This PoE 3.13 Shadow Assassin Blade Blast Starter build ends up being absurdly tanky with enough damage to decimate end game bosses and clear maps extremely quickly. This build can do all content on less than 3 ex, in SSF.

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Pros & Cons

  • + Tanky; 7k+ HP, lots of dodge/evasion and can fit in Divine Flesh
  • + Excellent single target
  • + Excellent map clear
  • + Satisfying phys explosion chains
  • + Can start cheap and scale with currency
  • + Almost all of the gear can be deterministically crafted with Harvest
  • + League start viable, was one of the first builds to reach level 100 HCSFF in Harvest league
  • - Two-button playstyle
  • - Levelling is a little awkward until you can use Bladeblast
  • - Min/maxing is expensive
  • - Cannot run phys reflect or slower recovery maps
  • - Can be hard to see mechanics due to BB spam

 

Skill Tree

Ascendancy: Mistwalker -> Unstable Infusion -> Deadly Infusion -> Opportunistic

Bandit: Kill All

Passive Tree & PoB

Path of Building Link: https://pastebin.com/m2g4MsxT

100c mega-budget PoB: https://pastebin.com/guQjGMtE

 

 

 

 

Gems Setup

Blade Blast

Blade Blast - Brutality - Empower - Energy Leech - Controlled Destruction - Awakened Increased Area of Effect

You can use Intensify instead of Awakened Increased Area of Effect

Support Gem priority order: Energy Leech > Intensify/Awakened Inc. AoE > Brutality > Controlled Destruction > Empower

Bladefall

Blood Magic - Bladefall - Spell Cascade - Unleash

Unleash and Spell Cascade are mandatory. If you are having mana issues, use Blood Magic as your 4th link. Otherwise use Concentrated Effect. Keep Spell Cascade at a low level, we want our Bladefall as concentrated as possible.

Auras

Flesh and Stone - Herald of Purity - Pride

CWDT

Immortal Call - CWDT - Increased Duration

Misc

Vaal Grace, Faster Attacks - Blood Magic - Fortify - Shield Charge, Flame Dash

 

Gear Setup

Weapon

Look for a wand with some combination of

  • Cast Speed
  • +1 to level of Physical Spell Gems/All Spell Gems
  • Spell Damage
  • Crit Multi
  • Crit Chance for Spells

You can choose to go a staff instead, but I don't think its worth. You will gain more damage, but lose a lot of mobility and defense when dropping the shield. If you choose to go staff, look for similar mods as above as well as influced mods such as Socketed Skills Deal 20% more Spell Damage or are supported by Power Charge on Crit.

Offhand

You can choose to dual wield wands, but I strongly recommend a shield. Refer to the Crafting section below for a guide on how to easily craft your own. Look for a shield with some combination of:

  • +1 to level of Physical Spell Gems
  • Spell Damage
  • Critical Strike Chance to Spells
  • Cast Speed
  • Life
  • Maximum Chaos Res/Maximum All Res if going Divine Flesh

Helmet

Crown of the Inward Eye is a good budget option. A Redeemer helm with +1 to number of Unleash Seals is for Bladefall. Refer to the Crafting section below for a guide on how to easily craft your own. Otherwise look for:

  • Life
  • Res/Chaos Res
  • Physical Damage Taken as X Elemental Damage

There aren't any helm enchants that are amazing for us. The best helm enchant are any 15%/30% reduced mana reserved for our Auras. This, combine with an Enlighten 4 can allow you to run a War Banner for a small damage increase. Otherwise Blade Blast AoE is good, and Blade Blast damage is a bit worse than AoE.

Body Armour

A Crusader Chest with Enemies Explode when Killed is ideal for clear speed, but not necessary at all - clear is still very good without it. Getting the Frenzy Charge Redeemer mod is nice for extra DPS as well. If you're having trouble with sustaining Mana/ES via Eldritch Battery, craft gain % of Life as Extra ES.

Budget Unique Options: Loreweave (doesn't work well with Divine Flesh), Tabula, Sporeguard

or a rare with:

  • Life
  • Res/Chaos Res
  • Spell crit
  • Craft Spell Dodge

Gloves

Gloves with "Socketed Gems are Supported by Faster Casting" are very nice, saving us a link in our Bladefall. Look for:

  • Life
  • Res/Chaos Res
  • Craft Damage while Leeching

Boots

Tailwind boots are very nice, but not needed. Otherwise look for:

  • Life
  • Movement Speed
  • Spell Dodge
  • Res/Chaos res

Amulet

The Elder/Hunter mod % of Physical Damage leeched as life (note that % of Physical ATTACK damage will NOT work) is the most important mod here. It's not mandatory, but its the easiest way for us to gain leech. Otherwise look for:

  • +1 to level of Dexterity/Physical Skill Gems
  • Crit Multi
  • Life
  • Res/Chaos res
  • Strength

Rings

A ring with Curse Enemies with Vulnerability on hit is ideal here. You can choose to get physical damage leech here from the Delve modifier instead of getting it on an amulet. Otherwise look for:

  • Life
  • Res/Chaos res
  • Strength
  • Cast speed
  • Spell Damage
  • Life gained for each enemy hit by your spells
  • Craft minimum endurance charges

Belt

Searching Eye Jewe

Regenerate 3.1 Life per second
+23 to maximum Mana
6% chance to gain Onslaught for 4 seconds on Kill
4% chance to gain Phasing for 4 seconds on Kill

A Stygian Vise is ideal, but Soul Tether is a good budget option if you want access to overleech. Otherwise look for:

  • Life
  • Res/Chaos res

Flasks

You'll need to make sure you can get Heat, Warding and Staunching covered on your suffixes.

  • If you're using Divine Flesh, use Forbidden Taste, otherwise a Seething Divine Life Flask of Staunching
  • Quicksilver
  • Quartz Flask (Dodge)
  • Diamond Flask (Your Critical Strike Chance is Lucky)
  • Sulphur Flask/Bottled Faith if you're rich

Jewels

You'll need a Glorious Vanity with the modifier "Bathed in the blood of (100-8000) sacrificed in the name of Xibaqua" if you want to run Divine Flesh. For rare jewels look for:

  • Life
  • Spell Damage
  • Spell Damage while holding a shield
  • Physical Damage
  • Area Damage
  • Cast Speed
  • Cast Speed while Holding a Shield
  • Crit Multi
  • Crit Multi with spells