[3.19] DO NOT USE - Fuzzy Duckzy's Lightning Strike Raider - Great League Starter

***** DO NOT USE *****

Lightning Strike and Elusive took a pretty big hit. Pretty sure build will still be viable for LS enjoyers but build needs totally re-working and is also not something I would recommend as a League Starter

I will hopefully be able to update the guide a week or two into the league

Fuzzy's Lightning Strike Raider


Levelling trees and end game trees have changed for 3.19 and updated on 18/08/2022 to a much more efficient tree. POBs in the videos have also been updated this is more to reassure you if you have already seen a previous pob that the changes are correct and more efficient

***** IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT FILTERS *****
My filters got corrupted so will no longer work. I will try to get these updated if I get time. In the meantime there are alternative filters that can be followed on my second account. Please see details in the Filter section of the guide

3.19 Patch Notes

Cannot see anything that affects the build past the manifesto changes. There is a note in patch notes that says: "Fixing a bug where lightning strike could hit a single target twice from one attack"

According to the devs this is not referring to +1 strike/ancestral call but a bug where you could triple hit in the right circumstances. This has been confirmed by the devs on reddit


IS THIS BUILD FOR YOU>

Are you looking for a build that can rush through the Atlas and kill all the big bosses on a shoestring? ... Then this build is not for you
If however you a looking for something that can (very) quickly farm high level maps to progress your Atlas, build up a lot of currency and is super fun to play then this build might be right for you

The build has a ton of scope at end game to melt everything the Atlas throws as it, but it is a gradual progression and I am not going to lie to you and say you will be farming Maven on Day 1.

This is more a build you would play if your want you first character to be your only character or you are happy to progress through map tiers slower than a pure boss killer build, but on a very low budget and enjoyable character

The build will easily clear high tier red maps with only a few ex invested and from there each upgrade you make improves it's bossing capabilities. If you are willing to invest time and currency into this character it is one of the best all rounders I have played in my time on Path of Exile, but it is not an instant gratification build.

Early maps can feel a bit clunky before you transition to lightning strike and Spectral Helix is not everyones cup of tea for levelling and very early mapping.

If this sounds like your kind of thing keep reading.........

Please stop asking if Trickster is better than Raider as a league starter for lightning strike :) You just will not have the damage on cheap league start gear. Raider can be farming T16 maps on not much more than a 6 link and a cheap essence crafted claw. Trickster definitely cannot

Change Log
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3.17 Update - From Balance Manifesto and patch notes not much has changed that will affect the build other than nerfs to flat damage gems, but claws can now roll higher ele damage. Only difference is there are now no such thing as mark on hit rings so we just need a 2 link Gems set up of Assassins mark + Mark on Hit Support

3.18 No Changes

3.17 Guide: https://youtu.be/j3XjYooG26w


There are various video guides and gameplay examples along with levelling guides on my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtVOFpm9AlcZAcr1JlXI2ng

I have set up a simple discord if anyone wants to discuss or show me gear, trees, etc for advice https://discord.gg/ttbqrfzYu2
I work full time but will try to respond as quickly as I can

SOCIALS AND STREAMING SCHEDULE for 3.19
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Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/FuzzyDuckzy
Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/fuzzyduckzy

I do not stream a huge amount but will be streaming for 3.19 league start for at least the first 4-5 days. Feel free to drop in if you have any questions. I am still not sure what build I am running though but will gladly assist anyone needing help with this build


If there is anything you are not sure of feel free to ask or See if I am streaming on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/fuzzyduckzy

Single Target Damage



Intro and Summary

I started playing Lightning Strike in 3.14 when following Nugi on Twitch when he was playing a hardcore variant of the build. I really liked the look of the skill as it provides excellent clear, good defences and very good single target from the Vaal portion of the skill.

I decided to build a more softcore version of the build which ended up clearing all content including The Feared in 3.15. It is the most fun I have had playing this game in a long time and is a great and affordable all round build. I also league started it in 3.16, 3.17 & 3.18 and was killing Uber Elder and Maven on day 4 in 3.18 on a reasonable investment

Pros
+ FUN!!!!!
+ Great clear speed
+ Amazing burst damage
+ Tanky
+ Very fast movement Speed
+ Good linear progression and can be min-maxed to good levels
+ Quick to maps (5 hours is easily achievable at League Start)
+ SSF Viable

Cons
- Closed in maps and terrain are annoying
- Need to level with a different skill
- Takes time to master positioning to maximise damage
- Getting popular so gear can be expensive


How did this build perform in 3.18

There are build diaries for the first week of 3.18 on my Youtube channel. I recommend checking them out if you want an idea of how the build progresses early on: https://www.youtube.com/c/FuzzyDuckzy

Video Guides
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3.19 Full Guide https://youtu.be/G2na0yXgDMc
3.19 Levelling Guide https://youtu.be/BT_kjClLU1w


SSF Guide
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I have done an SSF playthrough in 3.16 and taken on all content (No Feared as could not get a Cortex Map to drop). This series follows the progress: (Beginning of the guide is a minion build but halfway through I start a Lightning Strike Character)
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeXVETOoSNQsdp3S2krB2oNUub-P0RIT8

I have also levelled up to mid tier yellow maps in 3.18 from league start. I would recommend in SSF that you stay Helix even on a 6 link and farm exarch maps until you get your +1 strike gloves. Enchanted helms can be very RNG so if you do not like lab farming I would recommend either pathing to pierce on the tree or to save the points craft it on your helmet and gloves and get the eater of worlds mod to give you a total of +3 pierce


How to Play
Spoiler
This build is really simple to play. We clear most the screen with one or two hits and for bosses it is a case of dropping a totem, cursing the boss (with either curse on hit or manual), Hitting Vaal Lightning Strike and bursting down the boss.

With minimal investment this build can clear the entire Atlas and do so very quickly

The key to lightning Strike is positioning. Static Bosses are easiest which is what makes this a good all rounder as all the big bosses are static.

You need to position yourself with a small gap between you and your target and this ensures that you hit twice if you have +1 Strike on either your gloves or run ancestral call




Defences Explained
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In 3.19 the build is concentrating more on phys mitigation. From Act 4/5 you will be full spell suppression capped and early on in maps you will be 100% ailment immune

I do not recommend running any defences until act 10 as they are not needed in softcore and damage auras are way more important.

When you hit maps you will have determination, elusive, good evasion from gear, tree and ascendancy and a Molten Shell on CWDT.

supplementing this will be a jade flask and a granite flask

You should comfortably be able to get 12k evasion and armour every early on which should comfortably see you up until the later tier maps

Later on we will add in endurance charges from the chest piece and improve the armour and evasion on gear. This build also concentrates on getting a decent amount of chaos resistance since chaos damage is much more of an issue in recent leagues

We also have leech and life on hit from running a claw

The main thing I notice people are doing when complaining about dying is trying to run corrupted T16 maps at level 80 on a 5 link with trash gear and not armour/evasion gear pieces. The levelling guide explains when to upgrade and when to tackle specific content, but you do not want to be farming Tier 14+ maps until at least level 85 and when you have picked up a 6 Link, projectile pierce and +1 strike gloves along with a decent claw

If you still want more defences you could add the new phys taken as elemental gravicious craft on your chest if you have an open prefix


League Start and Levelling Guide - 3.19 Ready
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TLDR

Brutus - 2 x Iron Rings, Galvanic Arrow, Mirage + Added Cold for Brutus. Supplement with a Ballista totem. I go bows as the gem and bow are what we get to start. Feel free to mule a Duelist to tidal islands if you to get Ancestral Protector and a free two handed weapon and splitting Steel

Level 12: Switch to Helix + phys craft recipe 2 handed weapon
Helix - Added Cold - Added Fire or Onslaught

You will eventually switch to dual wield claws but DO NOT switch until you get 2 claws with 1.5 APS and minimum of T9 ele roll (Hold ALT on the weapon to see mod tiers)

I dual wield for the attack speed bonus so I can level quicker but if maintaining 2 claws is a pain go claw and shield

4 Link Goal: Helix + any of these gems: Ele Dmg - Inspiration - Trinity - Added Cold - Osnlaught - Added Lightning. If you go trinity make sure it is working

Levelling Auras: Anger + level 1 precision + Herald of Ice (add in when you get mana leech). Before you get Anger run Herald of Ice and Skitterbots

Switch to determination and anger when you pick up reservation wheel. Take accuracy mastery for Accuracy per Dex

If you need further details check guide linked below or POB has detailed levelling notes

3.19 Levelling Guide https://youtu.be/BT_kjClLU1w
Please note the tree has changed after act 6 for levelling. All the gear, gems, etc are still relevant but ensure you use the trees in the POB. There are also full notes in the POB

This POB includes act by act trees and full notes: https://pobb.in/tbUlolx6yBpv


You will need a Vaal lightning Strike gem when you reach maps so every time you get a vaal orb go back to act 1 and buy a lightning strike from Nessa and vaal it.



3.19 POBs
Spoiler

For full levelling details check out the day 1 POB guide: https://pobb.in/tbUlolx6yBpv
POB for week 1 gear and higher budget gear(See gearing section for more details)
https://pobb.in/nXQ2lrUUZFKr

These are still being tweaked so do not use them to league start until launch day when there will be no further changes



Loot Filter
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https://www.pathofexile.com/account/view-profile/fuzzyduckzygaming/item-filters

Click follow on the below filters:
LS Helix Levelling (Campaign Filter)
Early Mapping LS (Early Map Filter with lots of important bases highlighted for early crafting)

These are fairly low strictness filters. When you want to start juicing I would recommend using a stricter filter



Ascendancy
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- Quartz Infusion - Avatar of the Veil - Way of the Poacher - Avatar of the Slaughter



Bandits
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Kill all or Alira. End Game is 2 skill points but feel free to take Alira if it makes levelling easier


Pantheons
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I will be running Soul of Lunaris as Major
Minor there are a few good options:
Yugul - 50% reflect damage reduction & 30% less effect of Curses
Ralekesh - Take no extra Damage from bleeding whilst moving
Aberrath for Searing Exarch Maps


Things you MUST have in place before switching from Helix to Vaal Lightning Strike ***IMPORTANT***
Spoiler


Before moving over to Vaal Lightning Strike you need to:
- Minimum of +2 projectile pierce. I would recommend an enchanted helmet. +2 is not normally crazy expensive on league start. Failing that you can path to piercing shots on the tree. I would sacrifice heartseeker nodes for it. Lastly you can craft +1 pierce on gloves and helmet when unlocked in betrayal
- 6 Link
- Point Blank on Tree
- +1 strike. This will be either gloves later on or ancestral call in your 6 link before this


Single Target Rotation
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This can take some getting used to if you have not played builds with multi totems and Vaal skills:

You want your vaal lightning strike available for bosses.

Rotation for Optimal DPS:
- Drop Totems
- Activate Flasks
- Activate 2 x Vaal Lightning Strike
- Attack Boss with Lightning Strike

For maps with a conqueror fight I like to leave some mobs alive near the boss area. I then use all my Vaal skills on the boss then go and kill more mobs to get my charges back before taking on conquerors



Gem Links
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6 Links with Additional Strike Gloves or Tribal Fury Annointed on Amulet
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Vaal Lightning Strike - Nightblade Support - Inspiration Support - Ele Damage with Attacks - Trinity - Added Lightning Damage

When you can afford it upgrade added lightning damage and elemental damage with attacks to awakened versions


6 Link without Additional Strike Gloves
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Vaal Lightning Strike - Nightblade Support - Ancestral Call - Trinity - Added Lightning Damage- Inspiration


Totems
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Ancestral Protector - Multi Totem Support - Culling Strike

If you want more boss damage you can add a normal ancestral warchief into this set up but I don't like having to press another button

You can drop culling strike when you get it on the tree or glove


Auras
Spoiler

Precision - Anger - Determination

You can add defiance banner in later on, but with losing the 15% mastery in 3.19 you really need mana reservation on gear before doing this


Curses
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Assassins Mark - Mark on Hit Support



Movement Skill
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Whirling Blades - Faster Attacks - Flame Dash (Unlinked) - Withering Step (Unlinked)

Withering step is very important as it helps is reset the nightblade elusive buff increasing our damage. Use this skill on LMB/Move

Flame Dash is just used to clear gaps and as a safe movement skill in boss fights


Optional Gems
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I like to run Cast on Death Portal for juiced content.


Cast When Damage Taken Setup
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CWDT (Level 2) - Molten Shell (Not Vaal (Level 11) - Increased Duration
Feel free to push the CWDT gems higher if you want more mitigation





Last edited by Adders79 on Dec 1, 2022, 4:54:24 PM
Last bumped on Dec 11, 2022, 8:31:07 PM
Gear
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Ideally where you can you want to have all your bases as armour and evasion except shield which I like to run a Dex shield for the movement speed.

Gearing Explained

It can be quite difficult to get all the pieces together so you goal is:
- 6 Link
- Lightning Strike Enchant on Helmet or pierce nodes on tree
- +1 strike Searing Exarch Gloves/Tribal Fury Annointed Amulet
- Lethal Pride
- Blizzard crown (eventually with +3 pierce)
- End Game 6 link (Endurance Charges and Crit Chance)

Weapon
You want an Imperial Claw with:
- Attack Speed (At least 22%)
- Crit Chance
- T2 Lightning Damage
- Another Ele roll of T3 (Fire or Cold)
- Craft Ele penetration if you have a spare prefix



Shield
Ideally on here you want a base that gives movement speed:
- Life
- 30% ailment avoidance
- Resists
- % Evasion



Body Armour

You have lots of options here.

My recommendation is a Hunter/Warlord Chest il84 with Attacks have % chance to crit and gain an endurance charge every second when hit. You want life on it and ideally an open prefix to craft the new phys taken as elemental damage gravicious craft or % life/Mana

When you can fit in the recommended cluster you can then go with good Rare item with eldritch mods of increased determination effect and increased aura effect as the implicits


Gloves

Gloves with +1 strike additional target (Searing Exarch mod). +1 Pierce (Eater of Worlds Mod). Please note item level has to be 75+ for mods to roll
- Life
- Resistances
- Attack Speed
- Accuracy (Optional)



End Game elevate the Exarch mod to +2 strike. See video on how to do this
https://youtu.be/BSCtcnqcYIA

Helmet
BiS will be a Blizzard Helm with Lightning Strike Pierce Enchant if you do not have this on boots:
- Life
- Res
- Crafted Phys Taken as Fire (Korrell Syndicate Unlock)


Second would be a DEX redeemer helmet il 83+ with 10% Phys damage taken as cold

Cheaper option would be any helmet with life, res and then craft using Life Fossils


Boots

Rare Boots with:

- Life
- Spell Suppression (This is no longer needed in 3.19)
- Movement Speed
- Resists

For Implicits look for action speed and elusive effect



Another option is Hunter il 80 boots with:
- Life
- Projectiles pierce 2 additional targets (If you do not have LS Enchant)
- Life
- resists
- Tailwind (Expensive)

Craft movement speed + Onslaught (Syndicate Unlock)

However with the introduction of Eldritch implicits I think Hunter Boots are second best and also can be too expensive




Rings

Mark of The Elder + Shaper Ring (No Longer Assassins Mark on Hit. I would use this ring to stack flat damage, Attributes/Resistances

or 2 x Amethyst rings with flat damage, life and resistances. Crafting minus mana cost on 1 of these is helpful



Amulet

Rare Amulet which will need STR and INT:
- Life
- All Attributes
- Flat Ele Damage/Ele Damage with Attacks
- Crit Multi/Crit Chance

* Annoint Divine Judgement

End Game you would either go Crystalised Omniscience and then re-gear you character accordingly or get an Aul's uprising with Anger reservation and you can then run determination for free which will make you a lot tankier. We need more time to look at the nerf to Omni to see if it is worth it



Belt
This is where we need a ton of resists and probably some strength as this will make it cheaper to gear the influenced items as we will not need as much resistances on them. I am running this Heavy Belt, but BIS would be a Stygian Vise with High Elemental Damage to Attacks, T1 Life and lots of resists





Crafting Gear at League Start

Video Guide: https://youtu.be/4j1mY1kF628
Written Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s5ztQ7SlhAoc76obhmY_W0neClDRuAo4nNNTCGBBZy8/edit?usp=sharing
Spoiler

Shield
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We want a shield with 30% ailment avoidance. These can roll on il 57+ shields but 30% is the top of the range, so I would recommend waiting until you get an item level 73 dex shield. These are included on the filter. They will drop naturally from T6 maps and will drop from Elites and Bosses in T4+. The easiest way to craft an elemental avoidance shield is Harvest.

Lightning, Cold and Fire re-rolls give ailment avoidance very regularly as they are tagged with all 3. Spam these until you get a shield that works for you

Claw
Spoiler


Claws are very hard to craft as firstly there are a lot of mods in the pool and secondly we want lots of different stats (attack speed, ele damage and crit chance)

when first hitting maps look for imperial claws on the floor (again these are highlighted on the filter). I like to just spam screaming/shrieking essences of Wrath on shield until I get something with 24%+ attack speed and a second elemental roll of either T5+ Cold or Fire. Just Lightning and attack speed will work if you have an open prefix to craft added cold or added fire

Ideally you want to get your hands on a fractured claw but these will be expensive. If you can get either an imperial, noble or gemini claw with high tier fractured Lightning Damage, Attack Speed or Crit Chance (Not as good) you can then essence spam a very good claw

The best prefix to craft on a claw is 13% ele penetration but this costs an exalt so you only want to do this on a valuable claw


Jewellery
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I like to use Essences of: Suffering, Torment or Anguish
These give flat ele damage to jewellery and are normally the cheapest essences. Buy whatever essences cost the least (Shrieking or Deafening). You will need a few so do not pay more than 1-2 chaos each.

Amulet: Roll until you get increased attributes, another useful stat and either life or open prefix to craft life

Rings: Again roll them until you get rings that look good. You want life and an open prefix on one ring so you can craft -mana cost

Belt - Roll with Wrath, Anger or Hatred Essences to guarantee a big resist roll or Spite Essences if you need INT or Rage Essences if you need STR. Again you are just looking to get high life with resistances. If you get an open prefix craft elemental damage with attacks


Boots, Armour, Helmet and Gloves
Spoiler

Helmet, Armour and Gloves I like to craft with shrieking essences of greed and just look for decent ele rolls. Gloves an open suffix to craft attack speed is handy

Boots can be crafted the same, but I think it is better to use essences of Zeal for movement speed or craft with speed in Harvest. These boots should be easy to craft now since you do not need spell suppression. You can also craft up to 70 life on boots on the bench. You just want to look for a pair with big resists and life or open prefix to craft life




End Game Crafting
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This will be updated once I am familiar with new crafting methods, league mechanics, etc...

You can visit our discord noted further up the guide if you need crafting help as we have a lot of knowledgeable people there


Cluster Jewels
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Non cluster jewel version works almost as well so do not feel you need to add in cluster jewels, but it does allow you to drop the influenced chest

8 passive attack cluster with:
- Fuel the Fight
- Feed the Fury
- Martial Prowess

Medium

Effect of none damaging ailments:
Stormrider and Overshock

Small Cluster

2 Passive armour cluster with enduring composure



Jewels

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Lethal Pride Legion Jewel

We put a Lethal Pride Jewel here. You will need to use Divine Orbs on it to get stats the help us which in 3.19 will be super expensive. This jewel randomly allocates extra stats to any notables you have specced on your tree.

You are looking for:

- Intimidate on hit
- Chance to deal double damage
- Life %
- Physical Damage taken as fire damage

If you can both intimidate and double damage that is a huge DPS increase

If you want specific nodes use the tool in POB to find seed numbers and search for these seeds on trade

If these are too expensive just do not run it and get some STR elsewhere




Other Jewels

For other Jewels you want:
- Life
- Critical Strike Multiplier with Lightning Skills
- Critical Strike Multiplier with Elemental Skills
- Attack Speed (With Shield/Claw or one handed Weapon

Any Mix will be good.



Flasks
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I do not run Quicksilver flasks as feel with whirling blades we do not really need more movement speed with elusive & Whirling Blades. I run:
- Jade Flasks for extra Evasion - Try and get increased Evasion as a Suffix
- Granite Flask for Armour - Suffix should be increased armour
- Quicksilver Flask - Suffix Attack Speed or Movement Speed
- Bleeding Life Flask
- Diamond Flask with critical strike chance as the suffix

End Game Bottled Faith is amazing



Last edited by Adders79 on Aug 16, 2022, 5:42:56 PM
Great guide dude, also your youtube videos are great! Looking forward to trying this on the new league.
Can't wait for the 3.16 version, this looks so good.
What about going gladiator?

"
Violent Retaliation: Now has Ignore Enemy Monster Physical Damage Reduction if you've blocked in the past 20 seconds, and Attack Damage is Lucky if you've Blocked in the past 20 seconds
Hey there!

Found your YouTube guides a couple days ago, and I am excited to play this build for Scourge.

Thank you very much!
"
ryukenden wrote:
What about going gladiator?

"
Violent Retaliation: Now has Ignore Enemy Monster Physical Damage Reduction if you've blocked in the past 20 seconds, and Attack Damage is Lucky if you've Blocked in the past 20 seconds


Wouldn’t really work for this build since we do nearly 100% ele damage. I am sure lightning strike would work for lots of classes but gonna stick with Raider for now 😁
"
Steelhart1 wrote:
Hey there!

Found your YouTube guides a couple days ago, and I am excited to play this build for Scourge.

Thank you very much!


Thanks. Should be a full 3.16 guide up over the next few days on YouTube
Thank you for making this text guide, I found your videos last league and fell in love with Lightning Strike. I am curious, why do you suggest not leveling with LS? Is Helix just simply better? Thanks :)
"
BoogieSmalls wrote:
Thank you for making this text guide, I found your videos last league and fell in love with Lightning Strike. I am curious, why do you suggest not leveling with LS? Is Helix just simply better? Thanks :)


Lightning strike feels very bad without really high arrack speed, pierce and Vaal. I levelled with it in 3.15…wasn’t fun

Helix just has way better single target.

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