With Hexblast Miner becoming the most played build among top Path of Exile players, even surpassing the likes of Righteous Fire and Lightning Aarrow, I thought it would be a great idea to put together a build guide for its older and somewhat less powerful brother, FlameBlast. For those of you who are newer to the game and have never heard of FlameBlast before, welcome! Here are some details about this unique skill and how to make it work effectively.

 

• Introduction
• Key Strengths and Weaknesses
• - Strengths
• - Weaknesses
• PoB Link
• Gearing
• - Rathpith Globe (Unique Shield)
• - Body Armor
• - Helmet
• - Weapon
• - Gloves
• - Rings
• - Amulet
• - Belt
• - Jewels
• - Flasks
• Skills and Gems
• - FlameBlast (Body Armor)
• - Righteous Fire (Helmet)
• - Utility Gems
• - Auras and Heralds
• Passive Tree
• Bandits
• Pantheon
• Leveling
• General Tips

 

↖ Introduction

FlameBlast is a spell that creates a small fiery circle on the ground, which grows into a massive explosion as you channel it. The longer you channel it, the more damage it deals, up to a cap upon release. FlameBlast lives up to its name, and it's not called FlameBlast for nothing. However, one of its major drawbacks is that it requires you to stand still while channeling, making it less viable for fast-paced mapping.

 

In this comprehensive FlameBlast Inquisitor guide, we will discuss how to make FlameBlast not only playable but also effective at dealing significant damage and Farming Poe Orbs. This build is inspired by a combination of various ideas, including the use of the unique shield Rathpith Globe and the Inquisitor ascendancy class. So, let's dive into the details and build your own FlameBlast Inquisitor.

 

↖ Key Strengths and Weaknesses

 

↖ - Strengths

• Scalability: As you acquire more gear and passive points, your FlameBlast build will continually improve. Every upgrade you make will noticeably impact your gameplay.
• Tankiness: This build prioritizes life and regeneration, making your character quite resilient, especially when combined with the Rathpith Globe unique shield.
• Strong Bossing: FlameBlast excels in boss fights, making encounters like Shaper, Elder, Cyrus, and Guardians more manageable.
• Unique Playstyle: FlameBlast offers a distinct playstyle, making it appealing for those who want a different experience from meta builds.

 

↖ - Weaknesses

• Map Clear Speed: FlameBlast may not be the fastest mapper due to the need to stand still while channeling. It's not the best choice for players who prioritize speed and mobility.
• Investment Required: To make FlameBlast feel powerful, you'll need to invest in gear and passives, making it less suitable for brand-new players.
• Not SSF Viable: This build relies on specific gear and may not be suitable for solo self-found (SSF) playstyle.

 

↖ PoB Link

https://pobb.in/zr7jVHDWO7qy

 

↖ Gearing

 

↖ - Rathpith Globe (Unique Shield)

The core of this build is the Rathpith Globe unique shield, which scales your damage based on your maximum life. This unique item is crucial for making FlameBlast effective. It has the downside of spells sacrificing 10% of your life when used.

 

↖ - Body Armor

Use Infernal Mantle for your body armor, as it grants all socketed fire skills +3 to skill levels, 100% global crit chance, and converts some fire damage to chaos damage. Look for a 6-link version, and consider upgrading it to a +2 or +3 corrupted version for even more power.

 

↖ - Helmet

Opt for a Sandstorm Visage helmet, which provides cast speed and prevents stuns while casting, helping you avoid interruptions while channeling FlameBlast. Additionally, it has base spell crit chance equal to your main hand weapon, making it easier to reach high crit rates.

 

↖ - Weapon

Select a wand with a base crit of 9% or higher, as well as +1 to all spells or +1 to fire spells. Prioritize cast speed and look for added spell damage or fire damage to spells.

 

↖ - Gloves

Choose rare gloves with high life, life regeneration percentage, and resistances. Consider adding an "Ultrasimplex" to further boost your damage.

 

↖ - Rings

Look for rings with high life rolls, cast speed, resistances, intelligence, and possibly a +1 minimum frenzy charge modifier.

 

↖ - Amulet

Consider a replica Dragon Fang amulet with +3 to FlameBlast, or a +1 to fire or all spells amulet with crit multi, life, and cast speed.

 

↖ - Belt

A Darkness Enthroned belt with well-rolled Abyss jewels can provide extra life, cast speed, and crit multi. Alternatively, a rare leather belt with life, resistances, and cast speed works well.

 

↖ - Jewels

• Use Abyss jewels with combinations of maximum life, cast speed, crit multi, and fire or elemental skill damage.
• Large cluster jewels should prioritize fire damage and increased effects of small passives.
• A Watcher's Eye with useful mods, such as crit multi with Anger, can be a significant damage boost.

 

↖ - Flasks

• Life Flask: Early on, use a life flask for quick life recovery. Later, you may not need it.
• Movement Flask: Prioritize flasks with high movement speed, as mobility is essential.
• Cast Speed Flask: Helps you reach a high cast speed for smoother FlameBlast channeling.
• Utility Flasks: Consider flasks like Diamond Flask and Quartz Flask for critical strike chance and dodge.
• Defensive Flasks: Options include Basalt Flask and Taste of Hate for additional protection.

 

↖ Skills and Gems

 

↖ - FlameBlast (Body Armor)

• FlameBlast
• Increased Critical Damage
• Infused Channeling
• Awakened Elemental Focus
• Cruelty
• Increased Area of Effect (for mapping) OR Concentrated Effect (for bossing)

 

↖ - Righteous Fire (Helmet)

• Righteous Fire
• Elemental Focus
• Burning Damage
• Increased Area of Effect (for mapping) OR Concentrated Effect (for bossing)

 

↖ - Utility Gems

• Flame Dash linked with Faster Casting
• Assassin's Mark (self-cast for curse)
• Storm Brand linked with Overcharge and Culling Strike (for shocking and killing bosses)
• Summon Stone Golem (for life regen)
• Infernal Cry (to apply Ash to enemies and boost damage)

 

↖ - Auras and Heralds

• Vitality and Precision: Use these auras for increased life regen and accuracy until you reach crit cap.
• Zealotry (for bossing) OR Herald of Ash (for mapping): Choose the appropriate aura based on your current activity.
• Determination OR Purity of Elements: Swap between these auras as needed for extra armor or elemental resistances.

 

↖ Passive Tree

Prioritize life nodes, life regeneration, and strength or intelligence nodes to meet attribute requirements.

• Key Keystones: Blood Magic, Cult of Arms, Glancing Blows, Unwavering Stance.
• Notable Passive Points: Sanctuary, Pious Path, Righteous Providence, Inevitable Judgment.

 

↖ Bandits

Help Alira initially for the easier gearing process, but consider respeccing to the two passive points later when your gear is more optimized.

 

↖ Pantheon

Choose your Pantheon based on your preferences. Ralakesh and Arakaali are decent choices, but you can experiment with others as well.

 

↖ Leveling

FlameBlast is not the ideal skill for leveling, especially if you're new to the game. It's recommended to level with a different skill that provides more damage early on, such as Magma Orb, Fireball, or Freezing Pulse. Focus on gaining spell damage and fire damage on the passive tree while leveling.

Switch to FlameBlast once you have the necessary gear, such as Rathpith Globe and a 6-link Infernal Mantle. Adjust your passive tree accordingly to maximize damage and life.

 

↖ General Tips

• Mobility: Avoid standing still for extended periods. Cast FlameBlast from a safe distance to minimize the risk of getting hit.
• Upgrade Gear: Invest in gear upgrades as you progress. Better gear significantly improves your performance.
• Bossing: FlameBlast excels at boss fights, so use it to your advantage in challenging encounters.
• Experiment: Adapt the build to your playstyle and goals. You can adjust skills, auras, and gems to suit your preferences.
• Attribute Requirements: Ensure you meet the strength and intelligence requirements for your gems and gear to avoid issues.

 

In conclusion, the FlameBlast Inquisitor build offers a unique and satisfying playstyle that can handle boss fights effectively. While it may not be the fastest mapper, it has the potential to excel in various content. Experiment, invest in gear upgrades, and enjoy the fiery power of FlameBlast in Path of Exile.