Flicker Strike Raider Necropolis 3.24 Guide

March 25, 2024 12 minutes

Build Overview

Welcome to the WowCarry website's detailed guide on the Flicker Strike Raider build for the Necropolis expansion in Path of Exile (PoE). Known for its complexity and often high cost, Flicker Strike has been a build many aspire to master due to its exhilarating playstyle. Our guide is designed to make this build accessible at a reasonable entry price, while also providing avenues for extensive optimization for those looking to push the build to its limits.

Choosing the Raider Ascendancy, we embrace its synergy with Flicker Strike, providing an unmatched combination of speed, utility, and the essential generation of Frenzy Charges. Despite perceptions that Raider may not currently be the top choice compared to Ascendancies like Slayer or Trickster, its unique advantages, especially in conjunction with specific gear like Farrul's Fur, make it an excellent fit for this build. Farrul's Fur plays a pivotal role in sustaining Frenzy Charges, essential for maintaining Flicker Strike's momentum, especially during boss encounters.

The core of the Raider Ascendancy's strength lies in the Avatar of the Slaughter and Way of the Poacher passives. These not only increase your Frenzy Charge capacity but also significantly enhance your character's performance per charge. With the potential to accumulate up to 10 or more Frenzy Charges with high-end gear, the Raider's mobility and defensive capabilities are significantly enhanced, albeit at the cost of a lower health pool. This trade-off, while making the build exhilarating, suggests a caution against its use in Hardcore play due to its vulnerability to high-damage hits.

This Flicker Strike Raider guide aims to provide you with all the knowledge needed to effectively play this dynamic build in PoE's Necropolis expansion, ensuring both new and veteran players can enjoy the thrill of instantaneously blinking into battle with the assurance of a well-optimized build path.

Pros and Cons

Pros Cons
  • Flicker Strike offers a rapid and enjoyable gameplay experience.
  • Revitalizes an underutilized Ascendancy, giving it purpose and flair.
  • Accessible on a budget, allowing a wide range of players to enjoy.
  • Capable of conquering all game content with the right gear.
  • May cause nausea for some players due to its fast-paced nature.
  • Despite being tanky, it suffers from a low maximum Life, making it unsuitable for Hardcore (HC) play.
  • Lacks control over movement, requiring knowledge of boss mechanics for optimal DPS.

Map Modifiers to be Avoided: This Flicker Strike Raider build, while powerful, does have its Achilles' heel in the form of map modifiers. Physical Reflect maps are a no-go due to the build's partial damage conversion, meaning both Physical and Elemental Reflect maps pose a significant threat. However, if a Reflect map is accidentally chosen, the situation is not without remedy. Switching to the Yugul pantheon and donning a Sibyl's Lament ring allows for a temporary adaptation to safely clear the map. Additionally, No Leech maps, though rare, can disrupt the build's sustain and should be approached with caution.

Build Main Mechanics

The Flicker Strike Raider build in Path of Exile's Necropolis expansion thrives on its dynamic playstyle, blending speed, evasion, and raw power to create an exhilarating combat experience. Central to this build's operation are Frenzy Charges, essential for bypassing the innate cooldown of Flicker Strike and enabling continuous use of this high-impact skill. Achieving a steady flow of Frenzy Charges, especially against single targets, presents a challenge, necessitating strategic gear choices to maintain DPS efficiency.

The Raider Ascendancy enhances Flicker Strike's effectiveness by boosting Suppression, Evasion, and Movement Speed—key attributes that allow you to weave through the battlefield with agility and precision. The high Movement Speed, in particular, is not just thrilling; it's a critical survival tool. It facilitates quick transitions between enemy packs and aids in evading deadly "on death" effects and other dangers that you might inadvertently leap into during your frenetic assault.

One of the most captivating aspects of this build is its nearly autonomous clearing capability. Engaging Flicker Strike sets you on a path of destruction through maps, delivering you effortlessly to boss encounters. This "auto-pilot" mode, combined with the skill's inherent satisfaction from smooth and efficient clearing, makes the build particularly appealing. However, it's vital to approach the build's gearing strategy with caution. A balanced investment in both damage output and survivability is crucial to navigate the risks associated with its squishy nature effectively.

This guide from WowCarry emphasizes the importance of strategic balance in your character's development. By carefully allocating resources to enhance both your offensive capabilities and defenses, you can fully enjoy the unique thrill of the Flicker Strike Raider build, making your journey through Necropolis not just survivable, but remarkably enjoyable.

PoB, Passives and Gem Links

For those looking to optimize their Flicker Strike Raider build, an in-depth Path of Building can be found to guide you through the specifics of maximizing your character's potential.

Gem Links

The cornerstone of this build is the 6-Link Flicker Strike setup, leveraging the unique properties of a Paradoxica to amplify damage through added effects. The gem links are meticulously selected to boost damage per Frenzy Charge and enhance overall DPS, with a particular emphasis on Ice Bite and Awakened Added Cold Damage Support. Elemental Damage with Attacks is favored for its synergy with the build's damage profile. Here are the essential gem links:

  • Flicker Strike
  • Multistrike Support
  • Close Combat Support
  • Awakened Added Cold Damage Support
  • Ice Bite Support
  • Awakened Elemental Damage with Attacks Support

Note: Incorporate Melee Splash Support until acquiring the necessary passive node.

Additionally, a Less Duration support gem is vital, albeit unlinked, to enhance the rotation of Aspect of the Cat, typically housed within the gloves. This setup ensures a quicker generation of Frenzy Charges through Farrul's Fur effects.

Buffs – Vaal Skills

To bolster DPS, especially against formidable bosses, Vaal Haste and Ancestral Warchief are integrated, with flexibility in socket placement to accommodate the build's tight socket constraints. The totem setup may include:

  • Vaal Ancestral Warchief
  • Ancestral Protector
  • Multiple Totems Support
  • Culling Strike Support (or Vaal Haste for increased speed)

Auras

Running multiple auras effectively requires a shield with "Socketed Gems have # Reduced Reservation" or, alternatively, the use of Enlighten or dropping Herald of Ice temporarily. The primary auras include:

  • Grace
  • Hatred
  • Herald of Ice

Precision is also key, with its level adjustable based on other sources of accuracy to ensure 100% effectiveness.

Movement Skill

Leap Slam, linked with Lifetap and Faster Attacks Support, is the chosen movement skill, offering unparalleled mobility when augmented by the build's focus on Frenzy Charges and Attack Speed.

Blood Rage & Mark on Hit

A high-level Blood Rage is recommended for enhanced benefits, alongside a Mark on Hit setup with Assassin's Mark. This combination ensures sustained DPS and survivability.

This detailed guide to gem links and passive strategies is designed to empower your Flicker Strike Raider journey through PoE's Necropolis, brought to you by WowCarry. For further assistance or specific inquiries, our community on Discord is always ready to help.

Ascendancy, Pantheons and Deal with the Bandits

Ascendancy

The Raider Ascendancy is a cornerstone of the Flicker Strike Raider build, demanding strategic choices to maximize its potential. The path begins with Way of the Poacher, offering valuable damage enhancements through Frenzy Charges, a critical component for both leveling and end-game efficiency. This leads to the pivotal Avatar of the Slaughter, dramatically increasing movement speed, evasion, attack speed, and attack damage, essential for the build's efficacy.

In the intermediate stages, Quartz Infusion provides permanent Phasing, enhancing dodge capabilities and serving as a precursor to Avatar of the Veil. This final node is selected for its boss utility, applying Cold Exposure for increased damage and granting elemental ailment immunity, a significant boon for survivability and performance.

The intricacies of Raider Ascendancy progression highlight the build's flexibility and potential for optimization, ensuring a potent combination of speed, evasion, and damage.

Deal with the Bandits

For this Flicker Strike Raider build, the optimal choice is to assist Eramir by eliminating all the Bandits, securing 2 additional skill points. These points are invaluable, given the build's intense demand for optimal skill allocation.

Pantheons

Choosing the right Pantheons enhances the build's strengths and mitigates its vulnerabilities. The Brine King as the Major God provides protection against stuns, crucial for a build with a lower life pool. For the Minor God, Soul of Yugul is recommended for its curse immunity, complemented by a Reduced Curse effect flask for full efficacy.

While upgrading Pantheons is beneficial, it's not a priority for this build. However, if the opportunity arises, enhancing these powers can provide subtle yet valuable improvements to your character's resilience and effectiveness.

This section of the Flicker Strike Raider guide, brought to you by WowCarry, underscores the strategic decisions behind Ascendancy choices, Pantheon selections, and the Bandits dilemma, ensuring your character is finely tuned for the challenges of PoE's Necropolis.

Gear

Choosing the right gear is crucial for maximizing the potential of your Flicker Strike Raider build in PoE's Necropolis expansion. Below is a curated list of recommended items that synergize with the build's mechanics, focusing on enhancing speed, damage, and survivability.

Item Slot Item Name
Head Heatshiver
Amulet Yoke of Suffering
Chest Farrul's Fur
Gloves Rare Slink Gloves with Suppression, Life, Attack Speed & Aspect of the Cat
Boots Darkray Vectors
Belt Darkness Enthroned
Rings Double The Taming
Weapon Paradoxica
Shield Any Armor Shield with Life, Ailment Avoidance, Socketed Gems have Less Reservation

This selection of gear is designed to enhance the unique playstyle of the Flicker Strike Raider, balancing the need for mobility, damage output, and resilience. The combination of these items supports the build's core mechanics, from Frenzy Charge generation and maintenance to the mitigation of incoming damage, all while ensuring your Raider remains agile and deadly on the battlefield.

Summary

And there you have it, folks – the ultimate guide to rocking the Flicker Strike Raider build in Path of Exile's Necropolis expansion. From the thrill of blinking across battlefields with unmatched speed to the satisfaction of seeing enemies fall before you know it, this guide has got you covered. Whether you're gearing up, picking your passives, or fine-tuning those gem links, we've laid it all out in a way that's easy to follow and, hopefully, fun to read. But hey, if you find yourself scratching your head or just want to skip ahead to the good parts, remember that we at WowCarry are here to lend a hand. Our services include helping you out with this build, among many others, so you can get back to enjoying the game without the grind. Whether you need a little advice or the whole shebang, we've got your back. Happy Flickering, Exiles!

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