3.7 SSFHC Essence Drain Contagion Trickster Guide

DRAFT 2 TO DO: Youtube Videos: - Full 3.7 Leveling VOD (if necessary) - Brief 10 minute Summary Video Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/havoc616 Twitter: https://twitter.com/hvc616 Discord: https://discord.gg/havoc616 Stream Schedule: 12PM to 12AM EST Video: --- Pros --- - Excellent Mobility & Speed - Excellent Ranged AoE Clear - Excellent Defense (High HP Pool + Ghost Shrouds + Dodge + Block + Evasion) - Cheap / SSF Viable (Can get by on 4/5L's for a long time!) - Easy to fit in Magic Find Gear - Can do all Map Mods* --- Cons --- - Low Density = Slow Clear Speed - No Regen is annoying (but doable) - Hard to proc Onslaught Early (Pre-Silver Flask) - Doesn't destroy corpses - Doesn't break Barrels or Destructables (Can use Blight/Shield Charge) - Allies cannot die can be dangerous (Need Vaal Blight and/or Vaal Disc in certain scenarios) --- Leveling --- - Explosive Trap singletarget for A1 - Frost Bomb + Onslaught at L4, you can drop this in A2 or Later if links are an issue and XP more along the way - Blight + Infused Channeling at L4 can be used instead of Explosive Trap - Craft +1 Chaos Wand(s) for Essence Drain and/or Contagion - +1 Chaos Craft = Chaos Gem (Viper strike) & a Blue Wand - 3L Contagion can be used solely up to A3 for AoE Clear (But may struggle with blues or rares) - Example 3L: Contagion - Void Manipulation - Arcane Surge / Controlled Destruction - Take Quicksilver flask from A2 Den Quest - Run Normal Lab at L31 (Around Crystal Veins area in A4) - Take Silver Flask & a Spreading Rot Jewel from A5 Innocence Reward - Run Cruel Lab around A7/A8 (or whenever you're comfortable), do not need to rush, can postpone - When you get to Blood Aqueduct you can farm for an extended period of time for: a tabula, currency, and XP. Or you can continue progressing to A10 Kitava. - This is a good time to get 6 Essence Drains to level in your off hand as well to Vaal at L20 to potentially get L21 - Run Merc Lab when you feel safe (4K+ EHP for beginners in HC), don't fully buff Izaro if you can't handle it OR just don't get hit 4Head - Equip a High Evasion/ES Chest after Merc Lab to become Hybrid (Drop MoM) and run Discipline (if you want a bigger ES buffer) --- Ascendancy --- My preferred order: Swift Killer --> Ghost Dance --> Escape Artist --> Weave the Arcane I prefer these nodes because: - Ghost Shrouds = Defence - Attack Speed / Cast Speed = Mobility = Defence = Offence = XP/H = Currency/H You can alter the order or take different nodes if you wish. --- Pantheons & Bandits --- Major: Brine King for Stun Immunity Minor: Ralakesh for CB/Bleed if you do not have overtime Bleed immunity or Anything Else Bandits: Early Game: Alira for Resists Late Game: 2 Passive Points --- Links --- -- Mapping Setup Contagion - Intensify - Increased Area of Effect Last Gem = Arcane Surge or Item Rarity or Faster Casting Essence Drain - Controlled Destruction - Efficacy - Swift Affliction - Void Manipulation Last Gem = Energy Leech or Empower or Arcane Surge Order: Contagion --> Essence Drain --> Shield Charge towards the next packs (Following the contagion spread for ULTRA clear speed) Blight - Infused Channeling - Void Manipulation - Efficacy - Controlled Destruction (w/ Allelopathy) Consider creating a Vaal Blight pre Allelopathy gloves, useful for Allies Cannot Die -- Bossing Setup Essence Drain - Controlled Destruction - Efficacy - Swift Affliction Socket in Delirium Gloves for Pseudo 5L Blight - Infused Channeling - Void Manipulation - Efficacy - Controlled Destruction - Swift Affliction -- Other Links Shield Charge - Faster Attacks - Fortify Malevolence Flame Dash Blasphemy + Despair (Consider using while Hybrid and swap with Discipline when switching to CI) Discipline / Vaal Discipline CWDT + Immortal Call (Not 100% Mandatory) --- Gearing --- -- Enchants - Boots: Ias on Kill, Life/Mana Regen, MS if you haven't been hit recently - Helmet: Contagion: Increased Contagion Area of Effect Essence Drain: XX% increased Essence Drain Damage Blight: Blight has XX% increased Hinder Duration, XX% increased Blight Area of Effect, XX% increased Blight Damage Aura: Discipline has XX% reduced Mana Reservation, Malevolence has XX% reduced Mana Reservation -- Jewels - Spreading Rot (2 if Bossing) - Eldritch Knowledge (Above Witch) - Onslaught Jewel (If you want to drop Silver Flask) - Phasing Jewel - +% to Non-Ailment Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier - +% Chaos Damage - +% Damage over Time - +% Damage - +% Spell Damage - Attack + Cast Speed -- Helmet - Honourhome (+2 Gems 4L) - The Gull Hybrid: - Rare Life/Res Helmet (ES Base) - Minus Chaos Res (Aberrant Fossil - The Devouring Diadem (if MoM) - Heretics Veil CI: - Rare ES/Res Helmet - Minus Chaos Res (Aberrant Fossil) - Heretics Veil (Might need to drop an Aura to fit in Blasphemies) -- Rings - Ventor's Gamble - Dream Fragments - Aspect of the Spider (From Beasts) Hybrid: - Rare Rings with: Life, Res, %Chaos Damage (Essence of Envy), Mana (If MoM), ES, Stats CI: - Rare Rings with: ES, Res, %Chaos Damage (Essence of Envy), Stats Crafting Bench: - % Damage (Prefix) - % Chaos Damage (Suffix) - % faster start of Energy Shield Recharge (Prefix) - Resist (Suffix) -- Amulets - Quantity Amulet (Rare Shaper Base) - Bisco's Collar - Elder Amulet for +% to Non-Ailment Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier - Impresence - Solstice Vigil - Aspect of the Spider (From Beasts) Hybrid: - Rare Amulets with: Life, Res, %Chaos Damage (Essence of Envy), Mana (If MoM), ES, Stats CI: - Rare Amulets with: ES, Res, %Chaos Damage (Essence of Envy), Stats Crafting Bench: - % Damage (Prefix) - % Chaos Damage (Suffix) - Resist (Suffix) - % Increased Energy Shield (Prefix) - Minus Mana (Prefix) -- Belts - Rare Belt with: Life, Res, ES, Flask Mods, Stats - Rare Stygian Belts (Consider Fossil Crafting - Aberrant for % Chaos Damage) - Bisco's Leash (Rampage + MF) - May ruin contagion chains - Perandus Blazon (MF) - Headhunter (Juice 101) - For Speed / Defence CI: - Bated Breath (Stygian Flask Belt is preferred) -- Boots - Sin Trek (Preferred) - Atziri's Step - Goldwyrm - Rare Boots with Spell Dodge from Temple of Atzoatl Hybrid: - Rare Boots with: Life, Res, Movement Speed, ES, Stats CI: - Rare Boots with: ES, Res, Movement Speed, Stats - % Quality Craft (Int Preferred) -- Gloves - Sadimas (MF) - Rampage Gloves: Shadows and Dust, Flesh and Spirit, Null and Void, Wyrmsign - Vixen's Entrapment (For Bane + Curse on Hit Setups) - Glove Corruptions: +1 Level of Socketed Gems - Essence of Delirium for Pseudo 5L - Elder Gloves for +% to Non-Ailment Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier Hybrid: - Rare Gloves with: Life, Res, ES, Stats CI: - Allelopathy - Rare Gloves with: ES, Res, Stats -- Chest - Tabula Rasa (Easy Corruptions) - QoTF: +75% MS with 45K Evasion - Loreweave - 78% Max Res to have cheaper map rolling costs (If you're scared of Minus Max) - The Perfect Form (Hybrid or CI) - Rare Body Armour with HIGH Evasion and ES (Preferred) - Carcass Jack (BIG Contagion AoE) -- Budget Flasks - Seething Divine Life Flask - Stibnite - Granite early game into Basalt late game - Alchemist's Jade of Reflexes to hit QoTF Evasion Cap - Alchemist's Quicksilver of Adrenaline - Resist Flasks for various Bosses - Sulphur Flask for marginal %Dmg - Quartz Flask (Phasing, Dodge & Spell Dodge) Flask Suffix: - of Adrenaline, Of Grounding, Of Staunching, Of Warding, Of Heat (Not needed with Dream Fragments) -- Others Flasks: - Witchfire Brew, Taste of Hate, Wise Oak (For Defence) Note: Flasks offer a large amount of defence and the build can be considered squishy if they are not up -- End Game Setups - Dual Wand (+% to Non-Ailment Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier) + QOTF - Wand + Shield (+% to Non-Ailment Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier) - (My preference) - Allows Shield Charging - Dagger/Sceptre + Shield - Allows Shield Charging - Rare Weapon with as much damage as possible: Spell Damage, Damage over Time, Chaos Damage, +% to Non-Ailment Chaos Damage over Time Multiplier - Rare Weapon with Utility Rolls: Attack Speed, Cast Speed - Breath of the Council - Cerebrus Limb + Aegis Aurora or Magna Eclipsis (or a Rare Shield) - Crafted Bow with: +1 to Level of Socketed Gems, +1 to Level of Strength/Int/Dexterity Gems, +2 to Level of Support Gems, +20% More Socketed Gem Spell Damage Crafted Mods: - Fossil Crafting (Aberrant Fossil, Pristine Fossil (Damage on Full Life), Bound Fossil (Minion Damage)) - Chaos Damage - Chaos Skills have % Increased Skill Effect Duration - % Chance to gain Arcane Surge when you Kill an Enemy Shield: - Rare with: ES, Res, Spell Damage, Cast Speed, Stats, Life if Hybrid - Zeel's Amplifier (Really good on Hybrid) - Titanium for ES, Fossilised for 20% Spell Damage --- ED Atlas --- Setup 1: Shaped T11 - T16 All T10 & Under Completed T11: Mud Geyser T12: Graveyard, Racecourse (Flashback / Added Mobs Scenario), Residence (Dapper Prodigy Cards) T13: Toxic Sewers, Scriptorium, Iceberg, Dunes, Estuary T14: Underground Sea, Shore T15: Bog, Volcano (Kaom's Cards), Bazaar (Exalt Cards), Temple T16: City Square, Arid Lake, Jungle Valley, Beach, Ashen Wood, Grotto... T16 = Personal Preference Setup 2: Shaped T13 - T16 (My Personal Preference) All T12 & Under Completed T11: Mud Geyser T12: Graveyard T13: Toxic Sewers T14: Underground Sea T15: Bog or Bazaar T16: City Square --- FAQ --- -- Golems? Lightning for % Attack Speed/Cast Speed or Stone Golem for Regen/Taunt --Why Trickster? Speed. Large amounts of attack & cast speed allow you to go extremely fast. Furthermore, Ghost shrouds offer very strong survability. -- Does this work on other Ascendancies? Yes but Trickster is my personal preference/recommendation. Occultist, Heirophant, Deadeye, Pathfinder, and more can also work. -- What are Delirium Gloves? Essence of Delirium (https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Essence_of_Delirium) used on Rare Gloves. Consider using on: Fingerless Silk Gloves / Elder Gloves / Sorcerer Gloves -- Shaper? Uber Elder? Yes. Don't get hit :) -- Wicked Ward Halves Energy Shield regen, not good for the CI Variant. Not bad for the hybrid version. Can be used in conjunction with an Eldritch Battery + Mind over Matter variant. --CI vs Hybrid Both have very similar gear setups Hybrid: - Easy to setup early on - Can run a different aura other than discipline - Can possibly spec phase acrobatics - Easier to get higher spell dodge and/or evasion rating which is useful for bossing (The Perfect Form, Atziri's Steps, etc) - Easy to fit in Zeel's Amplifier CI: - Higher endgame EHP & Gear Ceiling - 100% Chaos Res - Easy to transition too from Hybrid --When to transition to CI? When you have enough ES that you are personally comfortable with. This is usually in early maps for my self. ---Example CI & Hybrid PoB's--- CI 1: https://pastebin.com/DHTqMVCk (Havoc 1) CI 2: https://pastebin.com/9EaPLzkj (Havoc 2) Hybrid 1: https://pastebin.com/ecX4pPBG (Dan's) Hybrid 2: https://pastebin.com/WJ4juHVd (AhhCryings) Poe.Ninja is a great resource as well to look at example builds