Updated for Patch 3.16
The Best Crafty Guides by Odealo
Estimated budget: low to medium
Guide notes |
June 10, 2021 -Build created June 15, 2021 -Added gameplay video August 19, 2021 -Updated for patch 3.15 October 26, 2021 -Updated for patch 3.16 |
Blight is a channeling type of Spell similar to Scorching Ray or Lightning Tendrils, it deals Chaos Damage Over Time, gaining more stages the longer it is being Channeled. The Spell applies a debuff which deals the Damage over Time, much like Poison but it can stack up to 20 times. The spell itself does not Hit, so it limits our choice of Support Gems. Blight due to its Channeling nature is commonly used against the toughest opponents, for killing the lesser enemies you'll find in great numbers when mapping, use Essence Drain with Contagion. These two Spells synergize very well with each other - Essence Drain provides the Damage and Regenerates Life (ES with Zealoth's Oath) and Contagion makes both Spells spread to other enemies when one of them dies, basically killing everything on the screen.
The build is surprisingly similar to Toxic Rain - the mods you crave the most are Chaos Damage Over Time. There are however some key differences - Toxic Rain is an Attack, not a Spell. You'll be using Chaos Inoculation which grants you immunity to All Choas Damage. Ghost Dance and Escape Artist Ascendancy Kesyones work really well with Energy Shield and Blocking/Evading/Dodging Hits. Patient Reaper is another Defensive Keysone provided by Trickster Ascendancy - it recovers a lot of your Life and Mana. The build is Flexible - it requires no Unique items and even the Weapon types and Keystones differ from Player to Player.
In path 3.16 Damage over Time builds has received a buff by allowing players to allocate more points on their skill tree that improve this type of damage with more options to choose from. Base defense stats such as Evasion Rating and Energy Shield are elevated to a layer of defense equal to Maximum Life. Trickster being an Ascendancy that specializes in dealing Damage over Time while relying on Evasion Rating combined with Energy Shield is now in a much better state than he was before. Using Contagion and then Essence Drain with Blight was the most popular way to play Trickster back then, it was a cheap and powerful build that required no Uniques - now it will be even better than it was before.
You can also check our other Path of Exile builds right over here Odealo's Crafty Guides - Full List
When mapping - use Contagion and then Essence Drain on a pack of mobs. With the increased density of enemies, the effectiveness of this strategy goes up as well since the range it can spread is limited. The enemies will die almost instantly. To deal with Bosses use Blight and the Vaal version of it. Vaal Blight is especially good here since it doesn't require being Channeled and so allows you to be more mobile. For dodging - Flame Dash seems like the best option.
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At some point during leveling, you'll have to switch to CI. Make sure you have enough ES on your items and then Respec Skill point on your Tree. You can safely start with Essence Drain as your Main Skill as soon as level 12 and use it with Contagion, it's good with the right gear. Before you're level 12, use Bane. There aren't many Unique items that can help you with leveling except the generic ones. I suggest using Essence of Envy on Jewellery for more Chaos Damage.
Suggested leveling Gem setups:
Essence Drain setup | |
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Essence Drain - Essence Drain thanks to it spreading through Contagion is an amazing Spell for leveling as well |
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Efficacy Support - increases your Spell Damage and Damage over Time, whereas, both apply to Essence Drain |
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Void Manipulation Support - increase Chaos Damage dealt by Supported Skills |
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Controlled Destruction Support - grants very high bonus Spell Damage at the cost of reduced Critical Strike Chance which is irrelevant for Essence Drain as it's purely DoT build |
Blight setup | |
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Blight - a Channeling Spell you can start using right away. It's used to deal additional Damage while you already have the ED's DoT applied to an enemy |
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Infused Channeling Support - increases your Damage while Channelling but also grants Infused buff for extra DPS and defensive bonuses |
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Efficacy Support |
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Void Manipulation Support |
Aura setup | |
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Malevolence - use for more Damage over Time. The best Aura for this and pretty much any other DoT build |
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Clarity - Clarity will resolve your mana issues if you happen to have any |
Bandits:
KIll all three Bandits for two additional Skill Points
Leveling Skill Trees:
34 Points Skill Tree
Go for Atrophy by taking Entropy and Growth and Decay
66 Points Skill Tree
This is how your Skill Tree could look like just before you transition to pure ES. Take some more Maximum Life and for a path to Zealoth's Oath.
Recommended leveling items:
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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 |
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+(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) |
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Item has no level requirement and Energy Shield (Hidden) Item has 6 White Sockets and is fully linked (Hidden) |
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+20% Chance to Block Attack Damage while wielding a Staff +(40-55)% to Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier (20-30)% increased Chaos Damage 2% increased Cast Speed per Power Charge +2 to Level of all Chaos Spell Skill Gems Gain a Power Charge after Spending a total of 200 Mana Regenerate 2 Mana per Second per Power Charge |
Final Skill Tree:
117 Points Final Skill Tree (doesn't include Cluster Jewels)
117 Points Path of Building (PoB) link
Ascendancy points:
Preferably in that order:
Pantheon:
Major God: Soul of Solaris: 6% additional Physical Damage Reduction while there is only one nearby Enemy; 20% chance to take 50% less Area Damage from Hits
Minor God: Soul of Garukhan: +5% chance to Evade Attack Hits if you've taken a Savage Hit Recently
[DPS] Blight setup | |
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Vaal Blight - a Channeling Spell that deals Chaos Damage over Time. Vaal version of this Skill will undoubtedly help you when fighting bosses, Hindering them with increased effectiveness. |
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Controlled Destruction Support - more Spell Damage but reduced Critical Strike Chance, which is not an issue since you can't Critically strike with Blight anyway. |
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Infused Channeling Support - increases your defenses and grants you more damage |
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Efficacy Support - use for more Damage over Time |
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Swift Affliction Support - use for more Damage over Time |
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Void Manipulation Support - use for more Chaos Damage |
[DPS] Essence Drain setup | |
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Essence Drain - a projectile that will deal Chaos Damage over Time upon Hitting the enemy, it will spread along with Contagion when the opponent dies. |
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Controlled Destruction Support - more Spell Damage |
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Efficacy Support - more Damage over Time |
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Void Manipulation Support - more Chaos Damage |
[UTILITY] Contagion setup | |
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Contagion - Applies a Debuff on the enemy, it will spread to nearby enemies when the one affected by it dies along with Essence Drain. When dealing with mobs, cast it first and then hit them with Essence Drain. |
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Intensify Support - provides more AoE for Contagion |
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Increased Area of Effect Support - even more AoE for Contagion |
[UTILITY] Aura setup | |
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Vaal Discipline - use Discipline for more ES and Vaal Discipline when in dangerous situations |
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Malevolence - best Aura for increasing your Damage over Time |
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Grace - Grace will provide you with more Evasion Rating increasing your survivability |
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Enlighten Support - Reduces the amount of Mana Reserved from linked Auras |
[UTILITY] Curse, Cold Snap, and Tempest Shield setup (Socketed in Trigger Wand) |
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Despair - a Curse to lower enemies Chaos Resistance, It will be cast automatically every 8 seconds when in Wand. |
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Cold Snap - use to generate Frenzy Charges, It will be cast automatically every 8 seconds when in Wand. |
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Tempest Shield - a minor buff that increases your Block Chance, It will be cast automatically every 8 seconds when in Wand. |
[UTILITY] Immortal Call setup | |
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Immortal Call - you take much less Physical and Elemental Damage for a short amount of time, keep it at level 3 |
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Cast when Damage Taken - will cast your Immortal Call after you take a certain amount of damage, keep it at level 1 |
[MOBILITY] Shield Charge setup | |
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Shield Charge - use Shield Charge to move around the map, you can alternatively use Flame Dash linked with Arcane Surge or Second Wind instead |
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Faster Attacks Support - link with Shield Charge for faster movement |
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There are some Unique Items worth recommending, for example, Atziri's Step, Crown of the Inward Eye, or Allelopathy. The price can vary from cheap to extremely pricey. With cheap gear, you'll be able to run red Maps with ease, but with the expensive one, it is quite likely to survive most hits on T16 maps with more than 10k ES. There are three stats to look for: Energy Shield, Elemental Resistances until capped, and Chaos Damage over Time (that includes Chaos Damage and Damage over Time). On items look for Strength and Dexterity.
Our recommended items will:
Stat priorities on items:
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Min. requirements: +40 to maximum Energy Shield 120% increased Energy Shield Optional affixes: Elemental Resistances Nearby Enemies have -#% to Chaos Resistance |
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333% increased Armour and Energy Shield (9-21)% increased maximum Life, Mana and Global Energy Shield Transfiguration of Soul Transfiguration of Body Transfiguration of Mind |
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Helmet enchantments: 24% increased Blight Area of Effect 40% increased Blight Damage Blight has 30% increased Hinder Duration 40% increased Essence Drain Damage 24% increased Contagion Area of Effect |
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Min. requirements: +1 to Level of all Spell Skill Gems Trigger a Socketed Spell when you Use a Skill, with a 8 second Cooldown (crafted) 50% increased Spell Damage Optional affixes: +1 to Level of all Chaos Spell Skill Gems +#% to Damage over Time Multiplier +#% to Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier |
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Min. requirements: +100 to maximum Energy Shield 80% increased Energy Shield Optional affixes: Chance to Block Chance to Block Spell Damage Elemental Resistances increased Area of Effect |
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Min. requirements: +130 to maximum Energy Shield 80% increased Energy Shield Optional affixes: Increased Evasion Rating and Energy Shield Elemental Resistances +#% to Quality Evasion Rating |
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Min. requirements: +30 to maximum Energy Shield 30% increased Energy Shield +70% to Elemental Resistances +25% increased Movement Speed Optional affixes: % chance to gain Onslaught for 4 seconds on Kill Cannot be Frozen % chance to avoid Projectiles |
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180% increased Evasion Rating +(55-75) to maximum Life 30% increased Movement Speed (14-16)% chance to Dodge Spell Hits |
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Min. requirements: +16% to Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier Optional affixes: Socketed Gems deal 30% more Damage over Time Increased Energy Shield Elemental Resistances +# to Level of Socketed AoE Gems +# to Level of Socketed Projectile Gems +# to Level of Socketed Intelligence Gems |
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Grants Level 22 Blight Skill (20-30)% increased Damage over Time (100-120)% increased Energy Shield 10% increased Area of Effect Blight has (20-30)% increased Hinder Duration You cannot be Hindered |
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Min. requirements: +120 to maximum Energy Shield (including Implicit) +70% total Elemental Resistance Optional affixes: Evasion Rating Increased Maximum Energy Shield Increased Energy Shield from Body Armour Regenerate # Energy Shield per second while a Rare or Unique Enemy is Nearby |
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Min. requirements: +13% to Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier +30 to Strenght +60% total Elemental Resistance Optional affixes: 30% increased Chaos Damage +1 to Level of all Chaos Skill Gems +1 to Level of all Intelligence Skill Gems |
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Recommended Anointments: Tranquility |
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Min. requirements: +30 to Strenght +50 to maximum Energy Shield +60% total Elemental Resistance Optional affixes: Increased Maximum Energy Shield Increased Chaos Damage Channelling Skills have -# to Total Mana Cost |
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Min. requirements: 8% Increased Maximum Energy Shield Optional affixes: Elemental Resistances Chaos Damage Over Time Multiplier Increased Spell Damage Increased Spell Damage while holding a Shield Attributes |
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(4-6)% increased maximum Energy Shield (4-6)% increased maximum Life (4-6)% increased maximum Mana <Two or Three random aura modifiers> |
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(7-13)% increased Chaos Damage With at least 40 Intelligence in Radius, Blight inflicts Withered for 2 seconds With at least 40 Intelligence in Radius, Blight has 50% increased Hinder Duration |
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(3-6)% increased maximum Energy Shield Increases and Reductions to Life in Radius are Transformed to apply to Energy Shield |
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-1 Intelligence per 1 Intelligence on Allocated Passives in Radius +3% to Damage over Time Multiplier per 10 Intelligence on Unallocated Passives in Radius 3% increased Mana Recovery Rate per 10 Intelligence on Allocated Passives in Radius 2% reduced Mana Recovery Rate per 10 Intelligence on Unallocated Passives in Radius |
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Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Unvaveringly Evil 1 Added Passive Skill is Wicked Pall 1 Added Passive Skill is Unholy Grace 1 Added Passive Skill is Unspeakable Gifts |
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Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Eldritch Inspiration 1 Added Passive Skill is Circling Oblivion 1 Added Passive Skill is Brush With Death 1 Added Passive Skill is Vile Reinvigoration |
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Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Untouchable 1 Added Passive Skill is Energy From Naught 1 Added Passive Skill is Vile Reinvigoration |
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+1500 to Armour +(8-12)% Chance to Block Attack Damage during Flask effect +(4-6)% Chance to Block Spell Damage during Flask effect |
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Other suggested Flasks:
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If you have any other build requests please leave that in the comments below. We are always open to suggestions and constructive feedback.
Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Grinding Gear Games.