[2.6] Explosive Arrow Pathfinder W/Videos -HC Endgame Mapping, Grandmasters, T16 Guardian Guides

I'm planning on running this build as my league starter for softcore. I hear the single target is poor but saw a shaper kill using EA on YouTube so confused why it is bad for single target?

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Runal wrote:

I'm planning on running this build as my league starter for softcore. I hear the single target is poor but saw a shaper kill using EA on YouTube so confused why it is bad for single target?

I aslo consider starting with this build in the league. I think sigle target is "poor" because you need invest to second quill rain, and play a little bit smarter than playing cyclone for example where you spin2win and don't care about anything.

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Sniper0808 wrote:

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Runal wrote:

I'm planning on running this build as my league starter for softcore. I hear the single target is poor but saw a shaper kill using EA on YouTube so confused why it is bad for single target?

I aslo consider starting with this build in the league. I think sigle target is "poor" because you need invest to second quill rain, and play a little bit smarter than playing cyclone for example where you spin2win and don't care about anything.

I started this build last league. You def don't need another quill rain for single target. The only time it becomes an issue is for ignite immune bosses :)

For this league I wanna try as a Scion. I tried to build my tree, here it is:

https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAABAABAABeAMEB0QN1A5YEBwYOCC4J9gqbC2EOPBQgFHEWbxhWGS4Zjho-Gmwc3BznHcIfAiHQJKolvCftKPoqjTI0NsU22DbpOlg7KDwtQYdFnUkbSshTUlXGVkhXDVpSXwRfP2BDaHRo8moebj12rHtue8N9dYGvggeCm4LHgwmDX4PMg9uEU4dljxqRK5SglyGYrZo7muCbXZuNna6f36IApq-nCKiarJitja9sr7ev67EFtz64k7jQvoDBfMT2xq7PftIh037UfNgk2E3Yvdlh2XzaOtpi20_e3N-_4MPhc-Nq5wrr7uxV7YPvDu9673zv_fAf8WzyL_JB8pf56P4K_ro=

Not sure about marauder side (diamond skin and heart of the warrior), probably not worth, but a problem I had during breach league was about resists (I had to wear bad items and jewels to get my resists capped), so... probably gonna take those nodes and respec when I get good stuff), and about ranger side. I hesitate about ascendant points too - chieftain is good for ignite and decoy totem synergy but Berserker/Slayer are probably better because of leech.

I tried leveling as a starter build and it's awful, basically you're forced to use Blast Rain until Merc Dried Lake but without %WED/+flat ele damage you do no damage and take forever to kill blues/rares. Also you're constantly struggling to find bows.

Wouldn't recommend as as starter built, at least not Pathfinder. Elementalist is okay.

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Sniper0808 wrote:

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Runal wrote:

I'm planning on running this build as my league starter for softcore. I hear the single target is poor but saw a shaper kill using EA on YouTube so confused why it is bad for single target?

I aslo consider starting with this build in the league. I think sigle target is "poor" because you need invest to second quill rain, and play a little bit smarter than playing cyclone for example where you spin2win and don't care about anything.

I played this last league for like 2 months. On softcore you don't really need to Quill Rains.

At the start you just get a 5L single target QR and a 4L AoE. You'll be easily clearing trash.
Once you get dying sun and "additional arrow" on quiver you can just run 1 EA setup.
Swap out IncAoE for Conc right before the boss (if It's a tough boss, read: Guardians+. Everything prior to guardians just melt)

There are 2 points where you need 2 QRs:
- You're on HC and you're afraid of shooting your semi-single target EA and dying to offscreen reflect
- You got to high enough maps where 4L doesn't melt trash but you can't afford Dying Sun + Corrupted quiver, so you buy a 5L QR.

Bottom line is:
You don't need 2x 6L QR on softcore.

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i8037 wrote:

I tried leveling as a starter build and it's awful, basically you're forced to use Blast Rain until Merc Dried Lake but without %WED/+flat ele damage you do no damage and take forever to kill blues/rares. Also you're constantly struggling to find bows.

Wouldn't recommend as as starter built, at least not Pathfinder. Elementalist is okay.

You did something wrong. Once you get BM you melt shit.

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Th3LoRD wrote:

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i8037 wrote:

I tried leveling as a starter build and it's awful, basically you're forced to use Blast Rain until Merc Dried Lake but without %WED/+flat ele damage you do no damage and take forever to kill blues/rares. Also you're constantly struggling to find bows.

Wouldn't recommend as as starter built, at least not Pathfinder. Elementalist is okay.

You did something wrong. Once you get BM you melt shit.

Could you elaborate on this? I don't see how BM helps your damage in any way.
I'm planning to start with this as well this evening, and from my experience leveling a bow char is a bit of a pain usually. I get by with Doomfletch and later on Doomfletch Prism as it's a hilariously powerful leveling weapon, but this makes for a very bumpy leveling curve as Doomfletch also tends to fall off at some point if you don't optimize your gear for +flat physical damage. Also, on the first day of a league buying leveling uniques is not really an option anyway.
I've never tried Blast Rain for leveling though, usually I go Shrapnel Shot -> Tornado Shot/Lightning Arrow until Merciless Dried Lake then get the skill I want to use.

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Inkaflare wrote:

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Th3LoRD wrote:

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i8037 wrote:

I tried leveling as a starter build and it's awful, basically you're forced to use Blast Rain until Merc Dried Lake but without %WED/+flat ele damage you do no damage and take forever to kill blues/rares. Also you're constantly struggling to find bows.

Wouldn't recommend as as starter built, at least not Pathfinder. Elementalist is okay.

You did something wrong. Once you get BM you melt shit.

Could you elaborate on this? I don't see how BM helps your damage in any way..

Because you can start using EA I suppose.

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Inkaflare wrote:

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Th3LoRD wrote:

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i8037 wrote:

I tried leveling as a starter build and it's awful, basically you're forced to use Blast Rain until Merc Dried Lake but without %WED/+flat ele damage you do no damage and take forever to kill blues/rares. Also you're constantly struggling to find bows.

Wouldn't recommend as as starter built, at least not Pathfinder. Elementalist is okay.

You did something wrong. Once you get BM you melt shit.

Could you elaborate on this? I don't see how BM helps your damage in any way.
I'm planning to start with this as well this evening, and from my experience leveling a bow char is a bit of a pain usually. I get by with Doomfletch and later on Doomfletch Prism as it's a hilariously powerful leveling weapon, but this makes for a very bumpy leveling curve as Doomfletch also tends to fall off at some point if you don't optimize your gear for +flat physical damage. Also, on the first day of a league buying leveling uniques is not really an option anyway.
I've never tried Blast Rain for leveling though, usually I go Shrapnel Shot -> Tornado Shot/Lightning Arrow until Merciless Dried Lake then get the skill I want to use.

There's a pretty detailed guide on leveling. But once you reach BM (level 38) or BM+EE (like 45 or so), 4L EA should be melting things.
Things to keep in mind:
- Get EA gem ASAP and start leveling it (level 28 or so); EA is a spell, it scales immensely with gem level
- Learn to use EA. Don't just hold down right click