[3.19] Scourge Arrow Assasin | Huge Poison DPS | Crit DOT variant

Greetings Exiles, I'm just re-uploading my previous build guide which has been soft-locked, but I'm changing the format to youtube video (which I'd probably do from now on. Just sharing them here to link the forum to the guide.


>>>>>>>WATCH THIS<<<<<<<<<<<
Youtube guide: https://youtu.be/jswBKijREU0

Build showcase playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn4lVg3-kDCsrvfS-bpEm6UwnAS4YTy5c

POB: https://pastebin.com/VYGchvk0

Old forum guide: https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3214106/page/1





Pros & Cons:
Pros
+ Excellent clearing speed
+ Very good single target capability, theoretically. Actual DPS highly dependent on player skills.
+ Decently tanky, even more so for a ranged character
+ Cheap to start
+ DOT build but has less 'ramping up' like most chaos DOT build does, mapping dps less reliant on wither building up stacks.
+ 'True' sniping skill that can employ off-screening tactics.
+ Resistant to a lot of negative map mods (leech, reflect, etc.)

Cons
- Using cluster jewels
- Dependent on mana flasks
- Highly skill dependent, DPS is as low/high as how good the player plays it.
- Scourge Arrow playstyle needs some time to get used to. Difficult to use indoors / tight passageway, works better in open maps.
- Channeling skills require player to stand still, which can kill you a lot of time. Players need to use their judgement when to shoot / continue channelling.
- Defensive layer needs decent gear to come online (high rolls of chaos res)
- Still susceptible to one shots (evasion build)
- Slow movement speed


Offensive layers:
1. Scourge Arrow + Mirage Archer (CLEARING & BOSSING)
Mirage Archer follows your character and periodically shoots Scourge Arrow upon reaching maximum charge & in the enemy's direction, which will be crucial during bossing. Distance is far less of a concern for the build (whereby most bow builds would take Point Blank for extra damage), so safe playstyle can be adopted

2. Front-loaded DOT DPS (CLEARING)
Scourge Arrow channeling, which has the modifier of '150% more damage with hits & ailments per stage', which is delivered semi-automatically at maximum stage (5 stage) via Mirage Archer

Double cluster notable Eternal Suffering allows player to guarantee Wither stacks up to 5 with hits, and Poison mastery 'Poison you inflict on non-Poisoned enemies deal 300% increased Damage'

3. Crit Poison (BOSSING & CLEARING)
Heavy crit investments allows some mechanics to be consistently triggered as a result (e.g. Elusive on crit, flask charges on crit, Unholy might on crit, +DOT to ailments on crit, culling on crits, more poison damage on crits, etc.)

Uses the extremely cheap Ungil's Harmony to achieve the high crit chance, with near 0 downside, including Assasins's Ascendancies Toxic Delivery for flat crit chance per poison & Ambush and Assasinates for more crit chance based on enemy's life


Defensive layers:
1. Evasion + Elusive + Spell Suppression
65-75+% Evasion chance:
1000+ rating from Dendrobate unique armour
1500 rating from Jade Flask
2700+ rating & more modifier from Grace
Blind on hit from Abyss Jewel

10% Spell suppression chance:
10% from Quartz flask
90%% from Skill Tree + Magebane

Elusive (15% damage avoidace) from Elusive boots

2. Massive instant Life Recovery on Kill
Instant recovery on kill is stacked so much that it's typically healing upwards of 5% per monster kill, which at 4000 life is equal to 200 per monster,

Achieved through: Passive notable Hired Killer + Blood Drinker + Noxious Strike Ascendancy

3. Damage Mitigation (inc. via Chaos Conversion)
26% less + 45% less (for physical) from CWDT Immortal Call + Auto end. charge generation (cluster notable Enduring Composure)
20% reduced from Opportunistic (only during mapping where 2 or more rares/uniques)

Additionally, the build converts alot of the damage taken as chaos, which in turns is mitiageted by the capped, 80% chaos res obtained from Timeless Jewel keystone, Divine Flesh from Glorious Vanity Timeless Jewel (Xibaqua).

20% less phys damage taken (from Darkscorn's 25% phys taken as chaos

It is important to note that you should only use Darkscorn when you can get more than 0% chaos res and Divine Flesh when you can get more than 75% chaos res on the build, otherwise you would actually increase the damage taken from such sources.

4. Pathfinder-lite flasks uptime
Replenishing Remedies notable + Flask mastery (utility flask gain charge) + Flagellant/Surgeon (via crits) flasks.


Mastery, Ascendancy, Bandits & Pantheon
Important Mastery :
1. Flask mastery (Utility flask gain charge)
2. Spell suppression mastery (added spell suppression if eva gear)
3. Poison mastery (poison on non-poisoned inflict 300% inc. damage)
4. Bow Mastery (accuracy per green socket on bow)

Ascendancy :
1. Noxious Strike (poison chance)
2. Toxic Delivery (going crit poison)
3. Ambush & Assasinate (DPS)
4. Opportunistic (DPS)

Bandits :
Eramir (2 passive points)

Pantheon :
Soul of Brine King (Freeze immunity, reduced chill and stun mitigation)
Soul of Ryslatha / Yugul / Shakari (life flasks, or Yugul for reduced curse effectiveness during cursed maps, reduced chaos damage taken)


Gem setup:
Main Skill (Scourge Arrow):
Scourge Arrow + Deadly Ailments + Void Manupulation + Unbound Ailment + Vicious Projectiles + Mirage Archer
Main skill, Scourge Arrow for pod fires extra thorn arrows.

Wither Totem
Wither + Faster Casting + Spell Totem + Multiple Totems
Wither application for tankier enemies

Dash
Dash + Second Wind
Standard dash

Utility 1: Frenzy & Power charge generation
Frenzy + GMP + Power Charge on Critical
Frenzy and power charge generation

Utility 2: CWDT Immortal Call
Cast When Damage Taken + Immortal Call
Guard skill

Utility 3: Vaal Blight + Vaal Haste + Vaal Grace (Aura + Vaal version)
Vaal Blight + Vaal Haste + Vaal Grace + Increased Duration
Vaal blight for extra damage + hinder. Vaal grace to use as aura & vaal version.

Aura
Malevolence + Herald of Agony + Precision + Grace (in other slots
Until decent unreserved mana (70++)


My Gear + Explanation:
Make sure to get those chaos res for Darkscorn, do not use if cannot get positive chaos res (would amplify phys damage)

Bow:
High phys bows>Darkscorn

Quiver:
Drillneck > Rare quiver with +add arrow & DOT multi

Helmet:
(Evasion) Any rare helmet > Rare Helmet with SA extra pod enchant + open suffix to craft 'inc. duration of ailment when focus' + Searing & Eater Implicits

Body Armour:
5L rare > 5L Dendrobate > 6L Dendrobate / 6L Covenant (If cheap)

Gloves:
(Evasion) Rares > Embalmer gloves with Despair on hit corruption

Boots:
(Evasion) Rares > Elusive Boots / Searing & Eater Implicits

Belt:
Rare > Stygian Vise

Rings:
Shavronnes Revelation (for mana regen) + Rare > Rare resists rings with attributes for Dendrobate

Amulet:
Ungil's Harmony (Anointed Dirty Technique)

Jewels:
- Unnatural Instinct
- Glorious Vanity (Xibaqua) <<<<IMPORTANT
- Large cluster with Overwhelming Malice (Unholy Might on crit)
- 2x Medium cluster jewel with Eternal Suffering mod (small Wither without totem)
- Small cluster jewel w. Enduring Composure (Endurance charge generation)
- Small cluster jewel w. Mortifying Aspect (Malevolence % efficiency + Chaos res)
- Abyss jewel with life + T1 accuracy rating + blind on hit <<<<IMPORTANT

Flasks:
1.Bleed life flask
2.Enduring Mana flask <<<<IMPORTANT
3.Quartz Flask (attack speed)
4.Quicksilver Flask (reduced curse effect)
5.Jade Flask (evasion rating)