Welcome to our guide on the extremely budget version of the Artillery Ballista build in Path of Exile. In a previous video, we showcased the mid-budget and endgame versions of this powerful build. If you're looking for an economical way to get started with this build, you're in the right place. Let's dive into the details and help you kick-start your Artillery Ballista journey.

• Budget Considerations
• PoB Link
• Weapon Choice
• Quiver and Totem Choices
• Survivability
• Boots and Accessories
• Skill Tree and Jewels
• Skill Gems
• Flasks and Pantheon
• Wrap-Up and Additional Resources

 

↖ Budget Considerations

Starting this build on a tight budget is completely viable. In fact, all you need is a single Divine Orb to comfortably handle Tier 16 content. Since gear prices tend to be higher at league start, we'll tailor our budget build to match those early prices as closely as possible.

 

↖ PoB Link

https://pobb.in/nf0e4F1daa-A

 

↖ Weapon Choice

Begin with a 4-link bow that offers triple Elemental damage and some attack speed. A bow with around 600 Elemental DPS will suffice. Alternatively, you can craft your own bow using Screaming Essence of Wrath and Screaming Essence of Woe to add attack speed and two flat Elemental damage rolls. A more advanced option is the Porcupine Divination Cards, which can yield a 6-link short bow.

 

↖ Quiver and Totem Choices

Equip "Skirmish" quiver for a +1 totem bonus, allowing you to summon up to six totems. Alternatively, you can use a rare quiver crafted with Essence of Woe for more damage. For your totems, focus on elemental damage scaling by using Artillery Ballista in your main 6-link setup.

 

↖ Survivability

To address the evasion issue of this build, opt for the "Alpha's Howl" helmet. This will improve your overall evasion and allow you to run Haste and Precision along with Grace. This setup helps mitigate the low evasion and ensures better survivability.

 

↖ Boots and Accessories

"Windshriek" boots are an excellent choice as they allow for an additional curse and provide movement speed and Elemental resistance. Fill out the rest of your gear with items that boost resistances, intelligence, and strength.

 

↖ Skill Tree and Jewels

To address strength and intelligence concerns, grab relevant nodes on the passive skill tree. Utilize initial Crimson and fertile mind jewels to further enhance these attributes. This will allow you to equip higher-level gems and gear.

 

↖ Skill Gems

Your skill gems don't need to be of high quality initially. Focus on leveling your Steel Skin gem to level 15 to reduce the strength requirement. This will help you achieve a balanced attribute distribution.

Act	Quest Name	Gems Obtained
1	Enemy at the Gate	Galvanic Arrow
1	The Caged Brute	Added Cold Damage Support, Blink Arrow, Precision, Blind Support
1	The Siren's Cadence	Rain of Arrows
1	Breaking Some Eggs	Shrapnel Ballista, Dash, Steelskin
1	Mercy Mission	Volley Support (endgame version only)
2	Sharp and Cruel	Elemental Damage with Attacks Support, Culling Strike, Increased Critical Damage Support, Power Charge on Critical Support
2	Intruders in Black	Frenzy
3	Lost in Love	Grace, Sniper's Mark, Haste
3	Severed the Right Hand	Artillery Ballista (Replace Shrapnel Ballista)
3	A Fixture of Fate	Cruelty Support, 3 x Inspiration Support, Elemental Weakness, Increased Duration
4	The Eternal Nightmare	Cast When Damage Taken Support, Mark on Hit Support
6	Fallen from Grace	Arcanist Brand (endgame version only)

 

↖ Flasks and Pantheon

Utilize Sulfur and Diamond flasks for added damage. Choose Pantheon bonuses like Soul of Lunaris for general mapping. You can transition to Ancestral Vision once you achieve 100% Elemental ailment avoidance.

 

↖ Wrap-Up and Additional Resources

This budget-friendly Artillery Ballista build provides a solid foundation for your Path of Exile journey. For more in-depth details, check out our PoE link in the description. Our guide includes gem acquisition details and a list of useful uniques for leveling.