Survival problem, big time

On my first play through, I was a weird Caustic Arrow Shadow that throws Essence sometimes and I spent about 80% of the time during boss fight running in circle. I thought I sucked. Well, it worked most of the time except if the bosses do heavy aoe damage (like the last boss) that I just die in one hit.


Now on my second play through, I chose Templar and I really like Wild Strike so I picked Staff mastery nodes (thinking I need Block chance) and Inquistior. It started out VERY easy and about Act 5, I am dying more. Act 6 is ridiculous. I must have died 20 times against the first mini Boss (the Fire boss in Muds). I took a lot of defensive passive skills already. I am trying to upgrade some of my equipment but it's very hard (or time consuming) to get the Color socket and chained I need. Orb of Fusing don't seem to drop enough!


How should I play a melee character in this game? Most bosses and mini bosses hit super hard. I spend 70% of the time running away during boss fight. My flask heal but only last for a while.

I am not a newbie when it comes to this kind of game. Years of Diablo and 5 years of Marvel Heroes online. I love this kind of game but the enemy's damage in this game seems a bit out of whack?

I almost feel like I need 3 types of geared for each element or 4 types for Chaos damage. I really want to have 3 Herald buffs but I am dropping 2 to use defensive aura/buff. sigh (and I am still dying against bosses easily)

Hi there,

melee builds that using staff are not a typical newbie friendly builds but your real problem are items.

All of them are pure trash (except boots, belt and maybe gloves cos 4 link).

You should replace your weapon in the first place.

Try to search smth like that on poe.trade:



It will boost your damage by 500% or smth:)

When you get the weapon you can maybe farm a bit in lower level areas and get some basic equip or just buy some leveling unique items from people (f.e. Goldrim would solve your resistances problem and costs 1c).

Every piece of your gear should have a bit of life and resistances.
You can also craft life on your gloves so use masters.

Try to aim for 400 life per act as melee character so you should have over 2k life in act 6.
Your resistances should be close to 75 (or at least over 50-60 with decent life, pass chaos for now).

Block and crit is fine and all but it´s more useful in endgame.

To support your crit chance use Diamond flask.

Link blasphemy to enfeeble curse (the best defensive curse in the game).

Use decoy totem linked with minion/totem resistance gem (it will taunt and distract enemies and you can kill them easier).

Your flasks could use also some love.
At least one staunching flask (anti bleed) is a must. Granite flask will help with physical damage mitigation.

"

Rakiii wrote:

Hi there,

melee builds that using staff are not a typical newbie friendly builds but your real problem are items.

All of them are pure trash (except boots, belt and maybe gloves cos 4 link).

You should replace your weapon in the first place.

Try to search smth like that on poe.trade:

Spoiler

http://poe.trade/search/niniruhosinoka

It will boost your damage by 500% or smth:)

When you get the weapon you can maybe farm a bit in lower level areas and get some basic equip or just buy some leveling unique items from people (f.e. Goldrim would solve your resistances problem and costs 1c).

Every piece of your gear should have a bit of life and resistances.
You can also craft life on your gloves so use masters.

Try to aim for 400 life per act as melee character so you should have over 2k life in act 6.
Your resistances should be close to 75 (or at least over 50-60 with decent life, pass chaos for now).

Block and crit is fine and all but it´s more useful in endgame.

To support your crit chance use Diamond flask.

Link blasphemy to enfeeble curse (the best defensive curse in the game).

Use decoy totem linked with minion/totem resistance gem (it will taunt and distract enemies and you can kill them easier).

Your flasks could use also some love.
At least one staunching flask (anti bleed) is a must. Granite flask will help with physical damage mitigation.

Yes, I know my items aren't great. I probably care too much about Color/Links instead of the stats. But how do I get good Uniques? I got some drops but they seem pretty trashy. :(

I kind of want to play it by not trading for "good stuff". This post is more about how a newbie started out as melee and how the monsters deal A LOT of damage. yikes

"

chinesefoodverygood wrote:

I kind of want to play it by not trading for "good stuff". This post is more about how a newbie started out as melee and how the monsters deal A LOT of damage. yikes

1. But not trading for "good stuff" you make additional hurdles for yourself. Chances to get items exactly for your build is too low, so consider trading, at least until you will get more experience with the game to perform additional self-found challenge.

2. Playing melee character as a first one is also undesirable. This game is super hard for melee characters (at least until you will know all bosses/phases/encounters), I'd rather advice to play totemist or miner as first character.

It´s easier to start as caster (especially on self found mode).
You need decent weapon as melee.
You can avoid trade if you want but it´s harder way so be prepared.

You need to learn some basic crafting recipes and use NPC and masters in your HO

Crafting recipe you can find out on wiki here:


The recipe you should try now:
Weapon x 1
Blue or Rare Rustic Sash x 1
Blacksmith's Whetstone x 1

This recipe you should apply to the best weapon staff type available
Military Staff or Serpentine Staff


You should farm a bit to progress futher as SSF (Chamber in act 5 is fine for that or any high level area with good density you like and you´re able to clear fast without too much hassle).

You can also check NPC´s for items. They are selling good rings/amulets/weapons/5links/6sockets whatever sometimes (even magic ring with 70 life and 30 singl resist is win win for now).

You can try to craft a bit more ...
Get good base (strength or strength/inteligence hybrid based stuff) white 4 link item and use orb of alchemy or essence (with resistance) and use your masters to craft the remaining affix in your HO.

It will be better to watch some YT videos.

Engineering Eternity has great series of videos for new players.

"

Rakiii wrote:

It´s easier to start as caster (especially on self found mode).
You need decent weapon as melee.
You can avoid trade if you want but it´s harder way so be prepared.

You need to learn some basic crafting recipes and use NPC and masters in your HO

Crafting recipe you can find out on wiki here:

Spoiler

https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Vendor_recipe_system#Crafting

The recipe you should try now:
Weapon x 1
Blue or Rare Rustic Sash x 1
Blacksmith's Whetstone x 1

This recipe you should apply to the best weapon staff type available
Military Staff or Serpentine Staff

Spoiler

https://www.pathofexile.com/item-data/weapon

You should farm a bit to progress futher as SSF (Chamber in act 5 is fine for that or any high level area with good density you like and you´re able to clear fast without too much hassle).

You can also check NPC´s for items. They are selling good rings/amulets/weapons/5links/6sockets whatever sometimes (even magic ring with 70 life and 30 singl resist is win win for now).

You can try to craft a bit more ...
Get good base (strength or strength/inteligence hybrid based stuff) white 4 link item and use orb of alchemy or essence (with resistance) and use your masters to craft the remaining affix in your HO.

It will be better to watch some YT videos.

Engineering Eternity has great series of videos for new players.

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHWwIpwiCiE

What does SSF stand for?

I have not tried much of crafting in this game. The only thing I've tried is to get some Uniques by killing Beasts. Those Uniques were pretty trashy. I'll need to find some recipes.

SSF means solo self found.

Some bestiary crafts are also helpful but that´s another story:)

Btw some low level unique items can be modified and converted to upgraded versions (see Fated unique).

"

Rakiii wrote:

SSF means solo self found.

Some bestiary crafts are also helpful but that´s another story:)

Btw some low level unique items can be modified and converted to upgraded versions (see Fated unique).

Honestly, I am a pretty veteran when it comes to diablo-like game but PoE is unnecessary complicated and seems very time consuming. I was just watching how to craft video on jewel and it's confusing. I don't even have enough material. The guy that was doing the Youtube video has like 40/40 Orbs in the whole Stash. WTF???!

Those Orbs can't be all obtained from Drops right? How do I get more Chromatic, Chaos type of Orbs??

I played D2 for many years, Marvel Heroes Online for 5 years and other games. PoE is definitely the most complicated so far. There are just way too many mods on items and if I don't filter items, my eyes go crazy try to see all the colors and links and types. Many times the items fill the screen so much that I can't even see where the boss Monster is!!

I REALLY enjoy the Socket and Link system and how I can modify the skills through Support gems (very creative!!). Just trying to find the mods you want with the correct Color and Link is hard enough. Now we throw in crafting... I just want to kill things. How can I get more of those Orbs?


PS: Just read about Fated uniques. That requires a Prophecy?? I have done quite a few Prophecy but don't have one that upgrades low level Unique yet. T_T

I see that the game is little bit complicated for new players so don´t be in hurry. The things need time.

The whole crafting system is one of the more complicated thing in the game (even more complicated with bestiary crafting) so just use the basic recipes I have showed you.

The basic white 4 link item and use alchemy or essence on it, if you fail just sell it to vendor and repeat it or use the trade system and buy the desired item from any player and you´re done.

You need to farm a lot or use trade system to get lots of currency. The chaos orbs are basic currency and you can sell pretty much everything to get chaos orbs (even TP scrolls) and you can buy whatever currency (items) for chaos orbs you like then.



About sockets / links you can watch the video from Ziggy



You need right prophecy to get the desired fated unique item and bcos everything is rng based you need to play a lot or use the trade system.

"

Rakiii wrote:

I see that the game is little bit complicated for new players so don´t be in hurry. The things need time.

The whole crafting system is one of the more complicated thing in the game (even more complicated with bestiary crafting) so just use the basic recipes I have showed you.

The basic white 4 link item and use alchemy or essence on it, if you fail just sell it to vendor and repeat it or use the trade system and buy the desired item from any player and you´re done.

You need to farm a lot or use trade system to get lots of currency. The chaos orbs are basic currency and you can sell pretty much everything to get chaos orbs (even TP scrolls) and you can buy whatever currency (items) for chaos orbs you like then.

Spoiler

http://currency.poe.trade/

About sockets / links you can watch the video from Ziggy

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD5LeeB0H-Y

You need right prophecy to get the desired fated unique item and bcos everything is rng based you need to play a lot or use the trade system.

This Player Trading system thing. Who would trade with me? I have like nothing good to offer so far. I barely have 10 Chaos orbs. You mean people would buy Town Scrolls with Chaos Orb? Why is that?

How can I get 5 or 6 Linked items? My first Shadow hit 70 and I have yet to find one that is 5-6 linked. The only one I found is Corrupted which I can't change color patterns. Tears


So for a newbie, I should aim to get 4-linked white/blue items, and then make it Rare and use Chaos to reroll properties until desired mods. Got it. I have been doing it. Just finding the right Colors is hard and I don't have enough orbs to change the color pattern. I hate it when I change and then I am stuck with a pattern I don't need before I can find more. lol So I should always have a back up item eh?