1.3 Newbie Friendly Poison Arrow build - Solo MF 300/100 IIR/IIQ

I have been playing Path of Exile since open Beta, Standard League only, Magic Find only and mostly melee.
Now trying a nice Poison Arrow Marauder that I wanted to share with you.

So what's so nice about it -
The build is not overpowered or under-powered, it is simply balanced.
The build uses a skill that scales (Poison Arrow). Unlike other bow/melee skills that require either expensive gear or crit to scale, PA scales from the skill gem level directly, making the build suitable for new players and temp leagues. Please note that the build is not for Atziri killing or ultra high level maps, just for causal lower level yellow maps (high IIQ) and boss farming such as Piety.

I see magic find and itemization as a major part of the game design, leveling past 85 gets boring and magic find + leveling gems + trying new builds keeps the game fun.
Grinding Gear Games (GGG) may also mean Grinding = "farming" , Gear = items.
I have found nice items while playing - A mirror, Soul Taker, Mjölner, enough currency to 6L multiple items, etc'.

Add some MF sauce to your game-play and have fun!

Lore wise, a Marauder is associated with strength, life, fire and armor. The poison arrow is a toxic smoke technique developed by the ancient tribes, smoke is a by product of fire. We do use life, including blood magic and armor is used as well (not ES/evasion).

The Skill Tree (link)


Skill Tree main points
We take armor, strength, life, life regeneration, resist, movement speed, projectile damage and speed, damage over time, chaos damage, flask effect for healing.
Details:
Spoiler

We do not leech or gain life on hit, therefore take the following skills to boost the efficiency of life flasks:
Spoiler
Juggernaut:
16% increased Armour
6% increased maximum Life
20% increased Life Recovery from Flasks


Life and Flasks (x3):
3% increased maximum Life
10% increased Life Recovery from Flasks


Profane Chemistry:
6% increased maximum Life
30% increased Life Recovery from Flasks


Herbalism:
10% increased maximum Life
20% increased Life Recovery from Flasks
20% increased Flask Recovery Speed


We do not leech or gain life on hit AND use blood magic, take the following life regeneration nodes:
Spoiler
Life Regeneration:
0.8% of Life Regenerated per Second


Warrior's Blood:
1.8% of Life Regenerated per Second
+20 to Strength


Master of the Arena:
1% of Life Regenerated per Second
8% increased Melee Physical Damage
+2 to Melee Weapon and Unarmed range
+20 to Strength


Heart of Oak:
8% increased maximum Life
30% Chance to Avoid being Stunned
1% of Life Regenerated per second


Keystone Passives (The character is allergic to mana)
Spoiler
Blood Magic
Removes all mana
Spend Life instead of Mana for Skills
Lay open your veins, and draw power from your own spilled life.


Unwavering Stance
Recommended, NOT mandatory
Cannot Evade enemy Attacks
Cannot be Stunned
Stand your ground, child, keep your senses. The pain is fleeting and victory is forever.



Increased damage nodes - projectile damage, chaos damage, damage over time
Spoiler
Projectile Damage (x9)
10% increased Projectile Damage


Fury Bolts
20% increased Accuracy Rating
20% increased Projectile Damage
+20 to Strength


Ballistic Mastery
20% increased Projectile Speed
15% increased Projectile Damage
+20 to Dexterity


Sniper
10% increased Projectile Speed
20% increased Projectile Damage


Damage Over Time (x4)
9% increased Damage over Time


Corruption
8% increased Damage Over Time
18% increased Chaos Damage


Entropy
27% increased Damage over Time


Chaos Damage (x5)
5% / 7% / 10% increased Chaos Damage


Method to the Madness
22% increased Chaos Damage



Don't forget to take any nearby nodes that boost your life, armor, attack speed, resist and movement speed.
Resist should be over capped for MF (x2 Andvarius = −40% to all Elemental Resistances ; Merciless = −60% Elemental and Chaos resistance)


Items
Detailed per item-slot recommendations:
Spoiler
Recommended for the Weapon slot:
Spoiler
Any +2+1 bow, if budget is tight go for a +2 1st, later upgrade to a +2+1.
If your bow has any free prefixes or suffixes, use masters to add the following crafted options:
Tora, Master of the Hunt - +(10-30)% Increased Projectile Speed (suffix)
Leo, Master of the Arena - +(15-30)% increased Damage over Time (prefix)
4L is required for the main skill (Poison Arrow), 5L/6L to add the IIQ/IIR gems for MF.
An example of a recommended weapon:

* note that you will need RRBBGG colors (save some chromatic orbs for that), use Vorici's guaranteed 1B1R method for 15 chromatic orbs each time.


Recommended for the Quiver slot:
Spoiler
A quiver that adds flat +life, elemental resistance, chaos resistance.
An example of a recommended quiver:


Recommended for the Helmet slot:
Spoiler
The most important stat here is magic find (IIQ/IIR), additional armor, resistance and life is always nice.
An example of a recommended helm:

* if using minions instead of the decoy totem, the +2 minion gem level is recommended.


Recommended for the Armor slot:
Spoiler
There are no MF stats on armor, therefore go for a high armor rating, life, resist.
Astral Plate is the nice base type for the additional +% elemental resistance.
No need to 6L/5L the armor, we use the bow for the main skill (PA). 6S is recommended to level additional gems, use cast on damage taken, totems, minions, etc.
Example of a recommended armor:

* note 1 - armor type (STR/INT/DEX/MIXED) has an effect on the possibility of rolling off colors using chromatic orbs.
* note 2 - check out Conduct's thread for his upcoming unique - Greed's Embrace Golden Plate!
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1187309/page/1


Recommended for the Gloves slot:
Spoiler
IIQ/IIR goes here, anything else is a bonus.
Example of recommended gloves:


Recommended for the Boots slot:
Spoiler
IIQ/IIR goes here, anything else is a bonus.
Example of recommended boots:

* note that IIR is also nice and boots can roll +50 IIR, I just don't have any to link.


Recommended for the Belt slot:
Spoiler
Use either the IIQ unique belt or a resist + life rare belt
example:



Recommended for the Ring slots:
Spoiler
IIQ/IIR goes here, anything else is a bonus. The -40% resist is not really a bonus, but...
Example of recommended rings:



Recommended for the Amulet slot:
Spoiler
IIQ/IIR goes here, anything else is a bonus.
Example of recommended amulets:


Recommended for the Flask slots:
Spoiler
Magic find, run speed, fast healing, remove burning/frozen/shocked status, remove curses, add armor, etc.
Example of recommended flasks:


Skill gems:
Spoiler
Poison arrow is the main skill:
http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Poison_Arrow
Level at least two gems at once to be able to use the GCP recipe on level 20 to get the 20% quality version, the quality increases the radius of the skill - important when using with the concentrated effect support gem that reduces the area of effect.

Use the following support gems:
Empower ; Concentrated Effect ; Slower Projectiles


Replace the Slower Projectiles with Culling Strike when in parties AND you IIQ/IIR is the best in the party, otherwise, keep the Slower Projectiles on.


When upgrading to the 5L/6L bow configuration of the +2+1 bow, add the IIQ/IIR gems


In short term leagues, the IIQ gem is not available and might be replaced with Increased Area of Effect OR Faster Projectiles OR Culling Strike


* note - using Drillneck unique quiver with a Pierce gem is valid option that greatly increases DPS, the quiver does not have any resist bonuses, therefore requires more resist on gear and possibly less IIQ/IIR.


Use totems or/and minions as a decoy while shooting the toxic arrows all around.
Damage support gems are not required here, just life and resist for better durability as a decoy.
Support gems such as Minion and Totem Elemental Resistance are recommended.


Spell Totem + Summon Skeletons + Totem Elemental Resistance + Minion Life, Zombies are effective meat shields as well.


The recommended curse is Vulnerability for the 33% increased damage from Damage Over Time. Level the gem for the increases effect radius and link with Increased Area of Effect for even better radius.


Deal with the Bandits
Spoiler
Normal - Oak for the +40 base Life
Cruel - Kill all for the 1 passive skill point
Merciless - Kill all for the 1 passive skill point
Last edited by alxuser890 on Feb 21, 2015, 10:23:31 AM
Hi there, thanks for posting this guide. The build looks very unique for magic farming and I am in the process of putting together a character for it. What I would like to ask you is, under the skill gem section you have posted a few items but aside from the obvious CWDT and curse setup what would you recommend using for a 5l/6l chest? What are you running for auras?
Last edited by Shazmo on Feb 27, 2015, 11:24:24 AM
"
Shazmo wrote:
Hi there, thanks for posting this guide. The build looks very unique for magic farming and I am in the process of putting together a character for it. What I would like to ask you is, under the skill gem section you have posted a few items but aside from the obvious CWDT and curse setup what would you recommend using for a 5l/6l chest? What are you running for auras?



Hi Shazmo,

Enjoy the build :)

I use a non-linked chest for leveling gems.
No auras are used for the build (the aura gems in the gear are for leveling only).
I am trying some Vaal gems, they are really fun to play with, especially the Vaal detonate dead skill!

Current tree (level 87):


Current gear:
Spoiler


*The Haku +6% Q daggers are highly recommended for leveling Empower gems.
I've had a L 74 Scion available for respec for a while now. I also had a Q18 poison arrow gem drop for me recently so when I came across your guide i was intrigued. Read your guide and realized I had just about everything you recommend taking up digital dust in my stash. Only thing I didn't have is the bow. Did the respec, threw on some gear and took it for a test drive. Really enjoyed being able to run my low level maps again. Invested a little bit (less than 1 ex) and now I have my first ever char with over 200 iir and capped resists. Haven't had any good drops yet and still don't have a good bow but I am enjoying playing this build. Thanks for posting it in such a neat and concise format. Also been a long time since I gained 38% exp in a single map. Looking forward to running in some lower level parties and learning how this mf deal works out.
Hi, just wondering if you'd be able to post a quick leveling guide for this build?
Doesn't necessarily have to be links, just a rough guide of which order you took the keystone/notables in.
Hi Therthamar,

I actually used a re-spec on a high level character.
Anyway I'd rush for the Blood Magic keystone ASAP, after that the tree is kinda linear.
Really liken the build so far.
This is my gear any recommendations would be great



140 iiq 262 iir without flask I think im doin pretty well atm
Last edited by Reloads on Jun 5, 2015, 4:26:33 AM
Can you update the tree please?

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