Just prior to league start, I theorycrafted a couple of builds: a Hexblast Occultist and a RF/Searing Bond Cheiftan. At he last minute I decided to go with the Cheiftan as the defences looked more solid, and I couldn't be happier.

https://pastebin.com/vga4DyNR

This has been the smoothest, easiest league start I've experienced, and one of the strongest builds I've played in my 1200 hours in POE. Thus far, I've invested a grand total of 25c on this build, and 22c of that was on the amulet. Close to 1m DPS with pretty average gear and cheap-as-mud uniques.

Currently level 91 and running red maps with all 16 watchstones, only 2 deaths were dogpiled in hell, and bonked by Drox. This is not a zoom-zoom build, more like a walking sim, and mana recovery is scuffed hence all the lifetapping. Efficacy is supposed to be Burning Damage, but my socket colours didn't match up, and flamewall is supposed to be Flamability, but my krangled chest-peice killed my ability to curse.

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Next steps are to find a replacement chest-peice, a curse on hit ring, and hopefully something with +1 fire skills. Plenty of room to grow yet, any tips would be appreciated.