Path Of Exile: Best Ranger Builds - August 2024

As a seasoned Path of Exile player with countless hours under my belt, I must say that the builds you’ve outlined are nothing short of remarkable. Each one offers a unique twist on the classic Ranger playstyle, catering to different preferences and gameplay styles.

Path of Exile, developed by Grinding Gear Games, is renowned for its commitment to variety in character builds. With more than a decade’s worth of regular updates, innovative mechanics unveiled with each season, and a sequel on the horizon, this spiritual successor to the Diablo series captivates players with an abundance of choices and groundbreaking strategic planning. It truly offers something for every playstyle imaginable.

Despite their potential versatility, certain character builds stand out and have become staples in the game due to their rapid map-clearing capabilities. The bow-wielding Ranger, with her swiftness and high Dexterity, makes an excellent choice for various content types. Here are some top-performing builds for the Ranger class:

6 Flicker Strike Raider

A Cold-Based Ranger Build With Frenzy Charges

Path Of Exile: Best Ranger Builds

Uses Forbidden Shako to convert physical damage to cold.
Stacks Frenzy charges with Farrul’s Fur.
Wields a Paradoxica with elemental penetration.

The Flicker Strike Ranger build, which has been around for multiple game leagues, is renowned for its incredible ability to swiftly tackle various types of content. This speed and power are largely due to a unique Forbidden Shako setup that converts all physical damage into cold, even the usually physical Flicker Strike skill.

Donning Farrul’s Fur armor amplifies damage and extends the duration of Frenzy Charges, significantly boosting the lethal potential of the Avatar of the Slaughter passive from the Raider Ascendancy tree. Moreover, using a Paradoxica Vaal Rapier (ideally with elemental piercing) increases cold skill hits, adding to its already impressive power. Although not ideal for beginners in a new league, the immense damage it can produce is bound to attract players’ curiosity.

5 Caustic Arrow Pathfinder

Deals Chaos Damage Over Time In A Targeted Area

Uses Nature’s Reprisal to inflict the Wither status.
Wears the Lightning Coil armor for extra defense.
Wields the Widowhail bow.

The strategy behind the Caustic Arrow Pathfinder build revolves around causing damage that gradually depletes enemy health over time, which is particularly enjoyable for players who favor long-term damage tactics. By inserting the Caustic Arrow gem into their setup, players can unleash a barrage of projectiles onto a specific area, initially dealing Chaos damage and subsequently draining the enemies’ life with a persistent ground effect.

The Nature’s Reprisal node from the Pathfinder Ascendancy skill tree allows the Ranger to inflict Wither on targets, increasing the Chaos damage they take and improving its effectiveness by 50%. This makes it a decent League starter, although survivability isn’t the build’s strongest aspect. However, wearing the Lightning Coil armor converts half of physical damage taken to lightning, making it easier to stay alive. Players should also look out for a Widowhail bow and a quiver with a damage-over-time multiplier to get the most out of this build.

4 Tornado Shot Deadeye

Looses Piercing Projectiles In All Directions

Gains elemental penetration from a Crystallized Omniscience.
Wears the Black Sun Crest to boost stats.
Makes use of Ensnaring Arrow and Frenzy for increased damage.

Despite undergoing numerous adjustments and reductions in strength, particularly within the Necropolis League, Tornado Shot continues to be a potent bow ability when combined with Deadeye. This is due to its ability to clear the entire screen with a single powerful blow. Gamers are advised to keep an eye out for a Crystallized Omniscience amulet, as it offers an elemental penetration bonus, and the Black Sun Crest helmet provides a broad increase in stats for the Ranger character.

The Manaforged Arrow enhancement can work in conjunction with Ensnaring Arrow and Frenzy, enhancing your damage potential. This setup generates Frenzy Charges, causing enemies to sustain an additional 20% damage from projectiles. However, be aware that this build tends to be pricey, requiring multiple Mirrors of Kalandra. Thus, it’s advisable to use this build on a secondary or tertiary character within a League.

3 Toxic Rain Pathfinder

Creates Deadly Spore Pods To Spread Chaos Damage

Wears the Lightning Coil armor for extra defense.
Boosts resistances with Impossible Escape.
Uses Petrified Blood to stagger any damage taken.

Just like Caustic Arrow, Toxic Rain summons a volley of harmful shots towards an enemy location. However, it’s not just about direct damage – it also generates toxic Spore Pods that inflict chaos damage over time on any foe unfortunate enough to stray into them. The size of these Spore Pods increases with gear that boosts the skill’s area of effect, allowing them to cover a broader region. For optimal results, aim for a 39% increase in Area of Effect to ensure they don’t overlap excessively.

For survivability, the trusty Lightning Coil armor converts 50% of physical damage to lightning, while the Impossible Escape Viridian Jewel boosts elemental resistances. On top of that, this build can take advantage of the Petrified Blood spell to protect the lower half of its health pool, causing instant damage to instead be spread out over time instead. For a League start, players will rely on a Ballista Totem setup to fire Toxic Rain until they gather the right gear and skill gems.

2 Elemental Hit of the Spectrum Deadeye

Deals Three Types Of Elemental Damage At Once

Inflicts the Freeze, Shock and Ignite statuses.
Works with lots of different skill gems.
Uses Manaforged Arrows to fill the screen with projectiles.

In the Necropolis League, Spectrum’s Elemental Hit is a unique Transformed gem that empowers players to simultaneously unleash three distinct elemental damages (Freeze, Shock, and Ignite). Unlike needing a tri-element bow, the Ranger can now inflict all these status effects concurrently. Moreover, the potency of this skill increases depending on the number of elemental conditions inflicted upon the enemy.

As a dedicated fan, I’m absolutely blown away by the adaptability of this crafted masterpiece! The sheer freedom it offers is astounding; you can pick and choose any bow skill gems that resonate with you to activate the Elemental Hit of the Spectrum, ranging from Blast Rain, Storm Rain, all the way to Ensnaring Arrow. Topping it off with a Nimis topaz ring, the Headhunter leather belt, or a Mageblood heavy belt, coupled with the Manaforged Arrows support skill, this Ranger’s arsenal becomes an explosive display of projectiles that fills the entire screen!

1 Lightning Arrow Deadeye

Hits Enemies Multiple Times With Elemental Damage

Uses Crystallized Omniscience to increase penetration.
Slots Returning Projectiles gem to hit multiple times.
Wears Hydrri’s Ire for extra spell suppression and cold damage.

Beyond its enormous destructive power, what truly attracts players to a Lightning Arrow build is the simplicity of setting it up. The build can be easily assembled with little effort, as essential gear can be obtained during the primary storyline, eliminating the need for extensive farming. This setup involves a three-element bow paired with the Trinity support gem to boost elemental damage and penetration, and the Piercing and Returning Projectiles gems that enable arrows to strike every enemy twice.

In map-clearing situations, this setup performs exceptionally well, but it struggles in one-on-one encounters. By incorporating the Artillery Ballista gem, though, it can handle bosses without issue. For endgame play, consider acquiring the Crystallized Omniscience amulet to enhance elemental piercing and boost its effectiveness even more. Pair this with the Hydrri’s Ire armor for an extra 30% spell resistance and increased cold damage.

2024-08-17 08:03