The Boneshatter Juggernaut build in Path of Exile 3.22 is a powerful and versatile melee build that revolves around the new Boneshatter skill. This build focuses on maximizing physical damage, survivability, and area of effect (AoE) damage. In this guide, we will discuss the key aspects of the build, including skill gem setup, passive tree allocation, gear recommendations, and playstyle tips.
Skill Gem Setup
a. Boneshatter: The main skill of this build is Boneshatter, a new slam skill introduced in PoE 3.22. Boneshatter deals massive physical damage in an area, stunning enemies and causing them to explode on death. Link Boneshatter with Melee Physical Damage, Fist of War, Pulverize, Fortify, and Brutality support gems for increased damage and AoE.
b. Ancestral Warchief or Earthquake: Use either Ancestral Warchief or Earthquake as your secondary skill to further enhance your damage output. Both skills provide additional AoE damage and can be linked with Melee Physical Damage, Pulverize, and Brutality support gems.
c. Vaal Ancestral Warchief: Consider using Vaal Ancestral Warchief as a Vaal skill to unleash devastating AoE damage during tough encounters. Link it with Melee Physical Damage, Pulverize, Brutality, and Increased Area of Effect support gems for maximum impact.
d. War Banner or Dread Banner: Utilize a banner skill like War Banner or Dread Banner to increase your accuracy, physical damage, and adrenaline generation. Choose the one that suits your preference and link it with Blood Magic for a reservation-free setup.
e. Cast When Damage Taken (CWDT) setup: Include a CWDT setup in your build for automatic triggering of defensive abilities. Use CWDT with Molten Shell, Increased Duration, and Steelskin for extra protection against bursts of damage.
Passive Tree Allocation
As a Juggernaut, your passive tree allocation should focus on maximizing physical damage, life, armor, and endurance charges. Prioritize taking nodes that increase melee physical damage, maximum life, resistances, and armor. Allocate nodes that enhance stun duration, attack speed, and endurance charge generation. Aim for a balanced mix of offense and defense to ensure both survivability and damage output.
Gear Recommendations
a. Weapon: Look for a high-damage two-handed weapon with a high physical damage roll. Axes, maces, or staves can all work well. Seek weapons with modifiers that increase physical damage, attack speed, and critical strike chance. Additionally, consider adding a "Socketed Gems are Supported by Level x Fortify" modifier for additional fortify support.
b. Body Armor: Prioritize a body armor with high maximum life, resistances, and armor. Additionally, look for modifiers that grant increased physical damage, melee damage, or increased AoE damage. Consider using an Elder-influenced body armor for the "Socketed Melee Attacks have x% increased Area of Effect" affix.
c. Helmet: Seek a helmet with increased maximum life, resistances, and armor. Look for bonuses to physical damage, melee damage, and area of effect. Consider using Essence of Horror to craft a helmet with the "Nearby Enemies take x% increased Physical Damage" modifier for added damage.
d. Gloves: Look for gloves with increased life, resistances, armor, and melee damage modifiers. Consider gloves with Attack Speed or accuracy if needed. Additionally, gloves with the "Socketed Attacks have x% increased Area of Effect" modifier can further boost your AoE damage.
e. Boots: Prioritize boots with increased life, resistances, and movement speed. Look for bonuses to armor, melee damage, and stun avoidance. If possible, consider boots with the "Socketed Melee Attacks have x% increased Area of Effect" affix for improved AoE damage.
f. Belt: Aim for a belt with increased maximum life, resistances, and armor. Seek modifiers that provide additional physical damage, melee damage, or increased AoE damage. Belts with increased flask duration or reduced flask charges used can be beneficial for sustaining your flasks during longer encounters.
g. Accessories: Focus on rings and amulets that provide increased physical damage, maximum life, resistances, and accuracy. Look for modifiers that enhance melee damage, attack speed, or critical strike chance. Consider adding a Steel Ring with increased physical damage and added physical damage to attacks.
Playstyle Tips
a. Slam and Stun: As a Boneshatter Juggernaut, your main goal is to slam enemies with Boneshatter to deal high physical damage and stun them. Pay attention to the stun threshold of enemies and use your powerful slams strategically to keep them under control.
b. Endurance Charges: Utilize skills or gear that grant additional endurance charges. Endurance charges provide physical damage reduction, which boosts your survivability. Maintain and maximize the number of endurance charges you have during encounters.
c. Fortify: Fortify support is an essential aspect of this build. Make sure to keep your fortify buff active at all times by using a skill supported by Fortify or by having the "Socketed Gems are Supported by Level x Fortify" modifier on your weapon or shield.
d. Flasks: Make good use of utility flasks to enhance your survivability and damage output. Recommended flasks include ones that provide life recovery, movement speed, increased attack damage, or additional physical damage. Consider using a Lion's Roar flask for increased melee damage and knockback.
e. Endgame Gear: As you progress towards the endgame, consider optimizing your gear with specific mods that enhance your build's strengths. Look for items with increased area of effect, increased physical damage, or additional impale modifiers. Experiment with different gear combinations to find the setup that suits your playstyle and objectives.
Conclusion
The Boneshatter Juggernaut build in Path of Exile 3.22 offers an exciting and powerful playstyle focused on devastating slams and area of effect damage. With the right skill gem setup, passive tree allocation, and gear choices, this build can deal massive physical damage while maintaining high survivability. Remember to balance your offense and defense, utilize endurance charges and fortify, and optimize your gear as you progress. With lots of currency and careful planning, the Boneshatter Juggernaut build can become a force to be reckoned with in PoE 3.22.
Related Build:
PoE Builds 3.22: Top 10 League Starters Builds