POE 3.21: Prismatic Burst Shield Charge Ignite - A Fast Map Clearing Build
I think this is the most fun build I played in a really long time now and the build is called Prismatic Burst Shield Charge Ignite. It might not be for everyone. It can be a bit hard to replicate and it has its distinct strengths and weaknesses. But the combination of the satisfying off-screen ignites spread, speed, one button playstyle and the ability to clear while moving just hits all the right spots for me.
By the way, this is a mapping build, so I would not recommend it for bossing. It excels at speed, clearing high density maps.
Prismatic Burst is a new gem, it’s a support gem that can be linked to any attack skill, making it trigger a very hard-hitting area spell with a cooldown similar to Shockwave Support.
It’s also a prismatic gem that functions similarly to Elemental Hit, which means it has damage of all three elements, but will choose one at random kind of and deal no damage to the others. The element in chooses can be influenced by its built-in stat preference mechanic or combat focus jewels.
However, there’s a slight nuance in the wording of the skill. Unlike Elemental Hit, Prismatic burst actually has a 100% less multiplier on unchosen elements. This means you’ll gain no benefit from converting the other damages to your chosen element with things like Avatar of Fire. This also means you need to use two combat focused jewels even though we’re an Elementalist and all hits ignite. The 100% less damage on Prismatic Burst means we deal no ignite damage unless we choose fire.
Now, even though you can’t cheat it with conversion mechanics, the damage on this thing is actually insane, especially when you get to higher gem levels. At level 30, it does like four times the damage of a level 20 gem, which is already pretty high compared to other things.
It does have its drawbacks. For one, you’re essentially on a 5-Link because it’s a support gem that requires another skill to proc. In addition, the high damage is balanced by the fact that it has a cooldown, 0.8 seconds. At gem level 30 though, the cooldown gets roughly cut in half, which is not bad.
We don’t really care about the cooldown too much since the build is ignite based. I thought this was the way to go since it’s a really big infrequent hit. So, you might be wondering why I mentioned level 30 specifically. The reason is that the gem skills exponentially at least until around level 30, where the additional increases from levels chills out a bit.
Now, you still want to get the gem level as high as possible, but that might be a bit difficult because it’s a support gem, so all the skill gem levels scaling. You can get on your weapon, shield, or amulet doesn’t really do anything for you. That’s why we’re using a Forbidden Shako.
Before you click away, this is actually playable without a Shako. I’ll go over it in a bit, but first I want to quickly talk about Shield Charge since that’s what we’re actually going to be using.
This build can get pretty fast. That’s possible because of this Crucible mod that gives two percent attack speed per 10 Rampage kills at the maximum 1000 Rampage that’s 200% attack speed, which is a lot and is much needed in these types of builds since you don’t really get attack speed anywhere else.
You are halfway there after a few packs. We’re getting Rampage from a Bisco’s Leash since we need our glove slot for suppression and exposure. Now, it is possible to get Rampage on your weapons through Crucible Tree Merging, but that’s going to be pretty unlikely and you could probably sell it for like 10 times the cost of the build, anyway.
The Crucible Tree on your weapon is actually pretty important, but you only really need two things: first, the Shield Charge Rampage mod obviously, but you’ll also want Resolute Technique, so you don’t have to worry about accuracy.
So, let’s talk about the Forbidden Shako, the one I have has a level 33 Prismatic Burst. You may want one at least level 30. But the higher, the better. I also have an Unbound Ailments Support as the second support. But it just needs to be not detrimental to the build. I tested it minus one support gym and it feels fine. I picked this up for like three Divine Orbs.
But I understand that the availability of Shako is might be an issue, so you might want to pick one up soon if you want the Shako. I see like 70 usable ones up for sale at the time I’m writing this. In any case, please prepare enough POE Currency. The alternative is to just use a plus two AOE body armor in a 6-Link.
I was using a plus two Tabula, and it’s not bad. You’re just going to be more strapped for damage, so unless you can make up for it with better gear, you’ll start to feel the lack of damage on tanky rares, uniques or certain map mods.
Also Read: Vaal Ice Shot Deadeye Build Info And Showcase - POE 3.21 Crucible
Due to the playstyle of the build, you either have enough damage and everything feels great or you don’t and it sucks. You ideally want to Shield Charge into a pack of mobs. Once everything dies, then you move on. So, in order for things to feel smooth, getting damage is pretty important. However, your scaling options are kind of limited since you can’t get gem levels and extra damage added as another element and conversion doesn’t work due to this line on the Prismatic Burst.
We’re getting a lot of increased damage on jewels or weapon, sources of Faster Ignite and DoT Multiplier anywhere we can get it. We’re also using forbidden jewels to get Shaper of Storms for another layer of damage scaling with the Shock. It’s also kind of nice since our Berek’s Respite also spreads the Shock.
For a single target, we have Infernal Cry to Covered In Ash, Flame Surge for Burning Ground and Flammability for more damage. You might not know this, but Infernal Cry actually has a hit component. Every attack it exerts triggers Combust. Since we’re using Shield Charge, which is an attack that can be exerted, we can proc on-hit things linked to Infernal Cry. I’m using Combustion, Hextouch, and Flammability to eliminate an extra key press at the cost of some cross effect.
Now since this is a mapping focus build, I think it’s fair to say that the Atlas Tree and map rolling are also an important part of the build. I’m running a Grand Design tree to get as much pack sides as possible because one, you’ll get bigger ignite chains and two, it speeds up the ramp a lot since our speed is dependent on Rampage Stacks. The faster you stack it, the better. You don’t have to use Grand Design, but you’ll notice that things feel a lot better when the map is very dense.
I’m actually an ironically also using Dance of Destruction. It’s essentially a 25% more damage multiplier. Since damage is so important to the overall feeling of the build, I don’t mind the rare occasional death. I played without it too and it felt fine. It just felt better with it. Also, I didn’t really feel a downside too much since we’re killing stuff off screen a lot of the time anyway, so we don’t get hit too often and whenever I do die, it’s usually to some insane rare mob and I’m pretty sure that thing kills me no matter what.
Also, we have pretty decent defenses. So, think of it as turning some of our defensive power into scaling our damage. We’re not like immortal or anything. But we’re not exactly paper either. Even though we have a really low life pool, all the defensive layers we have actually ended up feeling pretty tanky.
We’re capping our spell suppressed with the help of a precise technique: Impossible Escape. We have capped Chaos Residences, so we can actually run a Forbidden Taste triggered on Savage hit, essentially functioning as an automatic life flask when you take a big hit. We’re shifting a lot of the incoming physical damage to Elemental combined with some Max Residences, so Prismatic skin is also a possible anoint for some more max threads.
Now, since most of the damage we’re going to be taking as Elemental are Primal Aegis, which gets a lot of value, especially because our life pull is so low. That means each point of the Shield will have more relative value.
The annoying thing about having a low life pool, though, is you can get stun locked if you don’t have any stun mitigation. I’m personally not running any, but some options are using the Brine King Pantheon and Immutable Force Jewel or even two suffixes on your Quicksilver and Cinderswallow Urn.
The last thing I want to talk about is Ignite Proliferation Support versus Berek’s Respite. I prefer Berek’s Respite, but both have their pros and cons. Ignite Proliferation feels really nice when you have mechanics that spawn in a bunch of mobs and Berek’s Respite feels amazing in really dense maps. You can try both and see which one feels better for you.
Recommended Article
View More
Breach Fortresses is a great farming strategy for currency in Path of Exile Patch 3.29, and its biggest advantage is its simplicity.
It doesn't require a particularly complex process; most of the time you just need to clear mobs and collect loot. If you want to farm a lot of currency while watching TV, this mechanic is perfect for you.
This guide details how to run this Path of Exile Patch 3.29 Breach Fortresses farming strategy.
Advantages
Unstable Breaches were heavily nerfed in POE Patch 3.29, but Breach Fortresses were largely unaffected. They remain in excellent condition, and Scarab's cost for running this farm is very low. Therefore, in the current Curse of the Allflame League, Breach Fortresses remain the best way to farm Path of Exile Currency.
Each map's fortresses spawn many Wombgifts and Hiveblood, allowing you to kill wave after wave of monsters and obtain a wealth of random loot.
Combining this strategy with Tier 16.5 maps, especially 8-Mod maps, PoE maps with more currency mods, or even 8-Mod Tier 16.5 and Delirium Orbs, will further enhance the rewards.
High pack size and quantity allow you to kill more monsters and obtain substantial amounts of raw currency, raw divines, and other high-value currency. In addition, Genesis Tree remains very powerful and is another important source of income for this strategy.
Different types of Wombgifts can be further converted; Foulborn unique items are very valuable, and even some basic PoE crafting bases, with the right item base and suitable fracture, can sell for 5, 10, or even 15 divines. This is also a very interesting playstyle, serving as an alternative to the basic Path of Exile tower defense mechanic like Blight. And currently, the returns from Breach Fortress are far higher than Blight's .
Workflow
Upon entering the map, the classic workflow is to first use Boss Rush to exclude Boss Altars from the flow. You can then hire a mercenary, as this strategy utilizes the extra damage from mercenaries.
Mercenaries are especially effective in the last phase of Breach Fortress because they can continuously deal damage from a fixed location, essentially gaining extra free damage. Upon entering PoE map, prioritize finding Quant Altars; if you encounter Duplication Altars, you can use them directly. After completing these preparations, enter Breach Fortress.
Scarab
The only Scarab required for this PoE farming strategy is Breach Scarab of the Marshall, which transforms Breach Hives into Hive Fortresses and is the core of the entire playstyle.
The remaining Scarabs can be adjusted based on your budget and character strength. Monstrous Lineage is the most direct option, increasing Magic Pack Size and allowing more monsters to spawn in Breach Fortress, thus improving the rewards of the final Loot Explosion.
If your character is strong enough, you can also add Scarabs of Wisps to increase the number of wisps for numerous monsters. While the enemies you encounter will be more dangerous, Breach Fortress itself has enhancements from Aith, so the overall difficulty is usually still manageable.
If you don't want to increase the combat difficulty, you can use 8 Mod Map Farming instead. Combining it with Cartography Scarabs of Escalation and Cartography Scarabs of Corruption will reliably yield more 8 mod maps, increasing the value of Breach Fortress's output.
Maps
There are no strict restrictions on the maps used for Breach Fortress Farming. 8 Mod Maps are the ideal choice, and you can also challenge yourself with 8 Mod Delirious Maps. If your character's strength is insufficient, you can also use 6 Mod Maps, but the overall rewards will be lower.
The more map mods you have, the higher Quantity and Pack Size, resulting in more Blood and Gifts. Therefore, high-difficulty maps are usually a better choice. Tier 16.5 maps, in particular, often offer higher pack sizes, and more monsters mean a higher final loot.
This playstyle has an additional advantage: some map ground effects don't fully take effect within Breach Fortresses, but the map's inherent Quantity, Pack Size, and other attributes still apply.
Therefore, some seemingly cumbersome map mods don't have as significant an impact on the core combat areas of Fortresses in PoE as one might imagine.
Atlas Passive Tree
Path of Exile Atlas Passive Tree should be built around the benefits of Breach Fortresses. You don't need to aim for 100% Breach Chance, as the map itself provides a base spawn probability. Combined with Blocker Nodes, you can usually achieve a relatively stable Breach Chance.
You should prioritize Hives, Fortresses, Hive Blood, Womb Gifts, and Nodes that increase monster numbers. Protracted Siege is also worth investing in; it increases waves of Hiveborn Monsters, allowing Fortress battles to last longer, while also providing more monsters and loot.
If using Templar Astrolabes, consider Speaker of Dead to reduce the number of Tormented Spirits surrounding Path of Exile bosses. Finally, if you plan to repeatedly farm the same map, choosing a familiar map with efficient traversal is crucial; stable routes and shorter completion times directly impact overall farming efficiency.
Genesis Tree
Another important source of income from Breach Fortress is Genesis Tree. Farming Breach Fortress yields a large amount of Womb Gifts; different types of Womb Gifts are used for different PoE crafting purposes.
In Path of Exile, Ancient Wombgifts are more valuable, while Mysterious Wombgifts are primarily used to further convert into Ancient Wombgifts through Genesis Tree.
Provisioning Wombgifts typically have a higher yield, but the direct value of a single gift is relatively limited. A common use is to craft equipment with Provisioning Gifts and to find marketable Crafting Bases through mechanisms like Fracture.
Unique Tree offers a higher yield cap. You can adjust relevant nodes to increase the drop rate of unique items in specific slots, such as belts, jewels, and shields.
These slots have the potential to yield high-value Foulborn unique items. The specific slots chosen should be adjusted based on Curse of the Allflame League economy and your personal farm goals.
If you prefer to directly obtain PoE Currency, you can choose Currency branch of Genesis Tree. Fertilising Genesis Trees grants a Lucky effect to Currency Rolls, increasing the chances of obtaining rarer Currency results.
Prodigal Offspring focuses on increasing additional output. Both improve overall returns from the perspectives of currency quality and quantity, respectively. You can choose different RNG directions based on market conditions and your personal risk tolerance.
It's important to note that because the final result is affected by RNG, currency rarity, and league economy, it's difficult to definitively say that any one configuration yields the highest return.
Path of Exile Patch 3.29 Breach Fortress combines simple controls, a stable number of monsters, and a large number of loot. As long as your character can reliably handle the enemies in the fortress, you can repeat this process continuously. This playstyle is particularly enjoyable for players who prefer low-skill, high-efficiency farming.
Path of Exile 2 uses Tablets in place of PoE 1's Scarabs to make maps more rewarding, but this system does not work as well as Scarabs did and has several issues.
These problems have become even more noticeable in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.0. Although the official team wants PoE 2 to have more differences from PoE 1, addressing these issues and providing players with a better experience should be more important.
Tablet Problems
Tablet Power
The gap between high-quality Tablets and low-quality Tablets is enormous. Maps using high-quality Tablets can generate PoE 2 currency roughly 20 to 30 times more efficiently than maps using ordinary Tablets.
Unfriendly to New Players
This is particularly unfriendly to new players, as they may not understand the differences between Tablets and simply place three Magic Tablets into Atlas. As a result, they can run 30 to 40 maps and get almost nothing in return, effectively wasting their time.
In addition, players must first defeat Arbiter of Ash to craft Rare Tablets. Rare Tablets have four modifiers, making them at least twice as powerful as Magic Tablets.
This means new players are already at a significant disadvantage the moment they enter Atlas. That is harmful to the game's long-term health as well as the stability of its economy.
High-Quality Tablets Are Difficult to Obtain
Another issue is that top-tier Tablets are extremely powerful, while their best modifiers are exceptionally rare. This pushes the entry requirements for high-end farming strategies to an astonishing level. Once a particular farming strategy becomes popular, the value of Tablets required for it quickly rises.
If you are facing a shortage of high-quality Tablets, you can actually buy PoE 2 Currency at PoEcurrency.com to skip the accumulation phase and start farming directly with high-value Tablets.
Because Tablet modifier pool contains a large number of useless modifiers, while the weights for desirable modifiers are set too low, supply and demand inevitably become unbalanced. Players either cannot obtain enough Divine Orbs to acquire good Tablets, or they decide that the investment simply is not worthwhile.
City Maps
The advantage of City Maps is that they provide a fourth Tablet slot, which roughly translates into 33% more map drops. They are far more rewarding than other ordinary maps, to the point that players have little incentive to run regular maps.
Difficulty Finding High-Quality Tablets
As mentioned above, Tablet modifier pool contains many useless modifiers, which keeps the supply of high-quality Tablets extremely limited.
To pursue efficient farming, players have to spend a great deal of time filtering through and acquiring high-quality Tablets on trading websites before they can even begin mapping. Sometimes, finding suitable Tablets takes longer than the actual farming itself.
If you choose not to acquire Tablets in pursuit of maximum returns, you are effectively wasting your time running maps with inferior rewards.
The chance of finding a Tablet with four excellent modifiers is comparable to finding an item with six Tier 1 modifiers. It is almost impossible to have one sitting in your stash. Either way, the system disrupts your farming rhythm and wastes your time.
Tablet Modifiers
Obtaining the best combinations of Tablet modifiers is extremely difficult, and they cannot be crafted through targeted methods. This directly causes high-quality Tablets to be worth several or even dozens of Divine Orbs. In some cases, this can make certain high-yield farming strategies completely impractical because Tablets required to start the strategy cost more than the potential returns.
On the other hand, because Tablets can be reused multiple times, using an average Tablet means losing out on the enormous returns that the same map could have generated with a high-quality Tablet. This makes the system less flexible than Scarabs.
Solutions
Increase Weight of Desirable Modifiers
The biggest problem with Tablets is that desirable modifiers appear too infrequently, while there are too many useless ones. The official team could increase the weights of desirable modifiers while removing most of the unnecessary modifiers.
Alternatively, some low-value modifiers could be moved to Tablet implicits. Examples include increased Gold Find, Increased Experience, and a higher chance for Shrines to appear.
If these were turned into base implicits and Divine Orbs could be used on Tablets to reroll their implicit modifiers, this could directly increase the supply of high-quality Tablets on the market while also creating a new way to consume Divine Orbs.
Add More Tablet Crafting Options
In PoE 2 Patch 0.5.0, with Jewel system already receiving support from more crafting currencies, Tablets are essentially the only part of the game still stuck with the primitive crafting process of throwing an Exalted Orb or a Transmutation Orb at them and using an Orb of Scouring when the modifiers are poor.
If some PoE 2 currencies specifically designed for Tablets could be introduced, they could not only increase the supply of high-quality Tablets on trading websites but might also create entirely new farming strategies.
Special Biome Bonuses
The official team could add interesting Tablet-specific bonuses to different biomes. This could make other areas of Atlas just as appealing and exciting as City Maps, giving players more choices when farming.
Increase Tablet Charges
This change would have both advantages and disadvantages. It could increase the value of high-quality Tablets, but having to replenish Tablets every 10 maps is certainly somewhat annoying.
Increasing the number of charges would allow players to spend more time actually farming maps instead of constantly having their rhythm interrupted while searching for the next set of three high-quality Tablets.
Tablet Preset Slots
Map Device could add Tablet Rows, allowing players to switch between three different Tablet configurations.
This would allow players to prepare three or four different Tablet combinations based on the content they discover while exploring Atlas, helping maximize returns.
This would be a major Quality of Life improvement that would make the endgame mapping experience much smoother.
Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 can be considered quite successful, as different strategies offer solid returns and players have plenty of choices. However, Tablets have been a major source of frustration for a long time. If this issue can be addressed in Patch 0.5.5 or Version 1.0, the endgame experience could become much better.
Among the many classes in Path of Exile 2, Monk is one of the most popular melee classes due to its high degree of freedom and high damage output. Therefore, it also boasts many powerful builds.
Among these Monk builds, one particularly powerful one utilizes both Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder, and leverages Concussive Runes support gems added in Patch 0.5 Return of the Ancients. This build elevates Monk's map clearing efficiency and damage output to new heights.
This build has been named Whirling Assault Invoker Build by its creator. I will now explain the workings of this build in detail from four aspects.
Core Mechanics
As mentioned at the beginning, in POE 2 Patch 0.5, the core of this build is the utilization of Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder.
The effect of Herald of Ice is that when the player kills a frozen enemy, it triggers a frost explosion, causing area-of-effect cold damage to surrounding enemies.
However, the cold damage from the explosion itself cannot inflict the freezing effect, meaning Herald of Ice cannot create the conditions for its own activation.
Similarly, Herald of Thunder unleashes chain lightning upon killing an electrified enemy, but its Lightning Damag also cannot inflict the electrification effect.
On the surface, these two Herald abilities do not seem to synergize. However, players can combine their mechanics using Infusion Support Gems:
Players need to connect Lightning Infusion Support to Herald of Ice to convert some of the cold damage into lightning damage, allowing the frost explosion to inflict the electrification effect;
Simultaneously, connecting Cold Infusion to Herald of Thunder converts some of the lightning damage into cold damage, allowing the chain lightning to inflict the freezing effect.
After this modification, a perfect chain reaction is formed between Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder:
Herald of Ice explodes, killing enemies and inflicting electrocution; electrocution kills enemies, triggering Herald of Thunder, which releases lightning and inflicts freeze; freeze kills enemies, triggering Herald of Ice again, achieving a screen-clearing effect with a single explosion.
Activation Device
It's important to note that to activate this chain, the player still needs to kill a frozen or electrocuted enemy using other methods as a "activation device". Specifically:
Concussive Runes
POE 2 Patch 0.5 modified Herald abilities, making them untriggerable by kills from other Herald abilities.
Fortunately, we have the new support gems introduced in POE 2 Patch 0.5 - Concussive Runes. Its effect is: when the supported ability inflicts Heavy Stun on an enemy, it consumes Runic Ward and releases a Runic Shockwave.
This Runic Shockwave will be treated as an attack by system, not a Herald skill effect, thus fully meeting Herald skill's trigger rules.
However, to ensure Concussive Runes trigger reliably, this build requires players to invest significant resources in stacking Stun Buildup until the panel value reaches 940%.
Whirling Assault
There's an important, easily overlooked issue here: cold damage cannot cause Heavy Stun. Therefore, this "activation device" needs something that can deal lightning damage to complete Heavy Stun task.
This is where Whirling Assault comes in. It's Quarterstaff's exclusive Strike skill, its effect being: performing a series of spinning attacks on surrounding enemies while moving, and inflicting Heavy Stun on target.
Thus, we've met Heavy Stun condition and can successfully activate Concussive Runes to release Runic Shockwave.
Runic Ward
Besides stun accumulation, managing Runic Ward is equally crucial. As a new defensive resource introduced in PoE 2 Patch 0.5, it is an essential consumable for triggering Concussive Runes.
To maintain continuous triggering of Runic Shockwave, this build requires a minimum Runic Ward cap of 300 points, continuously replenished through equipment such as Call of the Void.
Concussive Runes can only function stably as a "activation device" when both Heavy Stun triggering and Runic Ward resources are available.
Class Selection
Monk players using this build should choose Invoker as their Ascendancy Class.
This is because Invoker focuses on Elemental Damage and Elemental Ailments, and its Ascendancy skill tree contains several passive skills that highly synergize with this build:
First, I am the Thunder provides 10% Damage as Extra Lightning Damage and grants a 25% chance to create Shocked Ground when an enemy is electrocuted, directly enhancing Whirling Assault's lightning damage and electrocution capabilities.
Second, I am the Blizzard provides 10% Damage as Extra Cold Damage and creates Chilled Ground when an enemy is frozen, providing a stable source of freeze activation for Herald of Ice.
Gear Strategy
Finally, you'll need some gear or affixes to complete Whirling Assault Invoker Build. This build has no mandatory equipment. You only need to craft or exchange gear that meets the following conditions using POE 2 Currency:
First, because Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder consume a large amount of Spirit, players must solve the problem of Spirit resource sustainability.
Since players can activate Ascendancy Passive Skill Lead me through Grace to gain Spirit - which provides Spirit proportionally based on the chest armor's Energy Shield and Evasion Rating - players need to wear POE 2 Uniques chest armor, which offers high evasion and a high shield.
Regarding gear selection, Quarterstaff is undoubtedly the best choice, but pay attention to affixes: prioritize affixes with high base damage, attack speed, critical strike chance, and additional lightning or cold damage.
For the amulet and rings, stack critical strike damage, attack speed, and elemental damage percentage.
This concludes the detailed introduction to Whirling Assault Invoker Build in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5 Return of the Ancients. This is a build perfectly suited for clearing maps, and its capabilities will leave a lasting impression.
Players, Path of Exile 3.29.3 was updated on August 12th. This patch not only brings new gameplay depth but also contains crucial adjustments that will affect the course of the league.
For every Exile who has ventured into the endgame, the impact of Patch 3.29.3 is far more complex than the literal meaning of the announcement.
Essence of Desolation Source Completely Closed
The most notable negative change in Patch 3.29.3 is undoubtedly the complete closure of Essence of Desolation source.
This type of Essence existed in PoE 3.28, but after 3.29, players could only obtain it through a specific method. However, some players still hoarded them and used them to craft top-tier gear.
Therefore, with the release of these patch notes, the only remaining source of Essence of Desolation has been removed. However, existing finished Essences in the league and the mirror items they create are all retained and usable.
Therefore, the only way to obtain this type of Essence in PoE after this point is to acquire a mirror copy from an existing holder, which means you will need to prepare a lot of PoE currency.
However, the most criticized aspect of Essence of Desolation change is that it doesn't address a balance issue - this Essence didn't disrupt the overall crafting ecosystem or cause imbalance, yet it was treated as a bug and fixed, resulting in powerful resources being locked in the hands of a few early players.
This means new players have no chance to catch up with older players, directly undermining the sense of fairness in the catch-up process.
New Cursed Ducats
Cursed Ducats are one of the most important positive additions in Patch 3.29.3, designed to enhance the rewards and challenges of Voyages and Charts gameplay.
Basic Rules
Cursed Ducats are similar to Voidstones in the game. There are six types, but you can only socket a maximum of three into your Voyage Planner at a time.
Each Cursed Ducat provides the same type of positive bonus:
- Monster Drop Item Quantity +20%
- Item Rarity +20%
- Toughness +50%
So, stacking three Cursed Ducats will provide you with +60% Monster Drop Item Quantity, +60% Item Rarity, and +150% Toughness.
Players should note that Toughness doesn't simply increase Life; it's an effective Life increase achieved through Damage Reduction during Path of Exile.
For example, 1 million Life + 600% Toughness and 7 million Life but 0 Toughness, while requiring the same total damage to kill, interact differently with Damage over Time cap and Leech mechanic.
Each Cursed Ducat Has a Unique Negative Effect
Besides the positive bonuses, each Cursed Ducat has a unique negative affix, so players should choose the three least affected affixes based on their build:
- Ducat of Tsoatha's Gift: Increases monster damage by 50%
- Ducat of the Undead Sea: Increases monster elemental resistance by 10%
- Ducat of the Eucarid Isle: Increases monster critical strike chance by 500% and critical strike damage by 50%
- Ducat of the Fallen Stars: Monsters deal 100% additional elemental damage as physical damage
- Ducat of the Grasping Deep: Monsters gain +2 projectiles and an increased area-of-effect by 40%
- Ducat of the Foul Kin: Increases monster attack, casting, and movement speed by 50%
The negative effects of Ducat of the Eucarid Isle and Ducat of the Foul Kin are considered the most threatening to most characters, while the negative effects of the other Cursed Ducats are relatively easier to handle.
How to unlock?
Most PoE players should have already defeated Velka, the Tide Witch in the game. Simply return to The Sovereign and talk to Valerie to obtain your first Ducat of Tsoatha's Gift.
After socketing it, certain monsters or objects in Voyages and Charts may drop the remaining five Cursed Ducats.
Interface and Operation Optimizations
To facilitate players' evaluation of affix value in Voyage Planner, Path of Exile 3.29.3 now allows you to hold down Alt (on keyboard) or Left Trigger (on controller) to view all 12 Border Modifiers at once, eliminating the need to check each one individually, greatly improving filtering efficiency.
Furthermore, previously only single-attribute affixes were available on Small Cluster Jewels, the update allows for in-game swapping using Genteel's Ducat, increasing flexibility in attribute adjustments.
Regarding Enemy Mercenary
To reduce the chances of players being accidentally killed by Mercenary, Patch 3.29.3 has reduced the damage of several high-damage abilities targeting enemy Mercenary. However, this only applies when Mercenary is an enemy; the damage remains unchanged when Mercenary is an ally.
Affected abilities include Fireball of Impact, Flameblast, Frostbolt, Ice Nova, Ice Nova of Projection, Rolling Magma, and Fireball - all will no longer be as powerful as before.
Other Bug Fixes
Other noteworthy bug fixes in PoE 3.29.3 include the ability to interact with Essence Monsters from a greater distance to break their seals.
However, considering the removal of Essence of Desolation source mentioned earlier, this improvement may not be used very frequently in the game.
Abyssal Crystals (from Abyss Scarab of Crystals) will now shatter when the final Pit of Abyss closes, but this is merely a visual improvement for players.
This update also includes two minor fixes for Mercenary: Wither on Hit support now takes effect for the correct 2 seconds instead of the incorrect 33 milliseconds; and third permanent Mercenary can now be hired even when you already have two permanent Mercenary and one temporary Mercenary (previously this was bugged).
Furthermore, there are numerous bug fixes primarily addressing skill effects, client stability, and UI display, so Patch 3.29.3 should make the overall gameplay experience smoother and more reliable.
For this update, it's recommended that casual players focus on mastering Cursed Ducats combinations and choosing which negative effects to avoid based on their own defensive mechanics.
Adapting to and learning to utilize the changes in PoE 3.29.3 will give you a significant advantage over other players!
