Is the ascendancy from Scion in disadvantage from others?

I’m returning to PoE since long ago, I have a Duelist and a Scion (the Duelist was to unlock the Scion, both have the same skill tree), but now, by planning the ascendancy, I’m noticing that the ascendant points of Duelist are much better than Scion's (and seems the same for all other classes). For instance: 30% spell block on Scion against 100% spell block on Duelist; Or 10% chance of fortify in Scion against constant Fortitude in Duelist...

It seems that the Scion has a compact multi-discipline ascendant while other classes are focused in their ascendant much deeper.

Is that true or I’m missing something? Maybe the ascendant of Scion is just to use the last point and start from another class? if that is the case, what is the advantage of the Scion? Since her start points are weaker than other classes start points, it would be like play a Duelist with the avatar of the Scion, but without all the good ascendant bonuses...?

I don't understand well Scion after ascendant.

Nobody? Please, I’m re-done my build and need to know if still viable a Scion in ascendant.

This is my skill tree:

https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAABAABAAHcAl8EhwSzBS0GOQz3Dc0UIBXsGjgaPhzOHt8hYCcvKS4ppStQL8wxnjJONZI62D0PQKBEJUSeR35KyE3jT1ZQR1FgU7tXDV8_YN5i7GVNaPJuqm8nbztyqXTtdPF2rHfjeA15OXloeu98uHy7fNl-4oIHhNmE74fWivCPYI-ZkFWaaqIApAymV6luqZWsr62Nr2yvp7M_tfK2irkdvTa-p768wBrAv8EEwYLEgsT2xYrKkM9-0iHYvdlh2XzawelG6dXqGO8O8B_xrPJB8wb3Mvd9-6r-VP6P

The only reason to stick with the Scion seems those 3 nodes for block. Is' it a good strategy?

You're correct, the Scion is generally considered as the weakest class right now for the very reason you mentioned. The Scion has 2 advantages over other classes:
1. The ability to take ascendancies from 2 classes can lead to some interesting synergies.
2. Saving travel nodes by starting from 2 different areas on the tree(after uber lab that is)

Thus in order to take advantage of the Scion class rather than have it hinder you, you need a build that can take advantage of the above advantages. Currently the only build that's commonly accepted to actually be good(if not amazing) for the Scion class is Essence Drain. The reasoning is that Essence Drain benefits both from projectile damage(being a projectile) and chaos damage(being a chaos skill), so getting some of the Deadeye's(projectile based) together with some of the Occultist bonuses(chaos based) fit this build perfectly. Moreover the need to pick up a lot of nodes in both the Ranger and Witch areas(which are pretty far from each other on the skill tree). On top of that most Occultist Essence Drain builds really hate having to get 1 of their ascendancies: Profane Bloom as it tends to disrupt the spread of Essence Drain via Contagion, but really want the ascendancy locked behind it. The Scion bypasses that issue by not receiving Profane Bloom's effect in the Occultist package at all, which is another small bonus for this specific build.

With the above said, if you can find a different build that manages to take advantage of the Scion's strengths rather than make up for its shortcomings than by all means go for it. I'm sure there are other builds out there that could fit this bill, it's just that not many people are really trying to make the Scion as they've given up on the class until(if) it ever gets another rework.

Thank you for the complete explanation.

I didn’t play since years so I don’t think I would find another successful build. I will take what you’ve said, basically, is that there are only 1 viable build? And it’s caster?

What I’m searching is some kind of ‘tank build’, to not be in constant danger, something more in the Duelist-Marauder-Templar sections...

I've successfully played three builds as a Scion / Ascendant in the last year.

1. Essence Drain (Occultist + Trickster + Path of the witch)
2. Ancestral Warchief (Gladiator + Hierophant + Path of the duelist)
3. ChaosStorm (Occultist + Berserker + Path of the witch)

They all offer good tools which make them comparable if not better than other classes' versions.

WaffleT recently published an Ascendant HoWA build which seems pretty promising. I haven't tried it personally but on paper it looks very good.

Kelvynn's WI Icestorm ascendant is very good too, but with the evolution of the various asceandancies, playing it as a Berserker or Elementalist is better, sadly.

Thank you for the tips.

I used to play melee tank (the paladin style), and there are no tanks builds for Scion, maybe would be good to change a while for a glass-cannon, I will see.

But, by reading builds I’m noticing that the Scion is basically ‘wasting’ all her ascendant points just to ‘save’ few nodes? I mean, 100% spell block is far better than save 3 nodes, right?

If Ascendant could save more than 5 nodes, maybe, would pay the sacrifice of good ascendant points from other classes, but most builds save only 3 nodes.

Seems that Scion's ascendant is focused in an unnecessary feature (saving few nodes), I think they should add really tempting ascension points to encourage to return to her...

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Valkyr wrote:

Thank you for the tips.

I used to play melee tank (the paladin style), and there are no tanks builds for Scion, maybe would be good to change a while for a glass-cannon, I will see.

But, by reading builds I’m noticing that the Scion is basically ‘wasting’ all her ascendant points just to ‘save’ few nodes? I mean, 100% spell block is far better than save 3 nodes, right?

If Ascendant could save more than 5 nodes, maybe, would pay the sacrifice of good ascendant points from other classes, but most builds save only 3 nodes.

Seems that Scion's ascendant is focused in an unnecessary feature (saving few nodes), I think they should add really tempting ascension points to encourage to return to her...

The scion is just really hard to balance. Her position in the tree gives her an advantage in most builds and can play literally anything while the others generally have at least one type that they are just not in a good spot for.

First she was overpowered and the most played class so the nodes around her were slightly nerfed which made her to least played class then they added jewels and she was the most played again then ascendancy hit and she was the least played again. (rough history some summerisation added)

She will almost certainly be getting a buff in 3.0 and hopefully they hit the sweet spot where she is good but not dominating over all the others again

But yes right now she is best in almost no builds

TBH, I don't feel that Ascendant was overpowered to begin with. Yes, she had quite simple cookie cutter bonuses for Deadeye and Berserker, which didn't require that much theorycraft (opposed to builds like Wormblaster). Also, Voltaxic Spark being the most popular build and Ascendant being the best option for Voltaxic Spark resulted in an illusion of a great power.

Even if we look at ED, Occultists and Tricksters are being top options right now. Scion is "playable", even "endgame-viable", but nothing more. With the old Deadeye ascendancy she could be on par with other ED options. But, well, she's nerfed and dead.