Path of Exile 3.23 Patch: Affliction Brings New Challenges and Excitement

In any Path of Exile expansion, to improve combat efficiency, you must craft and utilize builds. We all know that higher-level skills, rarer gear, and more orbs can make builds better, but it is difficult to have so many resources when entering a new league. So for you, facing the official opening of 3.26 Secrets of the Atlas in just three or four days, the top priority is to find the right builds for “opening up the wasteland”. Although the early content of the game is not too difficult, POE series has always been known for its hardcore. So these builds must be powerful enough without investing too many POE Chaos Orbs and other items. It is undoubtedly difficult to develop such builds on your own, but fortunately, we will introduce 5 of them to you next! 1. Penance Brand Of Dissipation Inquisitor Templar Build As its name suggests, this build is suitable for players with Templar as the base class and Inquisitor as Ascendancy class. As for Penance Brand of Dissipation, it is a spell that causes damage by adding energy to the branded enemy. The working principle of this build is simple, but it can even kill Uber bosses in one second - provided that you complete or collect the items it needs as much as possible, the first of which is Inspired Learning jewel. This jewel allows you to gain one of the monster’s attributes as a modifier for the next 20 seconds after killing a rare monster. This function is similar to Headhunter, although it is slightly weaker, but combined with the build will significantly improve your mapping efficiency. As you know, in 3.26 gameplay, the status of mapping has become more important because of Zana-related plot and mechanism. So if you like Templar class, this build is not to be missed. 2. Flicker Strike Slayer Duelist Build As a strength/dexterity hybrid class, Duelist’s damage output and damage avoidance are both reliable, and its Ascendancy class Slayer expands its offensiveness. Based on this, this build further combines Flicker Strike, a melee attack skill, with the teleportation and short-term speed increase effect it provides, allowing you to quickly shuttle between maps while effectively clearing the field and causing more damage to single-type enemies. However, correspondingly, this build’s defense capabilities will be relatively poor, especially against physical damage, and it will provide limited help for your character upgrades. Considering that this guide focuses on “start ability”, it is normal to have unavoidable shortcomings. See More: What New Changes Does Path of Exile 3.26 Secrets Of The Atlas Bring? - Endgame And New Mode 3. Molten Strike Zenith Juggernaut Build This build is mainly based on the utilization of Juggernaut (the base class is Marauders) combined with the skill Molten Strike Zenith, combining unimaginable tanky attributes with damage output - the premise is that you can accept its slower clearing speed. If conditions permit, you can add more reliable gear to this build to enhance it to reduce the negative impact of insufficient speed. For example, better two-handed weapons, because Molten Strike Zenith utilizes two-handed weapons to convert some physical damage into fire damage to hit the enemy. Other gear worth having include Alpha’s Howl, Oro’s Sacrifice, Perseverance, and most rings with certain resistances, which are relatively easy to get in the early stage. On this basis, you need to get as many melee attack enhancements as possible to play the power of this build. 4. CWS Firestorm Chieftain Build This is actually an AFK type build, which mainly utilizes Firestorm spell to launch a rain of flaming arrows in a certain area to cause fire damage. Chieftain is another Ascendancy class of Marauders, which is fire-oriented and supports fire damage bonus. But in addition to this, the CWS element of the build (cast when stunned) requires you to ensure that all attacks can cause stun. Because although this build will form a huge storm when the enemy touches you, it also creates dependence. That is to say, if you encounter bosses with no minions around, you will consume more time than others to deal with them. For this reason, it is best to further combine the power of the skill Penance Mark, because it can mark targets and summon phantoms that can be continue to attack when attacking these targets, further weakening the enemy. 5. Tornado Shot Deadeye Ranger Bow Build In fact, this build is not only suitable for 3.26, it should be regarded as one of the most classic builds in POE 1. With just a reliable bow and basic class skills, you can quickly pass the level with this build. However, in order to echo the theme of this guide, it is better to get a better elemental bow than jewels to maximize the role of POE currency in the early stage. And don’t forget to add an extra arrow module to the quiver. Although the relevant content of the 5 builds introduced above is more suitable for you to utilize when you first start playing the new expansion, in fact, in the later stage when you have more currency and gear, you can upgrade these builds to make them also benefit your endgame experience, unless you want to try new tricks!

Whether you are fascinated by Path of Exile 2 or have switched to other ARPGs, now is the time to remember the first game of Path of Exile! It has been almost a year since the release of its last league, and now 3.26 expansion is finally here! After releasing a mysterious preview image, POE brought the official trailer of 3.26 on May 23. The trailer is still the dark style you are familiar with and tries to preview a new adventure for you through vague lines. As the development team is focused on the development of POE 2, the arrival of 3.26 league has been more than half a year later than normal. If it wants to attract back those players who still love POE 1, it must bring effective new content and mechanism optimization based on 3.25. Based on this, we will bring you an introduction to 3.26, as well as suggestions and guesses that hope it can perform well. Known 3.26 League Information First of all, it can be confirmed that the official name of the league is Secrets of the Atlas, which will be launched on June 13. Before that, the development team will also hold a live broadcast at 1 pm Pacific Daylight Time on June 5 to announce more specific content about the patch. Plot And World View Extension From the preview image and the first trailer, a mysterious unknown force asks you to find Originator. In connection with the name of the league, this may mean that you need to go through adventures to reveal the secrets behind Atlas, the core component of the game. From the fact that the unknown force seeks help rather than power, this should not be an evil force from the boss, and the identity of “Originator” may remind you of Zana, an important character who disappeared after the end of Echoes of the Atlas. Although the second trailer still does not show any substantial content, it shows a distorted world built on memory, which is waiting for you to repair and maintain order before it can return to normal. Possible New Mechanisms What specific new content will be confirmed after the live broadcast on June 5, but what is known now is that 3.26 should apply the following new mechanisms: Introduce fractured or mirrored versions of existing maps. Expand the role of memory fragments in the game. Non-linear Atlas discovery or repair. Dynamic map states. They are obviously mainly map changes, which are also related to the theme of the new league and Atlas. As the main source of resources for POE series of games, both early map exploration and mapping in the endgame are important, so these changes are likely to completely update your POE Chaos Orbs farming method. How Can 3.26 Be Better? Although the production rights of the game are not in the hands of you or other players, and the final right of interpretation belongs to the development team, your suggestions are also based on your game experience and are still valuable. To be honest, after years of operation, compared with the second game, which is still in the early access stage, Path of Exile 1 has become more perfect in all aspects. Instead of launching more new features, you may hope that the game will not blindly cancel those practical, classic features! Auction House Although POE 2 has launched an official trading website, there are still players who hope that it can launch an exclusive auction house in the game like the first game. Because compared with the external market, the auction house can set more specific rules to regulate transactions, and the experience will be better. In POE 2 trading market, you will find that the value of items always fluctuates greatly, and the trading experience is affected. But the gold-respect, or regret mechanism of the auction house in the first game can always solve these problems well. Trade-Related Mechanisms Introduced In 3.25 In 3.25 league Settlers Of Kalguur, the game requires you to help Kalguuran pioneers to build the town of Kingsmarch and establish trade between Wraeclast and their homeland. Based on this, the patch launched a series of related trade gameplay, including shipping and mining, etc. This kind of gameplay that is related to the plot but more interesting than combat is a wonderful improvement to the game, so that you don’t just keep killing enemies in the game, but can feel more fun by running your own business. Although there are always many differences between the various leagues, this mechanism of 3.25 is completely worth keeping in 3.26, not just a time-limited experience. Further Expand Other Mechanisms Whether it is the basic class, Ascendancy class or the available skills and weapons, Path of Exile should try to further expand them through 3.26 league to bring more diversified combat experience and build crafting possibilities. In general, as a new league in POE 1, Secrets of the Atlas has much less to consider than POE 2 Dawn of the Hunt, because the first game is more complete in all aspects. However, due to the long interval between 3.26 and the previous league, you may have increased your expectations for it invisibly, making the game face unnecessary pressure. In fact, all you have to do is relax and enjoy the long-lost new expansion of POE 1!

In this guide, we're venturing into the fascinating realm of character builds in Path of Exile 3.24 Necropolis League. Our focus lies on the Ngamahu's Flame Cyclone Berserker, a powerful build residing within the Marauder class. Pros & Cons Now, let's explore the pros of this build in greater detail. Firstly, the clear speed is exceptional. Utilizing Cyclone, you sustain perpetual motion, delivering a thrilling whirlwind experience as you effortlessly decimate foes. Moreover, this build offers impressive single-target damage output without requiring extensive investment. However, let's address the cons as well. The primary concern lies in survivability. Despite incorporating multiple defensive layers, this build necessitates proximity to enemies, rendering it vulnerable to incoming attacks. Furthermore, as a Berserker, you inherently endure a 10% increase in damage taken, exacerbating the survivability challenge. About Ngamahu's Flame Axe Ngamahu's Flame Axe features a unique built-in skill, Molten Burst, triggered with a 20% chance on melee hit, akin to Molten Strike. This presents an excellent opportunity for a trigger build with high attack speed. Cyclone distinguishes itself as the optimal skill for triggering Molten Burst due to its swift attack speed and the capability to move while executing attacks. With approximately 20 hits per second on a single enemy, Molten Burst becomes a reliable source of damage. The skill can be supported by 6 support gems, and the axe doesn't require its sockets to be linked, simplifying the build assembly. Enhancing damage further, players can anoint their amulet with Vengeant Cascade to make projectiles bounce, and utilize Point Blank Support for up to 30% more damage. Budget Of This Build To begin tackling endgame maps on a budget, you can kickstart with approximately 90 chaos. However, to smoothly progress to yellow maps, it's advisable to invest around 150 chaos for a more comfortable experience. For easily completing your Atlas, I recommend investing around 6 Divine Orbs. Otherwise, your survivability won't be enough, and you'll end up dying a lot. You need 2 mandatory unique items for this build. The primary and pivotal component is the Ngamahu's Flame Axe. It instantly converts 60% of your physical damage into fire, provides 20% fire penetration, and initiates Molten Burst upon hits, significantly amplifying single-target damage. Next, we also need the Stampede boots, which guarantee that our movement speed is always 150% of its base. This is great because now we can replace the regular Cyclone with Cyclone of Tumult for a lot more damage and AOE effect for clear speed. Performance Ratings I will analyze whether this build is suitable for POE 3.24 Necropolis League from these 3 aspects: clear speed, boss damage and survivability. Clear Speed: When assessing the clear speed, this build shines with an impressive rating of 9 out of 10. The Cyclone skill emerges as a standout feature, facilitating effortless traversal across varied terrains and swiftly dispatching enemies, enabling uninterrupted movement. Boss Damage: When assessing the damage on bosses, this build achieves a flawless rating of 10 out of 10. The introduction of the Cyclone of Tumult significantly amplifies attack speed, leading to more frequent activation of Molten Burst. As a result, even the most formidable bosses are swiftly brought to their knees within mere moments. Survivability: When evaluating the survivability of this build, it attains a rating of 7 out of 10. Although bolstered by substantial life reserves, permanent Fortify, heightened armor, evasion, and spell suppression, the build is not without its vulnerabilities, particularly in close-quarters combat scenarios. This inherent risk becomes more pronounced, especially when facing off against high-tier maps without sufficient investment in fortifying survivability attributes.

Path of Exile (PoE) is a popular action RPG that places significant emphasis on strategy, character customization, and crafting systems. One of the key factors in the success of your PoE character is the weapon they use. For the Shadow class, a character known for its dexterity and intelligence, your choice of weapon can greatly enhance your gameplay. Let's delve into some of the best weapons you can wield as a Shadow to make your character more lethal. 1. Dagger The Shadow class greatly benefits from daggers. Daggers have high critical strike chances and damage multiplier, making them the best for critical-based builds, particularly for Assassin ascendancy. Here are some top choices: - Bino's Kitchen Knife: This unique dagger not only provides significant physical damage but also offers life regeneration mechanics, making it ideal for survivability. - Divinarius: A great option for area-of-effect (AoE) spell builds, like Blade Vortex. This dagger boosts both critical strike chance and AoE radius, enhancing your spell damage. 2. Claws Claws, with their inherent life and mana leech, can be an excellent choice for attack-based Shadow builds, such as the Trickster. - The Wasp Nest: This claw offers high physical DPS, critical strike chance, and life gain on hit, making it a highly effective and sustainable choice. - Touch of Anguish: Ideal for chain-based or cold-based builds, it provides additional chain to your attacks, increased critical strike chance, and mana gain on kill. 3. Wands Wands can be a compelling choice for Shadows focusing on spellcasting, especially for Saboteur builds. - Obliteration Demon's Horn: It significantly boosts your chaos damage and offers a chance to explode enemies on kill, dealing chaos damage to other enemies around. - Piscator's Vigil: Perfect for Elemental Attack based builds, it grants increased elemental damage with attack skills and a high critical strike chance. 4. Bows Though not a traditional choice for Shadows, some builds use bows effectively. These are often used in combination with unique quivers for added benefits. - Death's Harp: This unique bow offers high critical strike multiplier and an additional arrow, making it a good choice for critical and projectile-based builds. - The Tempest: Focused on high attack speed and lightning damage, The Tempest is a great choice for elemental builds. Making the Best of Your Weapon Regardless of your weapon choice, remember that effective use of the skill tree, gem slots, and crafting can significantly enhance your weapon's performance. Modify your weapon to suit your play style and build, focusing on key stats such as critical strike chance, attack speed, and elemental damage for attack builds, or spell damage, cast speed, and cooldown reduction for spellcaster builds. In Summary Choosing the best weapon for your Shadow character in Path of Exile can be a game-changer, potentially transforming a frail shadow into a menacing adversary. Be it a dagger, claw, wand, or bow, understanding your play style, build, and the unique advantages each weapon offers will help you conquer Wraeclast. Happy hunting!