No more simple builds that can take you to endgame?

I started to play POE years ago, and I admit, I'm a casual due to family life, studies, and lack of time. BUT I remember a few years back where finding a powerful build to run was easy(you notice I didn't say overpowered, just powerful). But these days, I struggle to find a powerful build on the forum. I just from one build to the other and all I see is posts by people saying how this build is lacking or that build is lacking, OR cost 50 to 100 exalted orbs to be able to do well in end-game. So basically choices seem very limited...

It never use to be this way. what's even more concerning is that GGG is making the game harder and nerfing builds at the same time...I mean why make the game harder if you are going to nerf the builds?. You would think that if they were going to make the game more difficult(see recently atlas changes) they would buff up the builds to be able to handle the content.


The point is, I love the ritual league, and trying out various builds on it, but all of the builds are builds that I'm forced to play because there aren't any really strong budget builds anymore, like there use to be...


Gone are the days of Witch Arc, or Tornado Shot, or Cyclone, or Simple Totem builds ... Yea, they were all basic, but they were fun!

If someone has seen a powerful fun build that's not overly complex let me know. But I've yet to see a build this league that people are very impressed with! I can make 10 to 20 exalt in a league, but will struggle above that due to time issues.


One thing I haven't checked is youtube. Maybe youtube is where all of the good powerful build guides are?

thanks

While I do admit the builds that you mentioned are all no longer viable without solid gear, a number of other builds are having no problems with rituals in T16. They are also played by the SSFHC guys so that means they are not complex. You can simply go to PoE Twitch to see the playstyle.

I speculate the game is balanced around these streamers. They are not going to water down the content for us. If the game is easier, casuals have less reasons to tune in to those streams.

My build is also having a rough time, getting one-shot in malevolent altars at T4 only. I'm not even sure myself whether my current build can go on. I learn to lower my expectations and just take things slowly. I get more satisfaction this way than copying streamers builds.

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Mentoya wrote:

If someone has seen a powerful fun build that's not overly complex let me know. But I've yet to see a build this league that people are very impressed with! I can make 10 to 20 exalt in a league, but will struggle above that due to time issues.

Hierophant archmage is very strong, easy to build and can utilize pretty much all spells except dot based ones.

Pick whatever spell you like, add archmage once you have a good amount of mana and stack mana everywhere just like life on your gear while trying to increase mana costs for maximum dmg outout. Arcane cloak, arcane surge will add even more dmg and good defenses. Ailment immunity is a big deal in endgame.

Recommended uniques would be Atziris Foible and Cloak of Defiance. Both will add tons of mana, mana regen and combined with Hierophant a 50:50 dmg taken split for MoM. Hiero can easily get 5k life and 5k mana without trying too hard.
Thats alread 10k ehp right there and arcane cloak would add another 3k+ dmg buffer. Arcance cloak will also trigger a lvl20 arcane surge reliably for even more spell dmg, cast speed and mana regen. Combined with Hieros arcance surge effectiveness and arcane capacitor on the tree this will add a lot dmg, survivability and utility.
Dance of the Offered boots are optional and would basically add perma onslaught and an essence worm for a free aura helps as well.

At this point you could go Agnostic and run Righteous Fire without a Puritity of Fire or Saffels or Rise of the Phoenix. Thats even more spell dmg and you should be able to obliterate all content up to t16.
Beyond that you´ll have to min/max like everyone else.

I started this league with Dominating Blow Guardian. Played a lot of summoners in the past but never touched it before, and o boy it feels soooo good !
Clearspeed is good, bossing is a joke, its fun to play (only DomBlow and movement skill) and it doesn't need any gear.

Cyclone will still take you to the endgame.

It depends on what you mean by powerful and budget.

I you want to completely own the hardest end-game content on a couple of exalts, there really aren't builds like that at this point.

But there are plenty of builds that will get you to red maps for under an exalt and do most end content reasonably well on 5-10 ex.

My Zombie and Skeleton Mage build will get you to t16 maps on just the currency you find along the way.

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3008831

Super simple to play. The guide is designed for newbies, but experienced players can use it as a league start, also.

Enki's Arc Witch is still running strong. Just because a build isn't played as much as others, doesn't mean it isn't still good. GGG used to have the MO of making 1-2 builds super OP in a league then spend the next several leagues nerfing it to the ground, presumably strongly encouraging you play different builds and buy applicable MTX for those new builds. The player base did not like that, and we now see a much higher build diversity out there.

The game also gets more and more complex every expansion, making builds that can do it all harder and harder to create. Think about it. You have map speed runs, lab speed runs, boss killers, multi-boss killers, Delve, deep Delve, Heist, Blight, etc. They all require a different specialization to min/max their potential. Like what you like and roll with it. There is no right way to play this game.