In Path of Exile, some popular starter builds include League Starters, Budget-friendly builds, and builds with strong clear speed. These builds are typically easy to gear up, have good survivability, and can quickly progress through the game's content with minimal investment. Players often look for builds that have a smooth leveling experience and can adapt well to changes in the game's meta.
Overview of Path of Exile
Path of Exile is a popular action RPG game known for its complex skill tree and mechanics, offering a wide variety of character builds for players to explore. When starting out in Path of Exile, choosing a strong and beginner-friendly build is essential for new players to learn the game's mechanics and progression system efficiently.
Criteria for Best Starter Builds
When determining the best starter builds in Path of Exile, several key factors need to be considered. These include ease of use, budget-friendly gear requirements, scalability into endgame content, survivability, and clear speed. The ideal starter build should be relatively easy to understand for newcomers, viable with minimal gear investment, capable of handling endgame encounters, and efficient in clearing maps quickly.
Top Starter Builds in Path of Exile
1. Summoner/Necromancer
Summoners are excellent beginner-friendly builds that rely on minions to do the bulk of the damage while providing excellent survivability. Necromancers have a strong synergy with various minion types, making them a solid choice for new players. This build is relatively inexpensive to gear up and can scale well into endgame content.
2. Essence Drain/Contagion (ED/Contagion)
This build is a powerful and straightforward choice for players looking for a spell-casting playstyle. ED/Contagion excels in clearing maps quickly and effectively due to its AoE damage over time mechanics. It is easy to gear and can handle endgame bosses with proper investment.
3. Arc Witch/Elementalist
Arc is a popular skill for beginners due to its ease of use and strong chaining mechanics. Elementalist provides additional elemental damage and survivability, making it a solid choice for new players. This build can clear maps efficiently and transition into endgame content with proper itemization.
4. Marauder/Totem Hierophant
Totem builds are excellent for beginners as they allow players to summon totems that deal damage while they remain at a safe distance. The Hierophant ascendancy offers additional totem placement and damage bonuses, making it a strong pick for new players. This build is budget-friendly and can handle endgame content with proper scaling.
Progression and Optimization
As you progress in Path of Exile with your chosen starter build, it is essential to continue optimizing your gear, passive skill tree, and gems to enhance your character's effectiveness. Focus on upgrading your weapons, armor, and jewelry to improve damage output and survivability. Additionally, understanding and investing in proper skill gems and support gems can significantly boost your build's performance.
Completing the game's story acts and progressing through the endgame mapping system will allow you to acquire better gear, currency, and experience to further enhance your character. Joining trade communities or utilizing third-party tools like Path of Exile Trade can help you acquire specific gear upgrades to optimize your build more efficiently.
Conclusion
In conclusion, selecting the best starter build in Path of Exile depends on your preferred playstyle, desired complexity, and long-term goals. The builds mentioned above are excellent choices for new players due to their ease of use, affordability, scalability, and efficiency in endgame content. As you delve deeper into the world of Path of Exile, remember to experiment with different builds, learn from your gameplay experiences, and enjoy the challenging and rewarding journey that the game has to offer.