Elemental Hit Slayer A10 Pts+Labs Commentary Run 3h30m

---- Version 2 of Notes Section (Last Updated 3/1/2026) ---- Below is some information to help make leveling Elemental Hit Slayer 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. Elemental Hit Swap is at Lvl 32 when we get to Crystal Veins waypoint and return to town and turn in skill point from freeing Deshret spirit in Mines 2. We will use gold at Tasuni to respec points and get swap --- VERSION 2 MAJOR CHANGE --- Hydrosphere tech should be dropped. Its not worth it for Oppurtunity cost. Basically, unless you link to void manip or brutality, pulses from sphere will mess with EE. I didn't properly finish setting up Hydro in run as it should have had Void Manip or Brutality in place of Culling. ---- Gear and Weapon Acquisition ---- We will be using Elemental Hit from level 32 onwards through the entire campaign. Until 32, we will level with 2H weapons with your skill of choice. I usually use frostblades for clear from Lvl 2 to 12 and spectral throw for single to 12. At 12, I swap to sunder. You can also just use spectral throw (as both clear and single) until 32 as well if you don't like to jam Sunder. At 32, we swap to DW Elemental Hit because weapon scaling ***IN CAMPAIGN*** doesn't matter much for elemental hit since damage primarily will come from gem scaling, we can just use fast attacking normal weapons. If you are using DW axes, then Rusted Hatchet or any of the Siege Axe bases will work (all have 1.5 attack speed). If doing variant where, you DW once axe and one sword, keep a duelist starter sword since it has global accuracy. Usually, I will keep the R B G with singleton sockets in that case. Can later craft attack speed suffix on the normal weapons. Gamble for 4L from Maramoa in A4 at Lvl 25 or as needed. At 32, ideally you want a 4L that has AT LEAST an R-B-G color setup for eventual Ele Hit-Trinity-Fortifty (with something else used in place of fortify until you get access from Lily in A6) Need to use a heavy belt by mid A2 onwards (Lvl 16) to avoid strength issues from the right side pathing towards PT. Take Lapis Amulet from Dialla quest in A3 Solaris 2 to help with Intelligence requirements. Use Wisdom of Glade (+30 Intelligence) and Beef (+30 Strength) to spot solve attribute issues as needed. ---- 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 Lvl 12 to 32: Sunder (R) - Momentum (G) / Clost Combat (G) - Any reasonable damage support - Any reasonable damage supprot... drop momentum for close combat at 18, if you don't have green socket, use whatever will reasonably fit. Ruthless is great Lvl 32 onwards (Priortize getting AT LEAST G-B-R for Ele Hit - Trinity - Fortfiy): Ele Hit (G) - Trinity (B) - Fortify (R) - Any reasonable damage support... Can use Ruthless or Weapon Elemental Damage in place of fortify before you get it from Lily in A6. 4L supports can include WED, Ruthless, Close Combat, Momentum Reservations and Utility: Required: Herald of Ash (R) from 16 until Elemental Hit swap at 32. Drop once using Ele Hit Precision (G) to meet accuracy needs for PT. Level it as required. Don't overlevel if not needed due to it being a mana hog with its flat mana reservation. Precision takes PRIORITY over all other reservations if your accuracy value is lower than health while having PT Haste (G) once you elemental hit swap at 32 until second half of campaign. Starting A6, drop Hase (G) for Flesh and Stone (R) and Arctic Armour (G) for defensive reservations Ancestral Cry (R) - Autoexert (R) from 32 until mid A7 or so for QoL for Elemental Hit. At A7 or so, radius from explosions will be good enough to forgo since just the extra strike from attack mastery will suffice Optional in Mid A7 and Beyond: Hydrosphere BMC Autoexert (R). Can just self-cast hydro. Only for supplemental single target via proccing an AoE explosion off the hydrosphere once per second Nice to have: Can use Blood and Sand (R) early and through campaign for extra damage in blood for sunder until 32. Note, can also benefit from AoE in sand stance for Elemental Hit, but blood stance won't help for damage on single since you will hit single with strike rather than explosion (can't have same attack shotgun with strike and explosion UNLESS there are adds in which case explosion off an add can hit the main target). Often will not use Blood and Sand at all after swap to Elemental Hit 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 if you do so until like midway through second half of campaign (a7ish and beyond) Utility: A1 onwards: Decoy Totem (R) use to help setup to help soak damage in dangerious scenarios/single target A2 onwards (through entire campaign): Blood Rage (G) Lvl 12 onwards: Intimidating Cry (R). Can drop this once you get Intimidate from Rage Mastery OR if you start using Multistrike (R) Library or Lily (Usually Lily): Desecrate (G) for corpse generation on single target for General's Cry Movement: Lvl 4 to 10: Dash (G). 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). Whenever you can fit and have int: Frostblink (B). You do not need to level frostblink up. It is not a big deal if you only use Leap and skip frostblink. Frostblink just adds some nice animation cancellation and flexibility with repositioning bad leap slams. ---- Comments on Passive Pathing Order ---- There is a BIG respec at Lvl 32 or so where initially we use sunder and start with left side duelist pathing with 2H. We respec the left side duelist starting nodes and Destroyer notable (with exception of Master of Arena keep this node as it provides nice QoL for strikes and some regen to offset bloodrage). This is 7 respec nodes. We do this with gold. We also respec our pathing towards PT a bit as we change it to go through top to EE and then down instead of initial pathing we take. There is a smaller respec in A2 after we get PT, we can get +30 int node wisdom of glade and spec Bravery nodes to unspec Mana Flows which we take early to afford int stuff in A2 without having to rely on RNG from Lapis amulet via drop or vendor. Can use gold to respec this at silk once you have bravery nodes (all 3) and wisdom of glade Use +30 strength node near PT (Beef) and Wisdom of Glade (+30 int) as needed. We can often spec into out of Bee at various points depending on strength requirements. Later in run can respec out of the 2x 6% attack speed nodes on right side of Duelist starting path to the two small health notables nearby for 4% life and 6% armour/evasion depending on which path you choose to keep and which you choose to respec out of as we will take both left and right side of duelist starting nodes early. Once you click PT, check your accuracy. You may need to equip precision right away or go back to A1 and buy precision to do so. Anytime you equip new armor that has life rolls check accuracy and life values again --- Precision and PT ---- Precision can be a mana hog, keep it low level and use as necessary. Often we will take Weather Hunter and accuracy mastery early. That along with accuracy from Impact Slayer ascendancy means we don't have to run precision. But you may run into various scenarios when you do. Please, pay attention to accuracy and life values over course of run and priotize precision over other reservations as necessary to maintain PT. If using DW axes, later get help in form of Feller of Foes wheel as well. If DW swords, shouldn't have any issues really given you will be using the two duelist starter swords both of which have the 40% inc global accuracy. If DW sword and axe, will benefit from having 1 40% inc global accuracy duelist starter sword. Generally, I found that managing PT wasn't much of an issue by time you swap to elemental hit at 32 ----- Gem Acquisition ----- Will need to do one of Library or Lily. Recommend doing Lily as gems/stuff we get from Library or Lily can wait until second half of campaign when you can access Lily Note: You will want to buy Elemental Hit at somepoint and level in a weapon swap. Do so when you have a spare transmute. Often will try to remember to buy when returning to A1 to turn in skill book quest from Way Forward in A2. Ranger Mule/Hillock Kill/First Town Enter Rewards/Buys: - Quest Reward: Take Frost Blades (G). Duelist 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 Rewards/Buys (1 wisdom): - Quest Reward: Take Ancestral Call (R) - MUST buy Spectral Throw (G) here for Dweller Submerged Passage Open/Cracking Some Eggs Rewards/Buys (1 wisdom for optional buy): - Quest Reward from first set of rewards: Take Decoy Totem (R) - Quest Reward from second set of rewards: Take Dash (G) - Optional: Buy Frostblink (B), if didn't buy here, buy at return from Fairgraves or Brutus kill. You just want to buy early enough that Intelligence requirements don't get too much Lower Prison Enter Rewards/Buys: - Quest Reward: Take Faster Attacks (G) - Optional: Buy Frostblink (B) if you don't have already 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 2 transmutes, 1 wisdom; additional 2 transmute and 1 wisdom for optional buys]: - Quest Reward: Doesn't matter - Vendor Buy: Sunder (R) and Intimidating Cry (R) for 2 transmutes, and Blood and Sand for 1 wisdom - Optional: If you have extra transmute, buy Precision (G) now for PT in A2. Buy Frostblink (b) if you don't have yet - Optional, but usually wait for later since I don't have a transmute: Buy Elemental Hit (G) to level in weapon swap Fidelitas Kill/Intruders in Black/Baleful Gem Collection Reward/Buys: - Quest Reward: Take Blood Rage (G). If only have red socket avaible, take Herald of Ash (R) instead - Buy from Yeena: Herald of Ash (R) and Poacher's Mark (G). Herald of Ash (R) will be dropped later once we swap to Elemental Hit at 32 Weaver Kill Reward/Buys: - Quest Reward: Take Close Combat (G) The Way Forward Act 1 Return Buys: - Buy Precision (G) from Nessa if you don't have already - Buy Elemental Hit (G) to level in weapon swap if you don't have already Lost in Love/A3 Tolman Reward/Buys: - Quest reward: Doesn't matter - Buy Haste (G)... will use Haste, Precision, and Ancestral Autoexert as reservations at 32 until second half when we drop Haste for defensive reservations (Arctic Armour and Flesh and Stone) Opening Mines Reward in A4: - Quest Reward: Doesn't matter, take any gem you prefer Elemental Hit Swap at 32 (3 to 4 alterations depending onf if you buy Weapon Ele Damage or not. Priortize getting Trinity (B) if at all possible for damage supports): - Will want to go back to A2 town to buy Trinity Support (B) and Weapon Elemental Damage (R). Ruthless from A1 can be nice as well if you have giga red sockets - Buy Ancestral Cry from A2 town for 1 Alt - Buy Autoexert from A3 town for 1 alt 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 on Elemental Hit and Elemental Equilibrium do not work together well, you would want to spec out of EE Libray/Lily Buys (2 Chance Orb, 4 to 5 Alterations; currency requirements vary for later trips which you make as needed): - Buy Fortify (R). Can take as reward if did Library. Would recomend skipping Library and just doing Lily - Buy Hydrosphere (B)... ONLY buy if you want to use as single target supplement, can otherwise skip - Buy Battlemage Cry (R)... ONLY if you don't want to self-cast hydro for single target supplement - Buy General's Cry (R)... replace ancestral cry autoexert setup with Hydrosphere BMC around A7, not necessary if you are self casting hydro - Buy Desecrate (G)... not necessary if self casting hydro - Buy Flesh and Stone (R) and Arctic Armour (G). Replace Haste with Flesh and Stone and AA for defensive reservations for second half of campaign - 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 ---- Solving Attributes and Resistances ---- Attributes: We will be taking the Lapis Amulet from A3 quest for turning in the Ribbon Spool to Dialla. Make sure you have +30 Intelligence node before switching Lapis for Jade. We will use a heavy belt (strength belt) by about mid A2 to help with strength issues right side pathing can create some early strength issues Beyond that we will various attribute nodes on trees as needed. The +30 nodes for strength and intelligence near PT come in clutch here. Will need the 30 intelligence node if you want to use Hydrosphere tech as it requires 79 intelligence. Note if your amulet doesn't have at least 25 intelligence or greater, might have issues getting enough intelligence for hydrosphere level 1 (79 int). If this is case, you can craft intelligence on one of your normal weapons for Resistances: We will help alira to get the 15% res to make campaign easier/smooth on resistance. Additionally, we will get weather hunter and cloth and chain 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. 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. ----- Some Questions and Answers ---- Why do we swap to Elemental Hit at 32? Early on elemental hit is rough going do to fact that alot of initial starting nodes don't provide damage benefits to elemental hit outside of attacking faster near Duelist. This means we don't clear packs as well as we should. By delaying until 32, we give time to duelist to get access to a few important things, (1) more passives that we will spec into for % damage, (2) QoL from Ancestral Cry and Autoexert (requires at least 24), (3) range/AoE and accuracy from Impact from first Slayer ascendancy. Why Axes? I think axes have the most power early for campaign leveling. I have also leveled with DW with one axe and one sword using DW mastery for 60% increased damage while wielding different weapons and just getting the axe onslaught node along with rage mastery. Have also tried using DW swords, only problem with DW swords is getting rage is a bit annoying as you have to rely one a 1 rage per hit node at the start of vengeance cluster. Axes just had best access to good nodes for campaign and its not really a lot of respec points to transition out of axes to something later What do I eventually do in maps? At some point in maps you will switch to crit. The one mapping version I did swapped to crit foils around 85. Crit claws are also a thing as well, but I haven't tried. Both would end heavily on right side of tree likely with Masterful Form Ascendancy over the giga cull ascendancy. Potentially, there is also a crit axes play to the left side of tree where you use combat focus for fire only, get avatar of fire, use something like ap yre ring to convert like 95%+ of cold to fire, and the Slayer Crit Ascendancy. There is also Paradoxica crit to right side of tree as well (haven't mapped out/thought what 4th ascendancy might be). There is a good amount of interest in Ele Hit Slayer for 3.28, so there should be a number of more well veetted mapping versions of the build percolating out there in a few days. These are just some intuitions I have about how it plays out, but basically the mapping versions Ive played out usually end around 85 since its really just up to 2stone with around 75ish map completion. Whats up with the Battlemage's Cry Hydrosphere? New in Version 2: Would just drop the tech all together, see note above. Leaving old text in below so you can see prior thinking. Old text will be in yellow Just a little bit of extra single target DPS with some leftover reservation we have since it will allow you to hit target with both strike from attack AND with an explosion from hydrosphere (only occurs once per second). Around A7 we can drop the autoexert ancestral cry. Since we have a bit of leftover reservation and I didn't feel/didn't think of another reservation to use that would have fit. You can proc an explosion damage off the hydrosphere once a second, so its not like its a GIGA DPS add, its just a slight add .How does this work with our EE application for elemental hit? Well it certainly does interfere on some level, but my brain isn't quite good enough to figure out the full DPS interaction. Ultimately, if you want the setup, but are worried about EE issues, you can try making Hydro just not do damage via Brutality or Void Manip. You can also just self cast instead of BMC autoexert. Ultimately, I was just looking to fit a bit of supplemental single target in and by no means do I think this is necessary. Why normal weapons? Functionally, one advantage of elemental hit in campaign is that it scales more like a caster gem than a traditional melee gem. That is, it relies more on damage from gem than damage from weapons. So, we can just get some basic weapons with good attack speed and go to town. Flat elemental damage is 1/3 as effective since its damage will only applied 1/3 of time when ele hit chooses its damage type. We also don't really get any conversion from phys to ele or from one ele to another, so most weapon mod rolls that are common/accessible in acts, just don't apply at full effect to ele hit. Thus, we can just get weapons and blast. Things we can look for are attack speed as suffix, % inc ele damage with attacks on prefix, or you can do a penetration essence, but it will only apply 1/3 of time. Crafts for attack speed come from Voll area in A4 Dried Lake and A9 WP for Vasitir Desert. % Inc elemental damage with attacks is from Catacombs Trial off of A3 Marketplace. Ultimately then, we can just blast with pretty simple weapons without having to worry about upgrading for a while. Obviously in maps you can start rolling/gambling weapons for the powerspike. But it is nice in campaign to not have to worry about weapon upgrades. 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 since it really only gives sustain to Elemental Hit? Elemental hit has some sustain issues early in campaign because its leech values are a bit rough. Thus, its really used for its sustained as the flat phys bonus doesn't apply to elemental hit without some form of conversion. I would eventually swap to Punishment if still using PT or Assassin's Mark if going crit. Functionally, its just easy to keep in and helps with sustain as Ele hit can be a bit of a mana hog. Can probably swap to punishment sometime in second half of campaign around A7 will little issue for sustain. Anything you might change? So, I totally forgot about the +1 to level of all cold gems from the cold mastery. That would be a nice boost for Elemental Hit Why no multistrike? I would use multistrike at some point during mapping. However, if you decide to use during campaign please note that EE does not syngerize well with multistrike. Further, exerts won't work with multi as well, so you would drop the exert stuff