Step-by-Step PoE Build Guide for Beginners & Casuals - Extensive Update for 3.18 [fezz's Toxic Rain Champion]

######## IMPORTANT INFORMATION ######## - These notes are a super condensed version of the following guide for new players, beginner & casuals: https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3229622 - In case you are a beginner, it's highly recommended to use the detailed version of the guide! - You can download a tailor-made loot filter for this build here: https://bit.ly/32RxJ9u (Campaign) / https://bit.ly/3ydEOy7 (Endgame) - I'd love to hear your feedback regardign this PoB & the checklist, so make sure to leave a comment here: https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3229622 ####################################### [The number in brackets refers to the level when this tasks become available/relevant. Your actual progress might differ from this] ------------------ CAMPAIGN ------------------------ --------------------- ACT 1 --------------------------- [02] Choose (G) Splitting Steel as a quest reward [02] Use (G) Splitting Steel instead of (R) Double Strike [02] Link (G) Splitting Steel with (R) Chance to Bleed Support [02] Choose 'Move only' as your default left click [02] Activate 'Always Attack Without Moving' for your skills [02] Get one 3-linked G-G-R item as soon as possible [04] Choose Quicksilver Flask as a quest reward [04] Choose (G) Onslaught Support as a quest reward [04] The only relevant modifier for now is '+# to Maximum Life' [04] Link (G) Onslaught Support with (G) Splitting Steel & (R) Chance to Bleed Support [04] Choose (R) Ancestral Protector as a quest reward [04] Choose (G) Dash as a quest reward [04] Buy (R) War Banner from the vendor [08] Choose (R) Maim Support gem as a quest reward [08] Link (R) Maim Support with (R) Ancestral Protector [10] Choose (R) Vitality as a quest reward [12] Choose (G) Shattering Steel as a quest reward [12] Use (G) Shattering Steel instead of (G) Splitting Steel [24] Buy (R) Steelskin Support from the vendor [12] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Lower Prison (optional) --------------------- ACT 2 --------------------------- [16] Kill all bandits [16] Finish the quest 'Intruders in Black' as soon as possible [16] Get a mana flask with 'Flask effect is not removed when Unreserved Mana is Filled' modifier as soon as possible [16] Choose (G) Blood Rage as a quest reward [16] Buy (R) Herald of Ash from the vendor [16] Buy (R) Herald of Purity from the vendor [18] Sell 1x Poleaxe together with 1x Rustic Sash belt and 1x Blacksmith's Whetstone to any vendor as soon as possible [18] Choose (G) Vicious Projectiles Support gem as a quest reward [23] Sell 1x Double Axe together with 1x Rustic Sash belt and 1x Blacksmith's Whetstone to any vendor [24] Buy 2x (G) Toxic Rain, 2x (G) Faster Attacks Support, (G) Mirage Archer Support and (R) Ballista Totem Support from the vendors in town (Act 1 & 2) to level them in advance in your second weapon set [24] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Crypt (optional) [24] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Chamber of Sins Level 2 (optional) --------------------- ACT 3 --------------------------- [24] Don't complete The Lord's Labyrinth (you will do this later with level 55) [24] Complete the quest 'A Fixture of Fate' in The Library as soon as possible [24] Craft your leveling bow as soon as possible (for a crafting guideline, check this link: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/campaign/act-3/#leveling-bow) [24] Get a 3-linked G-G-R or a 4-linked G-G-G-R item as soon as possible [33] As soon as you have the bow and the G-G-R item, switch to the (G) Toxic Rain setup (see 'Skills' section) [33] Reminder: Activate 'Always Attack Without Moving' for your skills [33] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Crematorium [33] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Catacombs [33] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Imperial Gardens --------------------- ACT 4 --------------------------- [34] Try to cap your elemental resistances from here (e.g. with the help of the Crafting Bench) [34] Get a Life Flask with an 'Instant Recovery' modifier as soon as possible [34] Get a Flask with 'Grants Immunity to Bleeding for X Seconds if used while Bleeding' modifier as soon as possible [38] Buy (G) Withering Touch Support from the vendor [38] Buy (R) Multiple Totems Support from the vendor [38] Use (G) Withering Touch Support instead of (G) Void Manipulation Support in your (R) Ballista Totem Support setup [38] Use (R) Multiple Totems Support instead of (G) Faster Attacks Support in your (R) Ballista Totem Support setup [43] Buy (R) Determination from the vendor (only use this if you've already taken the 'Charisma' and 'Herbalism' nodes on your skill tree AND if you have an Enduring Mana Flask ) [43] Buy (R) Molten Shell from the vendor [43] Once you use (R) Determination, use (R) Molten Shell instead of (R) Steelkin (make sure to set it as your default left click to autocast it) [43] Once you use (R) Determination, use a Granite Flask (if you don't have one yet, don't worry, you will get one as a quest reward in Act 5) --------------------- ACT 5 --------------------------- [45] Choose a Granite Flask as a quest reward --------------------- ACT 6 --------------------------- [50] In case you didn't notice yet: You've just lost 30% elemental resistances [50] Choose 'Soul of the Brine King' as your first Pantheon [55] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Prison --------------------- ACT 7 --------------------------- [53] Choose 'Soul of Ralakesh' as your second Pantheon [55] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Crypt [55] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Chamber of Sins Level 2 [55] Complete all Trials of Ascendancy in Act 1-7 (if not done yet) [55] Enter The Lord's Labyrinth via the Aspirants' Plaza [55] Complete the The Normal Labyrinth and choose your Ascendancy class (Champion) and invest your Ascendancy skill points (pick 'Unstoppable Hero') [55] Complete the The Cruel Labyrinth and invest your Ascendancy skill points (pick 'Fortitude') --------------------- ACT 8 --------------------------- [57] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Bath House --------------------- ACT 9 --------------------------- [60] Farm The Foothills in Act 9 until you have all of your early endgame setup (check the following link for details: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/campaign/act-9/#foothills) [63] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Tunnel [64] Choose 'Soul of Garukhan' as your new minor Pantheon --------------------- ACT 10 --------------------------- [64] Look out for Thicket Bow with an itemlevel (ilvl) of 64 or higher [64] Craft your early-endgame bow (for a crafting guideline, check out this link: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/campaign/act-10/#early-endgame-bow-crafting) [65] Look out for an Eternal Mana Flask [65] Complete at least all quests which grant you skill points [65] Complete the Trial of Ascendancy in The Ossuary [65] Complete all Trials of Ascendancy in Act 8-10 (if not done yet) [65] Complete the The Merciless Labyrinth and invest your Ascendancy skill points (pick 'Inspirational') [65] Buy (R) Defiance Banner gem from the vendor [65] Buy (R) Increased Duration Support gem from the vendor [65] Link (R) Increased Duration Support with (R) Defiance Banner [65] Finish the campaign by completing Act 10 [65] In case you didn't notice yet: You've just lost another 30% elemental resistances [65] Talk to Lani in Oritah to receive your quest reward ------------------- ENDGAME ------------------------- - In order to understand the very basics of your build (e.g. how to scale damage, how to scale survivability with this build, essential crafts) check out thius link: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/basics/) ------------- ENDGAME BASICS ------------- For basic information regarding the endgame, please click the repsective link: - Damage scaling: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/basics/#damage-scaling - Survivability scaling: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/basics/#survivability-scaling - Gem setups: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/basics/#gem-setups - Harvest Crafting, Fossil Crafting, Bench Crafting & Eldritch Crafting: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/basics/#crafting - Atlas completion & Voidstones: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/basics/#atlas-completion-and-voidstones - Map modifiers to look out for: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/basics/#map-mods-to-look-out-for - League mechanics to look out for: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/basics/#league-mechanics-to-look-out-for ------------- ENDGAME MILESTONES ------------- [68] Increase the quality of your flasks [68] Complete the Eternal Labyrinth as soon as possible [68] Get a 6-link bow and a 6-link body armour [68] Get 1x Large Cluster Jewel & 2x Medium Cluster Jewel (see 'Items' section) [68] Get Viridian Jewels (see 'Items' section) [68] Unlock important endgame crafts by unveiling Betrayal items (+#% Chaos Damage Over Time Multiplier / Gain #% of Maximum Life as Extra Maximum Energy Shield) [68] Pick 'Ghost Dance' on your skill tree as soon as you have the 'Gain #% of Maximum Life as Extra Maximum Energy Shield' modifier on your body armour (Get rid of (G) Blood Rage if you do so) [68] Switch to a CWDT setup as soon as you have Ghost Dance [68] Craft you mid-endgame bow (for a crafting guideline, check out this link: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/milestones/#bow-crafting) [68] Anoint your amulet (Freedom of Movement or Corruption) [68] Anoint your rings (Empowering Tower Effect or Empowering Tower Range) [68] Upgrade your major Pantheon (Soul of the Brine King) and minor Pantheon (Soul of Garukhan) as soon as possible [68] Get a Curse on Hit Ring with 'Curse Enemies with Despair on Hit, with #% increased Effect" (see 'Items' section) [68] Get a helmet with the modifier '8% reduced Mana Reservation of Skills' OR an Enlighten Support Level 3 [68] Use Grace as soon as you have a helmet that provides the modifier '8% reduced Mana Reservation of Skills' AND an Enlighten Support Level 3 [68] Try to get level 21/20 or level 21/23 gems [68] Get Immunity to Corrupted Blood (on one of your jewels) [68] Get a total of 39% increased Area of Effect from all sources [68] Get 100% chance to Suppress Spell Damage [68] Get Awakened Support Gems: (G) Awakened Vicious Projectiles Support which is used instead of (G) Vicious Projectiles Support & (G) Awakened Void Manipulation Support which is used instead of (G) Void Manipulation Support [68] Improve your jewellery with the help of Catalysts If you need detailed information regardin one of the tasks, check out this link: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/milestones/ --------- ENDGAME ITEM ACQUISITION --------- - In order to get in-depth information on how you can acquire your endgame items, checkout the "Late-Endgame Items' section of the detailed version of the checklist here: https://poe-beginner-guide.com/toxic-rain-champion/endgame/items-and-crafts/ ---------- RESOURCES & TOOLS ---------------- - https://www.poewiki.net/ | This website provides information regarding the game. - https://www.poelab.com/ | This website provides information specifically regarding the Labyrinth. - https://poe.ninja/ | This website provides information regarding the economy of the current trade league as well as an overview of all builds played - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJp5gRxusrQ&list=PLbpExg9_Xax0CA1_1vXps8j1eTWc-p8LQ | This is a YouTube series which provides in-depth information on a wide range of topics featuring several known Path of Exile streamers. - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iUS1SL5vz8ts8S3m1CQg9b1HA1zlTIMkLSQy-cuQ4Cs/copy | This is Google Spreadsheet compiled by Path of Exile streamer Path of Matth which contains tons of helpful information. - https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/ | This is the official Path of Exile subreddit. - https://www.reddit.com/r/PathOfExileBuilds/ | This is a subreddit specifically dedicated to Path of Exile builds. - https://grinding.zone/ | This websites compiles a lot of useful resources and tools in regards to Path of Exile. - https://poedb.tw/ | This website provides in-depth data regarding items, uniques, skills and passives. ---------- FEEDBACK ---------------- There's always room for improvements! Therefore, I am happy about any feedback. Did this guide help you? Did you struggle? If so, at what point? Where should the guide provide more information? What changes or additions would you like to see? Let me know! You can contact/add me here: PoE Forum: https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3229622 Ingame: fezz8386 Discord: fezz#3017 Cheers Your friendly neighborhood Exile!