As I approach the end of the league, I would like to share my most recent creation: the HoT Primordial Bomber.

This turned out to be a very enjoyable build, very fast mapping and very tanky. And for those who used to play a Thunder Sorc in D2 and liked teleporting into packs of cows, this one is for you!

PoB: https://pastebin.com/MLecZTYt (note this is pretty much my finished build). *Edit, note you need to balance resist for Wise Oak.

POE Ninja Link: https://poe.ninja/challenge/builds/char/TheRealWildborn/Vasilisa_Doomsayer?i=1&search=class%3DElementalist%26skill%3DHerald-of-Thunder

Videos:

Drox Map and Kill: https://youtu.be/_ecszm4YFQ0

Tunnels XP farming (lvl 83 contract): https://youtu.be/JQhQPI1FXvg

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Background:

I started out this season as a standard Carrion Golemancer. I chose the build because, I usually play a golemancer once every couple seasons and it had been a while. The new change to not having to resummon golems solidified my decision. I had no idea it was going to so Meta. Regardless, I built out a full life version elementalist and cleared my atlas. It was easy and I was bored. So I quit playing POE for a couple of weeks.

I ultimately came back after a few rounds of the Heist fixes and tried the league again. Heist was better but Carrion Golems were still pretty boring. Also it really annoys me that the build struggles to break legion minions. So, I decided to see if I can repurpose the toon to something that was a faster mapper but tanky enough to do rippy heists.

In reading the HoT Bomber guide threads, the common theme is the build is too squishy and it takes quite a bit of investment to get to the point of sustaining two rings. The two biggest weaknesses I saw were lack of health regen and physical reduction. This is where primordial bond excels.

With 5 Primordial bonds (200% Golem buff increase) + Golem Commander (30%) + Liege of the Primordial (150% , 6 golems at 25%) Elemancer ( 150% , 6 golems at 25%) + primordial Eminence (90% 3 jewels) = a total of 620% multiplier for golems buffs. This does some cool things with Stone, Chaos, Lighting and Fire golems generating the following in my current build:

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• Stone: 1,000 life regen (never got to upgrading to anomalous 21/0 is better than 20/20 anomalous)
• Chaos 37% physical reduction (anomalous gem adds 20%)
• Lighting: 64% cast Speed (anomalous gem adds 20%) Note this buff is higher than a faster cast support gem which gives 40% and effectively adds a link to lighting warp and shock nova
• Flame: 134% increased damage (anomalous gem adds 20%)

This was pretty good start but I still died several times in heist and maps. I originally started with an inpusla which is the standard recommendation in other HoT guides. The shock effectiveness and explosions are nice, but it has no armor and low ES. I found that anything below 2,500 energy shield is hard to sustain through ES leech. I switched to a 5 link sporeguard and realized a few important things: 1) I cleared just as fast; 2) fungal ground is instant on lighting warp. This meant I could warp into packs and they would explode and before they died they were subject to the fungal ground debuff reducing their damage. The added chaos resists were also very appreciated.

At this point, I was able to run heists and maps without too much trouble but I then started looking "on hit" modifier and how that can be used in this build. Most HoT builds are running anomalous ice armor this league as it freezes enemies when you take damage which is most excellent. Using that concept, I swapped my anoint to Inexeroble which has a 15% chance to generate endurance charges on "hit." With 8 hits/sec from HoT, this means constant uptime with endurance charges. Adding in Immortal call, that means the immortal call buff is proccing immediately after its cooldown. This give insane amount of physical reduction and with anomalous version, additional elemental reduction. This worked so well, that I have spec into an additional endurance charge.

Taking this a step further, I thought about how I could get fortify for the additional 20% damage reduction. I discovered hardened scars which gives fortify during life flask effect which also works with hybrid flasks. This build was already a bit mana thirsty with lighting warp, so I worked in a hybrid flask, giving perma fortify uptime while mapping. The end result is (as set in the PoB above), with a 10,000 physical hit I am at 59% damage reduction and an effective hit pool of 95k and have no issues sustaining the lighting damage and ES.

There is of course still some room for improvement such as better amulet, wand and shield, but without harvest, I just don't think it is worth the effort. At this point, I am pretty satisfied with the build and happily will sent her to standard to sit in all her glory.

Thanks for the read and stay sane exiles.

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Item Suggestions:

Note this is not intended to be a guide, but rather a reference for personal exploration. Feel free to hit me up if you have questions.

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Required Items:

My view is you really need these items to start.

• Calamitous Visions
• 2x Storm Secret Ring
• Anima Stone
• 3x primordial Eminence (necessary to get the additional Golem from Anima stone)
• Algor Mortis

Cluster Jewels:

You can build these out over time, but the more primordial bonds you get the tankier and more damage you do.

Megalomaniac x 3: You need at least primordial bond on these and then try to get two more useful passives. It is relatively easy to get two useful passives, but finding nice ones with three is rare.

Need one large with a min of Supercharge. I also like overshock and Stormdrinker

One Large with Primordial Bond and Renewal (one renewal is enough to keep your golems alive)

One Medium with Heraldry for lighting exposure, and then socket you calamitous visons in it.

Other Items

Chest: Sporeguard ---> Inpulsa. I believe Sporeguard is way better, with the extra anoint and ES. Also as discussed above Lightning Warp causes fungal ground on landing, so you get the Pops, damage and defense.

Gloves: Algor Mortis. a +1 all gems corruption really ups the golem tankiness

Head: Crown of the Inward Eye or Rare with res/dex/ES. Note enchant you need 20% or 30% HoT reduction if you want to run aspect of the spider. If no spider, then you can use 40% HoT Damage

Belt: Stygian Rare with life/res/dex

Amulet: +1 Lighting Skill with res/dex

Boots: Rare with res/dex/movement speed

Weapon: Angerod South is solid for low budget, gut a combination of +1 lightning skill one hand weapon/shield with double damage crafts give more stats and damage. I focused on lighting damage and making sure there was an empty suffix for the craft.

Timeless jewel: Glorious Vanity Doranyi