Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder Necropolis 3.24 Guide

Build Overview

Disclaimer: While this Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder build for Necropolis 3.24 no longer carries the label of a boss killer, it's adept at dispatching most non-uber bosses with ease. A key strategy for maximizing damage against bosses involves positioning your cursor closer to your character, exploiting Scourge Arrow's unique mechanics for optimal damage output. This approach contrasts with mapping scenarios, where aiming further enhances screen-wide clear efficiency. Despite not being the premier choice for boss encounters, adhering closely to this guide ensures formidable performance in both boss battles and map clearing.

Introduction: Diverging from the typical Bow – Ranger archetype, the Scourge Arrow Pathfinder presents a refreshing gameplay dynamic, emphasizing Poison damage over direct hits. This shift from conventional bow playstyles offers a novel and engaging experience. With a focus on achieving 100% Chance to Poison and enhancing Poison and Chaos Damage exclusively, this build caters to a distinct player base seeking to explore unconventional archetypes.

Accessible even to newcomers of Path of Exile (PoE), this guide aims to furnish players with affordable gear options, ensuring viability in both standard and Solo-Self Found (SSF) play modes. Remarkably, the build's design allows for impressive survivability and damage output, challenging the stereotype of fragile Ranger builds. Leveraging Pathfinder's mechanics alongside Evasion, Spell Suppression, and Max Resistances, it boasts substantial durability and resistance against one-shot mechanics, with Physical Damage being the only significant threat when not evaded.

The Poison Scourge Arrow skill itself benefits from recent enhancements, making it a potent catalyst for Poison-centric builds. Its staged damage amplification and compatibility with Poison mechanics enable consistent, high-impact Poison applications across multiple targets. Coupled with the Pathfinder Ascendancy's Poison proliferation capability, this build promises exceptional clearing speed and efficacy.

Written by WowCarry, this guide for the Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder in PoE's Necropolis expansion aims to equip players with the knowledge to master this unique build, blending the thrill of traditional archery with the strategic depth of Poison mechanics.

Pros and Cons

This Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder build for the Necropolis 3.24 expansion in PoE strikes a balance between formidable single-target damage and exceptional tankiness. Despite its learning curve and reliance on Damage over Time mechanics, the build's resilience against map mods and the strategic use of Flasks provide a solid foundation for both new and veteran players. Detailed by WowCarry, this guide explores the intricacies of creating a durable yet potent Pathfinder, ensuring that players can navigate the challenges of PoE with confidence.

Build Main Mechanics

This Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder guide highlights the build's remarkable scalability and efficiency from its inception with starter gear to its peak performance with optimal equipment. Initially capable of delivering over 2 million DPS and maintaining a robust 5.5K Life, along with several defensive layers, the build does not necessitate specific gear or rolls to be functional. Its scalability allows players to smoothly transition through early red maps, facilitating the accumulation of currency for further gear enhancements.

Key to amplifying Poison damage, the build incorporates the Malevolence Aura for enhanced Damage over Time and Poison Duration, alongside (Vaal) Grace and Defiance Banner for additional defense layers. Herald of Agony further boosts Poison efficacy with increased Poison Chance and a "more Poison Damage" multiplier. These elements coalesce to form a build not only viable from day one but also capable of substantial growth with gear progression.

Playstyle, Mechanics, Strengths: At its core, the build aims to apply numerous Poisons to enemies, leveraging Scourge Arrow's capacity for limitless Poison applications. The critical mechanic of acquiring at least one source of Additional Arrows ensures that Scourge Arrow fires in a manner that maximizes pod impact on targets. This setup is crucial for effective single-target damage and is easily achievable with skill tree adjustments.

Defense plays a pivotal role in this build, with Crystal Skin providing balanced mitigation against both Elemental and Physical Damage. Enhanced by the Pathfinder's Flask effect scaling, flasks such as Taste of Hate, Quartz Flask, and Eternal Life Flask significantly bolster life recovery and hit mitigation. The optimized build achieves an impressive effective Health Pool, rendering it extraordinarily resilient against all forms of damage.

The optimal playstyle emphasizes fully charging Scourge Arrow to exploit the "More damage per stage" mechanic, ensuring wide-area coverage and efficient screen clearance through Poison proliferation, courtesy of Pathfinder’s Nature Reprisal. For boss encounters, strategic pod placement is essential to maximize damage output, especially before acquiring Additional Arrows. This build, meticulously detailed by WowCarry, exemplifies a blend of offensive prowess and defensive stability, suitable for a wide range of PoE's Necropolis content.

PoB, Passives and Gem Links

An optimized Path of Building for the Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder can be found here. This section delves into the intricacies of Gem Links, a crucial aspect of maximizing the build's potential within PoE's Necropolis expansion.

Gem Links

• Scourge Arrow (6-Link): The primary focus of our Gem Links is on maximizing Poison damage, with Scourge Arrow's hit damage playing a minimal role. Incorporating Lifetap Support eliminates mana costs, ensuring sustained usage. For those uncomfortable with frequent Life Flask use, an Enduring Hallowed Hybrid Flask serves as an alternative. The ideal setup includes:
• Scourge Arrow
• Lifetap Support
• Awakened Unbound Ailments Support
• Awakened Deadly Ailments Support
• Mirage Archer Support
• Awakened Void Manipulation Support
• Note: Prior to acquiring Dendrobate, include Chance to Poison Support.

• Aura Setup – In The Devouring Diadem: This setup hosts Malevolence & Defiance Banner, alongside Herald of Agony for an optimal aura composition. The setup comprises:
• Herald of Agony
• Vaal Grace
• Malevolence
• Enlighten Support (Level 2)
• If Enlighten Support is unavailable, consider "Mana Mastery" for reservation efficiency or omit Defiance Banner temporarily.

• Wither & Ballista: Enhancing damage output against bosses, this setup employs a Ballista Totem linked with Withering Touch to apply withered stacks effectively. The configuration includes:
• Scourge Arrow
• Ballista Totem Support
• Withering Touch Support
• Focused Ballista Support
• Unbound Ailments Support
• Added Chaos Damage Support

• Defensive Setup: Leveraging Cast when Damage Taken linked with Increased Duration, this setup ensures optimal use of Vaal Grace alongside Steelskin for enhanced defense. Components include:
• Enhance Support
• Steelskin
• Mark On Hit Support
• Sniper's Mark

• Plague Bearer: This skill offers significant AoE damage, ideal for map clearing. Activation accumulates damage, which is then released upon reactivation. Pairing with Dash enhances mobility. The setup entails:
• Plague Bearer
• Enhance Support
• Awakened Increased Area of Effect Support
• Dash

Through meticulous optimization and strategic Gem Link configurations, the Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder emerges as a formidable build within the Necropolis 3.24 guide, meticulously curated by WowCarry. This setup not only enhances offensive capabilities but also fortifies defensive resilience, embodying a holistic approach to character development in PoE.

Ascendancy, Pantheons and Deal with the Bandits

The Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder build benefits significantly from a tailored selection of Ascendancy points, Bandit choices, and Pantheon powers, each contributing uniquely to the build's efficacy in Path of Exile's Necropolis expansion.

Ascendancy

• Nature’s Adrenaline: Ideal for sustaining Flask Uptime, its value varies based on your leveling path. For those focusing on Poison early, other Poison-centric Ascendancies might take precedence.
• Master Toxicist: Offers a significant damage boost by increasing Poison damage potential during Flask Effect. Its clear speed enhancement through Poison spread is invaluable for mapping.
• Nature’s Reprisal: Essential for reaching Wither Cap and amplifying its effect, thereby boosting overall damage output. A key Ascendancy for Poison and Chaos damage builds.
• Nature’s Boon: Enhances both damage and survivability modestly. Optimizing Flask setup around this Ascendancy maximizes its utility.
• Master Surgeon: An alternative to Nature’s Boon, providing recovery benefits, particularly effective with long-lasting Life Flasks. The choice between Nature’s Boon and Master Surgeon is largely based on personal preference.

Bandits

The consensus for this build is to kill all Bandits, opting for the 2 additional Skill Points offered by Eramir. This choice is predicated on the value of Passive Skill Points over the marginal benefits provided by any Bandit ally.

Pantheons

• Major Gods: Soul of Solaris shines as the top pick, offering critical protection against Physical Damage, which poses the greatest threat to this build, especially from overlapping Area Damage Hits.
• Minor Gods: Soul of Shakari is recommended for its reduction in Chaos Damage taken, synergizing with the build's conversion of Physical to Chaos Damage and mitigating damage from Caustic Ground.

Upgrading Pantheons: While all upgrades are beneficial, priority should be given to the one that provides an additional 8% Reduced Elemental Damage taken if you haven’t been Hit Recently, further safeguarding against one-shot scenarios. Divine Vessels are used in the Map Device to capture the souls of specific bosses, enhancing Pantheon powers.

Detailed by WowCarry, this guide ensures that players of the Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder build can effectively navigate the choices of Ascendancy, Pantheons, and dealing with the Bandits to maximize their character's potential in the latest Necropolis 3.24 expansion of PoE.

Gear

For the Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder build, selecting the right gear is paramount to optimizing performance. The following recommendations by WowCarry detail essential items to enhance both offense and defense capabilities in PoE's Necropolis expansion.

Our recommendation:

This curated gear selection underscores the importance of balancing between survivability and damage output. The Devouring Diadem and Dendrobate stand out as core pieces, offering significant boosts to Ailment Duration and facilitating the Poison Scourge Arrow's mechanics. High Life and Resistances across several gear pieces ensure robustness, while the unique and rare attributes of the Weapon and Quiver notably elevate the build's offensive potential. Following this guide will equip players with the necessary tools to thrive within the demanding environments of Necropolis 3.24.

Summary

Wrapping up, this Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder guide is your ticket to mastering one of the most versatile builds in the Necropolis 3.24 expansion of Path of Exile. From the get-go with starter gear to the heights of end-game content, we've laid out everything you need: the pros and cons, main mechanics, essential gem links, and the best gear choices to make your journey smoother. And remember, if you're ever finding yourself in a pinch or just want to skip the grind, we at WowCarry have got your back. Whether it's parts of this guide you're struggling with or you're looking for a full build service, we’re here to help you out. Dive into this build with confidence, and see just how rewarding playing a Poison Scourge Arrow Pathfinder can be!