Crucible Week 2: News, Meta Analysis & Winning Strategies

When you create a new character in Path of Exile, you are presented with a variety of game modes to choose from. Experienced players will probably be able to quickly decide which mode is best for them. However, if you are new to the game, the options can be a bit confusing. Here is a guide to help you choose the best game mode for you. In this guide, we will explore the two different ways to play in Path of Exile: standard and seasonal modes (called leagues). We will point out the key differences between the two modes to help new players understand which one is best for them. We will also explain what happens to your character when the season ends. Game Mode Options Explained When creating a new character in Path of Exile, you have three different modes to choose from: Standard League Seasonal/Challenge League Hardcore Seasonal/Challenge League It is important to note that Challenge League does not appear as an option, but as a current league. For example, if Settlers of Kalguur is the latest league at the time of this guide, you will see Standard League, Settlers, and Hardcore Settlers in the options. Beyond standard league or challenge leagues, there are additional modes to choose from: Hardcore Ruthless Solo Self-Found When choosing Hardcore, if your character dies, it will revert to standard mode, which is non-hardcore mode. Choosing Ruthless, on the other hand, means that the game will be significantly more difficult, which may slow down your progress. For experienced players, this mode may provide a fresh sense of challenge. However, this mode may not be suitable for beginners who are just starting to play the game, unless you have enough POE Currency to obtain and upgrade equipment so that you can adapt to the difficulty of the game in this mode. You can also pay attention to Giveaway platform in iGMeet discord, which often releases some product giveaway information. You can follow each information release by being active in discord group. As for Solo Self-Found, you cannot trade or team up with other players in this mode. But it is worth mentioning that this choice can be changed after the character is created, so you are not permanently restricted to the initial choice. Description Of Challenge League A seasonal league is a limited-time feature in Path of Exile. They are called ‘Challenge Leagues’ in the game. Only during the league event can you create a new character and experience the special gameplay related to the league. For example, in PoE 3.25 Settlers of Kalguur league, players can build and develop the town of kingsmarch. If you choose to play standard league, the town building function mentioned above will not be available. Standard mode consists mainly of the core game content and content added in later updates, and does not include any unique features for a particular season. What To Do After Challenge League Ends? When a season ends, you cannot create new characters in that season. With Settlers of Kalguur mentioned earlier, this means that ‘Settlers’ option will no longer be available. However, this does not mean that your characters from that season will be removed. Instead, they will be transferred to a permanent league with your map progress and all your stored items. When Do Challenge Leagues Usually Start? If you want to restart the game and seek a fresh experience, challenge leagues are a good choice. So how often do these leagues usually take place? For example, the current challenge leagues started on July 26, 2024, while the previous Necropolis league started on March 29, 2024. A challenge league lasts about four months. This roughly marks the length of a season cycle, but seasons do not end without warning. As new seasons get closer, you’ll start seeing announcements about them, which gives you time to prepare. It’s important to note that once a season ends, your character won’t be able to transfer over to the next one, but this also gives you a great opportunity to try out a new class or build. How To Choose Game Mode That Suits You? If you want to experience the latest content, challenge leagues are a brilliant choice. These leagues are where new content is introduced, so joining challenge leagues is the best way to experience the game. It’s also worth noting that since more players tend to play in this mode, you’ll can interact with other players more. Challenge leagues are also a brilliant choice for new players. Starting at the beginning of a league ensures that you don’t fall behind other players in your progress. If you start in standard leagues, you may not run into other players as often, and if you do, they may be much stronger than you. In summary, whether you're a hardcore player or a novice, it's important to understand the characteristics of each mode so that you can have the best experience in the wonderful world of Path of Exile.

Fellow exiles, welcome back! This time, I'm excited to introduce you to another build in the Path of Exile 3.24 Necropolis, which is called the Arc Archmage Hierophant. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the game, there's something valuable to discover in this guide. Let's dive in! How It Works Today's guide takes the classic build to another level - the ultimate Arc Archmage Hierophant with the Templar class. This build stacks as much mana as possible to take advantage of the Archmage support gem, which grants up to 19% of your mana as extra lightning damage. The skill of choice is the classic Arc, which transforms many enemies at great clear speed. To make things more interesting, we're using the Kitava's Thirst and an Anathema ring for a total of 6 curses on our enemies. Pros And Cons When discussing the pros of this build, let's begin with its exceptional clear speed. Arc effortlessly chains between many enemies, decimating entire packs with just a single cast - no precision aiming required. Furthermore, the boss damage output is truly remarkable. When facing sizable adversaries, unleashing the power of Crackling Lance delivers devastating single-target damage. Yet, it's crucial to consider the cons too. To begin, it's important to note that this build doesn't come cheap. It requires a significant investment of Divine Orbs to optimize its performance. Additionally, ensuring that every piece of equipment provides extra mana can complicate the gearing process, adding an extra layer of challenge. Budget Of This Build When discussing the budget, as previously noted, this build certainly doesn't come cheap. It necessitates a minimum investment of 10 Divine Orbs to ensure its functionality. There are only 2 mandatory unique items required for this Arc Archmage Hierophant build. Firstly, there's the Kitava's Thirst helmet, which holds paramount importance. This helmet triggers socketed gems when you expend a minimum of 100 mana in a single cast, automatically cursing our enemies. Secondly, we have the Anathema ring, which aligns our curse limit with our maximum power charges. Performance Ratings Clear Speed: When it comes to assessing the clear speed of this build, I'd award it a perfect score of 10 out of 10. The pace at which it operates is simply remarkable. With the Arc skill at its disposal, this build effortlessly dispatches large packs of monsters with unparalleled efficiency. You'll find yourself effortlessly traversing maps at breakneck speed, swiftly eliminating any obstacle that crosses your path, all without putting undue strain on your GPU. Boss Damage: When evaluating the boss damage capabilities of this build, it undeniably earns a perfect score of 10 out of 10. The sheer potency of its offensive capabilities is truly outstanding. Take, for instance, the Crackling Lance skill, which stands out as a testament to its formidable strength. When facing formidable adversaries, this skill shines brightly, effortlessly dismantling even the most imposing bosses. Survivability: In terms of survivability, I would rate it at 9 out of 10. Not only do you have a big pool of life and energy shield, but also 50% of the damage is taken from mana before life. And, as you know, we have a lot of mana in this build. We also hit enemies so many times per second that the instant leech causes your life to be full almost 100% of the time. That wraps it up for today! How do you feel about this Arc Archmage Hierophant in the Path Of Exile 3.24? Wishing you an incredible day and remember to keep building!

Hi, fellow gamers! Welcome to a fresh build guide for the Path of Exile 3.24 Necropolis League. This time, I'll walk you through 3 minion-centric builds that come highly recommended. If you're keen on trying out any of these builds, you'll find all the necessary information in this guide. Mage Skeletons Guardian Let's start with this classic minion build which is the Mage Skeletons Guardian with the Templar class. Remember how transforming regular skeletons into Mages required the Unique jewel Dead Reckoning? Thanks to the new transfigure gems, this is no longer the case. Now, with the Summon Skeletons of Mages, you can naturally summon Mage Skeletons without needing any Unique items, and at a much lower cost. This makes Mage Skeletons an even better minion build option than before. Pros & Cons Here are some pros of this build, starting with survivability. With the Guardian Ascendancy, you get nearly a 75% chance to block both attacks and spells, significant life regeneration, and the new Summon Sentinel of Radiance that absorbs 20% of the damage you take. This build is particularly safe to play because it's a minion build. You can stay behind your minions and kill enemies from a distance. Additionally, the Summon Elemental Relic provides 3 damage auras for you and your minions at no extra cost, significantly boosting your boss damage. The cons is that Mage Skeletons can't move, which means that you need to keep re-summoning them while clearing maps. And this version lacks the 30% boost to all elemental resistances for you and your minions. As a result, your zombies and specters might die from Elemental damage if you don't prioritize minion resistance on your rare gear. Budget As for budget, this build is more affordable than ever. You can start destroying early endgame maps with around 50 Chaos. For advanced Yellow Maps, it's recommended to invest about 120 Chaos. To easily complete the Atlas, around 4 Divines Orbs is suggested, but it's definitely possible to succeed with less investment. Performance Ratings For clear speed, I'll give it an 8 out of 10. This build have numerous skeletons launching projectiles at a rapid casting speed. I deducted 2 points because the mage skeletons don't move, requiring constant resummoning. Additionally, the Guardian does not get the Flesh Offering speed boost like the Necromancer. The boss damage is also amazing, deserving 9 out of 10. With the new Returning Projectiles Support, 100% of projectiles will hit enemies twice. However, since it's not as powerful as the nerfed Anomalous Faster Projectiles Support, I took 1 point out for this. When it comes to survivability, I rate it a perfect 10 out of 10. This build has a robust array of defensive layers, including high armor, a 75% chance to block attacks and spells, and a minion that absorbs 20% of the damage for you. Plus, being a minion build, you are far from danger most of the time. Archer Skeletons Guardian Now, let's take the previous build to another level with the Archer Skeletons Guardian. By now, you're probably familiar with the popular Mage Skeletons build. Thanks to the new transfigure gems, we can now utilize Archer Skeletons as well. Pros & Cons Let's look at the pros of this build. Unlike the Mage Skeletons build, it has a much smoother clear speed and can deal even more damage to bosses. It's also easy to assemble, requiring only 1 mandatory Unique item that is quite affordable. As a Guardian, you benefit from 3 damage auras for free and have a minion that absorbs 20% of the damage you would otherwise take. Now, let's address the cons. While this build is still very tanky and safe, it's not as tanky as the Mage Skeletons version because of having less block chance. However, if you are mindful of your positioning, it will still be difficult for enemies to kill you. Budget In terms of budget, this build is inexpensive. You can effectively clear earlygame maps with an investment of only around 80 Chaos. For smoother progression into Yellow Maps, I suggest allocating approximately 150 Chaos. To facilitate easier completion of the Atlas, consider investing around 4 Divines. However, it's entirely feasible to achieve success with less investment. The only mandatory Unique item required for this build is the Lioneye's Vision armour. This piece already provides the Pierce Support and enables us to add another support gem for our skeletons. Performance Ratings In terms of clear speed, this build deserves a rating of 9 out of 10. The abundance of Archer Skeletons rapidly firing arrows at a high attack speed significantly contributes to its effectiveness. Unlike the Mage skeletons version utilizing the Spell Echo Support, we can effortlessly summon 4 skeletons simultaneously in various locations, thereby enhancing their range of destruction. The boss damage output is equally impressive, with a rating of 9 out of 10. This build excels at decimating formidable bosses within a matter of seconds, even with the recent buffs. Regarding survivability, I would also assign a rating of 9 out of 10. The playstyle ensures that you remain distant from the fray while your minions handle the combat with over 990,000 effective HP. The only deduction in rating is because of the absence of a staff, resulting in slightly reduced block chance and effective HP compared to the Mage Skeletons version. Poison Raging Spirits Guardian Then, we have a remarkably potent endgame build: the Poison Raging Spirits Guardian. This build capitalizes on the ability to summon many Raging Spirits, enabling us to accumulate a staggering amount of poison on our adversaries. By opting for the Guardian subclass, although sacrificing a slight portion of damage output, we gain nearly triple the survivability. Pros & Cons When considering the pros of this build, its boss damage stands out prominently. Upon completion, we're capable of swiftly dispatching even the most formidable bosses in just seconds. The build boasts exceptional survivability, benefiting from all the defensive layers inherent to a Guardian on a minion-focused setup. Speaking of cons, it's essential to acknowledge that this build may not be suitable for everyone. It demands a substantial amount of currency to assemble. Additionally, there's the challenge posed by the short duration of Raging Spirits, necessitating frequent interruptions to resummon them. Budget In terms of budget, this build requires a significant investment, typically necessitating at least 10 Divine Orbs. It's considered relatively expensive to assemble because of the need for 4 mandatory Unique items. The first essential item is the United in Dream sword, which bestows the Envy Aura, inflicting substantial chaos damage to our minions. Additionally, it grants them a 60% chance to poison enemies upon hits. Another crucial piece is the Darkness Enthroned belt, featuring 2 Abyssal sockets necessary to achieve a 100% chance to poison on our minions. In addition, it has become imperative to obtain Covenant body armour, which provides Level 29 additional chaos damage support for our Raging Spirits, greatly increasing their chaos damage output. The Ancient Skull serves as another indispensable item, granting a substantial increase in damage and attack speed to our minions. Performance Ratings In terms of clear speed, I'd rate this build at 9 out of 10. While it boasts numerous fast minions capable of obliterating enemies within seconds, their short duration necessitates frequent re-summoning, hence the deduction of 1 point. For boss damage, it unquestionably merits a perfect score of 10 out of 10. With the potential to exceed 30 million DPS, this build effortlessly dispatches any boss encountered in the game. Regarding survivability, it also earns a perfect 10 out of 10 rating. As a minion-focused build, you naturally remain distant from danger, but this particular build incorporates numerous defensive layers from the Guardian Ascendancy, resulting in an effective HP of 250,000. That's all for today! What are your thoughts on these minion builds in Path of Exile 3.24? Wishing you a fantastic day ahead, and remember to keep building!

Path of Exile 3.22, known as the Trial of the Ancestors league, has ushered in significant changes to the Solo Self Found (SSF) meta. SSF players, who rely on finding their gear without trading, have a unique set of challenges and opportunities when it comes to building powerful characters. In this guide, we'll delve into the top 10 SSF builds that are excelling in the current league. 1. Boneshatter Build Boneshatter is the dominant force in SSF, with approximately 70% of players opting for Juggernaut, 28% for Slayer, and a few others choosing different ascendancies. Boneshatter's popularity lies in its adaptability. Players typically begin with Sinvicta's medal and then transition to a well-rolled two-handed rare axe. Unique items like Tanu Ahi and Carnage Heart provide substantial power, especially for Juggernaut versions. Boneshatter remains the go-to choice for many SSF players. 2. Summon Raging Spirits (SRS) Build With an 8% meta share, the Summon Raging Spirits build is another strong contender. While the Necromancer version of SRS revolves around poison, the Guardian version has gained popularity in this league. The latter focuses on elemental upfront damage, making it a hit in SSF. The Darkness Enthroned unique belt is a popular choice for this build, offering valuable benefits. 3. Righteous Fire Build Righteous Fire secures the third spot in the SSF meta. While Inquisitor and Juggernaut are popular ascendancies, Chieftain sees more experimentation in SSF. Elementalist lags behind due to unique item restrictions. Righteous Fire builds in SSF often require Orth's End or specific tattoos to maximize their potential. 4. Explosive Arrow Ballista Build The Explosive Arrow Ballista build is a reliable choice for SSF players. It stands out as the top bow build, offering safety and target-farmable gear. Porcupine Divination Cards and Shrieking Essences of Dread are key items to kickstart this build. 5. Lightning Arrow Build Lightning Arrow follows closely behind the Explosive Arrow Ballista build. Deadeye is the preferred ascendancy for this bow build due to its effectiveness. Artillery Ballista compensates for its single-target damage weaknesses, making it a versatile choice. 6. Ignite Detonate Dead Elementalist Build Known for its impressive damage output even with minimal gear, the Ignite Detonate Dead Elementalist build is a solid boss killer. It's accessible and beginner-friendly, making it an excellent choice for SSF players. 7. Tornado Shot Build Tornado Shot, a classic bow skill in Path of Exile, remains relevant in SSF. Known for its high clear speed and single-target damage, it's versatile and scales well with gear and passive tree choices. A Dex Stacking Tornado Shot build can dish out massive damage and handle all content with ease. 8. Hexblast Mine Build The Hexblast Mine build has gained popularity in the 3.22 league, especially among SSF players. It's a Saboteur-based build that leverages Hexblast and Mine mechanics for high damage and quick map clearing. What makes it attractive for SSF is its independence from specific unique items, allowing players to progress using self-found gear. 9. Toxic Rain Build Toxic Rain is a cost-effective and powerful SSF build that doesn't rely on expensive gear. It's flexible and can be played as a Trickster or Raider, making it a versatile choice for SSF players. 10. Frost Blades Build Frost Blades offers a balanced mix of melee and projectile damage, making it an excellent choice for SSF. It provides solid clear speed, good single-target damage, and doesn't require specific core items or niche synergies. These top 10 SSF builds cover a wide range of playstyles and preferences, allowing solo players to excel in the challenging world of Path of Exile 3.22. Each build has its unique strengths and weaknesses, providing diverse options for SSF adventurers.