They Don't WAND you to Know This | Path of Exile 3.27

Summary

In this video, Pan dives into the exciting world of wand builds in Path of Exile’s latest league. He covers various ascendancy options like Elementalist, Necromancer, Guardian, and Deadeye, discussing their strengths, weaknesses, and early-game viability. Pan also explores the impact of new league mechanics, including bloodline ascendancies and how they could enhance or hinder certain builds. From scaling damage to socket pressure and endgame considerations, this detailed analysis helps players decide the best ascendancy for their wand-based characters, with a focus on clear speed, damage output, and synergies with new tools and supports.

Takeaways

• 😀 Elementalist is a strong choice for wander builds in the upcoming league, providing solid early-game damage and survivability with Bastion of Elements.
• 😀 Necromancer ascendancy offers massive scaling with Corpse Pact, providing up to 200% attack speed from consuming corpses, making it an effective choice for wander builds.
• 😀 Guardian ascendancy grants excellent early-game power through summon elemental relics, though it lacks strong scaling for late-game content.
• 😀 Hero ascendancy is powerful for mana-based builds, enhancing scaling with Kinetic Blast and Power Siphon, but it may struggle with mana sustain.
• 😀 Deadeye ascendancy shines for clear speed, projectile-based skills, and chain effects, though it can lack single-target damage scaling.
• 😀 Slayer ascendancy offers high-endgame potential with charge stacking and strength scaling, but it's not ideal for early-game wand builds.
• 😀 Bloodline ascendancies will significantly impact the viability of different ascendancies for wander builds, though more details are awaited.
• 😀 While elemental ascendancies are great early-game choices, their damage scaling may diminish later on without proper investment in endgame gear.
• 😀 Managing mana is crucial in wander builds, especially with Hero ascendancy, where mana gear is important but not always easy to craft.
• 😀 Deadeye's versatility for clear speed makes it an appealing option for many wander builds, though single-target damage requires extra investment.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video discusses various ascendancy options for wand builds in the new league, with a particular emphasis on the changes made to the game mechanics and how they affect different ascendancies, as well as the potential for 'bloodline ascendancies' to further diversify builds.

Why is the Elementalist ascendancy considered a strong choice for wand builds?

Elementalist is considered a strong choice because of its early power from the Legion of the Primordial node, which provides significant buffs to various attributes like damage, attack speed, and mana regeneration, making it a solid pick for leveling and early game performance.

What are the potential downsides of playing Elementalist for wand builds?

The main downside of Elementalist is socket pressure, as adding golems and other skills like Ballista setups can become cumbersome, especially during leveling. Additionally, it requires careful management of sockets and gem setups to maximize the build's effectiveness.

How does the Necromancer ascendancy perform for wand builds?

Necromancer can be very effective for wand builds due to the rework of the 'Corpse Pact' node, which grants up to 200% increased attack speed, significantly improving the speed of wand attacks. However, it may face challenges with mana management, especially if you're not using 'Essence Glutton.'

What makes the Guardian ascendancy interesting for wand builds?

The Guardian ascendancy is interesting because it provides a unique source of flat damage through the Summon Elemental Relics node, which grants a significant damage boost early on. This can be especially valuable in the first few days of the league when gear is minimal.

What are the limitations of the Guardian ascendancy for wand builds?

The main limitation of Guardian is its decline in effectiveness after the 'Unwavering Crusade' node, which severely reduces its value. Furthermore, the ascendancy lacks strong nodes for later progression, making it harder to scale effectively in the long term.

How does the Hero ascendancy compare to other options for wand builds?

Hero is notable for its synergy with skills like Kinetic Blast and Power Siphon, scaling off of maximum mana. This ascendancy offers strong scaling with the 'Indigon' mechanic but requires specific mana gear, which may be difficult to obtain early in the league. It can be powerful with the right gear but has high gear dependency.

What is the downside of the Hero ascendancy for wand builds?

The primary downside of Hero is its reliance on mana gear. While the ascendancy offers great scaling with 'Indigon,' obtaining the necessary mana items early in the league can be a challenge. Additionally, Hero is more focused on specific skills, limiting its flexibility compared to other ascendancies.

Why is Deadeye a popular choice for wand builds?

Deadeye is popular for wand builds due to its strong offensive capabilities, such as increased projectile speed, chain, and tailwind. These bonuses are particularly beneficial for clearing maps quickly and improving overall damage, making it a strong choice for players focused on fast-paced gameplay.

What is the major downside of Deadeye for wand builds?

The major downside of Deadeye is that it does not synergize well with skills like Kinetic Rain, which can be a limitation if players want to use those specific skills. Additionally, while it's excellent for clearing speed, it may lack the same single-target damage compared to other ascendancies.

How does Slayer work with wand builds, and what are its challenges?

Slayer can be a good choice for long-term builds focused on charge stacking or strength stacking. However, it lacks direct access to spell damage or wand clusters early on, making it a challenging choice for players who want to focus on wands right from the start. It requires a significant investment in gear and time to become effective.

What are bloodline ascendancies, and why are they important?

Bloodline ascendancies are secondary ascendancy options that can be unlocked by defeating specific bosses. These allow players to swap out part of their main ascendancy for additional passive nodes that can significantly enhance their builds. The potential strength of bloodline ascendancies could make certain builds much more powerful, depending on how the nodes are distributed.

What is the overall takeaway regarding wand builds and ascendancy choices?

Wand builds are highly versatile and can work with various ascendancies, with each offering different strengths. The key is balancing early game effectiveness with long-term scalability, and players should be prepared to adjust their ascendancy or build based on the evolving power of bloodline ascendancies and the game's mechanics.