 40% increased Damage

(Weapon) White Wind - core item for this build. White Wind has very high Elemental DPS, and grants high Cold Damage bonus and Dodge Chance if your off-hand is empty

No Physical Damage 100% increased Lightning Damage Adds 1 to 85 Lightning Damage (36-50)% increased Attack Speed

(Body Armour) Hyrri's Ire - grants high Evasion, Dodge Chance and additional Cold Damage to Attacks

3% reduced Movement Speed (Hidden) +(40-50) to Dexterity Adds (50-60) to (70-80) Cold Damage to Attacks (140-220)% increased Evasion Rating 25% increased Chill Duration on Enemies 10% chance to Dodge Attack Hits 10% chance to Dodge Spell Hits

(Body Armour) Belly of the Beast - another great option. While it does not increases your DPS, it grants higher defensive utility

3% reduced Movement Speed (Hidden) (150-200)% increased Armour (30-40)% increased maximum Life +(10-15)% to all Elemental Resistances 50% increased Flask Life Recovery rate Extra gore

(Amulet) Rare Amulet

Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life 40 Intelligence Added min. 15 Fire Damage to Attacks (can be other Elements too) 10% all Elemental Resistances 30% Lightning Resistance

(Ring) Call of the Brotherhood - mandatory item for this build, which allows 90% of the Elemental Hit's Lightning Damage converted

+(12-16)% to Cold and Lightning Resistances +(15-25) to Intelligence (15-25)% increased Lightning Damage (30-40)% increased Mana Regeneration Rate 40% of Lightning Damage Converted to Cold Damage Your spells have 100% chance to Shock against Frozen Enemies

(Ring) Rare Ring

Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life 50 maximum Mana 36% Fire Resistance 33% Cold Resistance 34% Lightning Resistance

(Boots) Atziri's Step - great and inexpensive pair of Boots for this build. They grant high Evasion Rating and extra Dodge Chance

180% increased Evasion Rating +(55-75) to maximum Life 30% increased Movement Speed (14-16)% chance to Dodge Spell Hits

Boot enchantment: Adds 45 to 68 Fire Damage if you've Killed Recently 16% increased Attack and Cast Speed if you've Killed Recently

(Belt) Rare Life/Res. belt

Min. requirements: 80 maximum Life 39% Fire Resistance 33% Lightning Resistance 25% increased Elemental Damage with Attack Skills Optional affixes: Evasion Rating Cold Resistance

(Gloves) Rare Life/Res. gloves - with Spiked Gloves being the best base for this item

Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life 32% Fire resistance 32% Lightning resistance 32% Cold resistance Optional affixes: Melee Damage Added Fire Damage to Attacks Attack Damage Leeched as Mana Attack Speed

Glove enchantment: irrelevant

(Jewels) Rare Jewels

Recommended affixes: increased maximum Life increased Fire/Melee Damage Optional affixes: increases Attack Speed

(Jewels) Rare Jewels

Recommended affixes: maximum Life added Elemental Damage to Attacks added Elemental Damage to Dagger Attacks Optional affixes: Evasion Rating Dodge Chance

(Jewels) Combat Focus - this Crimson Jewel blocks Elemental Hit from choosing Cold

Elemental Hit deals (10-15)% increased Damage With 40 total Strength and Intelligence in Radius, Elemental Hit cannot choose Cold

(Jewels) Combat Focus - this Crimson Jewel blocks Elemental Hit from choosing Lightning

Elemental Hit deals (10-15)% increased Damage With 40 total Dexterity and Strength in Radius, Elemental Hit cannot choose Lightning

(Flask) The Wise Oak - if you uncapped Fire Resistance is the highest, The Wise oak grants additional Fire Penetration

+35% to all Elemental Resistances During Flask Effect, 10% reduced Damage taken of each Element for which your Uncapped Elemental Resistance is lowest During Flask Effect, Damage Penetrates (10-15)% Resistance of each Element for which your Uncapped Elemental Resistance is highest

Suggested Flasks: Bubbling Divine Life Flask of Staunching (immunity to Bleeding) Bubbling Divine Life Flask of Curing (immunity to Poison) Alchemist's Stibnite Flask of Reflexes (increased Evasion Rating) Alchemist's Quicksilver Flask of Adrenaline (increased Movement Speed)

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.