In Path of Exile, the Lightning Coil unique body armor has experienced a surge in popularity. This guide will delve into the reasons behind its rise and its effectiveness in the Crucible League. We'll also discuss the synergies between Lightning Coil and the Pathfinder ascendancy, which has become one of the strongest choices in the game. With the Lightning Coil's unique modifiers and the Pathfinder's flask setup, players can achieve formidable defense against both elemental and physical damage. Let's explore the mechanics and strategies surrounding this powerful combination.

• The Rise of Lightning Coil
• The Power of Pathfinder
• Pathfinder's Flask Setup
• Taste of Hate and Additional Defense
• Popularity and Competition
• Future Prospects

↖ The Rise of Lightning Coil

Comparing the popularity of Lightning Coil between the previous league (3.20 Sanctum) and the current league (3.21 Crucible), it becomes evident that the Lightning Coil has experienced a significant increase in usage. Although the modifier on the Lightning Coil, which converts a percentage of physical damage taken into lightning damage, was buffed in the 3.19 Calandra league, it was not until the Crucible league that the item truly caught the attention of players.

↖ The Power of Pathfinder

The popularity shift towards Lightning Coil can be largely attributed to the rework of the Pathfinder ascendancy. These changes have elevated Pathfinder to one of the strongest ascendancy choices in the game. The play rate of the class has skyrocketed, with a threefold increase in popularity in the softcore trade league from Sanctum to Crucible, and a doubling of popularity in other leagues.

↖ Pathfinder's Flask Setup

Pathfinder's ability to consistently have Ruby, Topaz, and Sapphire flasks active at all times creates a synergistic combination with the Lightning Coil. This setup provides excellent defense against elemental damage and physical damage from hits. The lightning resistance granted by the permanent Topaz flask makes it easier to compensate for the negative lightning resistance of the Lightning Coil unique. With just the Lightning Coil equipped, half of the physical damage taken from hits is mitigated by lightning resistance, further reducing damage with the "less damage taken" modifier on the Topaz flask.

↖ Taste of Hate and Additional Defense

As players progress and can afford it, they can replace the normal Sapphire flask with the Taste of Hate unique flask. This, combined with flask effectiveness and a potential Elder-influenced helmet with additional physical damage shift, allows characters to largely ignore physical damage hits. The majority of the damage will be converted to elemental damage instead. This setup eliminates the need for the Determination aura, freeing up aura slots for other valuable options.

↖ Popularity and Competition

In the Crucible league, Lightning Coil has seen a significant increase in popularity. Among the builds using Lightning Coil, 89% of them are Pathfinders, and 86% of those Pathfinders also utilize Taste of Hate. While other options like Cloak of Flame exist, they do not offer the same magnitude of damage shift as Lightning Coil. The availability of alternatives diminishes beyond these options, making Lightning Coil the go-to choice for substantial damage mitigation.

↖ Future Prospects

The future of Lightning Coil and similar items like the Cloak of Flame remains uncertain. They may receive nerfs or face competition from other interesting defense options in upcoming updates. However, it's an intriguing time for defenses in Path of Exile, with various powerful options for the body armor slot. Each item has its strengths and weaknesses, catering to different defense types, synergies, and player preferences. The game now offers a diverse range of viable options for gearing defenses, providing a refreshing change from previous leagues.

Conclusion:

The Lightning Coil, in combination with the Pathfinder ascendancy, has become one of the most popular and effective defense choices in Path of Exile's Crucible league. With its damage shift and synergistic flask setup, it offers significant mitigation against both elemental and physical damage. While the future may bring changes and new alternatives, the current state of gearing defenses in the game presents players with a wealth of interesting options.