Is it possible to improve this RF build within a 10ex budget?

Hey! I'm still very poor compared to most people and I've only got like 11 ex in STD + a couple of items that never sell.

But I've finally managed to get this build going that I saw over 2 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pmvqB4T_Bs&list=PLVDohqfhVeWYBXZcEMl9dCYMT6diG7ISI&index=8&t=5s
It is basically RF with a chest that has the mod "Enemies you kill explode, dealing phys damage" + Fan the Flames cluster notable + phys to fire conversion + some ignite chance. It makes for some super satisfying explosion chains in tightly packed maps.

PoB link to my character: https://pastebin.com/7PgyLUMC
It feels super nice to map with and It currently handles well in yellow maps.

Could anyone of you expert PoE players suggest what kind of budget improvements I can make to the tree and/or items in order to improve my survivability, damage or even regeneration?

At a short glance 7link helmets or a better scepter would cost a bajillion exalts and I have no idea how I can replace Phoenix with a shield that gives better mods, since my sustain will fail then.

P.S.
I also wasted 3k chromes in order to try and get 4 blue sockets on the chest, so that's why I'm using a level 1 Empower right now...

I have no idea how to fit in Determination or Tempest Shield. I added skitterbots for the shock (even though I'm not sure how they work exactly), but had to remove Tempest shield, which makes me squishier.

I could have a pretty nice % chance to block attacks and spells, if I pick up Glancing Blows and possibly use a shield that has %hp on block, but then I would not be able to sustain RF without.

I know that I'm currently lacking a way to consistently apply fire exposure and flammability. Any sugestions about those 2 skills are very welcome!

Which character are you referring to, the chieftain? It may help if you provide a pob.

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TemjinGold wrote:

Which character are you referring to, the chieftain? It may help if you provide a pob.

Yeah, I'm an idiot.... I just edited the post to include a PoB link

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seaman wrote:

Better scepter:
Vendor recipe - Normal Opal or Void Sceptre (40% elem dmg) + 2 or more quality Skill gems with a combined total of 40% quality & the Fire tag = Magic Sceptre with +1 to Level of all Fire Spell Skill Gems.
Orb of augm, Regal orb, Can have up to 3 Crafted Modifiers (2 ex), 20% fire dot multi, 60% fire damage (veiled mod with ignite chance)

Oh WoW! Thanks!
Didn't think there are strong crafting recipes like this!

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seaman wrote:

Better scepter:
Vendor recipe - Normal Opal or Void Sceptre (40% elem dmg) + 2 or more quality Skill gems with a combined total of 40% quality & the Fire tag = Magic Sceptre with +1 to Level of all Fire Spell Skill Gems.
Orb of augm, Regal orb, Can have up to 3 Crafted Modifiers (2 ex), 20% fire dot multi, 60% fire damage (veiled mod with ignite chance)

Should I get this sceptre to be Ilevel 80+? Or something more specific?

Get some Awakened Gems. Burning Damage in particular should be dirt cheap. I personally would play Awakened Increased Area of Effect over Efficacy. You'll lose some damage but a bigger circle is generally stronger than a smaller one.

The other thing is, I would really replace that chest piece (aside from the explode mod, the other mods are pretty trash and that base type makes it hard to get the colors you want). Get a Saintly Chain base if you can (I would get a chest with explode mod you want, use a woke orb to move it to a Saintly Chain base). I personally think the best mod you can get on the Saintly Chain is "Recover 6% of life on Kill" (Elder or Warlord). This will make your coloring issue much easier.

Adding this: Sorry, since you are really new to crafting, I should be a lot more specific so you don't do it wrong:

1) Buy an Awakener's Orb.

2) Buy a chest piece that ONLY has Crusader Influence with the Explode Mod. Make sure there are NO other Crusader mods on that chest (the affixes will say "Crusader's" or "of the Crusade" if they are Crusader mods.)

3) Buy a Saintly Chain that has ONLY Warlord or Elder (either one) influence with the Recover 5-6% life on kill mod. Once again, make sure there are no other Warlord or Elder mods. If you cannot find this 6-linked, I would buy a 6-linked Saintly Chain and a Warlord orb. Slap the orb on the armour, then alteration spam for this mod (and no other Warlord mod).

4) Once you have these pieces, click the Awakener's Orb, then click the Explode mod chest and finally click the Saintly Chain. Make sure you do it in this order because the game will keep the LAST chest you click for the base.

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seaman wrote:

Sceptre level will only affect the possible mods in the aug-regal step. With a higher level there is a very small chance of getting a useful high level mod. But in general you can use any level.

You can repeat Vendor recipe until you get useful mods in the aug-regal step, such as burning damage/fire damage/dot multi suffixes or a high-level fire damage prefix above 60%. And after aug-regal, you need to get 2 free suffixes for multicraft and fire dot multi, or not use aug, but only regal. Also, you should not get spell/cold/light/low-lvl fire dmg in prefixes, so as not to block crafting 60% fire dmg

I managed to get this on a Regal orb:

Is it possible to craft the %Fire damage mod AND the %Fire damage and ignite on this? Sometimes the bench says "this item already has a mod of this type", so I'm not really sure when we can stack mods.

Or maybe Fire damage and ignite mod + damage over time mod is a good choice to put on this?