Path of Exile [3.3] Ascendant Reave/Blade Flurry Build

Note: With 3.5 and the removal of stat sticks, this build loses a pretty big chunk of DPS, replace the Mace in the Build with a decent Dagger in your off-hand. The build is still strong though, just not as facemeltingly awesome as it once was.

This fast-moving and highly flexible build offers multiple options for mapping and boss fights in Path of Exile. Reave has great AoE clearspeed and allows you to chew threw mob packs. And this build can switch pretty quickly to boss killing mode, all while maintaining a high Life pool and good damage mitigation. A simple Gear to Gem swap will have you back in the fight in no time, and this build can even take on the toughest bosses like Uber Elder with a little preparation and game knowledge.

If you want to clear end game maps and kill every boss in the game with ease, this is the build for you. Reaching up to 80% Life Leeched per second makes you near immune to everything but one shots and a huge life pool to tank those one shots means dying is a thing of the past. With exceptionally high DPS to back it up, all content in the game is doable.

Not only is this an extremely simple build to level, mapping with a character running this setup is fast and efficient, just like any good POE player wants. Let’s dig in.

Build Pros

• Very versatile build able to clear almost all content
  
• Killing bosses is pretty quick
  
• Speedy mapping
  

Build Cons

• Totems may not be for everyone, as it’s a bit wewird to get used to
  
• Expensive gear costs
  

Passive Tree(s)

Here is the Endgame Passive Tree

104 Points
119 Points

Take Intelligence nodes as needed.

Upgrade all of these.

Soul of Arakaali  – 5% reduced Damage taken from Damage Over Time 10% chance to Avoid Lightning Damage when Hit

If you’re using Kaom’s Roots, switch to Soul of Lunaris or Soul of Solaris for end-game boss fights.

Soul of Ralakesh – 25% chance to avoid Bleeding 25% reduced Physical Damage over Time Damage taken while moving

Bandits

Kill All for the bonus Passives if you’ve capped resistances, otherwise go for Alira for Resists.

Ascendancy skill points

Ascendancy Nodes:

Slayer > Raider > Duelist

Enchants

Helmet: (X Represents your chosen skill, so Flurry/Reave in the example case)
% Increased X Damage
% Increased X Area/Radius

Boots:
x% Increased Elemental Damage with Attacks
Damage Penetrates x% of Enemy Elemental Resistances if you haven’t Killed Recently
Adds 45 to 68 Fire Damage if you’ve Killed Recently
x% increased Attack and Cast Speed if you’ve Killed Recently

Gloves:
Commandment of Fury/Reflection

Leveling Items and General Tips

You’ll find a list of different Unique items down below for weapons and other gear slots. These are not necessary by any means. We included the list in this guide to give you a wide array of options to choose from.

Leveling with this build is incredibly easy. Ground Slam > Sunder > Reave at Level 28. Use a Tabula Rasa for increased effectiveness while leveling. If doing this build as a League Starter, just run Reave as a 4-Link without Increased Crits and Damage on Full Life.

When using Ground Slam up to Level 12, use it in concert with Ruthless, Maim and Added Fire Damage for best results.

When using Sunder past Level 12, use it in concert with Concentrated Effect, Maim and Melee Physical Damage for best results.

At Level 16, start using Herald of Ash to boost DPS.

When using Reave past Level 28, use it in concert with Faster Attacks, Maim and Melee Physical Damage for best results.

At Level 24, start using Hatred to boost DPS.

At Level 38, take off Maim and switch to Multistrike, and take off Faster Attacks to switch to Increased Area of Effect (Concentrated Effect for Bosses).

At level 60, you may want to switch Herald of Ash to Arctic Armour temporarily if you feel too squishy or die too much.

Leveling Uniques:

• Victario’s Flight (Boots)
• Wanderlust (Boots)
• Lochtonial Caress (Gloves)
• Slitherpinch (Gloves)
• The Peregrine (Helm)
• Le Heup of All (Ring)
• Dream Fragments (Ring)
• Goldrim (Helm)
• Carnage Heart (Amulet)
• Belt of the Deceiver (Belt)
• Meginord’s Girdle (Belt)
• Worm’s Molt (Belt)
• Faminebind (Belt)
• Perandus Blazon (Belt)
• The Magnate (Belt)
• Prismweave (Belt)

Efficient Farm Locations:

Act 1: The Ledge

Act 2: The Fellshrine Ruins

Act 3: The Docks

Act 4: The Dried Lake

Act 5: The Chamber of Innocence

Act 6: The Ridge

Act 7: The Temple of Decay lv1-2

Act 8: The Harbour Bridge

Act 9: The Blood Aqueduct

Act 10: The Ossuary

Avoid these map mods:

• No Leech/Regen – These map mods screw with your ability to sustain your life and mana, so they’re a no-go.
• Reflect – Since you’re doing a mix of Physical and Elemental most of the time, Reflect mobs/mods are dangerous. Avoid them if you want to easier experience.

If you are a brand new Path of Exile player, feel free to check out our various POE guides for noobs.

Final Skill Gem Setup

You’ll find recommendations for different attack skill setups for this build below. The basic buff and aura setups are down there too. This build has been tested with the most common Bow skills, and it works will with any multiple projectile build, as long as you maximize the number of projectiles with support gems.

=== ATTACK SKILL ===

Either gem swap or use a second Body Armour with Blade Flurry as three gem swaps can be tiring.

Vaal Reave – Multistrike – Melee Physical – Increased Area of Effect- Increased Critical Strikes – Damage on Full Life

Blade Flurry – Melee Physical – Concentrated Effect – Increased Critical Strikes – Damage on Full Life – Maim

Blade Flurry is for killing Bosses.

=== MOVEMENT ===
Leap Slam – Faster Attacks – Fortify – Blood Magic

=== AURA/UTILITY ===
Hatred – Blood Rage – Herald of Ash

=== CWDT ===
Cast When Damage Taken – Immortal Call – Blood Rage

Build Uniques / Example Rare Gear

In this section you will find all the suggested items for this build. We always try to include optional gear in our listing, or try your own assuming you get similar stat rolls. Aim for high-quality Rares if you’re replacing Uniques. The Minimum/Optional requirements listed assume you’re using Rares as a replacement for listed Uniques (where possible).

Depending on your gear choices, you can go for either a lot more DPS at the expense of Life, or go for more defensiveness by sacrificing a portion of DPS. This is your choice. In most cases, I would prefer Life personally, as it’s just a bit more forgiving. If you’re a new player, this may the path for you.

Stat Priorities:

Life is super important for survivability, especially at end-game. Although be careful not to forsake too many damage mods for it or you won’t be able to kill mobs quick enough for your defenses to handle incoming DPS.

Armor is your main defensive stacking for Physical Damage mitigation, so try and keep that high.

Physical Damage is your main scaling and your primary DPS with Physical Damage converts to multiple types. So maximizing damage with Physical first, followed by buffs to more general damage types. Area Damage on Jewels for example.

Attack Speed can really help improve your damage output, but raw DPS is better as it increases your Scaling and Leeching.

Resistances until you cap them off.

Attributes as you’ll need some Dexterity and Intelligence to run the best gems. (You will need ~200 Strength, ~160 Dexterity and ~110 Intelligence for this build)

Weapons

This is a one-handed build, but you’ll rely on a stat stick to make the damage scaling work effectively. Ahn’s Might can work in a pinch until you earn enough currency to pick up a high physical DPS on-handed sword. Jeweled Foil base is a great choice here, assuming it’s a high enough item level to get the sufficient rolls.

Follow the stat block below for Rares if you’re using those instead in your main hand. You can multi-mod a high item level base for added Physical Damage if you want.

Min. requirements:
300+ Physical DPS
Optional affixes:
Increased Elemental Damage with Attack Skills
Increased Attack Speed

As for a stat stick, you have both Rare and Unique options.

Rigwald’s Savagery is a great option for a Unique in the off-hand if you can grab it for cheap.

A Shaper/Elder setup with Faster Attacks built in makes this off-hand a great slot for your Leap Slam to save on using up sockets.

Min. requirements:
Added Physical Damage
Increased Attack Speed
Optional affixes:
Increased Elemental Damage with Attack Skills
Chance to deal Double Damage
% Physical as Extra Elemental Damage

Helmet

Starkonja’s Head grants really good Life bonuses and increased Attack Speed. It’s an OK choice for this build as a cheap early game pickup. Replace it with a Rare later in mapping though.

A Rare with a pretty standard array of stats is good here. The real star for this slot that makes the build shine a good Labyrinth Enchant, check above for the recommendations for that. Otherwise, here’s the stat recommendations.

Min. requirements:
100 maximum Life
Uncapped Resistances(40%)
Optional affixes:
Life Regenerated per second

Body Armor

The recommended Unique is Belly of the Beast. If you happen to be running this build in Standard, saving up Currency for a Legacy version is even better. There are also certain Vaal Orb or Incursion Temple corruptions that can super-charge this item. Be on the lookout for things like Increased Life or Damage Implicits.

If you want to use a Rare instead, go for one with as much Life and Armour as you can get. Although I would strongly recommend sticking with a Belly for this build.

Min. requirements:
100 maximum Life
2000 Armour
Optional affixes:
Elemental Resistances
Increased Maximum Life Elder mod

Belt

Belt of the Deceiver can be a good starter Unique for really cheap.  The stats on it are great all around for getting through the beginning of end-game content. Switch it out fairly quickly though as you’ll need more Damage and Life later on.

Abyss Belts with Life and Resistances are a good option for more difficult end-game sections and bosses. Other Rares might do in a pinch, but not having good rolls can make you a lot more squishy than is tolerable. Abyss Jewels are also a great source for damage buffs as well. Buffing your damage and Life is the best bet here with Jewels.

Elder/Shaper variants are good too, assuming you can get a good combo of Life and Resists on them.

Min. requirements:
50 maximum Life
Added Physical Damage
Uncapped Resistances
Optional affixes:
Added Elemental Damage

Gloves

Tombfist is a good unique here due to the versatility of Abyss Jewels

Shaper/Elder Rares are great due to the multiple stacks of damage you can grab from them. Great slot to grab any Resists you might need as well. Shapers/Elders with Increased Damage with Bleeding or other applicable mods are great, but will be expensive to acquire. Expect to spend a few Exalts getting that mod. Although it won’t break the build not to have it, it can be a lot easier to play with it.

Check POEDB for Elder and Shaper mod pools to find one you like. Here are some recommendations for Gloves:

Increased Damage with Bleeding
Global chance to Blind Enemies on hit

Min. requirements:
70 maximum Life
Uncapped Resistances (30%)
Physical Damage Buffs
Optional affixes:
Added Elemental Damage

Boots

Kaom’s Roots are good stop-gap Unique due to the ability to keep your speed up, because you’ll need to be dodging damage while you mop up mobs.

Rare boots with max rolled Life, Resists and Movement Speed are great as a generic choice, but you may find yourself a bit more prone to taking hits than you would like. This one is more of a personal judgment call. Although if you’re running a high-end boss like Uber Elder, Kaom’s are your best bet.

Min. requirements:
60 maximum Life
30% increased Movement Speed
Any Uncapped Resistances (>25%)

Amulet

An Amulet with a combination or high Intelligence, Accuracy, Physical Damage, and Life.

If using a Rare, Get a Shaper/Elder and stack as much life as you can on your Amulet to prevent feeling too squishy. Extra flat added damage of multiple types is good here too. Gain x% Physical as Elemental or Elemental Penetration work great in this slot as well.

Min. requirements:
80 Maximum Life
Attributes (Intelligence)
Added Physical Damage
Uncapped Resistances
Optional affixes:
Added Elemental Damage

Rings

Rare Steel/Opal Rings are great for this build and it’s Physical and Elemental Damage. Use the stats below as a guide for that.

Min. requirements:
60 Maximum Life
Added Physical Damage to Attacks
Uncapped Resistances (>25%)
Optional affixes:
Attributes (Strength/Intelligence)

Flasks

Lion’s Roar – This utility Flask is a great addition for an emergency reduction to incoming DPS. If you need to get out of harms way, quaff this and start moving.

Atziri’s Promise – Chaos Resistance is always a challenge, but the added Leech can help you stay alive as well.

Taste of Hate – The damage mitigation by converting Physical to Cold is really useful, and the Freeze immunity potential is great for emergency escapes.

Other Flasks:
Diamond
Instant Life

Other Needed Mods:
Bleed Removal
Shock Removal

You can swap these mods around if needed due to RNG.

Jewels

Rare Jewels can run with the following stats:

Recommended affixes:
% Increased Maximum Life
% Increased Physical/Melee/Area Damage
Crit Chance/Multiplier Buffs
Optional affixes:
% Increased Attack Speed

Abyss Jewels:

Recommended affixes:
Maximum Life Buffs (+Flat and % Increased)
Increased Attack Speed
Optional affixes:
Multiple Flat Added Damage Mods (Physical)
Crit Chance/Multi Buffs