PoE Shrapnel Ballista of Steel Build 3.25 – Path of Exile: Settlers of Kalguur

The Shrapnel Ballista of Steel build in Path of Exile 3.25 is an engaging and powerful choice for players who prefer using bows and totem mechanics with a focus on physical damage and impaling enemies. This build leverages Steel Shards to enhance the potency of the Shrapnel Ballista, making it a formidable setup for clearing maps and tackling bosses. Here’s a detailed guide to mastering the Shrapnel Ballista of Steel build.

Skill Overview

Shrapnel Ballista of Steel

• Type: Attack, Projectile, Totem, Physical, Bow
• Level: 20 (Max)
• Mana Cost: 13
• Attack Speed: 50% of base
• Attack Damage: 68.6% of base
• Effectiveness of Added Damage: 69%
• Quality: +20%
• Requirements: Level 70, 155 Dex

Skill Description: Summons a ballista totem that consumes your Steel Shards to fire multiple arrows with extreme force, breaking them apart into shrapnel. Enemies can be hit by multiple arrows from the same attack. Requires a Bow. Steel Shards are gained with the Call of Steel Skill.

• Totem lasts 8 seconds
• +3 to maximum number of Summoned Ballista Totems
• Fires 3 Arrows
• Summons a Ballista Totem which uses this Skill
• 40% increased Projectile Speed
• 40% chance to Impale Enemies on Hit
• If you have no Steel Shards, only Fires 1 Projectile
• Totem Attacks consume up to 1 of your Steel Shards

Key Mechanics

• Steel Shards: Consuming Steel Shards enhances the power of your ballista totems, increasing their damage and effectiveness.
• Impale Mechanics: A significant portion of your damage comes from impaling enemies, which increases the physical damage they take from subsequent hits.
• Projectile Speed: Increased projectile speed ensures arrows hit their targets quickly, maximizing damage output.

Gear and Weapons

• Bow: Use a bow with high physical damage and attack speed. Modifiers that increase projectile speed, critical strike chance, and critical strike multiplier are also beneficial.
• Quiver: Choose a quiver that enhances physical damage, attack speed, and adds additional projectiles.
• Armor: Prioritize armor with high evasion and life. Gear that increases totem duration and reduces mana cost is advantageous.
• Accessories: Use amulets, rings, and belts that boost physical damage, attack speed, life, and resistances.

Support Gems

• Impale Support: Increases the chance to impale enemies, boosting your physical damage output significantly.
• Brutality Support: Increases your physical damage while preventing you from dealing elemental damage.
• Ballista Totem Support: Enhances the efficiency of your totems, allowing them to fire more rapidly and deal increased damage.
• Pierce Support: Allows arrows to pierce through enemies, hitting multiple targets in a line.
• Physical Projectile Attack Damage Support: Boosts the physical damage of your projectiles, increasing their impact.
• Increased Duration Support: Extends the duration of your ballista totems, ensuring they stay active longer.

Passive Skill Tree

• Projectile Damage: Focus on nodes that increase projectile damage and attack speed.
• Totem Nodes: Invest in nodes that enhance totem placement speed, totem damage, and totem duration.
• Physical Damage: Boost physical damage through the passive tree to maximize the damage output of your arrows.
• Life and Resistances: Ensure survivability by picking life and resistance nodes.

Flasks

• Life Flasks: Use instant recovery life flasks for quick healing during tough encounters.
• Utility Flasks: Equip flasks that increase evasion, movement speed, and resistances. A Diamond Flask is recommended for increased critical strike chance.

Defensive Strategies

• Evasion and Dodge: Utilize gear and passive skills that increase evasion and dodge chance to avoid incoming damage.
• Life Recovery: Invest in life leech and life regeneration to sustain health during prolonged battles.
• Totem Placement: Position totems strategically to distract enemies and keep yourself safe.

Utility Skills

• Blink Arrow: Provides mobility for quickly repositioning and escaping danger.
• Blood Rage: Increases attack speed and life leech, enhancing both damage output and survivability.
• War Banner: Increases accuracy and physical damage, boosting overall effectiveness in combat.

Playstyle Tips

• Positioning: Maintain optimal positioning to ensure your totems hit multiple enemies and maximize damage.
• Mobility: Stay mobile to avoid damage and reposition for better angles of attack.
• Flask Management: Regularly use life and utility flasks to maintain health and defenses during combat.

Conclusion

The Shrapnel Ballista of Steel build in Path of Exile 3.25 offers a dynamic and powerful playstyle for characters using bows. By focusing on physical damage, projectile mechanics, and efficient totem placement, players can effectively clear maps and handle tough bosses. Strategic positioning, proper flask usage, and investing in the right gear and passive skills will ensure the success of this build.