Triple Herald Blade Vortex Elementalist Build Guide (PoE Sentinel 3.18)

Introduction

The Triple Herald Blade Vortex Elementalist has become an iconic staple of the Path of Exile meta since its rise to power in Incursion League and a fast favorite amongst exiles everywhere. Truly a capable jack-of-all-trades, this build feels comfortable in virtually all environments, whether you are blasting through a Shaper kill or disintegrating groups of enemies as you plough through maps. Perhaps most importantly, this build is a very viable League Starter and can be played to great effect in the SSF leagues. In fact, a variant of this build was the first to reach Rank 1 & 2 of the Incursion HCSSF ladder, which is a true testament to the build’s ability to excel in all environments.

This build deals nearly exclusively Elemental damage, which stems from the Herald auras themselves as well as our Blade Vortex damage, which is converted from Physical to Elemental. The high amount of Critical Chance we end up with allows us to move through maps like a blender, freezing and shattering the entire screen using Herald of Ice, Herald of Ash, and Herald of Thunder. A healthy amount of leech and Atziri's Promise ensure that we are always sitting at a comfortable amount of health, provided there is a target to hit.

Special thanks to R4mpa for helping to refurbish this build for 3.14 and beyond!

Build Assessment

Pros

+ Very fast clear speed

+ Several layers of defense

+ Satisfying explosion chains

+ Immune to reflect

Cons

– Blade Vortex mechanics can feel clunky to some players, particularly before you acquire Increased Duration nodes/enchant

– More of a nostalgia build than a current meta build — this is no longer the best way to run a BV build

– Melee build means that you actually have to do mechanics

Path of Building

Path of Building for the build is available here.

Included is the recommended set of mid-game gear, a full skill tree, and all the gem links needed to get the build to tick.

We use the Path of Building Community Fork for all of our builds, which is highly recommended. If you are encountering errors importing the build, please ensure you are using the Community Fork.

Playstyle

This build is very relaxing, and a ton of fun to play. Blade Vortex plays similarly to Righteous Fire builds, with the player dashing into packs with Shield Charge or Whirling Blades while Blade Vortex and Herald chain shatters take care of the rest. The Triple Herald Blade Vortex Elementalist is a true all-rounder, but unlike others that fall into this category, it feels incredibly powerful in virtually all environments. This is a build for blasting through bosses and maps while satisfying explosions and colorful lights erupt all around you. Let us get started.

Passive Skill Tree

This is our recommended Level 96 Passive Skill Tree for the build.

For more details on the Passive Tree, skill acquisition order, and more, be sure to check out the Passive Skill Tree page for in-depth information.

Passive Skill Tree and Gem Links

Gems

We go over all of the gem links this build uses in the end-game on our Gem Link page.

Passive Skill Tree and Gem Links

Ascendancy, Bandits, and Pantheon

Our Ascendancy, Bandit, and Pantheon Powers page goes into detail about all the choices you need to make in these regards.

Ascendancy, Bandits, and Pantheon Powers

Gear Summary / TL;DR

These items strike a balance between power and cost-effectiveness. If you want to explore more options for Gear (both budget and high-end), Flasks, or get more information on alternatives and specialty items, please ensure you read the Gear, Jewels, and Flasks page thoroughly.

Our recommendation:

Item Slot	Item Name
Head	Rare Helmet
Amulet	Rare Amulet
Chest	Inpulsa's Broken Heart
Gloves	Hrimburn
Boots	Rare Two-Toned Boots (Cold and Lightning Resistances) or any other base
Belt	Rare Stygian Vise
Ring 1	Mark of the Shaper
Ring 1	Rare Elder Ring
Weapon 1	Rare Shaped Dagger
Weapon 2	Rare Shaped Dagger

For in-depth recommendations for gear, flasks, jewels, and crafting advice be sure to read our Gear, Jewels, and Flasks page .

Gear, Jewels, and Flasks Breakdown

Leveling

As a reminder, we have several guides to help you level up a character.

• Our step-by-step leveling walkthrough, which allows even more experienced players to save time and speed through the leveling process.
• Our guide to Unique Items for leveling, which helps you gear up your characters for the leveling process.
• Our beginner leveling guide, which answers many of the questions new players might have and will set you on the right path.

Start out with Freezing Pulse and use it to quickly push through Act I until you reach Merveil’s Caves. Pick up Blade Vortex from Nessa, which can be used from Level 12 and is a fantastic level skills. In Act I you can link it to:

1. Blade Vortex
2. Added Lightning Damage Support
3. Added Cold Damage Support
4. Arcane Surge Support
5. Increased Critical Strikes Support
6. Onslaught Support

Begin to work the other recommended gems as you level up. Be sure to pick up Vaal Blade Vortex as early as possible and acquire all the Herald auras, as well as Controlled Destruction Support and Physical to Lightning Support, in Act II. You will also want to purchase Hrimsorrow very early on, even when league starting.

FAQ

Which Annointment Should I Use for my Amulet?

Static Blows is an excellent choice that offers some of the best possible DPS as well as being very cheap.

How Many Stacks of Blade Vortex Should I Clear With?

Depending on the Map tier, you will need varying levels of Blade Vortex stacks to instantly kill packs, but 2-3 stacks is generally suitable. With many Path of Exile builds, the true optimization comes through managing your flasks correctly, and this one is no exception — do not overlap whenever possible, but do not let your charges stack up and get munched.

5-Link Inpulsa vs. Tabula Rasa

In most situations, the 5-Linked Inpulsa's Broken Heart will outperform the Tabula Rasa, or indeed, any Rare or Unique 6-Linked Chest. On single targets such as bosses, the difference is a little murkier, and the 6-Linked Chest will likely outperform Inpulsa. Regardless, we always recommend making the swap to Inpulsa as soon as you are able to purchase and equip one.

How Much Currency Will it Cost Before I Can Blow Up My Entire Screen?

Not very much, although the exact cost varies from league to league. Inpulsa's Broken Heart is the only real item necessary to kick the build into high gear, and even then, it is possible to continue leveling without it (if you are SSF, for example). You should easily be able to kit yourself out for less than 2 Exalts and be blasting through maps in no time.

Check out the rest of the guide for any additional information:

Passive Skill Tree and Gem Links

Ascendancy, Bandits, and Pantheon Powers

Gear, Jewels, and Flasks Breakdown