We're diving into Cast on Crit Blazing Salvo Scion build. With each new league, We find myself drawn to Cast on Crit characters, and this time is no different. I wanted a build that can obliterate maps and handle encounters like legions with ease. Bow builds have always been strong, but I decided to take a caster approach with Blazing Salvo this time around.

 

• Build Overview
• PoB Link
• Skill and Gem Choices
• - Blazing Salvo
• - Cast on Crit (CoC)
• Ascendancies
• Utula's Hunger
• Replica Soul Tether
• Inspired Learning
• Choosing the Right Bow
• Utilizing a Cast on Crit Setup
• Choosing the Right Base and Crafting
• Using Uul-Netol's Embrace
• Incorporating Other Gear and Uniques
• Helmet: Azanov's Earsplit
• Amulet: Anathema
• Boots: Movement Speed and Resistances
• Flasks: Diamond, Quicksilver, and More
• Jewels: Natural Instinct, Lethal Pride, and Inspired Learning
• Passive Tree and Cluster Jewels
• Mana Cost Management
• Leveling
• Final Thoughts

 

↖ Build Overview

Before we dive into the details, it's essential to clarify a couple of disclaimers:

• Expensive End-Game Build: This build is designed for experienced players with a decent budget. It's not suitable for beginners or players just starting the league.
• Performance Issues: Due to the sheer number of actions and effects happening on the screen, this build can be laggy, especially in situations with numerous custom crit procs. If you're playing on a less powerful system, I wouldn't recommend this build.

 

↖ PoB Link

https://pobb.in/D0LQQ7-QNTXg

 

↖ Skill and Gem Choices

↖ - Blazing Salvo

Blazing Salvo is a projectile AoE fire skill with multiple projectiles that can overlap and hit the same target. The farther you cast it, the more spread out the projectiles will be, while casting it closer to your character makes them cluster together.

Clearing Setup: There are two different clearing setups. One utilizes returning projectiles, and the other uses Nemesis and Fork. The returning projectiles setup provides better single-target damage, while Nemesis and Fork are superior for clearing maps due to their spread.

 

↖ - Cast on Crit (CoC)

This build revolves around Cast on Critical Strike, and you have three primary options for triggering it: Bow, Wand, or Melee.

• Bow: This is the chosen option for this build. With a bow, you can utilize Asenath's Mark and the Anathema combo to apply multiple curses effectively.
• Wand: Wands are excellent for clearing and offer benefits like additional curses and Sniper's Mark. However, single-target damage may not be as potent as with a bow.
• Melee: This option uses Cyclone and has good proc rates. However, it lacks the curse application efficiency of the bow.

 

↖ Ascendancies

The ascendancy choices for this build are Saboteur, Assassin, and Deadeye. The choice depends on your preference and the specific strengths you want to emphasize. Saboteur offers increased AoE and cooldown recovery rate, which benefits both clearing and single-target damage. Assassin provides more critical strike chance, additional poison damage, and perfect Agnostic setups. Deadeye offers additional projectiles, tailwind, and more effective mark effects.

 

↖ Utula's Hunger

Utula's Hunger is a game-changer for this build, providing a significant chunk of maximum life and energy shield, along with corrupted soul mechanics that enhance survivability.

 

↖ Replica Soul Tether

This unique belt further enhances your life and energy shield pool and helps with life leech, making it a solid choice for sustain.

 

↖ Inspired Learning

If you can't use a Headhunter, Inspired Learning is a good alternative to enhance your clear speed and damage.

 

↖ Choosing the Right Bow

One of the first decisions you'll need to make is selecting the right bow for your CoC build. Many players mistakenly use the Cast on Crit support with a shaper bow, but this isn't ideal for several reasons. When you use Cast on Crit, you lose one of your valuable prefixes on the bow. These prefixes can be made deterministic through the use of the "multi-mod" crafting method.

 

The ideal modifiers you want on your synthesized bow are:

• Plus one to socketed Circular gems.
• Plus two levels to socketed support gems.
• 130 to 140 spell damage.

It's worth noting that an awakened Cast on Crit gem isn't available, so you won't benefit from it with a shaper bow.

 

↖ Utilizing a Cast on Crit Setup

Cast on Crit (CoC) support gem provides you with significant freedom in terms of gear, thanks to the cooldown recovery it offers. Additionally, a shaper bow doesn't have synthesized implicit modifiers, which are crucial for CoC builds.

 

For your synthesized implicits on other gear, prioritize the following:

• Plus one level to socketed support gem (for extra damage).
• "Explodey" (explosions on kill) - which can be expensive but adds clear speed.
• Spells deal double damage.
• Generic fire damage and generic spell damage multipliers.

You can reroll these implicits using Vivid Vulture beasts, allowing you to obtain valuable stats without excessive crafting expenses.

 

↖ Choosing the Right Base and Crafting

The base of your bow should ideally be either a Spine Bow or an Ivory Bow. Ivory Bows require less dexterity, making them preferable, but they can be more expensive due to their popularity.

 

Crafting your bow can be deterministic but not particularly cheap, costing around 8 to 10 Divine Orbs on average. You can find crafting guides that explain the process in detail, but it's essential to understand the principles of crafting for your specific needs.

 

↖ Using Uul-Netol's Embrace

Uul-Netol's Embrace is a unique chest piece that offers several benefits, including increased damage and the ability to apply a curse on hit. While it restricts your ability to use Headhunter, it can be a strong alternative, especially when paired with Inspired Learning.

 

↖ Incorporating Other Gear and Uniques

In addition to your bow and chest piece, your gear should focus on maximizing life and resistances. Look for gear with life modifiers, as your chest piece will convert a portion of your life into energy shield. Resisting elemental damage is crucial to maintaining your survivability.

 

↖ Helmet: Azanov's Earsplit

If you're lucky enough to acquire Azanov's Earsplit helmet, it offers excellent bonuses, including increased area of effect for your skills and enhanced curse gems. It's not a game-changing item, but it's a nice addition if you can obtain it at a reasonable price.

 

↖ Amulet: Anathema

Anathema is a unique amulet that can significantly boost your damage. It provides bonuses to area of effect and curse gems. However, it's not a mandatory item, and you can opt for alternatives based on your budget and preferences.

 

↖ Boots: Movement Speed and Resistances

Choose boots with increased action speed and cooldown recovery rate to ensure your character functions smoothly. Aim to reach the 52 cooldown recovery rate breakpoint. Maximize your resistances on your boots and other gear pieces to achieve optimal survivability.

 

↖ Flasks: Diamond, Quicksilver, and More

Your flask setup should include a Diamond Flask with a critical strike chance modifier to help you reach a 100% critical strike chance. A Quicksilver Flask with increased movement speed will improve your overall mobility.

 

Consider other utility flasks such as Taste of Hate or Atziri's Promise for added defenses and damage. Customizing your flask setup based on your preferences and needs can enhance your overall performance.

 

↖ Jewels: Natural Instinct, Lethal Pride, and Inspired Learning

Your jewel slots are crucial for enhancing your character's power. Use Natural Instinct for significant bonuses to life, critical strike chance, and damage. Lethal Pride provides various benefits, including double damage and physical damage taken as fire.

 

Inspired Learning is an excellent choice if you cannot use Headhunter. It allows you to gain the properties of rare enemies you defeat, albeit on a smaller scale.

 

↖ Passive Tree and Cluster Jewels

Your passive tree should prioritize life, critical strike chance, and critical strike multiplier. Additionally, consider taking the Acuity cluster and the Depth Perception cluster for added critical strike chance and damage.

 

Cluster jewels with the "Cremator," "Doryani's Lesson," and "Prismatic Heart" notable passives can greatly improve your damage output. These notables enhance your elemental damage, leech, and survivability, respectively.

 

↖ Mana Cost Management

Mana cost can be a challenge in CoC builds, especially without Mage Blood.

To manage your mana effectively, consider the following:

• Use Divergent Inspiration for reduced mana cost.
• Look for an amulet with a modifier that reduces mana cost.
• Acquire jewels with mana on hit.
• Experiment with mana leech to sustain your mana pool.
• A Watcher's Eye with reduced mana reservation can also help if you can fit it into your build.

 

↖ Leveling

While leveling, you can follow a Max Block/Life on Block strategy using the "One With Nothing" unique jewel. Smite is an excellent skill for leveling, and you can transition to your CoC setup once you reach a higher level and acquire the necessary gear.

 

↖ Final Thoughts

The Cast on Crit Blazing Salvo Scion build is an excellent choice for players looking for a potent mapping character with solid single-target damage. However, it's not for the faint of heart, as it can be resource-intensive and taxing on your system's performance. If you're an experienced player looking for a high-damage, versatile build, give this one a try. Just be prepared to invest both Poe currency and effort into maximizing its potential.