Scourge Arrow/Toxic Rain
Pathfinder build

Updated for Patch 3.11

The Best Crafty Guides by Odealo

Estimated budget: medium

Patch 3.4 introduced new interesting Chaos/Bow skills - Scourge Arrow and Toxic Rain. At the same time, the Pathfinder class was redesigned, which now grants very high Poison and Chaos Damage bonuses from Attack skills, making it one of the most powerful DoT-classes in Path of Exile. While there are plenty of users running around with Toxic Rain, it's the Scourge Arrow to apparently provide much higher single-target DPS when used correctly and Toxic Rain is used as a Utility Attack - applying debuffs and Curses. 

You can also check our other Path of Exile builds at Odealo's Crafty Guides - Full List

1. Gameplay

This Scourge Arrow/Toxic Rain Pathfinder is a typical ranged build. You should focus on slowing down enemies with Toxic Rain, which slows them down and applies Curses, while you deal insane Damage over Time with fully Charged Scourge Arrow. Charging Scourge Arrow should take less than 2 seconds, and just 1 hit will take out anything except for Bosses. The damage it deals is simply terrific. For defenses, this build provides over 5,000 Life, Evasion, Dodge, and Elusive buffs. This makes this build all content viable. By utilizing additional Cluster Jewels, you get an additional source of Chaos Damage over Time Multipliers, allowing you to scale your DPS to a very high level.

0:06 Tier 13 Ghetto 0:30 Tier 15 Reef 0:57 Tier 16 Forge of the Phoenix 1:10 Tier 9 Elder 1:23 Tier 16 Lair of the Hydra 1:35 Tier 16 Maze of the Minotaur 1:45 Tier 16 Pit of the Chimera 1:57 Apex of Sacrifice This video was recorded pre 3.11 - we are going to update it in the next few days with the current version

2. Build's PROS & CONS

3. Leveling tips

Leveling this character is very easy. If you can afford a 4-linked Quill Rain that shouldn't cost more than 2 Chaos Orbs, it will be a smooth ride starting from level 5. Quill Rain provides the highest bonus Attack Speed in the entire game, and the damage reduction does not affect ailments you inflict with Attacks or Caustic Arrow's Damage over Time. You can focus on increasing your Movement Speed and defenses, while Caustic Arrow's Mirage Archer will clear everything for you. You can use this setup until level 66 when you can start using Lioneye's Glare and other higher-level gear.

Suggested leveling Gem setups:

Caustic Arrow setup
	Caustic Arrow - one of the best skills for leveling which can be supported by Mirage Archer as of Patch 3.4. This combination allows you to run around the area while Mirage Archer spreads the Caustic Cloud for you providing insane clear speed with no effort
	Mirage Archer Support - when you hit with supported skill a Mirage Archer is summoned that used Caustic Arrow with slightly reduced Attack Speed and Damage
	Void Manipulation Support - increases Chaos Damage dealt by supported skills
	Vicious Projectiles Support - increases Caustic Arrow's Damage over Time

Toxic Rain setup
	Toxic Rain - Toxic Rain is used to slow down enemies, apply Withered, and deal additional damage
	Withered Touch Support - grants a chance to apply Withered on hit, which increases Chaos Damage taken
	Vicious Projectiles Support
	Increased Area of Effect Support

Utility Gems
	Herald of Agony - new Herald Skill which increases your Chance to Poison and Poison Damage
	Lightning Golem - grants increased Attack and Cast Speed
	Blink Arrow - Movement Skill used in this build

Bandits:

We recommend killing all the Bandits for two additional Passive Points

Leveling Skill Trees:

35 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Finesse 2) Herbalism 3) Master Fletcher 4) Fatal Toxins

68 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Blood Siphon 2) Growth and Decay 3) Atrophy

Recommended leveling items:

Blackheart - one of the best leveling Rings for this build
Adds 1 to 4 Physical Damage to Attacks 5% increased Physical Damage Adds 1 to 3 Chaos Damage to Attacks +(20-30) to maximum Life (2-4) Life Regenerated per second 10% chance to Cause Monsters to Flee

Quill Rain - the best leveling weapon for this build
100% increased Physical Damage +(10-20) to Dexterity 100% increased Attack Speed +(25-50) to Accuracy Rating +2 Mana gained for each Enemy hit by Attacks (50-100)% increased Projectile Speed 40% less Weapon Damage

4. Final Skill Tree, Ascendancy Points, and Pantheon

Final Skill Tree:

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

Ascendancy points:

Preferably in that order:

1. Nature's Reprisal
2. Master Toxicist
3. Nature's Adrenaline
4. Nature's Boon

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 Garukhan +5% chance to Evade Attack Hits if you've taken a Savage Hit Recently

5. Final Gems links

[DPS] Scourge Arrow
	Scourge Arrow - is a channelled Bow skill that should be released always at 5 stacks. It deals moderate "on Hit" damage and insane Poison Damage from all the smaller arrows that are shot from the Spore Pods
	Added Chaos Damage Support - adds flat Chaos Damage to supported skills
	Poison Support - grants a high increase to Poison Damage and Chance to Poison on Hit with Scourge Arrow
	Deadly Ailments Support - increases the Damage from Ailments inflicted by supported skills
	Unbound Ailments Support - increases the Damage from Ailments inflicted by supported skills
	Vile Toxins Support - increases the damage for every stack of Poison the enemy has

[DPS/UTILITY] Toxic Rain
	Toxic Rain - Toxic Rain is used mainly to slow down enemies, apply debuffs, and Curses
	Withering Touch Support - grants a chance to apply the Withered debuff on Hit, increases Chaos Damage taken by affected enemies
	Mirage Archer Support - summons a Mirage Archer on your back who will use Toxic Rain for a duration. It's great, as it will continue firing even when you are channelling your Scourge Arrow
	Awakened Curse on Hit Support - allows you to apply two Curses with Toxic Rain. If you can't afford it, just go with a standard Gem and apply either of the following Curses
	Temporal Chains - one of the best defensive Curses which will significantly slow down affected enemies
	Despair - the best Curse for DoT builds

[UTILITY] Wither
	Wither - applies a debuff to enemies which increases Chaos Damage they take. It will be cast automatically by Spell Totems
	Spell Totem Support - allows you to summon Totems which will cast Wither for you
	Multiple Totems Support - allows you to create additional Totems which will help you stack the maximum number of Withered stacks faster
	Faster Casting Support

[UTILITY] Auras
	Malevolence - the best DPS Aura for DoT builds which greatly increases your damage output
	Precision - low-level Precision may be very useful to reach 100% Chance to Hit with your Attacks
	Herald of Agony - increases your Chance to Poison and damage you deal with it
	Enlighten Support - reduces Mana Reservation Cost of Supported Spells

[UTILITY] Flame Dash and Plague Bearer
	Flame Dash - recommended mobility Skill used in this build
	Faster Casting Support
	Plague Bearer - allows you to store some of your Poison Damage and unleash it in a form of Aura giving you an extra burst of damage against Bosses
	Second Wind Support - allows you to store additional charges on Supported Spells and increased their Cooldown Recovery Speed

5. Gear Setup

Below you will find all the recommended gear for this build. The entire budget of this build is approximately 20 Exalted Orbs, which is not the cheapest but should provide over 3,000,000 Shaper DPS when fully buffed. This should allow you to farm any Boss in the game if you are familiar with the fight's mechanics. If you would like to cut your expenses, you can use a 4 or 5-linked setup for your Toxic Rain, as it's mainly used as a supporting skill, and both Culling Strike and Increased Area of Effect Gems are optional. 

By the way, are you interested in buying cheap PoE Currency for real cash? If so, visit our market section, where you can trade with other Path of Exile players.

Our recommended items will:

1. Cap your resistances 
2. Give you enough DPS/Life to start mapping successfully

(Helmet) Devoto's Devotion - the best Helmet in terms of clear speed and mobility

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

(Helmet) Starkonja's Head - one of the best Helmets for this build. It only lacks Elemental Resistances, but still provides a terrific defensive utility

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) Rare Helmet - preferably Evasion-based

Min. requirements: 80 maximum Life 40 maximum Mana 25% Fire Resistance 25% Lightning Resistance 25% Cold Resistance

Helmet enchantment: Scourge Arrow deals 40% increased Damage Scourge Arrow creates an additional spore pod at Maximum Stages

(Body Armour) Rare Body Armour - it's critical that you pick up a Body Armour with reduced Mana cost of Socketed Skills or you will have hard times managing your Mana when channeling Scourge Arrow

Min. requirements: 100 maximum Life 5% increased maximum Life Socketed Attacks have -15 to Total Mana Cost Optional affixes: Elemental Resistances

(Weapon) Darkscorn - the BiS Weapon for this build. It offers insane damage to Poison and high base DPS

+(15-25)% to Global Critical Strike Multiplier (130-150)% increased Physical Damage Adds (15-20) to (25-30) Physical Damage 20% increased Attack Speed (15-30)% increased Global Accuracy Rating 25% of Physical Damage Converted to Chaos Damage 25% of Physical Damage from Hits taken as Chaos Damage 20% chance for Poisons inflicted with this Weapon to deal 300% more Damage

(Weapon) Rare Quiver - aim for high defensive utility and possibly with Frenzy Charge on Kill generation

Min. requirements: 65 maximum Life 80% Total Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Chance to gain Frenzy Charge on Kill

(Boots) Rare Boots - with high defensive stats, Life, and Movement Speed bonus

Min. requirements: 70 maximum Life 30 Dexterity 30 Intelligence 25% increased Movement Speed Optional affixes: Chaos Resistance Elemental Resistances

Boot enchantment: 16% increased Attack and Cast Speed if you've Killed Recently Adds 120 to 180 Chaos Damage if you've taken a Critical Strike Recently

(Belt) Rare Belt

Min. requirements: 70 maximum Life 35% Fire Resistance 35% Lightning Resistance 35% Cold Resistance Optional affixes: Physical Damage/Damage Strength

(Amulet) Rare Amulet

Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life 10% Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier Optional affixes: Attributes Elemental Resistances Chaos Damage

Recommended Anointments: Dirty Techniques

(Ring) Rare Ring

Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life 45 Intelligence 90% Total Elemental Re Optional affixes: Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Mana

(Ring) Circle of Nostalgia - can grant very high bonus Damage and possibly a lot of Chaos Resistance which boosts your defenses

+(9-13)% to Chaos Resistance <One to three random Synthesis implicit modifiers> +(10-20) to all Attributes Adds (15-20) to (21-30) Chaos Damage +(17-23)% to Chaos Resistance <Two Random Herald of Agony modifiers> Recommended modifiers: (40-60)% increased Chaos Damage while affected by Herald of Agon +(31-43)% to Chaos Resistance while affected by Herald of Agony

(Gloves) Rare Gloves - aim for Chaos DoT Multiplier and high defensive stats

Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life 15% Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier Optional affixes: Elemental Resistances Damage during Flask Effect

(Jewels) Large Cluster Jewel - you should get one Large Cluster Jewel which can offer some very interesting Passives like Unwaveringly Evil which makes you immune to interruptions from Stuns when you are channeling Scourge Arrow

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Touch of Cruelty 1 Added Passive Skill is Unholy Grace 1 Added Passive Skill is Unwaveringly Evil 2 Added Passive Skills are Jewel Sockets

(Jewels) Medium Cluster Jewel - you can get up to two Medium Cluster Jewels which are a new way to increase your Chaos DoT Multiplier

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Brush with Death 1 Added Passive Skill is Exposure Therapy 1 Added Passive Skill is a Jewel Socket

(Jewels) Rare Jewels - these should provide extra Life and damage bonuses

Recommended affixes: increased maximum Life Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier Optional affixes: increased Damage over Time

(Jewels) Abyss Jewels - if you get any Abyssal Sockets, try getting Jewels with added Physical or Chaos Damage to Attacks/Bow Attacks

Recommended affixes: maximum Life added Physical Damage to Attacks/Bow Attacks a chance to grant Onslaught on Kill

(Jewels) Thread of Hope - allows you to pick up Hunter's Gambit, Heart of Oak, Revenge of the Hunted, and Swift Venoms without connecting them to your Tree

Only affects Passives in a Very Large Ring Passives in Radius can be Allocated without being connected to your tree -(20-10)% to all Elemental Resistances

(Jewels) Coralito's Signature - this Flask grants the highest Poison Damage bonuses out of all Flasks in the game

Your Critical Strike Chance is Lucky Take 30 Chaos Damage per Second during Flask effect 25% chance to Poison on Hit during Flask effect Your Critical Strikes do not deal extra Damage during Flask effect (50-75)% increased Duration of Poisons you inflict during Flask effect Grants Perfect Agony during Flask effect

(Flask) Sin's Rebirth - grant Unholy Might buff which adds additional Chaos Damage based on your weapons Physical DPS

100% increased Evasion Rating Creates a Smoke Cloud on Use Gain Unholy Might during Flask Effect Immunity to Ignite during Flask effect Removes Burning on use

Other suggested Flasks: Bubbling Divine Life Flask of Staunching (immunity to Bleeding) Experimenter's Jade Flask of Heat (Freeze immunity) Experimenter's Quicksilver Flask of Warding (Curse immunity)

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.