[3.13] ARCHAMAGE HIERPHANT DUO ✦ Tanky low-budget BV league starter ✦ CI upgrade with clusters ✦

From cheap, tanky and easy to play Blade Vortex Archmage Build in first weeks of the league. To really all round defended CI version with max out physical damage mitigation and immunity to Chaos.
I had a total blast playing variants of this build in 3.12 and 3.12 Flashback. Here I am encompassing all great things about two builds.

Both builds have full 10-15m video guides on Youtube that are even more detailed that written guide. And this forum post + PoB pastebin links for purpose of easy exploration of gem links, gear and main build ideas.



__________________________________________________________________________________

Here is fully voiced VIDEO GUIDES:

▶ YOUTUBE League Starter Blade Vortex ARCHMAGE tank ▶
▶ YOUTUBE League Starter ARCHMAGE CHAOS INACULATION UPGRADE ▶
▶ YOUTUBE League Starter BV Elementalist TRINITY ARCHMAGE version ▶

__________________________________________________________________________________

PATCH NOTES:

Added Ele version without Replica Soul Tether for reworked 3.13 Elementalist!

3.13 Had some buffs to League Starter Variant. Now it is possible to run more DPSy Conviction of Power variant (see PoB). In short it have better DPS, more physical damage mitigation and easier time gearing with extra ele resists with price of less AoE and 1.5k energy shield.

Everything else received no actual buffs/nerfs and stays the same.

__________________________________________________________________________________

POB PASTEBIN:

3.13 PoB LEAGUE STARTER BV: https://pastebin.com/nXqJQRz3
3.13 PoB CHAOS INOCULATION UPGRADE: https://pastebin.com/7SF0rFXY
3.13 PoB LEAGUE STARTER BV TRINITY Elementalist version: https://pastebin.com/i3VCc89V
This Pastebin will work with only Community Fork version of PoB


__________________________________________________________________________________

LEAGUE STARTER BLADE VORTEX:

If you are wondering what is special about this particular league starter, there are several unique features.

First, this build is designed to operate without any rare or expensive unique items in first week of the league. This build exclude cluster and timeless jewels, rare crafting modifiers like influenced or delve items.

To save your hands from RSI this build is using Blade Vortex spell with a lot of automation to have very low APM for prolonged gaming sessions. And another advantage of this build is lack of attribute requirements since every digit of attributes is attained from passive tree and unique items.

__________________________________________________________________________________

GEAR:

To increase our effective HP and damage we are using several really cheap and widely available unique items.



Dark Seer Scepter in life and mana variant is adding flat amount of life and mana corresponding to your level, while adding blind effect.

Loineye's Remorse Shield is increasing your flat life and added conversion of life to energy shield. Alongside with big flat armor roll for physical damage mitigation.



Our only 6-link is Blade Vortex. Important to understand that you are converting mana cost of this spell into lightning damage through Archmage Support. Level 20 Blade Vortex physical damage is irrelevant and correspond to 1% of your total damage. That is why we run only level 6 Blade Vortex to confine Dexterity requirements to our passive tree with 54 dexterity available.

Due to the nature of Blade Vortex and to lower APM you need faster way of Blade generation through Unleash Support. Since we have big Energy Shield we will run Energy Leech Support to have Energy Shield sustain. And then Intensify Support is great addition for this build to have extra Area of Effect combined with extra damage when you stand still through application of Apex Mode unique jewel.

And last gem would be your choice of Increased Area of Effect or Concentrated Effect Support depending on the task ahead



Several unique items will scale our defenses, attribute requirements and damage.

First unique is Atziri's Foible Amulet for extra mana sustain and to meet attribute requirements. It is sensible to anoint Mind Drinker notable to gain extra mana sustain on map clear.

Second unique is Crown of Inward Eye. While not required, it is simply to good to ignore. Transfiguration of Body and Soul increase our damage with life and energy shield scaling and we have plenty of that. While we already have Transfiguration of Mind from Divine Guidance Ascendancy Crown have huge flat armor for our physical damage mitigation.





Since we need our unreserved mana for extra damage we are running
two Essence Worm rings with auras.

First Aura is your extra lightning damage for Archmage Support with
Wrath Aura. Second is Determination with corresponding combination of Watchers Eye and extra physical damage mitigation while you have this aura active.

Since Watchers Eye with that effect can be a bit harder to obtain early in the league. It is plausible to run Sand Stance with Flesh and Stone Aura for a bit higher average effective HP prior to Determination / Watcher's Eye combo.



Once you get Cinderswallow Urn you can swap Mind Drinker Anoint with Intensify Notable for better damage.

__________________________________________________________________________________

CHAOS INACULATION UPGRADE:



__________________________________________________________________________________

CHAOS INACULATION UPGRADE GEAR:













__________________________________________________________________________________

IVORY TOWER GUARDIAN UPGRADE:

__________________________________________________________________________________

My build guides:


Here on the forum:

EMANCIPATED HOOKER, League Starter, Chain Hook, Chains Of Emancipation

ARCHMAGE PATHFINDER, Shock Nova, MoM

Monk Inquisitor, Hollow Palm Technuque

SMART SOULWREST with VOLATILE DEAD

Infernal Legion Skeleton Bomber

Cyclone Zombiemancer (NERFED, can be recovered tho)


__________________________________________________________________________________

YOUTUBE video guides:

EMANCIPATED HOOKER ✦ League Starter ✦ Chain Hook ✦ Chains Of Emancipation ✦

ARCHMAGE PATHFINDER ✦ Shock Nova ✦ MoM ✦ Agnostic ✦

MONK INQUISITOR ✦ Hollow Palm Technique ✦ Consecrated Path ✦

✦ SMART SOULWREST with VOLATILE DEAD ✦

ANIMATE WEAPON POPCORN FACTORY ✦ Poet's Pen ✦ Infernal Legion Minion Instability

MINION INSTABILITY SKELETON BOMBER

______________________________________________________________________________________________________[/span][/b]

Added full descriptions to League Starter Part. CI Upgrade Next.
Ivory Tower Guard version is now rather irrelevant thanks to 3.13 Hierophant buffs.

Replica Soul tether it´s like 4,5 ex right now. So the starter setup probably needs some adjustments.

Oh, and great guide!

Interesting Build, ill make shure too give this a try this league, Cheers!

Hi, is it possible to change blade vortex with shock nova with the league starter build ? Will i do more damage or less ?


Oh and great build ;)

Any advice how to level up this hierophant?

Thanks for all the kind replies!

"

MrWay wrote:

Replica Soul tether it´s like 4,5 ex right now. So the starter setup probably needs some adjustments.

Oh, and great guide!

Yes, went to meta unique range... or maybe just nobody runs Heist...

Build is totally fine with Conviction of Power variant + Agnostic Keystone on 0 energy shield.

Just swap Energy Leech for Lightning Penetration and don't forget to run Instant Mana flask to jump start Dynamo from 0 mana.

Actually doing exactly that setup on BV elementalist Archmage atm, just got my league Sirius A4 kill yesterday.

Also with rare belt you can get so much more chaos res!

"

Hi, is it possible to change blade vortex with shock nova with the league starter build ? Will i do more damage or less ?

Yep it is viable and more DPS, but you just press more buttons, which is not really nice for league start when you need to play a lot of PoE to set all the atlas stuff.

I go for more APM tense builds later in the league.

"

Any advice how to level up this hierophant

leveling tips are in the video.

Pretty much go for Ground Slam or Orb of Storms before level 31. Then start using BV with Archmage. Build carry itself on 4 link through story.

Giving the build a try, what would you recommend as early link for ground slam or Orb of Storm? Which gem have priority after 31?

"

Jhoira wrote:

Giving the build a try, what would you recommend as early link for ground slam or Orb of Storm? Which gem have priority after 31?

going to answer this myself as I found the answer on one of the yt videos linked in the guide:

"

First
Ground Slam - Ruthless Support - Onslaught Support
Then
Ground Slam - Ruthless Support - Maim Support
Then (level 18+)
Ground Slam - Ruthless Support - Maim Support - Melee Physical Damage Support
Then (level 31)
Blade Vortex - Archmage - Consecrated Effect - Lightning Penetration
Then (level 36)
Blade Vortex - Archmage - Consecrated Effect/Increased Area of Effect - Unleash Support
At this point you should have Dynamo setup with first Ascendancy, Arcane surge and Arcane Cloak.
After that just add things when you are ready with your gear. ATM build can totally finish acts on 4-link.