Cracked alt leveling (showcase) - full guide in description! [PoE 3.28]

======== NOTES & PROGRESS ======== === BEFORE YOU START === - need some currency - you can do this on any character (tho if on lower side of the tree it takes much longer to reach minion nodes on tree) - up until lv 34 the tree is basically just prepping for the spectre swap - after the swap to spectres, it's a running simulator - I had almost no damage nodes at the beginning and went straight for MS as you can see and it took me around 45 mins to finish A1+A2 and those are the slowest. A7 was 15-20 mins, the rest I didn't pay attention to - of course you need a bit of map/layout knowledge to speed things up - it seems like a lot of text but isn't really complicated, just follow step-by-step (even for prep/shopping: just go level by level and it's done quickly) - this takes a bit of prepping time before you start but is absolutely worth it! (took me max 4 hrs to finish campaign) === LEVELING TO 34 (end of A3) === - you can level with any skill you like, in my case I chose caustic arrow / toxic rain as I leveled a shadow, so I'll show you my tree pathing for this - just don't choose a skill that requires you to have a lot of damage nodes on the tree, especially if you are on the lower side and need to path upwards (spells scale by level) - take life nodes, movement speed, reservation efficiency -> required for 2x50% auras later! (take Life/mana reg, resistances and attributes if needed) Note: at some point during A1-A3, the damage may fall off a little bit but nothing crazy === LAB, BANDITS, QUESTS, PANTHEON === - Bandit: doesn't matter; MS from Kraityn or 15% res from Alira (or take what you need later) - Labs not needed, get ascend points later faster. (In my case Assassin also didn't have any good nodes anyways) - skip any quests except for skill points but only do them if they're on your way. Not worth walking around much at the start when you're slow - at the end of A8 you can get Lunaris Pantheon for extra MS === So here's the step-by-step guide (level checkpoints) with changes to gear/skills === - the tree has different level sections so you can see what nodes I took! --- Level 1: --- Uniques : Thousand Ribbons, Seven-League Step, Sadima's Touch, Silverbranch, Goldrim Skills: Caustic Arrow - Chance To Poison --- Level 4: --- Add Pierce + Mirage Archer Support Add Dash Run 3x QS-Flask (if you want extra MS on them, they need to be at least iLv5. On low level flasks, 1x Glassblower is almost enough to get 20% qual) --- Level 5: --- Uniques: Change bow to Quill Rain (5L 5G) + equip Karui Ward >>> Anoint Harrier (or anything you like) - Oils: Azure, Crimson, Crimson --- Level 8: --- Replace Pierce for Void Manipulation --- Level 10 (AFTER Brutus Kill): --- Add Multiple Projectiles Support (need a 5L - best on bow for 5G) Replace Dash for Flame Dash Run Lv 1 Clarity + Precision Add Blink Arrow + Faster Attacks Add Withering Step >>> Keep Flame Dash + Clarity Lv 1 for now --- Level 12: --- no changes BUT DON'T swap to Toxic Rain right away (but level it from now) --- Level 14: --- Unique: Hyrri's Bite (can level Flame Dash + Clarity few levels) --- Level 15: --- Unique: Flesh and Spirit --- Level 16: --- Add Herald of Agony --- Level 18: --- Replace Multiple Projectiles Support for Vicious Projectiles Swap to Toxic Rain NOTE: You can theoretically stick with CA but TR shredds bosses comparted to it. CA is better for faster clear. You can also use both or just swap CA for TR at bosses TIP: if you play with TR only, get a lot of mobs around you before you attack Optional Unique: Thrillsteel --- Level 20: --- Unique: Belt of the Deceiver Optional (but recommended): add 2x Tasalio's Sign and replace Herald of Agony for Skitterbots (adds a lot of flat dmg) --- Level 22: --- Unique: 1x Praxis (with -8 flat cost) --- Level 24: --- Unique: Mark of Submission + Despair socketed in it >>> Take out Skitterbots, use Vaal Haste instead >>> if you've already specced into reservation effi, add Herald of Agony again --- Level 25: --- Unique: Prismweave Optional: swap body to Foxshade for extra MS --- Level 28: --- Socket Raise Spectre and level it (20% qual provides a good amount of res for them) --- Level 34 (swap): --- FIRST OF ALL: NEVER MAKE CHANGES TO SPECTRES/JEWELS OUTSIDE OF YOUR HIDEOUT Go to your hideout Now you need to decide for the spectres: a) Forged Frostbearers --> are stronger but need someone to get them as they're from Versisium Ore b) Perfect Judgemental Spirit --> buyable Ritual corpses; just buy 6 of 'em and you're ready to go At that point, you can have a total of 5 spectres! I used Judgemental Spirits (they deal fire damage). If you run Frostbearers (cold damage), you need to change your curse (and maybe use other debuff skills like Frost Bomb). Unique setup: 2x The Dark Seer, Wraithlord, Foulborn Skin of the Loyal***, Seven-Leage Step, Lochtonial Caress, Karui Ward, Mark of Submission, Le Heup Of All (prio on res) ***Skin of the Loyal: need at least 4 blue and 1 green socket. You can also use any other body armour but it's very strong with +1 gem level and res increase. Note that it doesn't give you flat resistances! Could for example also use a Foxshade. The Dark Seer is pretty huge for this. Gives +4 spectre levels and a lot of life and ES. Don't go for +1 all or minion weapons as they require Lv 50+. Jewels: 4x Ghastly Eye go into the helmet Don't really care about the mods but prio on player resistances. Just use what you have but keep in mind they need to be LOWER than Lv 34. Good mods: life/res for minions, %damage if you've used a minion skill, minion atk/cast speed, movement speed, life/res (for player) Flasks: Life + CB immunity Granite Jade Silver Quicksilver >>> get 20% qual + automate via bench-craft 'used when charges reach full' >>> run them normal (white) Skills setup: Raise Spectre - Feeding Frenzy - Minion Damage - Minion Speed - Added Cold (gets replaced later) Automation - Convocation - Phase Run (20% qual) (+ optional: More Duration) Anger - Vaal Haste - Flame Dash Flammability (socketed in ring) Scorching Ray (Lv 1, 20% qual) - Combustion - Culling Strike (can add Blind or Inspiration to lower mana cost if you want) Optional: Clarity --> need to check your total mana/mana reg and maybe spend a few passives into mana or use a mana flask for a while --- Level 36: --- Unique: Vixen's Entrapment (extra curse) Add Elemental Weakness BUT don't socket in gloves! --- Level 38: --- Skills: CWDT (Lv1) + Immortal Call (Lv3) Replace Added Cold for GMP (for the last socket choose any useful support depending on colour) --- Level 44 (important!): --- Unique: Le Heup Of All corrupted with Lv 21 Anger implicit for a lot of flat damage (replace the normal one) >>> remove Anger skill gem from gear (can use Vitality if you have spare mana) --- Level 48: --- Unique: The Jinxed Juju + String of Servitude with implicit 'MS during flask effect' (Mageblood at home) This is the final setup! Around that level your Raise Spectre should be around Lv 13 so you can summon an additional one! Important: In your 50s (before Arakaali / Toxic Conduits) you need to have Jinxed Juju equipped and also specced into the chaos res cluster. If not, your chaos res will be melt down due to Loyal of the Skin! In Act 9, roll extra armour and evasion on your flasks (can also get extra res if needed, incr. duration is also nice to have). Most of the time you're only running. For bosses you can use Scorching Ray + cast Elemental Weakness to debuff. If your spectres ever die during a boss fight, just portal out and in. If you're missing some resistances after A5, use some ghastly jewels with res or look for res on the passive tree. Alternatively use a different belt, amulet or change anoint. If you have any struggles defensively, use Grace or Determination instead of Haste (or only swap at bosses), but that was never the case for me. === BONUS --- AFTER CAMPAIGN === If you have no one that levels you after campaign (even if you have, you need a few levels anyway because of the exp penalty) or if you need more levels for your gear/new build do the following: - your first skill points after campaign (Lv 75 tree) should go into the second chaos res cluster - change Pantheon to Brine King - disable Haste, use Purity of Elements instead (but keep socketed for Vaal Haste) - run rare T3 Castle Ruins until Lv 70 (took me 2 maps) - at Lv 70 use a Lv 20 Raise Spectre gem and summon an additional spectre (needs total gem Lv 25) - Link Hex Bloom to Elemental Weakness to spread curse (alternatively can use Temporal Chains if you want more safety) - Replace the Scorching Ray setup for: Ethereal Knives + Pierce + GMP (this is to trigger the 2nd curse on ring and hit as many mobs as possible) Strat: - Scarabs: 4x Domination + 1x Magic Pack Size - Atlas: Get all shrine nodes and you're good. I used my normal endgame atlas with legion, increased map mods and shrines and had no problems. - For even more borrowed power: get Settlers/Ore nodes (Orichalium is pretty strong) and spec into Niko - skip bosses and tanky rares, only clear trash like you did in campaign - check Mirage for Exp, Pack Size, Explo mod or Divine Shrine - otherwise skip - at Lv 70, run T10 Dunes with decent mods (no need for 8-mod or T14+ maps - keep them as simple as possible) - you just focus on dodging and grabbing shrines via phasing and play support by giving Vaal Haste and debuffs - you'll be 80+ in no time!