Blade Vortex Fire Convert Shadow Assassin Build Guide - Path of Exile 3.24

28.03.2024 - 17:59:57
Game Guides , Path of Exile , POE build guides

Blade Vortex Fire Convert Shadow Assassin Build Guide - Path of Exile 3.24

Welcome to the Herald of Ash, Fire Blade Vortex Guide for the Shadow/Assassin class!

This build is a new spin on Blade Vortex - one of the most consistently meta-defining skills in the game. We use many of the tools introduced in various challenge leagues to completely convert our physical damage into fire, abuse Herald of Ash scaling and absolutely obliterate our foes.

Vaal Blade Vortex = Elemental Focus = Unleash = Power Charge on Critical = Controlled Destruction = Fire Penetration

https://pastebin.com/FCJpE9FH to use in Path of Building

https://poe.technology/poebuddy/FCJpE9FH for online build viewing!

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blade_vortex_assassin_build_guide_1

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Basics

Herald of Ash is one of the herald skills found within the game. They reserve a part of our mana to then give us a damage buff and cause a special effect to trigger whenever we kill an enemy under certain circumstances.

Herald of Ash grants us a part of our physical damage as extra fire damage - making it the best herald skill when it comes to scaling our damage. We further amplify that bonus by using two Circle of Anguish rings (120% increased effect overall) and the Lone Messenger keystone (cluster jewel exclusive, 50% more effect). On top of that, killing an enemy will make nearby enemies burn for some of the overkill damage, which makes clear much faster.

Pros and Cons

+ Obliterates entire packs of enemies with just one touch

+ Great for boss-killing.

+ Ignores elemental reflect

- Bosses die too quickly for you to screenshot them

- Endgame upgrades might be really expensive.

Mechanics Used

· Historic Jewels: These jewels have a unique behavior attached to them - they alter nearby small passives and notables. They also give us access to unique keystones. Description of the historic jewel this build wants to use can be found in the Jewels section.

· Elusive: This buff is really unique in the way it works. It grants up to 30% movement speed and 15% chance to dodge attacks and spells. However, effectiveness of this effect decreases over time - and you have to wait until it hits 0% to be able to get it back to the maximum value. There's one exception to that rule, which will be explained in the Gem section of this guide.

· Power Charge: Charges are a unique type of a stacking buff present in Path of Exile. Gaining a new 'charge' refreshes the duration of all the other charges of the same type currently affecting the player. The default cap for the amount of power charges we can hold is 3. We increase that however to reach as much as 10 power charges. Each of them grants us 40% increased critical strike chance by default, but we also use unique items that give us additional power charge scaling.

Useful Links and Path of Building

Path of Building: A powerful tool for planning/sharing builds. To have all info from this build compressed into one simple character sheet, use this link in the 'import' section.

https://pastebin.com/FCJpE9FH

Get Path of Building here!

Socket Colour Calculator: Socket colours in PoE depend on the attribute requirements an item possesses. Strength items usually roll red sockets, while Dexterity+Intelligence items are more likely to roll blues and greens. This tool helps you with finding out the best method to colour your items.

https://siveran.github.io/calc.html


Playstyle

This build is superb when it comes to how safe it is - we can deal sustained damage without having to stop to cast every second due to how Blade Vortex works. We want to cast it every six or seven seconds - letting us avoid any attacks in the meantime. This is really what makes this build shine. Stopping in one place in PoE often means death - due to many ground targeted abilities our foes have in their arsenal.

During boss encounters, your typical spell rotation will be: Pop vaal righteous fire, cast blade vortex then drop wave of conviction onto the enemy, run around until you have to recast your blades, rinse and repeat.

Map Mods

There aren't many modifiers this build cannot run, although I'd try to avoid maps that have elemental reflect - although we are nearly immune to it, that 'nearly' may not always be enough to keep us alive, especially if we get debuffed or we hit an unlucky streak of non-crits.


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Class, Tree, Pantheon

Passive Points

· Tree for level 100

The main version of the build

https://pastebin.com/FCJpE9FH

Import this link to Path of Building.

Class

The Ascendancy (subclass) used in this build is the Deadeye.

· Mistwalker (Normal):Great boost for our early game speed. Ensures that we can proc Elusive reliably, while also increasing its effect.

· Unstable Infusion (Cruel):Power Charge generation, more maximum Power Charges and most importantly a travel node on our way to Deadly Infusion.

· Deadly Infusion (Merciless):Huge amounts of critical strike multiplier, flat critical strike chance and some free movement speed on top of that? Definitely the best node Assassin has to offer.

· Opportunistic (Eternal):Even more movement speed, higher damage during boss encounters. The most important line is the reflect one - as with our 100% critical strike chance, it makes us basically invulnerable against reflect.

Pantheon

· Soul of the Brine King: Prevents monsters from chain stunning and freezing us.

· Soul of Ryslatha: Passively recovers our Life Flask charges, which comes useful in extended single target fights.

Anointments

· The notable we want to anoint for this build is ideally the Heart of Flame. Increased fire damage, fire penetration and some energy shield leech always come in handy. Although anointing this notable might cost some money. A cheaper option would be the Heartseeker notable.


Equipment

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Helmets

Remember that armour and energy shield aren't really used in this build.

· Rare helmets are the premiere choice for late endgame. You can easily run around with a helmet that grants you just maximum life and necessary resistances, but a dream one would be one that's crafted with an Awakener's orb to make sure you have these two modifiers present on it:

-Skills supported by unleash have +1 to maximum number of seals

-+1 to maximum power charges

Obviously make sure it also has stuff like maximum life. Increased Blade Vortex Duration is the best enchant we can get.

Boots

For endgame you want rare boots, as there are no unique items for this slot that outclass a good pair of rares. The strongest mod you can get on these is the Hunter-specific - 'You have Tailwind if you have dealt a critical strike recently' as it's practically a more multiplier to our movement speed.

Other mods you should look for on rare boots are:

- 25% or higher increased Movement speed

- + or higher to Maximum Life

- +% to one elemental resistance

- +% to another elemental resistance

Gloves

· Rare Gloves are best in slot for this build. No unique glove comes even close to how good these can be. The most important modifier to get on these is the physical to fire conversion, as we really, REALLY want to have it at 50%.

In the endgame, dexterity + intelligence based gloves are our prime choice.

Other mods you should look for are:

- +70 or higher to Maximum Life

- +35% to one elemental resistance

- +35% to another elemental resistance

Body Armour

· Rare 6-link - this is definitely the item we want to use on this build. High maximum life, elemental/chaos resistances and the possibility to use the most powerful mod found on any chest in the game - exploding enemies on kill. This effect combos really well with our super stacked Herald of Ash.

· Ashrend - due to all the 6-link unique armours dropping from various league content, fully linked Ashrends are way more common than in the past - and because they aren't really desired, their price is super low. The difficult part is getting the proper colours on these - but it still may be the cheaper option all things considered. Really depends on the market.

Weapons

· Void Battery - even though it reduces our spell damage, we easily offset that disadvantage by making use of the '25% increased spell damage per power charge' modifier. With 10 power charges, we get a net total of 210% increased spell damage - while also getting some critical strike chance, cast speed and maximum mana. This wand is basically the dream item for this build. Thankfully it's not nearly as expensive as it used to be.

· Rare Wand - this option is definitely cheaper than the one above. This build is really flexible when it comes to stats it benefits from. Critical strike multiplier, increased spell damage, added physical damage to spells or extra gem levels are all valid modifiers you can try to get on your rare wand.


Jewellery
Rings

· Circle of Anguish - these rings come in many variants, so before you buy one - double check if it has the correct modifiers. This build wants them with those perks:

-Herald of Ash has % increased Buff Effect

-% increased Fire Damage while affected by Herald of Ash

Belts

· Headhunter is the single most expensive unique item in the game - and for a good reason. It's basically the strongest. Owning one is definitely the endgame goal we want to strive for.

· Rare belts are a great source of maximum life and elemental resistances - whichever we need at the moment.

- + to Maximum Life

- +% to one Elemental Resistance

- +% to another Elemental Resistance

Amulets

· A Rare Amulet is our go-to endgame choice. Try to look for amulets with these mods on them:

- +70 or higher to Maximum Life

- +% to global critical strike multiplier

- + to Level of All Dexterity/Physical skill gems


Flasks

Flasks in Path of Exile are different from other games. Not all of them are made for regaining life and mana - a lot of them are more offensively oriented. This build's setup looks like this:

· Life Flask of Staunching - eternal flasks are the highest level version of life flasks. They provide high life recovery, and can also serve as a bleed removal paired with bleed immunity for a brief period via Staunching mod.

· Bottled Faith - Overall the best offensive flask in the game. Consecrated ground, which this flask spreads around you on use makes enemies take 10% increased damage while increasing your critical strike chance by 100%. On top of that, this flask makes us gain flat critical strike chance against anyone standing on consecrated ground.

· The Wise Oak - An additional source of fire penetration. To ensure that you benefit from it, make your uncapped FIRE resistance (number in the brackets in your character sheet) the highest out of all the elemental resistances.

· Cinderswallow Urn - better cast speed, better movement speed and increased damage taken by enemies ignited by us. This flask also has a really unique, hidden effect - it makes our ignites become green - instead of being the regular, orange/yellow colour.

· Experimenter's Quicksilver Flask of Adrenaline provides a high movement speed buff beneficial for both clear and dodging bosses' various skills.


Jewels

Jewels are items socketable in Jewel Sockets found on the passive tree. We don't want to use abyssal jewels - instead we plan to get some regular jewels, like cobalt or viridian bases.

-increased maximum life

-+to critical strike multiplier, anything that applies to blade vortex

This build also uses two unique jewels:

· Calamitous Visions - this cluster jewel gives us access to the Lone Messenger keystone, arguably the strongest buff to herald-centered builds present in the game.

· Glorious Vanity - this historic jewel affects all nearby passives, changing them in a random manner. We want to place it right next to the Pain Attunement keystone, which will let us gain access to the Corrupted Soul keystone - which is basically free maximum energy shield for us. To make sure you get that keystone, buy a jewel with the '...sacrificed in the name of Doryani' in its description.


Gems
Body

Vaal Blade Vortex = Elemental Focus = Unleash = Controlled Destruction = Power Charge on Critical = Fire Penetration

The Vaal Blade Vortex skill gem lets us use both the corrupted (vaal) and the regular version of Blade Vortex. We use the former solely for single target purposes. We link Blade Vortex with Unleash to make sure that we don't have to stand in one place casting it too often to keep our stacks at a high value. We use Elemental Focus, as we don't care about igniting our enemies - instead Herald of Ash will be what makes them burn. Awakened gems are a better version of regular support gems, but they aren't required for this build to work.

Weapon 1

Dash = Second Wind = Arcane Surge (level 6)

This is our movement skill setup. We use Dash because it's relatively fast and can get us over gaps in the flooring. Second wind lowers the cooldown, while also making us able to store 2 uses of Dash - which can really come in handy. Make sure to keep Arcane Surge at level 6 or lower, as that will make it really easy to keep it active during boss fights.

Weapon 2

Cast on Death = Portal = Enduring Cry

This is our 'oh man I died' setup. Cast on Death + Portal combo makes sure we don't have to run through an empty area to come back where we died - instead we just hop back into the portal. Enduring Cry works like a second life flask, as it grants us a huge burst of life regeneration on use.

Helmet

Wave of Conviction = Flammability = Curse on Hit = Combustion

This is our single target steroid. Wave of Conviction will apply fire exposure, making our enemies have -25% to their fire resistance. Combustion further lowers it, granted it ignites them (nearly 100% chance due to our high critical strike chance). Curse on Hit linked with Flammability makes their fire resistance even lower.

Boots

Herald of Ash = Enlighten = Enhance = Arctic Armour

This is our mana reservation setup. Arctic Armour is the only mana reservation skill we can use, as the Lone Messenger keystone blocks most of them off. Herald of Ash is the bread and butter of this build - it doesn't function without it. Make sure it's at least level 20 and 20 quality. Enhance and Enlighten make linked gems have less mana reservation and grant them bonus experience - they don't need to be level 4 though, 3 is enough.

Vaal Righteous Fire = Increased Fire = Immortal Call (level 3) = Cast When Damage Taken (level 1)

This setup has two parts: one of them is the vaal righteous fire, which we use as a buff for our single target damage. This skill sacrifices a part of our life to grant us more spell damage for a certain period of time. Remember to use the vaal version, as we can't sustain the regular one. The other part is the CWDT immortal call setup. Make sure that both of these are level 3 and 1, respectively. That will ensure we proc it as often as possible, boosting our defenses against bursts of damage.

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