Hello ma boy, this is the latest "HOW TO LEAGUE START WITH MY (DIRECT HIT DAMAGE!) Explosive Arrow Ballista" Guide.
For the actual (DIRECT HIT DAMAGE!) Explosive Arrow Ballista Build Guide you will need to click here:
https://www.poe-vault.com/guides/explosive-arrow-ballista-hierophant-build-guide
*THE BUILD GUIDE CONTAINS TONS OF USEFUL INFORMATION. 99% of your questions are already answered there. This "INFO" page only covers the league-start progression.
If this is your first time playing the build, please don't skip the written guide.
Full Campaign Showcase with explanations of each transition phase and multiple tips and tricks here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dELaqlYiiWI
[READ!] FOR THE CAMPAIGN & EARLY MAPPING: Do not stress too much regarding your items. I've adapted this starter to be as lazy & simple as possible!
For the most part, you will use generic items found on the ground, purchased from vendors, or acquired through trade (life, resistances, attack speed, elemental damage etc.). There are also some specific item recommendations under each section below.
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ACTs 1 - 3 ( TREE: Use Act 1 - 3 LEVELING [HF TOTEM] )
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First Town. buy Purifying Flame ( complete quest Breaking some Eggs. go back to town. )
Buy Holy Flame Totem. This will be your main skills till you reach act 3 (Library). then transition/swap to Explosive arrow ballista.
Main setup:-
- Purifying Flame ( YOU DROP THIS SKILL GEM WHEN YOU GET THE "ANCESTRAL BOND" KEYSTONE, refer to "Tree" & "Skills" from the POB )
- Holy Flame Totem + Combustion support + Infused Channeling
- Flame Wall ( when projectiles pass through these walls they gain added fire damage; you can summon 3 Walls at a time! )
Utility:-
- Frost Blink
- Flammability ( Curse the enemies with Flammability so you deal more damage )
Auras:-
- Clarity
- Herald of Ash
TIPS:
It's okay to have low-quality items in the early Acts!
In Acts I - III, items with multiple links and sockets are more valuable than raw stats.
You will want to use two sceptres or two wands. We will not use a shield in this phase.
When picking up gear in Acts I-III, look for stats that boost your damage, such as:
- % increased spell damage
- % increased fire damage
- +# to Level of all Fire Skill Gems
- Adds # to # Fire Damage to Spells
*You can gamble for weapon upgrades with the gold that you find. Each town has a vendor that gives you an option to gamble.
BANDIT QUEST: Kill All.
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ACT 3 - 10 + Early mapping (white and yellow maps) ( TREE: Use Act 3 - 10 LEVELING [EA BALLISTA] )
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Once you reach the Library, you should be buying this setup for next Acts and early mapping till you hit level 78 aprox.
You will need to level up your gems after you buy them. For that -> Go to "The Docks" (area in act III) and kill some monsters there.
You will continue with the campagn once Explosive Arrow reaches level 2
Main Setup:
- Explosive Arrow
- Ballista Totem Support
- Elemental Damage with Attacks
- Lesser Multiple Projectiles (when you find a 4-link item; HELPS A LOT WITH THE MONSTER CLEARS )
Utility:-
- Frost Blink
- Steelskin + Automation
- Frenzy + Manaforged arrows + Mirage Archer (Optional) + Culling Strike (Optional)
- Flammability ( Curse the enemies with Flammability so you deal more damage )
Auras:-
- Clarity
- Precision ( [READ!]after completing the campign swap Precision with Purity of Elements)
TIPS:-
1) CHECK VENDORS for a 4 link with 2 green & 2 red // else go on the TRADE WEBSITE and buy an item with these links! ( should be very cheap on trade ). You can also GAMBLE a Body Armour with Armour and Evasion in Act 3. FOR LINKED ITEMS.
2) DO NOT WEAR A QUIVER THAT HAS *PIERCE EFFECTS* ( AVOID the PENETRATING QUIVER base as it will nerf your damage srastically!!! )
4) COMPLETE THE 3 LABS BEFORE MAPPING.
Recommended:-
a) first lab - before killing Daresso and Kaom ( allocate pursuit of faith )
b) second lab - Do it somewhere in the middle of Act Act 8 (allocate Ritual of Awakening)
c) third lab - before you kill Kitava in ACT 10. (allocate convication of power )
// for the rare items ( Explosive Arrow Ballista phase ) look for: ATTACK SPEED, INCREASED ELEMENTAL DAMAGE WITH ATTACKS & INCREASED FIRE DAMAGE
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SWAP TO THE "ENDGAME SETUP" somewhere in late red maps. Open the Written Build Guide and you have everything that you need: (LINK:
https://www.poe-vault.com/guides/explosive-arrow-ballista-hierophant-build-guide )
Before that you can use these items to help you (optional):
the best-in-slot weapon you can use is this unique bow: Quill Rain
*Make sure to take the mastery that converts % Projectile Speed into % increased Damage once you reach it.
This cheap bow alone will carry you on easy mode to yellow maps / early red maps. This is a pretty common unique bow!
Another great unique item you can use during is the: Skirmish quiver.
It grants you one additional totem and helps with Intelligence, mana regeneration, and accuracy. Plus, it's a very cheap quiver!
Daressos-Defiance body armour (4-link; link it yourself is cheap!)
It grants us permanent Onslaught with no downside, since the Hierophant maintains 4 permanent Endurance Charges at all times.
It also increases the effect of Onslaught by 100%, giving us 40% increased attack speed and movement speed.
On top of that, it provides high Armour and Evasion, as well as a decent amount of Life.
* I remind you that our damage scales dramatically with Explosive Arrow gem levels.
As you farm more currency, prioritize getting a level 21/20 Explosive Arrow Skill Gem, an amulet with + to Gem Levels, Gem Level corruptions on your body armour, and a level 4 Empower. (Everything is covered in this guide!)
**Build guide has a lot of useful & esential information like: "COMMON MISTAKES", MAP "REGEX", A GEAR PAGE (with options for budget, normal and maxing the build) etc.
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Written Build Guide:
https://www.poe-vault.com/guides/explosive-arrow-ballista-hierophant-build-guide
For help, join the Discord server here (we have two dedicated Build Support Channels):
https://discord.gg/92ab6Zs3ZT
My Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@poeguy007/videos
You can insult me live on stream here:
https://www.twitch.tv/poeguy007
Good Luck!