Witch - [3.25] Fireburst League Starter - Abberath's Hooves Autobomber - Forum

Introduction
This is my take on a fast, ignite proliferating autobomber! The build revolves around using Abberath's Hooves to trigger Fireburst and proliferate our ignite!

League Start POB: TBD (waiting for patchnotes)
Delirious Forge of the Phoenix League Start: TBD (waiting for patchnotes)
Endgame POB (pre-Mageblood): https://pobb.in/vxYa9imfgy3C
Endgame 9-Mod t17 Wisps (pre-Mageblood): https://youtu.be/jYZaCTNDnGY
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Pros & Cons

+ Fast mapper
+ Autobomber
+ League starter
+ Ignite proliferation
+ No 6-link required
+ Excellent defenses
+ No temporary league power is used in any of the showcases (see tab for league specific suggestions)

- Not SSF viable (requires Abberath's Hooves)
- Low single target pre-Replica Shroud of the Lightless
- Have to level as something else (guide included)

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League Specific

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TBD - will update for 3.26

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Build Mechanics

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Triggering Fireburst

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Our main damage skill is Fireburst, a skill granted by an essence modifier on our weapon and supported by all support gems in the weapon (doesn't have to be linked). Fireburst triggers whenever we hit an enemy with a 1.5 second cooldown. To avoid having to stop and perform an action every time we want to trigger Fireburst, we use Abberath's Hooves. Abberath's Hooves causes our footsteps to create explosions, automatically hitting nearby enemies as we walk and triggering Fireburst!

Ignite Proliferation

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Since we're already using Abberath's Hooves to trigger Fireburst, we can take advantage of its other unique modifier. Unlike Ignite Proliferation Support, Abberath's Hooves proliferation can chain for extremely smooth clear!

Fireburst Cooldown

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A 1.5 second cooldown on Fireburst is a bit too long to feel super comfortable while mapping, so we reduce it using sources of increased cooldown recovery rate. Initially we get increased cooldown recovery rate from our belt (the crafted version of the modifier on league start). Once we replace our belt with Mageblood we replace that source of cooldown recovery with abyss jewels socketed in Replica Shroud of the Lightless.

Abberath's Hooves Utility

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Abberath's Hooves constantly hits nearby enemies, which means we can socket some supports in it increase our damage! The first support we socket is Combustion, we decreases enemies fire resistance when our footsteps ignite them. The second is Culling Strike, which executes enemies below 15% life. Finally we can either socket Flammability linked to Hextouch to automatically curse enemies (before we get a trigger helmet) or Unbound Ailments to make sure Combustion's debuff is always up!

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Starter Gear

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Mandatory Items:
Abberath's Hooves
Essence of Delirium crafted staff (doesn't need to be linked)

Recommended Items:
Belt with crafted increased cooldown recovery rate

General Rares: Make sure you are resistance capped. Then look for life, strength, dexterity and chaos resistance in that order.

Flasks: No required flasks, recommend Life Flask with Corrupted Blood/Bleed immunity, Quicksilver Flask

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Skills

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Fireburst Supports (socket in weapon, doesn't have to be linked)
Immolate, Burning Damage, Deadly Ailments, Swift Affliction, Cruelty, Unbound Ailments

Debuffs
Flammability, Wave of Conviction, Elemental Weakness, Flame Surge

Auras
Purity of Elements (Malevolence if you can cap resistances without it), Determination (swap for Summon Skitterbots and Blood and Sand once you get a level 4 Enlighten)

Movement
Flamedash

Automation Skills
Automation - Steelskin - Phase Run - More Duration

Abberath's Hooves Supports
Combustion, Culling Strike, Unbound Ailments

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League Start, Leveling and Transition

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Leveling as Armageddon Brand, which is excellent on league start. We use Rolling Magma into Armageddon Brand and Cremation. Most of the gems are the same, but don't forget to buy the gems that aren't from the Skills section from Lily in act 5 and leveling them in your off hand (note that most gems don't need/want to be high level)!

Havoc Leveling Written Guide: https://maxroll.gg/poe/build-guides/witch-leveling-build-guide#ascendancy-overview-header

Havoc Fire Witch Leveling Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuwGn408p_k

Transition when you have enough currency to afford Essence of Delirium and Abberath's Hooves and have hit at least level 75. Don't worry about swapping immediately on reaching maps, Armageddon Brandis a strong build through early red maps with minimal investment. I swapped in early yellow maps and it felt smooth before and after. Recommended items should generally be your first upgrade.

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Upgrades

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Upgrades
1. Add Eldritch Implicits
2. Enchant flasks with "Used When Charges Reach Full"
3. Cinderswallow Urn (life recovery version)
4. Polaric Devastation
5. Anoint Whisper's of Doom and drop all passives to the right of Mystic Bulwark
6. Get two 8-passive large fire/elemental damage cluster jewels with 3 notables
7. Upgrade staff to have Fireburst modifier, one other good modifier (mid-tier fractured often the easiest/cheapest) and a crafted modifier on a spell block implicit staff
8. Get three 2-passive small chaos resistance cluster jewels with Born of Chaos
9. Upgrade helmet (ideally with at least high tier life and chaos resistance) and craft the modifier "trigger socketed spells when you focus", then put all the utility spells in the helmet replacing Arcanist Brand with Storm Brand
10. Cap chaos resistance (Purity of Elements Watcher's Eye often useful here)
11. Get physical damage taken as chaos as an eldritch implicity on helmet
12. Get a Glorious Vanity sacrificed to Xibaqua, socket it near Mind over Matter and allocate Divine Flesh
13. Get an Incandescent Heart (doesn't need to be linked)
14. Corruption hunt uniques
15. Socket a Red Nightmare in the jewel socket near The Agnostic and tattoo fire resistance onto the nearby strength small passives
16. Craft a belt with 20% increased cooldown recovery rate and other good modifiers (life, resistance, strength, dexterity etc.)
17. Get a ring with the synthesized implicit ignites deal damage faster and other good modifiers (see above)
18. Get an amulet with damage over time multiplier and other good modifiers (again see above)
19. Get gloves with ignites deal damage faster (getting it fractured is often the best way to craft it) and other good modifiers (again see above) and Eldritch Implicits (fire damage over time multiplier and fire exposure on hit).
20. Craft a better staff (Fireburst + high tier fire/generic damage over time multiplier + increased fire damage + flat spell damage)
21. Awakened Support Gems, Enlighten, 21/20 relevant gems
22. Mageblood
23. Get good Mageblood Topaz, Ruby, Sapphire and Quicksilver Flasks
24. Get a Replica Shroud of the Lightless and fill it with abyss jewels (prioritize life, cooldown recovery rate and flat damage to spells)
25. Drop Divine Flesh and the small chaos cluster jewels replacing with 4-passive medium burning damage cluster jewels with two good notables and more abyss jewels
26. Get an influenced Blizzard Crown with ignites deal damage faster and nearby enemies have -#% fire resistance
27. Double corruption hunt on uniques

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Other Autobomber Guides

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