[3.29] Spark Nova BRAND ||Saboteur|| - Cooldown Maniac




Welcome to my big Guide. I was explanation as much as I can. For details and mechanics pls read below links / check POB section. I'm still try improving this Guide. You can also check my other Spark Nova variants

* PoB (all Loadouts): https://pobb.in/_Ej3EkYNYwxG

* PoE Ninja: https://poe.ninja/poe1/profile/Kaczu%C5%9B-2032/character/LuffyGearBrand


* 3.29 UPDATE: BUILD IS FROM THIS LEAGUE





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So I wanted to play Sparks, cuz this is so much fun to watch how it covers entirely screen and just destroying everything in around and even further out of the screen. Although Self-cast version was just too annoying for me, especially Spell Echo Support with freeze our char to finish animations. Also important point for me was that Build have to be cheap for playing easily every league

Build idea started on 3.29 with thoughts - OK, if Spark Traps, Spark Mines and Spark Totem worked so let's try Spark but Brand version this time. This way I started playing Spark + Arcanist Brand aka Spark Brand and I loved it too

Spark of the Nova gem is awesome and that Build is nice hybrid for Brand and Spark fans, easy to playing and something not typical. You can play 2 ways: aggressive or defensive if it's needed. I was very suprising you can destroy T16 maps even on low budget cost. I'm very proud and happy I invent that and can share with you guys. I hope you will be enjoy like me :)


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It's very simply to playing as almost Autobomber - just stack 7x Brands with Arcanist Brand, which cast Spark Nova thanks to 2x Brand Recall and from time to time cast Arcanist Brand to trigger Brand Recall from Weapon

Main point of this setup is Perfect Crime from Saboteur Ascendancy - Triggerbots cause each trigger of Spark Nova is doubled, which has amazing potential

Build is based on Life and also has multiple layers for defense so it gonna tanky. This setup utilizes Eldritch Battery + Energy Shield as source to spam skills


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T16 MAPS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arsenal - https://youtu.be/EkjQVJ6zlsU
Grotto - https://youtu.be/uOA-ATj8O3s
Primordial Pool - https://youtu.be/Bhqb31e9nzI


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1) FINAL (90 lvl) - https://pobb.in/fB1J6cMFbjNR

2) ELDRITCH BATTERY (around 24 lvl) - https://pobb.in/cXxZ0lEBXN2N

3) SPARK OF THE NOVA (around 70 lvl / after campaign) - https://pobb.in/zXuaVw7haoro


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--IN BUILD--


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You like Brands?
You love Spark?
You hate self-cast with Spell Echo Support?
Then it's Build exactly for you my friend!


Also why Spark Brand comparing to for example skills like: Armageddon Brand or Penance Brand? Well, these Brands hit just one on area and that's all. Although Sparks mechanic is perfect for that style - we are casting Brands and just run through map, but behind us Sparks still bounce from walls / objects and destroying everything. It's super funny and have amazing potential for clearing.


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1) LEVEL - you can easily play it after campaign, so around 70 lvl, although you need stack Life as much as possible. Earlier it isn't worth, cuz you need a lot of passive points to take all important things for Spark to work properly.

2) UNIQUES - To open full potential and comfortably playing you need Watcher's Eye Jewel with mod on gain ES per hit while affected by Discipline. For start after campaign you need just The Devouring Diadem + Karui Ward, but they are so cheap. Also Belly of the Beast + Replica Dragonfang's Flight and Ancestral Vision Jewel are nice upgrade for later.


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The main things we are based on this Build:

1) Spark Tags
Brand / Duration / Lightning / Spell / Projectile

2) Offensive Scaling
Spell Damage / Elemental Damage / Lightning Damage / Brand Damage / Projectile Damage / Projectile Speed / Frenzy Charge / Power Charge

3) Defensive Scaling
Life / Regen Life / Elemental resistances / Chaos resistance / Evasion Rating / Suppression Spell Damage

4) Utility Scaling
Cooldown Recovery Rate / Frenzy Charge / Cast Speed


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How Build is feeling in just playing

1) CLEAR - destroy everything very fast

2) SINGLE TARGET - is even good, but it can lack that sometimes

3) DEFENSE - even tanky, can take a lot

4) OVERALL FEELING - nice to play, playing as like Autobomber is main point, you can cover whole screen in Sparks in very short time


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➕ Funny - Tons of Sparks
➕ Cheap
➕ Easy leveling
➕ Amazing clearing maps
➕ Good single target Damage
➕ Safe if it necessary on some maps / content
➕ Decent Life pool
➕ Tanky and very good sustain
➕ Huge regen Life
➕ Immunity for Blind, Ignite and Shock
➕ Nice Delve runner
➕ Generally on budget gear we can start doing red maps
➕ Easy generation of Frenzy and Power Charges

➖ Can be a bit squishy before you get more Life
➖ Brands count like we are doing damage, so you need be careful against reflect Damage
➖ Mana management before get Jewel for easy sustain of that


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You have prepare for cost 250-300+ Chaos

The most expensive will be:
Watcher's eye Jewel for sustain mana
Belly of The Beast
Replica Dragonfang's Flight +3 to Scorching Ray


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Just number of some stats what Builds can do, some kind of goals we gonna to achieve, of course some of them can be more or lower but it's good state. Numbers are based on full buffs, Auras, Flasks etc. while we are on active playing

AVERAGE DAMAGE ON SPARK TOOLTIP = 5k+

LIFE POOL = 4k+

SPELL DAMAGE SUPPRESSION CHANCE = 100%

EVASION RATING = 20k-25k

REGEN LIFE PER SEC. = 1000+


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Build has these defensive layers

1) LIFE + REGENERATION - with decent Life pool + amazing regen via Ascendancy you can recovery to full in just 2-4 sec.

2) SCALING EVASION RATING - with high chance to evade attacks you can feel very safe going through the map

3) STEELSKIN - free Shield with 2k+ will help against hard fights

4) SUPPRESS SPELL DAMAGE - is great mechanic, which decrease significant Damage from spells, we get 43% less Damage from that

5) HEARTSTOPPER - big 50% less hit Damage / 50% less dot Damage (one of them every 5 sec.) from Ascendancy is huge

6) ANCESTRAL VISION JEWEL - it gives even over 60% chance to avoid elemental ailments via Chance to Suppress Spell Damage

7) IMMUNE - you don't care about Ignite, Shock & Blind effects


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Spark of the Nova gem, which we are using in Build is transfigured gem of standard Spark, but has more damage and more projectiles. While we using it as Brands, we still need a bit Cast Speed for smoother playing, but you cast it just from time to time. So here are 3 important things you need for Spark works properly

1) MORE DURATION = 3.19 seconds - 3 passives in tree + Duration Mastery



2) PROJECTILES PIERCE ADDITIONAL TARGETS = 3 Pierces - just 2 passives in tree



3) PROJECTILE SPEED = around 150% - here we need Faster Projectiles Support on Damage setup + Projectile Mastery + Ballistic node from tree + Fury Bolts Anoint

* Also Karui Ward Amulet is nice and cheap - but only for starting maps after campaign, cuz later you gonna swap for Replica Dragonfang's Flight anyway






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Core item of this Build and it's cheap. How it works?


It allows use 4x Auras

Every 5 sec. regen a high amount Life and ES for every corpse from Feast of Flesh

It gives Eldritch Battery Keystone, so we have free 1 passive point


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Cooldown Recovery Rate is crucial with using Brand Recall for this Build - the more you have, your Cooldown Time is less = Damage is better. We have multiple source of that and you should stack this stat as many as you can


Belt = 10-15%

Passive Tree = 55%

Brand Mastery = 50%

Like Clockwork = 50%

Chip Away = 28% (each of 4% per Brand)

Brand Recall = 40% on 6 lvl + each 1% per every 1% quality


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We are playing 2x Brand Recall in this setup. First is with Automation Support, second is triggered from Weapon mod. Normally you can't use 2 separate Brand Recall, so you can't just link second with Automation. Although it's trick for that - if you have one Brand Recall with 4 sec. cooldown and second with 8 sec. cooldown, game treats this as two separate skills, so you have practically 2x more Sparks

Brand Recall will summon every Brand on location and cast Spark from that, so it will be 7x Brands. Also this is the same for second Brand Recall. Further Perfect Crime is just ridiculous with that mechanic, cuz it increasing even more of that.

Triggerbots proc Arcanist Brand spells twice every time it activates

Triggerbots will also proc Brand Recall twice if it is triggered

Just one triggered Brand Recall can proc 2 Arcanist Brands which ends up triggering of 4 Spell total

So, with 7 brands up, you can consistently trigger 28 time Spell every time Brand Recall is off cooldown


For video explanation you have this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Ly-wJJDjo&t=1s


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This mechanic is very strong, cuz it has cap of 100% Chance and get 40% less Damage taken from Spells. That's why in final setup you should aim for constant 100% Chance without conditions like: Flask or while on Full Life / ES and for this setup 100% is rather easy to get. Although in campaign and starting maps better way is Spell Suppression Mastery with "Chance to Suppress Spell Damage is Lucky", cuz it gives high numbers with minimal cost in that, but downside is you never get 100% Chance with that. Later you just wanna change this Mastery for Magebane Keystone

--> Here you have explanation about "Calculation of Lucky" from reddit:
reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/128tdo6/simple_graph_for_the_value_of_chance_to_suppress/

Chance for Suppress Spell Damage you get on:
69% from Passive Tree
10-15%+ from Magebane Keystone (each of 1% per 15 Dex)
Rest of % from Rare Shield

Standard is 40% less Damage taken, but you can push it to 43%. You get it on:
3% from node in Passive Tree


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We need enough Mana pool just for 4x Auras, while we using Energy Shield as source for spamming every skills

For Mana pool you need put all Auras into Unique Helmet + stack a bit Mana Reservation Efficiency of Skills:
24% from Passive Tree - 2x nodes: 8%, 16%
12% from Mana Mastery
3% from Jewel
8% from Passive Tree (2 points) OR min. 7% from Replica Dragonfang's Flight


For sustain Energy Shield you need just Watcher's Eye with mod:
* you gain 20-30 ES per enemy hit while affected by Discipline

So before you get this Jewel your potential is limit and you need relies on:
Fest of Flesh from Helmet
Inspiration Support on Brand setup
Rings with non-channeling skills have -mana cost
Vaal Clarity


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My prefer is Help Alira for 15% all elemental res, but rest of them is also good choice.


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I don't recommend standard Brands for Leveling, it can be so clunky. That's way I prefer Traps through the campaign - is pretty simply and fun. Also we are playing Saboteur Ascendancy cause Chain Reaction - with that Ice Trap just annihilates whole campaign. So get 1st lab as fast as you can, then 2nd - Pyromaniac is also very helpful to get massive regen Life

Explosive Trap -> 1-12 lvl
Lightning Trap -> 12-28 lvl
Ice Trap -> 28+ lvl




* For source sustain from 10 lvl we using Clarity (2-3 lvl max), then drop off, when you take Eldritch Battery + Discipline Aura + get Bated Breath Belt. Why is so important? Cuz from now you have practically unlimited source to spam Traps through the campaign and you can easily totally drop off Mana Flasks. Also you can reserve 100% of Mana for Auras



Tree step by step - it's very accurate. Further you can already just get nodes for prepare to Swap on Spark Nova on maps - More Duration, Pierce Projectiles, Mana Reservation Efficiency of Skills (blue circles on photo):



1) UTILITY - Bear Trap is for single target and Siphoning Trap is nice for regen Life + Mana

2) CURSE - we starting with Conductivity on 24 lvl, but then you swap on Frostbite on 28 lvl, cuz Ice Trap

3) MOVEMENT - take Frostblink, then swap on Flame Dash and further you can link it with Faster Casting and Second Wind

4) SHIELD - Steelskin is nice for non-armour stacker, further you wanna link it with Automation and More Duration

5) AURAS - we playing Clarity (2-3 lvl max), also Summon Skitterbots from 16 lvl are nice for Damage and Shock effect. After get Eldritch Battery + Bated Breath and 24 lvl you drop off Summon Skitterbots and Clarity and get Auras: Discipline + Grace. Further after you reach Mana Mastery with 12% Reservation Efficiency also add Herald of Thunder Aura for Damage

6) TRAPS SETUP - here Multiple Traps Support is very important gem here from 8th lvl until end of campaign. With that support our clear is so better but REMEMBER on big Boss always PUT OFF that gem and then you can add any damage support. Also Belt is amazing, but you PUT ON it only for big Boss


2 LVL

4 LVL

8 LVL

12 LVL

28 LVL

5L/6L BODY ARMOUR


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STEP 1---SWAP ON SPARK NOVA---

We swap here after campaign when you entering on maps. Do these:

Respec Saboteur nodes into Perfect Crime + Like Clockwork

Respec Eldritch Battery Keystone (cuz we have that from Helmet), so we have free passive point

Take things for More Duration + Projectile Speed + Projectiles pierce additional targets (check Spark of the Nova section)

Get a bit regen Life on eq

Go activated all 3 main Auras: Wrath, Grace and Discpline. Try fast get 4th Aura: Summon Skitterbots

Take right Gems and Links from final setup, except Added lightning Damage Support on Brand setup - for now we are playing Inpsiration Support. Also for start you need Vaal Clarity instead of Charged Traps Support


You respec some points (red lines in photo) and pick others (green lines in photo), in aggregate you respec 38 points:





STEP 2---FOLLOW TREE 90 LVL---

After swap on Spark Nova you just follow final tree from Passive Tree section, picking next nodes, but my suggest ways in order will be:

1 - get Life nodes
2 - another Life nodes
3 - you can go for Mana Reservation Efficiency + get additional 2-3% from Rare Jewel and you can activate 4th Aura - Summon SKitterbots
4 - go for Cluster Jewel Socket (it's nice for increasing Damage). For now just get Medium Cluster Jewel with Chip Away for Cooldown Recovery Rate, later you add Large Cluster Jewel


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90 LVL



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1) Basic of sustain source to spam skills. Also you have already free allocated it from Helmet.



2) More Damage so it's always very nice.



3) Another Damage boost and we can easy activate it.



4) For better single target.



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1) Cooldown Recovery Rate what is very important and also more Brands for increasing Damage in general.



2) Another option for Damage.



3) Duration is very important for this Build.



4) Projectile Speed is also needed for this setup.



5) It's very helpful to increasing Suppress Spell Damage chance, although it doesn't show on character sheet and also it doesn't count for Unique Jewel Ancestral Vision with that synergy. Here you have explanation from reddit how much it gives you: https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/128tdo6/simple_graph_for_the_value_of_chance_to_suppress/



6) We need this for get more Auras.



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We play x1 Large + 1x Medium Clusters - in Summary for 11 passive points we got 120% increased Damage and 3x Jewel Socket - it's kinda huge boost.

1) LARGE - Very cheap and much Damage (for 7 passive points we have 96% increased Lightning Damage and Jewel Socket. Unfortunately increased Effect of Lightning Ailments doesn't work with Skitterbots.



2) MEDIUM - Cooldown Recovery Rate, so it's perfect for us.



Our tree is close to Large Jewel Socket node - just 3 passive points, over here.



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We are playing 4 Uniques


1) WATCHER'S EYE - Just this 1 item with good mod completely resolve sustain source.

2) ANCESTRAL VISION - It's big and scale with our Chance to Suppress Spell Damage, so another great defensive layer.

3 & 4) FORBIDDEN FLAME + FORBIDDEN FLESH - With these 2 you get for free Heartstopper node from Trickster Ascendancy. So it's a big defense layer.


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We are playing just 1 Rare

Rare Take Abyss Jewel with Implicit mod: Corrupted Blood Immune and put it to your Stygian Vise Belt.


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With Unique Amu Replica Dragonfang's Flight requirements will be a bit lower cause affix:
* Items and Gems have (5-10%) reduced Attribute Requirements

Str - 155 FOR Steelskin 20 lvl

Int - 155 FOR Spark of the Nova & Arcanist Brand & Wrath & Discipline & Conductivity & Flame Dash
(20 lvl each)

* Also you need enough for wearing Wand depends on base type


Dex - 155 FOR Vaal Grace & Vaal Haste (20 lvl each)


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We are playing 3 Uniques


1) BODY ARMOUR - we just play rare item, but this Unique is huge for improve Life pool.

2) HELMET - socketed gems have less mana reservation, so we can put extra one Aura. Also Feast of Flesh is nice for regen and sustain.

3) AMULET - we are starting with Karui Ward, which is very cheap and excellent, then upgrade to Replica Dragonfang's Flight with +3 to Spark.


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* For Body Armour + Helmet you need use just Rare with Life, Resistances, Evasion + Energy Shield until you upgrade for Uniques



1) WEAPON - any weapon with good affixes for Damage. Although here the most important is mod for Trigger a socketed Spell when you use a Skill, cuz that way you can use second Brand Recall in setup

2) SHIELD - with Evasion + get a bit Suppress Spell Damage

3) HELMET - with Evasion

4) GLOVES - with Evasion

5) BOOTS - with Evasion

6) RINGS - with Life + Resistances + Regen Life + Attributes


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1) LIFE - base of flask

2) SULPHUR - 40% increased Damage is always good, more Regen Life is very good and 50% reduced effect of curses on you is great

3) JADE - while we don't have too much Evasion Rating on Body Armour, it's very need for get good numbers of that

4) QUARTZ - more Suppress Spell Damage is nice. Also mechanic of Phasing is very helpful here

5) QUICKSILVER - speed, speed, it's always nice in every situation


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FURY BOLTS - Projectile Damage and Projectile Speed is the best option, also Strength is nice. Although Ballistic is already on passive tree, so we take Fury Bolts.



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1) DAMAGE (6-LINK)

Spark with Arcanist Brand to using this as Brands, also Faster Projectiles is crucial. Elemental Focus and Added Lightning Damage just for pure Damage. Also Faster Casting for smoother gameplay and better single target

2) BRAND RECALL + SHIELD (3-LINK)

First Brand Recall in this setup, but with Automation it will trigger automated. Also Shield for over 2k is great addition to defense and with using Automation we don't have to worried about to recast it, but remember about cooldown time of this skill

3) MOVEMENT + CURSE (4-LINK)

Awesome movement skill for us, we gonna increasing Cast Speed, so it will be lower Cast Time. Curse with -% lightning res on moobs with Hex Bloom is very nice. Also Faster Casting is for smoother cast these skills

4) REGEN + CHARGES GENERATION (4-LINK)

Any Trap with Cluster Traps + Multiple Traps it will throw 5x Traps at one time, so one cast into enemies and you get max bonus from Pyromaniac node. Also easy generation of Frenzy and Power Charges is nice

5) BRAND RECALL

Second Brand Recall in this setup. While you put it into Weapon with right mod you get auto triggered that skill when you just cast Arcanist Brand

6) REGEN BOOST

Trap gives Amazing boost to Life regen, so it will be very nice here


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1) Wrath - nice Damage scaling

2) Discipline - for Energy Shield sustain and later for activate mod from Watcher's Eye

3) Summon Skitterbots - free Shock + Chill effects

4) Grace + Vaal Grace - defensive type, much of Evasion. Also Vaal version is nice for hot situations

5) Vaal Haste - for utility, Movement Speed + Cast Speed boost is awesome


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1) LEVEL

Keep Ice Trap on 1 lvl


Both Brand Recall get to 6 lvl (standard max)


Cluster Traps & Multiple Traps lvl doesn't matter


Every other gems get to 20 lvl



2) QUALITY + BONUS QUALITY

The most important - Spark, cuz we got additional projectiles (+1 more for each 10%) and then 2x Brand Recall for more Cooldown Recovery Rate

Rest gems from Damage setup to maximizing Projectile Speed and Damage

Less important, but on later you can get % on them

For rest of gems it's not important too much or at all


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We are playing Saboteur, cuz main reason is Perfect Crime with Triggerbots skill. Also other nodes are useful too



1) It's give a lot more triggered of Sparks, so it's main point of this Build.



2) Huge boost for Cooldown Recovery Rate, it's significant increase Damage and also improve defense with faster access to Steelskin.



3) Defensive layer with reduced Damage taken. Cannot be Blinded is also nice.



4) We get 2 Immunes: Ignite and Shock. Also regen Life is amazing boost.



5) We have this Trickster node from 2x Forbidden Jewels. So big less hits Damage and Damage over time taken, it's huge for sustain.



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1) MAJOR - I like Lunaris, cuz movement and physical reduction and we often running through monster, so it's free boost.



2) MINOR - Ralakesh for defense against DoT is nice.



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Best map layouts for Spark are tightly enclosed, narrow indoor layouts with walls. There Spark reach absurdly result in Damage from projectiles bounce off walls. This creates a massive overlapping "shotgun" effect that exponentially multiplies your single-target DPS and automatically shreds everything in the room without requiring precise aiming

Maps like Toxic Sewer / Waste Pool / Silo etc. are amazing for this setup and they are pure fun to clear them. You gonna running them over and over


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What type of mods will be hard

Cannot regen Life just destroying us

Less regen Life can be a bit painful

Less Cooldown Recovery Rate is annoying, cuz it lower our Damage

Suppress chance is unlucky might be dangerous against some moobs

Lower your action speed can suffers us too


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In gameplay is like typical Brand, but mechanically it's just Spark

Enter the map and stack 7x Brands with using Arcanist Brand

Repeat cast of Arcanist Brand every x seconds (depends on your Cooldown Speed on Brand Recall triggered from Weapon)

Try refresh Pyromaniac node every each 4 sec. with just one cast of Ice Trap into enemies

On single target and Boss try cast Arcanist Brand close to him to get attached Brand and Runebinder Keystone is nice for that. Also throw a few Ice Traps to get Frenzy Charges for boost Damage

Cast Conductivity on big pack monsters, then Hex Bloom Support will transfers Curse to another enemies

Don't forget to cast Vaal Grace for extra defense

If you have in hard situation or you struggle with though mods on rare, just run, back off and wait for regen Life


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On more harder maps or annoying mod we can playing in more much defensive way - just wait in behind for activates Brand Recall and slowly movement through the map. Further you can a bit improve our chance to success on these hard contents, annoying mods on map and also for fight on T17 maps, you can do these changes

1) FLASKS

Drop off Quartz Flask with Phasing and take something more defensive or just get another Life Flask
_____________________________________________________________________________

2) PANTHEON

Take Soul of Solaris - it's pretty good here, with captured upgrades way more better. Also pick Soul of Ryslatha for Life Flask charges




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Build is budget version, but if you have currency you can push it even more with these

Spark Nova gem 21 lvl - just pure more Damage

Support gems 21 lvl - another more Damage

Cooldown Recovery Support - linked to both Brand Recalls, it gonna decreasing Cooldown Time


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I hope someone wanna try this Build, cuz it's so fun and enough for destroying T16 maps and be tankiness as well. SPARK is one of the most satisfying skill for mapping in whole game and using it with BRAND style is even more fantastic. I was put a lot work for every details. Guys if you have any idea else, what can I add to this Guide, just let me know and GOOD LUCK :)
Last edited by Kaczuś#2032 on Sep 8, 2026, 10:54:44 AM
Last bumped on Aug 2, 2026, 8:56:56 AM

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