Dominating Blow Guardian A10 Pts+Labs Commentary Run 3h28m

---- Version 1 of Notes Section (Last Updated 3/2/2026) ---- Below is some information to help make leveling Dominating Blow Guardian easier including Link setups, Notable Passive Orders, Gem Acquisition, Solving Attributes, and some questions and answers. This run will typically end around Lvl 61/62 based on how I normally XP in preparation for a league start. ---- 3.28 Disclaimer ---- This run was prepared for before announcement of Holy Strike / 3.28 changes. I do NOT account for new skills when doing PoB/commentary like this. ---- Gear and Weapon Acquisition ---- We will be using two handed swords through most of run until we get RT in second half of campaign. You will want to keep your base updated approximately every 8 to 10 levels. Can do so via gambles or via essences Chromes are EXTREMELY important for this run archetype as you ideally want to get as many relevant 4Ls as possible to fit key gems since minions face huge socket pressure issues. Be mindful of how certain outcomes that you are not targetting may nonetheless be useful for another skill/minion Gamble for 4L from Maramoa in A4 at Lvl 25 or as needed. Ideally, you want to focus on getting an at least 3R 4L for Dominating Blow. Fourth gem link can vary as needed. We will want AT LEAST one more 4L for Herald of Purity with preference towards R-B-B for HoP - Phantasm - Feeding Frenzy... the fourth link can be whatever Need to use a heavy belt by mid A2 onwards (Lvl 16) to avoid strength issues. Take Jade Amulet from Dialla quest in A3 Solaris 2 to help with Dexterity requirements. ---- Links ---- Lvl 2 to 12: Frostblades (R) - Ancestral Call (R) - Any reasonable damage support Spectral Throw (G) - Momentum (G) - Any reasonable damage support... if don't have G for momentum, whatever reasonable damage support. Can have big flexibility here Added Fire (R) or Chance to Bleed (R) for Red, Added Light or Phantasm for Blue Lvl 12 to 32: Spectral Helix (G) - Any reasonable damage support - Any reasonable damage supprot... Momentum / Culling if green socket, Added Lightning, Phantasm, Prismatic Burst, Living Lightning (MUST have Herald of Thunder or other flat), Phys to Lightning for Blues, Added Fire, Chance to Bleed, or Cruelty for Red Lvl 28 onwards (Priortize getting AT LEAST R-R for Dom Blow-Melee Splash and 3rd R if at all possible for Fortify, loads of flexibility for 4th color/gem in 4L setup) Dominating Blow (R) - Melee Splash (R) - Fortify (R) - Any reasonable damage suppport... Momentum for green, Added Lightning, Living Lightning (if source of flat lightning somewhere), Phys to Lightning for Blue, Maim, Ruthless, Melee Phys (red) Other Minions: Herald of Purity: Try to 4L with only mandatory link being R-B for Summon Phantasm... then tried to get supports that will dmg for both herald of purity/phantasms, will often hunt for a R-B-B for Feeding Frenzy for setup since get best uptime that way. Please be AWARE of mana multipliers for various supports as trying to keep this setup as mana efficient as possible makes mana more playable Herald of Purity (R) - Summon Phantasm (B) - Feeding Frenzy (B) for best uptime, otherwise any reasonable dmg support that applies to both minions - Any reasonable damage support for both minions Summon Holy Relic (B) - if have spare links can support with damage gems, often will not have spare links Summon Carrion Golem (B) - if have spare links can support with damage gems, often will not have spare links Reservations and Utility: Required: Precision (G) to meet accuracy needs (above like 93ish % accuracy). Level it as required. Don't overlevel if not needed due to it being a mana hog with its flat mana reservation Herald of Purity (R) Ancestral Cry (R) - Autoexert (R) from Dom Blow swap onwards Once you get Sovereignity reservational wheel in A7/A8, can put Flesh and Stone (R) [usually in A7 before Cruel Lab]. Typically, keep in sand stance for defensive boost for things within aura. Dmg good enough at this point Optional/Nice to Have, But Not Necessary: Can use either Herald of Ash (R) or Herald of Thunder (B) until your reservation from Herald of Precision/Precision becomes too much. Often won't need to level precision too much due to using 2H swords which have inherent accuracy. Use Thunder over Ash in following circumstance: you have/plan to have Living Lightning support AND do not have source of flat lightning elsewhere. If you plan to using Living Lightning on Dom Blow setup, you can craft flat lightning on rings/amulet for 4 transmutes if you get recipe in Piety boss arena in Lunaris 2. Often will drop these around Dom Blow swap to make room for Autoexert Ancestral Cry reservation at 28. Can manually cast Ancestral Cry if you want to spend reservation elsewhere, just less QoL Curse: A2 onwards: Poacher's Mark (G). If green sockets become a problem, can drop poacher's mark for Punishement (R), be warned sustain on single could be annoying without Poachers Utility: A1 onwards: Decoy Totem (R) use to help setup to help soak damage in dangerious scenarios/single target and setup triple hit for spectral throw/helix. Can drop once you have the Sentinel of Radiance from first ascendancy Library Gems: Blood Rage (G) and Poacher's Mark (G) Movement: Lvl 4 to 10: Frostblink (B). Optional: can use Shield Charge (R) - Momentum (G) on weapon swap until Leap Slam at 10 Lvl 10 onwards: Leap (R) - Faster Attacks (G) - Momentum (G), fit momentum when can - Any 4th QoL link if you have an extra socket like Lifetap (R). Typically, sockets are too heavy to allow for fourth link for Leap. Often momentum link green gem will be used for some other singleton green gem like Blood Rage or Poacher's mark ---- Comments on Passive Pathing Order ---- IMPORTANT, we will rush to Spiritual Aid after picking up dex/accuracy nodes (Precision notable) just off templar start path and then go for Spiritual Command from left side (NOT through Sacrifice Cluster) to hit Spiritual Aid by Lvl 21. To do so, DO NOT spec Purity of Flesh when pathing through those nodes as if you take Purity of Flesh OR you path through Sacrifice, you will delay Spiritual Aid to past Lvl 21 which means you might not have it in time for Vaal Oversoul in A2. You can alter pathing in A6/A7 area to get to RT earlier if you are reallying struggling with accuracy. Should be okay for most part still with precision and sword bases though (above 93%ish accruacy) In A5, we will OFTEN save 2 points to see if we need to allocate Holy Dominion off templar for extra all res. We take practical application in A5 since it gives us all res as well and str/dex for attribute requirements You have flexibility when you take minion masteries. I usually take first one after I get Dom blow (for the CDR), then I will take the minion life recovery on death off Sacrifice notable sometime in A4, but after that you can take them as needed. You probably want AoE minion mastery by second half of campaign. Finally, I will wait to take the ele pen against cursed until we have elemental relics from second ascendancy The third ascendancy node is not set in stone. First two are the required onces, you have flexibility for 3rd (and fourth if you plan to continue on to mapping). ----- Gem Acquisition ----- Will need to do one of Library or Lily. Library is HEAVILY, HEAVILY recommeded for QoL for green gems Templar just doesn't get access to Ranger Mule/Hillock Kill/First Town Enter Rewards/Buys **** IMPORTANT BUY A SECOND MOMENTUM **** : - Quest Reward: Take Frost Blades (G). - Buy Second Momentum (G) Templar First Town Enter Rewards/Buys (1 wisdom for vendor buy): - Quest Reward: Doesn't matter, take whatever - Buy Spectral Throw (G). If you don't have enough Wisdoms buy it after Tidal/Mudflats segment Hailrake/Mercy Mission AND Submerged Passage/Cracking Some Eggs Rewards/Buys (2 wisdom): - Quest Reward from Nessa: Take Ancestral Call (R) - Quest Reward from first set of Tarkleigh rewards: Take Holy Relic (B) - Quest Reward from second set of Tarkleigh rewards: Take Frostblink (B) - MUST buy Spectral Throw (G) here for Dweller - MUST buy Decoy Totem (R) here for setting up triple hit on spectral throw Lower Prison Enter Rewards/Buys: - Quest Reward: Take Added Fire (R) or Added Lightning (B) depending on what socket you have available for your eventual Spectral Helix setup at 12 (ie your current 3L for spectral throw, priortize 3L for spectral throw/helix over 3L for FB) Brutus Kill Reward/Buys: - Quest Reward: Leap Slam (R) - Optional: Buy precision (G) if extra transmutes. If not can try again after Fairgraves OR upon return to A1 for Way Forward turn in from A2 Merveil Cavern's Enter Reward/Buys [Need 1 transmutes, 1 wisdom; additional 1 transmute]: - Quest Reward: Doesn't matter - Vendor Buy: Spectral Helix (G) - Buy: Summon Phantasm (B) [level in off-hand weapon swap] - Optional: If you have extra transmute, buy Precision (G) now for PT in A2. Buy Frostblink (b) if you don't have yet Fidelitas Kill/Intruders in Black/Baleful Gem Collection Reward/Buys: - Quest Reward: Take Herald of Purity (R). - Buy from Yeena: Herald of Ash (R) OR if you are going to use Living Lightning Support (B), take herald of thunder (B)... you need some sort of flat lightning damage to proc living lightning, so HoT solves that nicely Weaver Kill Reward/Buys: - Quest Reward: Take Cruelty (R) The Way Forward Act 1 Return Buys: - Buy Precision (G) from Nessa if you don't have already Lost in Love/A3 Tolman Reward/Buys: - Quest reward: Doesn't matter Library Buys (EXTREMELY RECOMMENDED) (1 Chance Orb, 4 Alterations; 2 Transmutes, currency requirements vary for later trips which you make as needed): - Take Fortify as quest reward (R) - Buy Feeding Frenzy (B) [1 chance] - Buy Melee Splash (R) [1 transmute] - Buy Faster Attacks (G) [1 transmute] - Buy Ancestral Cry (R) [1 alteration] - Buy Autoexert (R) [1 alteration] - Buy Blood Rage (G) [1 alteration] - Buy Poacher's Mark [1 alteration] - Optional: Buy Maim for extra transmute if you have one to spare for nice phys damage boost for minions dealing phys damage - Optional: Buy Flesh and Stone (R) for A7/second half of campaign as needed IF you have extra alteration, otherwise come back and do it later - Buy gems as needed to fill out damage links/reservations for second half. Such as life tap for convenience for Leap Slam. Buy Flesh and Stone (r) at some point during A6, for defensive option while clearing by using sand stance Opening Mines Reward in A4: - Quest Reward: Take Summon Carrion Golem (B) Opening the Harvest Reward in A4: - Quest Reward: Doesn't matter. Can take Multistrike (R), but I typically dont use mutlistrike until like way later (ie like 85+). IMPORTANT: Multistrike will NOT work with exerted attacks, so you need an additonal strike before using Multistrike ideally (ie from something like attack mastery) ---- Solving Attributes and Resistances ---- Attributes: We will be taking the Jade from A3 quest for turning in the Ribbon Spool to Dialla. Getting a normal Jade Amulet for 1 transmute from vendor in A2, can help starve off need for Precision for awhile (like mid to late A3). We will use a heavy belt (strength belt) by about mid A2 to help with strength issues since we are pathing towards loads of Intelligence earlier, but no strength until later Practical Application will help with both strength/dexterity requirements We path heavily towards intelligence stuff early through midgame as most of minion nodes are off intelligence pathing AND allows us to enough intelligence for Carrion Golem Resistances: We will help alira to get the 15% res to make campaign easier/smooth on resistance. Additionally, we will get Practical Application and ONE OF either Faith and Steel or Holy Dominon before start of A6 to help ensure we have capped resistance and/or can reach it with crafts after the A5 Kitava resistance penalty applies. If your resistances are TURBO and I mean TURBO doomed, you can get all three of Practical Application, Holy Dominion and Faith and Steel. I would ALWAYS get Practical Application however. In terms of rings, I typically like having a Sapphire Ring with crafted fire res and a Topaz ring with craft fire res. I will replace these with rare rings if they drop if said rare rings have a resistance on them already with an open suffix or have giga life and an open suffix. Otherwise, I won't replace and just keep going with the crafted sapphire and topaz ring. Usually, I obtain the sapphire and topaz ring from the iron ring + blue/green gem recipe respectively if I cannot get them as a drop. Occassionally, will buy straight from vendor. ---- Minimum Link Setup I always try to setup ---- The minimal setup I try to have in any of various 4Ls/gear package is as follows: At least try to get following together in face of massive socket pressure: AT LEAST 2R for Dom Blow-Melee Splash AT LEAST 2R for Ancestral Cry - Auto Exert AT LEAST 1R1B for Herald of Purity Phantasm AT LEAST 1R1G for Leap Slam-Faster Attacks 1x G socket for Blood Rage 1x G socket for Poacher's mark Everything outside of these are nice to have, not necessary to have. Getting feeding frenzy and carrion golem on are important when you can. Obviously, try to get damage supports/fortify on your dom blow as well. However, minion leveling AND speed leveling in general can face big socket pressure, so its always nice to have a priority list like this ----- Some Questions and Answers ---- Why two-hand weapons/why swords? Allows us to get big bonks easier to one tap packs to get our conditional minions rolling. Swords also have implicit accuracy for most of campaign (some later bases have diff implicits). Swords also have better attack speed typically than other 2H bases, all and all a good combo/justification to use. You can swap to a diff 2H base type once you have RT OR you can go one-hand and shield. Why not use shield charge weapon swap early on for extra movement speed through early Act 1? You can. Too much mental overhead while doing the commentary for run Why use poacher's mark? Melee Templar has sustain issues in campaign because there is functionally no access to Leech until Bloodrage from Library or Lily. Without poacher's you have no mana sustain outside of flasks and regen which is rough for single. Additionally, poacher's gives some flat damage on hit to you and your minions and lowers enemies PDR. Can probably swap to punishment sometime in second half of campaign around A7, but just be aware unless you have a solution for mana sustain you might be in for a bad time. Why no multistrike? I would use multistrike at some point during mapping. However, if you decide to use during campaign please note that you need a source of extra strike outside of Ancestral Cry as you CANNOT exert a mulitstrike support attack. Basically, if I swap to multistrike, I'd have some source of extra strike somewhere to avoid any issues with strike coverage/dead/limited swings Can I play something other than Spectral Helix? Yes, you can go Smite-Ancestral Call from Lvl 4 to 28. You can also keep setup of Frostblades and Spectral Throw to 12 and swap to Sunder from 12 to 28. Note, precision becomes SUPER important if you do sunder because you don't have access to inherent accuracy bonus on swords since swords can't use sunder. In 3.28, holy strike is possibly an option, but I cannot recommend it without actually playtesting it myself. Why no spectres/AG? AG is too hard to setup in campaign and don't want to deal with managing spectres/rezzing them if they die since I am focusing on speed Why no offering? Socket pressure. Can use if you can fit. Can I use one-hand plus shield instead? Yes, absolutely. I'd recommend using two hands through first of half of campaign still since your minions haven't quite ramped enough and having enough damage to one tap/close to one tap packs with 2H allows you to get minions rolling way sooner. But, build will still work fine with one hand and shield. Why feeding frenzy on HoP/Phantasms? You can put it on something else, just gives best uptime for buff. Carrion golem is good alternative. Also having aggressive HoP bros and phantasms is nice for clear Why phantasm on HoP? HoP will do best job of generating them if you are not generating phantasms yourself I don't have enough blue sockets, do I priortize Carrion Golem or Relic? I usually will priortize golem for the damage buff Why don't use always have Sentinel of Radiance up from ascendancy? Sometimes I just forget to summon at start of zone. ALWAYS summon for single target and for dangerous zones, especially in later half of campaign