[2.4] Build help thread! Making builds for everyone!

Hi!
I was hoping you could help me make a start on Hardcore Essence.
Right now I'm at 0 - absolutely no gear.
What I really just want to make right now is a character that can (eventually) handle Merciless, so that I can start farming there. I am not aiming for a super high level character or high level Maps just yet.


The majority of guides out there seem to expect that you have gear already, or otherwise the currency to get it with, but right now I don't have either of them.

So the issue mainly is that I am unsure what to do with my skills, and which gems to pick from the quest rewards.
I am hesitant to "just do something", because I don't want to find out somewhere in Cruel or Merciless that my skill tree is outright horrible and that I might as well make a new character, or that the build that I was going for requires items that are beyond reach.


So I guess what I'm asking for is not so much a build built around a certain skill, but rather just a build that doesn't really requires any specific/expensive gear, that performs well early on as well as later on, and is safe enough for (solo) Hardcore.
Right now I'm not so much thinking about what skills or builds I like to use - I can think about that for my second character :-)

Replied! :D

Skill: Dual Strike? unless you have a better idea.
Crit, Elemental, or Phys: Whichever works best.
What type of weapon will you want to use?
What level are you planning to level this build to? 85
Hardcore or Softcore? Softcore
Ascendancy you wish to use: Your choice.

I keep finding unique wands that sound more wander than caster (like Storm Prison and Moonsorrow, which I now have two of each), and I thought I'd try one of those again as a result since power siphon is still a cool-looking skill.

Skill: Power Siphon! (Or the Vaal version, maybe both?)
Crit, Elemental, or Phys: Probably crit, since I'll have lots of power charges anyway.
What type of weapon will you want to use? Wands, of course. I don't think it works with other weapons. Single or dual wield is up to you, if that makes it any easier.
What level are you planning to level this build to? 75-ish.
Hardcore or Softcore? Softcore.
Ascendancy you wish to use: Your choice.

Heya, I'm pretty new to POE and thus have very little currency. Currently playing in essence softcore to get a feel for the game.

Would like a tanky/shield user, good mobilty would be a plus. I'm ok with bosses taking a bit longer since I need practicevs their mechanics anyway. Thanks in advance :)

Skill: any
Crit, Elemental, or Phys: any
What type of weapon will you want to use?
Shield for sure. Whatever else is fine.
What level are you planning to level this build to? 85 is my target.
Hardcore or Softcore? SC
Ascendancy you wish to use: any

So I'm trying a bit of a unique build, it's already incurring some heavy dps issues. I'm level 77.

here's my level 90 skill tree: poeurl.com/O85

here's kinda what I got so far though i dont have celestial judgement yet : poeurl.com/O86

so I'm using herald of thunder as my only damage aura and dual wielding Dyadus using LAcerate and EE as my main skill. It's a cool concept cause EE is applied on every hit and there's always a debuff on the enemy, but I just need to boost my damage somehow and I'm not sure the 5 or so more ele damage passives will do it for me heres my gear:



ascendency is slayer and fully buffed my dps can hit near 15000 but without that it's only 7000 and even the 15000 aint great for higher tier maps...

any thoughts?

Skill: Spectral Throw
Crit, Elemental, or Phys: Crit or Phys
What type of weapon will you want to use? Daggers pref, but any dual-wield spec seems fun
What level are you planning to level this build to? End of Merciless would be amazing, but not necessary
Hardcore or Softcore? Softcore
Ascendancy you wish to use: Scion Ascendant would be preferred, but if a different class works better, that's fine.

Skill: Incinerate
Crit, Elemental, or Phys: Elemental
What type of weapon will you want to use? Any
What level are you planning to level this build to? 100
Hardcore or Softcore? Softcore
Ascendancy you wish to use: your choice

Skill: Vaal Reave/Reave
Crit, Elemental, or Phys: Crit
What type of weapon will you want to use? Double daggers.
What level are you planning to level this build to? I'll try to use this build from 12 to 100
Hardcore or Softcore? Softcore
Ascendancy you wish to use: I let you choose one for me.

Also, it will be a Marauder class.

Havent replied to everyone yet, but i have replied to a chunk of ya.