Path of Exile 3.9 - Essence Drain Contagion Trickster Starter Build Guide

GEMS - ACT - NPC - QUEST Tip: The letters represent what to change. For example Change skills marked with A with other skills marked with A and B to B and so on. ------------Leveling------------- A 1 - 4: Freezing Pulse Freezing Pulse - Act 1 - Nessa - Enemy at the Gate Onslaught Support - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission (This can also be Muled on a Scion) A 4 - 12: Frost Bomb Frost Bomb - Act 1 - Nessa - Breaking some Eggs Arcane Surge Support - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission Onslaught Support - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission (This can also be Muled on a Scion) B 4 - 12: Contagion Contagion - Act 1 - Nessa - Breaking some Eggs Void Manipulation support - Act 1 - Nessa - The Caged Brute Arcane Surge Support - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission C 8 - 31: Blight (Vaal Blight when you can get it) Blight - Act 1 - Nessa - Enemy at the Gate (Vaal would need to be found/Traded/Corrupting a Blight Gem) Void Manipulation support - Act 1 - Nessa - The Caged Brute Infused Channeling - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission A: 12 - 18: Essence Drain Essence Drain - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission Void Manipulation support - Act 1 - Nessa - The Caged Brute Arcane Surge Support - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission A: 18 - 31: Essence Drain Essence Drain - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission Controlled Destruction - Act 2 - Yeena - Sharp and Cruel Void Manipulation support - Act 1 - Nessa - The Caged Brute Arcane Surge Support - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission A 31 Onwards: Essence Drain Essence Drain - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission Efficacy support - Act 3 - Clarissa - A Fixture of Fate Swift Affliction - Act 3 - Clarissa - A Fixture of Fate Controlled Destruction - Act 2 - Yeena - Sharp and Cruel ----------Leveling Auras------------- 24 Onwards: Malevolence Malevolence - Act 3 - Clarissa - Lost in Love 24 Onwards: Despair Despair - Act 3 - Clarissa - Lost in Love --------------Endgame--------------- Essence Drain Essence Drain - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission Efficacy support - Act 3 - Clarissa - A Fixture of Fate Controlled Destruction - Act 2 - Yeena - Sharp and Cruel Swift Affliction - Act 3 - Clarissa - A Fixture of Fate Void Manipulation support - Act 1 - Nessa - The Caged Brute Energy Leech Support - Act 3 - Clarrisa - A Fixture of Fate Empower Level 3 - This would need to be found or traded for and can be switched for Energy Leech Support Contagion - 4L Setup Contagion - Act 1 - Nessa - Breaking some Eggs Increased Area of Effect - Act 4 - Petarus and Vanja - The Eternal Nightmare Intensify support - Act 3 - Clarissa - A Fixture of Fate Faster Casting support - Act 2 - Yeena - Sharp and Cruel Contagion - Item Rarity Setup Contagion - Act 1 - Nessa - Breaking some Eggs Increased Area of Effect - Act 4 - Petarus and Vanja - The Eternal Nightmare Intensify support - Act 3 - Clarissa - A Fixture of Fate Item Rarity support - Act 3 - Clarissa - A Fixture of Fate Vaal Blight Vaal Blight (This would need to be found/Traded/Corrupting a Blight Gem) Efficacy support - Act 3 - Clarissa - A Fixture of Fate Infused Channeling - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission Controlled Destruction - Act 2 - Yeena - Sharp and Cruel -------------Auras Endgame-------------- Malevolence Malevolence - Act 3 - Clarissa - Lost in Love Vaal Discipline Vaal Discipline - Gate (This would need to be found/Traded/Corrupting a Blight Gem) ----------------Utility----------------- Flame Dash Flame Dash - Act 1 - Nessa - The Caged Brute Arcane Surge support - Act 1 - Nessa - Mercy Mission Shield Charge Shield Charge - Act 3 - Siosa - A Fixture of Fate Faster Attacks - Act 2 - Yeena - Sharp and Cruel Fortify support - Act 3 - Clarissa - A Fixture of Fate Cast when Damage Taken Cast When Damage Taken - Act 4 - Petarus and Vanja - The Eternal Nightmare Tempest Shield - Act 2 - Yeena - The Root of the Problem Vaal Molten Shell - (This would need to be found/Traded/Corrupting a Molten Shell Gem) --------------------TIPS--------------------- Try to make sure you cap your resistances whenever possible (75, 75, 75) You can see this from the defence Panel on your character screen if you press the default key C. For everytime you kill Kitava your resistances will be reduced by 30 for a maximum of 60 reduced resistances after you kill Kitava the second time. Get an Instant (Seething/Bubbling) Divine Life Flask as soon as you can. This flask is very important. Try to get as much life as you can on any piece of gear where-ever you can, for examples of gear, refer to the items section and click the drop down menu between Early and End game.