PoE Flow of Battle – Path of Exile

PoE Flow of Battle

• Added a new Retaliation wheel to the south-west of the Duelist’s starting location. The first Notable, Flow of Battle, causes Retaliation Skills to deal 30% increased Damage, and provides "Gain 5 Rage on Hit with Retaliation Skills". The other Notable, Cruel Retort, provides "Every fourth Retaliation Skill you use always Critically Strikes" and "Retaliation Skills have 20% increased Speed".

AI Guides

Path of Exile introduces a new Retaliation wheel to the passive skill tree, located to the southwest of the Duelist’s starting area. This wheel brings powerful new notables that enhance the effectiveness of Retaliation skills, making it an essential addition for players focusing on defensive and counterattack mechanics. Here’s an in-depth guide on how to maximize the potential of the Flow of Battle and Cruel Retort notables.

Flow of Battle Notable:

• 30% Increased Damage with Retaliation Skills: This notable significantly boosts the damage output of your Retaliation skills, making each counterattack more devastating. This increased damage is crucial for builds that rely on dealing heavy damage after blocking or parrying enemy attacks.
• Gain 5 Rage on Hit with Retaliation Skills: Flow of Battle also grants 5 Rage each time you hit with a Retaliation skill. Rage is a valuable resource that can further enhance your attack speed and damage. Accumulating Rage quickly allows for a more aggressive and relentless fighting style, turning defense into a potent offense.

Cruel Retort Notable:

• Guaranteed Critical Strike Every Fourth Retaliation: Cruel Retort ensures that every fourth Retaliation skill you use will always critically strike. This guarantee provides a significant burst of damage at regular intervals, making it easier to plan and execute powerful attacks.
• 20% Increased Speed for Retaliation Skills: This notable also increases the speed of your Retaliation skills by 20%, allowing you to counterattack more quickly and efficiently. Faster Retaliation skills mean you can respond to enemy attacks more swiftly, maintaining a fluid and dynamic combat rhythm.

Strategic Implementation:

Integrating the Flow of Battle and Cruel Retort notables into your build requires a strategic approach. Here are some tips to maximize their potential:

1. Skill Tree Planning: Ensure your passive skill tree path includes the Retaliation wheel to take advantage of these powerful notables. This may involve planning your skill points carefully to reach the southwest area of the Duelist’s starting location.

2. Synergy with Retaliation Skills: Focus on skills that benefit from increased damage and speed. Skills such as Glacial Shield Swipe, Divine Retribution, and other Retaliation-based abilities will see significant enhancements from these notables.

3. Rage Management: Use the Rage gained from Flow of Battle to fuel additional abilities or enhance your overall damage and speed. Consider using skills or items that further benefit from high Rage levels to create a synergistic build.

4. Critical Strike Planning: With Cruel Retort guaranteeing a critical strike every fourth Retaliation, plan your attacks to capitalize on this burst of damage. Combine this with other critical strike modifiers to maximize your damage output during these guaranteed crits.

Example Builds:

1. Duelist Gladiator Retaliation Build:

   • Focus on high block chance and Retaliation skills.
   • Utilize Flow of Battle for increased damage and Rage generation.
   • Leverage Cruel Retort for guaranteed critical strikes and increased skill speed.
   • Combine with other Gladiator notables that enhance block and counterattack mechanics.

2. Marauder Juggernaut Retaliation Build:

   • Prioritize survivability and high armor to withstand hits and retaliate.
   • Use Flow of Battle to turn defense into offense with increased damage and Rage.
   • Incorporate Cruel Retort to ensure consistent critical strikes and faster Retaliation skills.
   • Pair with Juggernaut notables that enhance endurance and defensive capabilities.

Conclusion:

The Flow of Battle and Cruel Retort notables in the new Retaliation wheel offer powerful enhancements for Retaliation skills in Path of Exile. By integrating these notables into your build, you can significantly boost your damage, speed, and critical strike potential. Whether you’re a Duelist, Marauder, or any other class focusing on defensive and counterattack mechanics, these notables provide valuable tools to turn the tide of battle in your favor. Plan your skill tree, manage your Rage, and unleash devastating Retaliation attacks to dominate the battlefield with precision and power.