Poison Blade Vortex Assassin Passive Skill Tree & Gem Links

Passive Skill Tree & PoB

You can find an optimized Path of Building here. Every build I release will use the community fork of Path of Building, which is maintained and updated in a much more regular fashion than the original one. You can find PoB’s Fork, by LocalIdentity, here.

If you are not comfortable with Path of Building, we also have a Tree through the PoE website for you. Do note that PoE’s website does not support Cluster Jewels and some specific unique jewels and it is highly recommended you install Path of Building to follow builds most optimally.

For more information about the appropriate gear choices and their breakdown, please refer to our Gear page.

Gear Page

Progression Advice

Since Poison mostly scales with Gem levels and Passive Points / Ascendancy, you’re going to be able to stay relatively tanky even while being lower level. The Path of Building offers steps to put you on your way for leveling.

Gem Links

Blade Vortex – Main Link (6-Link)

As we’re playing an Ailment-based build, our Awakened Gems are generally relatively cheap and extremely powerful! Don’t neglect these upgrades as they are significant but you can obviously use the non-Awakened version initially.

1. Vaal Blade Vortex
2. Awakened Unleash Support
3. Awakened Deadly Ailments Support
4. Awakened Unbound Ailments Support
5. Awakened Void Manipulation Support
6. Efficacy Support

Auras

Whenever you have acquired a The Devouring Diadem. In case you don’t have this item yet, you can drop the Herald of Purity.

1. Grace
2. Malevolence
3. Enlighten Support (level 3)
4. Herald of Agony

These can be socketed elsewhere.

1. Herald of Purity
2. Defiance Banner

Withering Step setup

As talked about, Withering Step does allow you to keep up your Elusive permanently, if you so chose. In case you want to do it that way, we recommend putting Withering Step on your left mouse button so it automatically gets popped as soon as possible.

1. Withering Step
2. Second Wind Support
3. Enhance Support (optional) (at least level 3)

Plague Bearer

Plague Bearer is a really strong buff which “incubates” Damage and then unleashes it over time if you pop the gem. This gives you a tremendous amount of extra clear speed and feels really nice to use. Therefore, you should try to buff it up as much as you can.

1. Plague Bearer
2. Enhance Support (Level 4)
3. Awakened Increased Area of Effect Support
4. Empower Support (Level 3 or 4)

Defensives

1. Cast when Damage Taken Support (Level 4)
2. Immortal Call (Level 5)

Optional Movement Skill

As I explained, Withering Step will consume your movement skill charges. However, it can be handy to have one on your bar anyhow for when you need to get over a ledge or something like that.

1. Dash

Despair

Despair becomes free when you use the Impresence (Chaos) amulet. Therefore, you can use it with Blasphemy Support for a free Curse Aura.

1. Despair
2. Blasphemy Support

Main Page / TL;DR