Crucible Week 2: News, Meta Analysis & Winning Strategies

There is no doubt that the most eye-catching ARPG in recent times is Path of Exile 2, which was launched at the end of 2024. Although it is still in the early access stage and has not yet shown its full version charm to you, POE 2 is better than the recent performance of another strong competitor Diablo 4 - after all, the latter’s Season 7 has not yet arrived. But perhaps you have a question, since Path of Exile 2 is in full swing, is it still necessary to experience the first game in the same series in the new 2025? Based on this, we will make a comprehensive comparison of the recent performance of POE 1, POE 2 and Diablo 4 to provide you with some reference. Path Of Exile 1 Performance Review In the past year, from 3.24 Necropolis to 3.25 Settlers of Kalguur, even though it has been more than ten years since its official release, POE 1 has always been committed to maintaining its freshness by constantly updating the league, which is one of the main reasons for its enduring popularity. POE 3.24 The league was officially launched on March 29, 2024, and added a lot of new content based on the past leagues, such as the league mechanism that allows you to configure the difficulty of monsters and POE Currency rewards, and Embers of the Allflame items that allow you to encounter abnormal monsters with special rewards. POE 3.25 As the most recent Path of Exile 1 league released to you, POE 3.25 can be said to have made many special updates to the game. In terms of combat, version 3.25 has completely changed your melee mode and introduced Warden class to replace Raider. But besides these, the most eye-catching is the challenge league mechanism that allows you to build and manage your own town. It is worth noting that it is this league mechanism that allows you to experience a new and more complete trade system in POE 1, allowing you to obtain more necessary materials by hiring workers and port trade besides obtaining POE Divine Orbs through battle. Compared To Path Of Exile 2 As a sequel, POE 2 must innovate in many aspects to ensure that it will not be overshadowed by the brilliance of the previous work, and based on the current performance, it has completely done this. First of all, it is worth mentioning that it responds to the response and expectations of fans in the past, and launched the couch co-op that POE 1 did not have, as well as cross-platform games and cross-platform progress. In view of the continuous evolution of current game devices, it is imperative for a large-scale ARPG to keep you and provide you with more convenience in playing. In the specific game content, POE 2 allows you to provide more unique mechanisms for game characters through support gems based on skill and class differences. This undoubtedly gives you more control and customization, giving you more personality than Path of Exile 1 for any class and weapon you want to experience. If you like the boss battles of POE series, then POE 2 will never let you down. It brings more than 100 unique bosses to fight. Besides the improved boss battles in the endgame content, you also have the opportunity to get a brand new combat experience through dedicated maps for each boss. And the bosses in POE 2 are more challenging, requiring you to use critical thinking to deploy strategies and make the battles more interesting. Based on the above changes, there is no doubt that Path of Exile 2 is better than the first game in these aspects, especially the narrative method of the second part is also better. In addition, all the playing threshold of the first and second parts are actually not low. So if you are an old player of the series, you can experience an upgraded version of Path of Exile through POE 2 in the new year. But if you haven’t come into contact with POE yet, then I think you can also consider playing POE 1. Because compared to the second part, it still has some unique mechanisms, such as the fun league and trade system in 3.25. And the first game has been running for ten years, so it may be more stable. And if you plan to play POE 1 in the near future, you still can solve the possible POE Currency shortage through the giveaway information and activities in iGMeet Discord, avoiding worries. Compared To Diablo 4 In the past year, Diablo 4 has always been popular and discussed, especially after October, with the launch of DLC Vessel of Hatred and Season 6, it quickly attracted a group of new players. Although Diablo 4 was launched in 2023, the development history of the entire Diablo series is much longer than Path of Exile. So although POE 1 also has its own characteristics, Diablo 4 is better than Path of Exile 1 in terms of the smoothness of the game and the exquisiteness of the picture, and the experience will be better. Although in the face of 2025, except for Season 7 which will be launched soon, Diablo 4 has not yet revealed whether it will launch new DLC or other major activities, but there is no doubt that Diablo 4 is the current core of Diablo series, so any updates will basically be launched in Diablo 4, and the development focus of POE series in 2025 is undoubtedly the second part. So from this perspective, in 2025, Diablo 4 may bring you more surprises than POE 1. Based on the above review and comparison, if you are only interested in POE series, then in the next year you can choose to play the first or second part according to your own preferences; but if you have to choose between Diablo 4 and POE 1, the former will be better. I hope you can continue to enjoy the fun of ARPG in the new year! Thank you for reading!

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.

In the dynamic world of Path of Exile, a fusion of tankiness and magic find attributes in a single build is a rare sight. Players often opt for a multitude of defensive layers or prioritize magic find, seldom balancing the two. However, a unique build has emerged, promising both resilience and efficient magic find capabilities, and we're here to guide you through this innovative playstyle. High Movement Speed: The Key to Success The foundation of this build revolves around exceptional movement speed, an invaluable trait in Path of Exile. The current iteration of this build boasts an astonishing 250% movement speed. This feat is achieved through a series of strategic choices. In the 3.22 update, the introduction of tattoos added a new dimension to character customization. This build harnesses the power of 20 tattoos to significantly boost movement speed, giving you an edge in your adventures. Choosing the Pathfinder Ascendancy Selecting the right Ascendancy class is crucial, and for this build, the Pathfinder is the ideal choice. The Pathfinder's inherent ability to enhance the effectiveness of Quicksilver Flasks significantly impacts movement speed. With this ascendancy, you gain an impressive 111% movement speed. Furthermore, the Phasing on kill mechanic provides an additional 10% movement speed when the Pathfinder is active. For even more speed, the Haste Aura adds a whopping 21% movement speed to your character. The combination of these effects results in an overall movement speed increase of over 250%, making your character a blur of motion on the battlefield. Quantity & Rarity: The Magic Find Foundation A successful magic find build relies on quantity and rarity bonuses. This build incorporates two high-quality unique rings, Ventor's Gamble, known for their maximum item quantity and rarity attributes. These rings are paired with health bonuses to ensure your character's survivability. An indispensable flask for magic find enthusiasts, the Divination Distillate, remains active consistently thanks to the Pathfinder's unique capabilities. The only drawback is the need to manually activate the flask every 5 seconds. However, the build still manages to achieve a remarkable 58% item quantity and 135% item rarity, which significantly enhances your loot drops. Clear Skill for Swift Annihilation In Path of Exile, speed and quantity are futile without adequate damage output. The build's damage capabilities are maximized through gear and gem enhancements. It all begins with a Divine Orb, a small yet significant investment that yields great results. The build is designed around two active skill gems, each serving a specific purpose. Caustic Arrow is the go-to skill for clearing maps. When fired with a bow, it leaves a trail of Caustic Ground where the projectile lands, dealing additional Chaos damage over time. To further enhance this skill's efficiency, the Arrow Nova Support gem is added. This combination significantly boosts your clearing speed, ensuring swift annihilation of foes. Single Target Domination For single target damage, Toxic Rain takes center stage. When unleashed, it spawns Spore Pods at the projectile's point of impact. Over time, these pods deal chaos damage in an area, potentially overlapping for increased damage output. Optimizing single target damage is possible with a slightly higher budget, which allows you to hit a specific threshold of increased area of effect. This optimization ensures maximum pod overlap. The choice of Bow Mastery on the passive tree contributes to this aspect, combined with a glove craft at the Crafting Bench to provide an additional 39% area effect increase. Additionally, the use of Withering Step in the build is essential. Upgrading to the Anomalous version of Withering Step adds two extra Withers and increases quality with Enhance Support. Activating this skill creates nine layers of Wither overlays with a single button press. This not only boosts your damage but also applies more stacks through Toxic Rain. Building a Solid Defense The build is not solely focused on damage output; it also prioritizes defense. A substantial portion of physical damage, about 88%, is converted into elemental damage. Lightning Coil alone accounts for 50% of this conversion, with Taste of Hate's maximum scroll rate contributing an additional 24% as flask effect nodes are allocated in the skill tree. A 14% increase in conversion rates is achieved through helmet upgrades. This extensive conversion of damage into elemental damage permits the use of elemental damage reduction flasks. These flasks substantially reduce damage when transitioning from physical to elemental damage. Additionally, the Grace Aura is employed to bolster evasion, providing protection against monster attacks and projectiles. The build's utilization of Ancestral Vision grants cold and freeze immunity and includes a modifier that reduces the chance of experiencing elemental ailments by 50%. An additional 60% ailment avoidance adds further protection against shocks and ignites during map exploration. Key Items and Equipment Selection Certain essential items are pivotal for this build's success: 1. Bow: Aim for a bow with +1 to socketed bow gems and increased Chaos Damage over Time. Craft it with +2 to socketed support gems and Chaos Damage over Time. 2. Quiver: A quiver should increase normal damage over time and provide bonuses to bow and life damage. Consider a Penetrating Arrow Quiver for enhanced damage output. 3. Amulet: Aim for an amulet that boosts all Chaos skill gems with +1 to Damage over Time. 4. Unique Items: The build utilizes Lightning Coil for significant physical damage reduction. Ventor's Gamble rings are essential due to their high quantity and item rarity attributes. Mastering the Pathfinder Ascendancy The Pathfinder Ascendancy is the optimal choice for this build. In the initial labyrinth, Nature 's Reprisal is selected to empower Toxic Rain. This choice substantially changes the skill's early performance, enhancing its effectiveness. The second labyrinth involves the selection of Nature's Adrenaline, which assists in generating massive Flask Charges. Finally, in the third labyrinth, Nature's Boon is chosen. This ensures that the Magic Find Flask remains active at all times when the character is at full life, thanks to the Master Surgeon mechanic. In conclusion, this Magic Find Pathfinder build provides a comprehensive guide to creating a powerful and cost-effective character. With this build, players can tackle high-level maps and challenging content while optimizing their Magic Find capabilities. If you're seeking a versatile and efficient Magic Find build, this guide equips you with the knowledge and strategies needed to excel in Path of Exile's ever-evolving world.

In the realm of Path of Exile (PoE), anticipation is mounting as players gear up for the exhilarating challenges presented by the Path of Exile 3.22: Trial of the Ancestors League. As players prepare to navigate this uncharted terrain, the Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build emerges as a formidable contender, promising an intriguing journey through its mechanics and capabilities. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the intricacies of the Path of Exile 3.22 start build, providing insights into its mechanics, skill tree, and recommended gear. Armed with this knowledge, you'll be poised to triumph over the trials of the Trial of the Ancestors League. Overview of POE 3.22 Hexblast Ignite Starter Build: A Glimpse into the Pros and Cons Pros: - Exceptional clearing speed - Offers a thrilling gameplay experience - Encompasses comprehensive utility Cons: - Single-target damage reduction - Increased currency requirement in later stages At the core of the Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build lies the Hexblast spell, which triggers the detonation of linked curses on enemies, dealing substantial damage contingent on the number of curses inflicted. Although Hexblast underwent a slight nerf, it remains a potent choice for League starters. This build eliminates the need for specialized weapons to amplify your DPS, making it well-suited for beginners. The majority of required items can be found on the ground, with only two items demanding a minor investment. Thanks to its ignite mechanics, the Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build showcases impressive potential with ignite proliferation – a particularly advantageous feature in the Heist league. While it may not be the fastest build available, its flexibility empowers players to tackle various content with ease. Optimal Gears for Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build 3.22 - Weapon 1: Rebuke of the Vaal, Vaal Blade - Weapon 2: Aegis Aurora, Champion Kite Shield - Amulet: Jacle Amulet - Ring: Doedre’s Damning, Paua Ring - Belt: Pyroshock Clasp, Leather Belt - Flasks: Granite Flask of the Tortoise, Masochist’s Silver Flask of the Ibex, Physician’s Quartz Flask of the Petrel, Abundant Quicksilver Flask of the Catfish, Effervescent Divine Life Flask of Sealing Skill Gems that Enhance the Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build: - Tempest Shield, Vitality, Determination, Infernal Cry, Malevolence - Lifetap, Faster Casting, Flammability, Flame Dash - Flame Surge, Arcanist Brand, Wave of Conviction, Lifetap - Molten Shell, Lifetap, Cast when Damage Taken - Temporal Chains, Blasphemy, Vaal Smite - Hexblast, Burning Damage, Combustion, Deadly Ailments, Inspiration, Ignite Proliferation Mastering the Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build: The Art of Progression and Pantheons Ascending through the ranks with the Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build requires a thoughtful approach to progression. Starting with Holy Flame Totem and Magma Orb, players can transition to Armageddon Brand as they level up. The true power of Hexblast becomes accessible at level 28, allowing players to unleash its potential to devastating effect. The ascendancy choices of Instruments of Virtue and Sanctuary are pivotal in bolstering your build's prowess. Why Opt for the Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build in POE 3.22? - Harnessing Hexblast's Strength: Hexblast is the cornerstone of this build, igniting enemies with its curse-based explosions. Inquisitor's elemental damage synergies complement this mechanic seamlessly. - Calculated Chaos: Hexblast releases beams that ricochet between foes, inflicting curses and damage over time. Inquisitor's bonuses amplify hex-based ignites, making this build highly effective. - Scaling for Success: This build thrives on gem levels and gear enhancements, embracing increased elemental damage, spell damage, and area of effect. The synergy between Hexblast and Inquisitor's attributes ensures a potent combination. - Versatility in Combat: The Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build excels in both clearing speed and boss damage, thanks to ignite proliferation from Hexblast chains. Choosing the Ideal POE 3.22 Starter Build: Your Path to Triumph - Field Testing: Before committing to a League starter, thoroughly test your build in actual gameplay. Relying solely on Path of Building (PoB) theorycrafting or adopting endgame builds without considering early mapping and leveling capabilities may lead to setbacks. - Harmonizing with League Mechanics: Familiarize yourself with the upcoming league mechanic to determine if your chosen build aligns with its demands. - Synergy with Content: Select a build that complements your preferred playstyle and suits the content you intend to tackle during the league. Whether your focus is on mapping, boss encounters, or specific league mechanics, your build's compatibility is paramount. - Avoiding Uncharted Territory: Refrain from untested abilities, classes, or unique items lacking community feedback. - Leveraging POE Ninja: Analyze successful builds from previous league starts to gauge their popularity and effectiveness. Top 3 Recommended POE 3.22 League Starter Builds: Rising to the Challenge of the Trial of the Ancestors League As the Path of Exile 3.22: Trial of the Ancestors League beckons, consider these potent builds to embark on your journey: 1. Venom Gyre Deadeye 2. Ignite Ethereal Knives 3. Tornado Shot Berserker As the Trial of the Ancestors League unfolds, the Hexblast Ignite Inquisitor Build stands as a beacon of versatility and power. With a strategic approach to gear, skill gems, and leveling, this build promises a rewarding experience in PoE 3.22. As you weigh your options among the top recommended builds, remember that your path to triumph awaits, and the choice is yours to make.