In Path of Exile: Settlers of Kalguur, there have been major changes to the game's meta, including the league starter builds. This has left many players unsure of what to choose. Today, we want to share five strong and safe Settlers of Kalguur League starter builds that can successfully reach endgame with budget gear. These builds do not require specific items and offer diverse and enjoyable gameplay. Let's break down the best SSF builds for PoE 3.25 Settlers of Kalguur League!
PoE 3.25 SSF Tier List - Top 5 SSF League Starter Builds in Settlers of Kalguur
With the upcoming 3.25 expansion, Settlers of Kalguur, it's time to dive back in and explore the exciting changes Grinding Gear Games has teased so far. The new expansion promises a host of quality-of-life improvements, such as reservation effects (like Heralds and Auras) persisting through death, streamlined Harvest encounters, and automatic waypoint activation. Additionally, item quality mechanics have been reworked, providing more benefits based on item level rather than rarity. We're also seeing significant updates to Pinnacle and Act bosses, increased item pickup ranges, new oils for Blighted maps, and even a sixth map device slot. These changes are bound to shake up the meta and offer new opportunities for both seasoned veterans and newcomers. Here, we'll share my top five SSF (Solo Self-Found) starter builds for the Settlers of Kalguur expansion, each designed to help you tackle the challenges ahead with budget-friendly gear and strong endgame potential.
1. Bleed Spectral Shield Throw Gladiator
The Bleed Spectral Shield Throw Gladiator is a powerhouse starter build that excels in both clearing and bossing with minimal investment. This build takes advantage of new Gladiator nodes, such as Jagged Technique, to inflict aggravated bleeding, causing enemies to take increased damage over time and explode upon death. Defensively, it is extremely sturdy due to prioritizing block, spell block, and lucky block mechanics, resulting in a near-constant 93.75% effective block chance. The combination of high damage, excellent clear speed, and robust tankiness makes this build ideal for progressing quickly and safely through early to mid-endgame content.
Setup
Skill Gems:
Spectral Shield Throw
Brutality
Vicious Projectiles
Chance to Bleed
Maim
Deadly Ailments
Ascendancy Nodes:
Arena Challenger
Blood in the Eyes
Gratuitous Violence
Painforged
Key Mechanics:
Block:Prioritize gear with block chance and use the Gladiator's block nodes.
Bleed:Utilize nodes like the Jagged Technique and gear that increases bleed damage.
Defensive Layers:
Endurance charges
Spell suppression
High life pool
Check out the detailed setup on PoB:https://pobb.in/ZAq8fHYhNx5A
2. Explosive Trap of Shrapnel Trickster
The Explosive Trap of Shrapnel Trickster is a dynamic build that utilizes whirling blades and frost blink for swift map traversal, allowing players to blink into groups of enemies, freeze them, and then blow them up with explosive traps. This critical strike-based build focuses on increasing crit chance and multiplier, achieving around 16 million hit DPS with all explosions hitting. It also benefits from power, frenzy, endurance, and inspiration charges, offering significant offensive and defensive advantages. While it shines in boss fights and high-tier maps, it requires careful management of high mana consumption and is best suited for players comfortable with trap mechanics.
Setup
Skill Gems:
Explosive Trap
Cluster Traps
Trap and Mine Damage
Advanced Traps
Increased Critical Strikes
Increased Critical Damage
Ascendancy Nodes:
Swift Killer
Ghost Dance
Escape Artist
Prolonged Pain
Key Mechanics:
Critical Strikes:Focus on crit chance and multiplier.
Charges:Utilize power, frenzy, endurance, and inspiration charges for bonuses.
Defensive Layers:
Evasion
Spell suppression
Life and energy shield blend
Check out the detailed setup on PoB:https://pobb.in/TRMOnipL_2kG
3. Boneshatter Juggernaut/Slayer
The Boneshatter Juggernaut/Slayer is an unstoppable melee build that crushes enemies with massive two-handed weapons, gaining trauma stacks to boost damage at the cost of self-harm. Juggernaut provides immense tankiness, while Slayer offers higher damage and better recovery. This build excels in fast mapping, clearing entire screens of enemies with each strike, and benefits from recent changes to endurance charges, which now reduce elemental damage as well. Despite its known drawbacks of lacking single-target damage and being mana-hungry, established solutions exist to mitigate these issues, making it a powerful and respected choice for league starters.
Setup
Skill Gems:
Boneshatter
Multistrike
Melee Physical Damage
Brutality
Fortify
Rage
Ascendancy Nodes:
Juggernaut: Unflinching, Unstoppable, Unbreakable, Undeniable
Slayer: Brutal Fervour, Headsman, Bane of Legends, Impact
Key Mechanics:
Trauma Stacks:Increase damage with each hit.
Leap Slam:For mobility and quick map traversal.
Defensive Layers:
High armor
Endurance charges
Life leech (Slayer)
Check out the detailed setup on PoB:https://pobb.in/-7DefIEfXGSb
4. Lightning Strike Gladiator
The Lightning Strike Gladiator is a versatile and unconventional build that leverages the recent buffs to Lightning Strike's damage effectiveness. By using Blood Magic to mitigate mana concerns and focusing on dual-wielding, this build achieves high damage output and excellent survivability through Gladiator's block nodes. The combination of melee and projectile hits, along with the ability to inflict 90% effective block with minimal investment, makes it a formidable contender. Additionally, the use of Eternal Blessing with anger and leveraging rage mechanics further boosts its damage, making this build a strong and creative choice for SSF players.
Setup
Skill Gems:
Lightning Strike
Trinity
Nightblade
Multistrike
Added Cold Damage
Elemental Damage with Attacks
Ascendancy Nodes:
Arena Challenger
Painforged
Versatile Combatant
Gladiator's Perseverance
Key Mechanics:
Dual Wielding:Use a claw and dagger for critical strike bonuses.
Lucky Block:High block chance with Gladiator's new nodes.
Defensive Layers:
Block and spell block
High life pool
Instant leech from weapon master node
Check out the detailed setup on PoB:https://poe.ninja/pob/5bbb0
5. Summon Raging Spirit Necromancer
The Summon Raging Spirit (SRS) Necromancer is a reliable minion-based build perfect for SSF due to its ease of gearing and strong endgame potential. Minions do most of the work, allowing for a safe playstyle while still providing significant damage output. This build can be effectively geared through deterministic methods and divination cards, making it accessible even in SSF. With detailed leveling notes and gear recommendations, including setups for animated guardians, this build offers a straightforward path to success. It provides a balance of offense and defense, leveraging the Necromancer's ascendancy nodes to enhance minion survivability and damage, making it a solid choice for players new to SSF or looking for a dependable league starter.
Setup
Skill Gems:
Summon Raging Spirit
Minion Damage
Melee Splash
Multistrike
Ruthless
Elemental Damage with Attacks
Ascendancy Nodes:
Mindless Aggression
Unnatural Strength
Bone Barrier
Commander of Darkness
Key Mechanics:
Minion Damage:Focus on minion damage nodes and gear.
Animated Guardian:Equip with gear that benefits the entire minion army.
Defensive Layers:
Minion tankiness
Bone Barrier for extra defenses
High life pool
Check out the detailed setup on PoB:https://pobb.in/sufZswT41C0n
These five builds provide a range of playstyles and are all capable of making it to the endgame in SSF mode. Whether you prefer melee, traps, spells, or minions, there's something here for everyone.