The Lacerate Gladiator has emerged as one of the most reliable and popular builds in Path of Exile’s 3.27 “Keepers of the Flame” league. Combining strong defenses with consistent bleed damage, this build offers a balanced playstyle that appeals to both new and experienced players. Below, we’ll dive into the mechanics, progression, gearing, and playstyle of this build in detail.
Introduction to the Build
The Lacerate Gladiator is a melee bleed build that uses the skill Lacerate to slash enemies in a wide arc. When paired with the Gladiator ascendancy, it gains access to powerful bleed scaling, high block chance, and defensive layers that make it one of the tankiest melee builds available.
- League Starter Friendly: Can be played on a budget with solid performance.
- Endgame Capable: With investment, it can handle Uber bosses and T17 maps.
- Playstyle: Positioning matters—Lacerate deals more damage in its “blood stance” and offers wider coverage in “sand stance.”
Core Mechanics
- Bleed Damage: The build focuses on inflicting powerful bleeds. Bleed scales with physical damage and attack speed, and deals extra damage when enemies move.
- Block Chance: Gladiator ascendancy nodes like Versatile Combatant and Violent Retaliation push block chance up to 88% in endgame.
- Dual-Wielding: Typically uses axes or swords for maximum bleed scaling.
- Stances: Alternates between sand stance (wide AoE for clearing) and blood stance (high single-target damage).
Ascendancy Choices
The Gladiator ascendancy is central to the build’s identity. Key nodes include:
- Blood in the Eyes: Inflicts maim and increases bleed damage.
- Gratuitous Violence: Bleeding enemies explode on death, massively improving clear speed.
- Versatile Combatant: Balances attack and spell block, making the build tanky against all damage types.
- Violent Retaliation: Increases block chance and damage when surrounded.
Passive Skill Tree
The passive tree focuses on:
- Bleed Scaling: Nodes like Crimson Dance, Bloodletting, and Hematophagy.
- Block and Defense: Shield nodes, life, and armour clusters.
- Physical Damage: Two-handed or dual-wield clusters to boost raw damage.
Gem Links
Typical gem setups include:
Main Skill (Lacerate):
Lacerate
Brutality Support
Deadly Ailments Support
Chance to Bleed Support
Multistrike Support
Swift Affliction Support
Movement:
Leap Slam + Faster Attacks + Lifetap
Auras:
Pride
Determination
War Banner
Blood and Sand
Utility:
Vulnerability (curse)
Enduring Cry for sustain
Molten Shell for defense
Gear Choices
Weapons:
High physical DPS swords or axes. Look for bleed multipliers and attack speed.
Shield:
A rare PoE shield with high block chance and life.
Armour:
Focus on life, armour, and resistances.
Flasks:
Life Flask with bleed immunity
Granite Flask for armour
Basalt Flask for physical mitigation
Quicksilver Flask for mobility
Playstyle
- Mapping: Use sand stance for wide AoE coverage. Bleeding explosions from Gratuitous Violence clear packs quickly.
- Bossing: Switch to blood stance for maximum single-target damage. Apply Vulnerability and War Banner for extra DPS.
- Defense: Maintain high block chance, use Molten Shell, and rely on life regen and leech.
Strengths
- High Survivability: 88% block chance, armour stacking, and life sustain.
- Strong Single-Target Damage: Bleed scaling melts bosses.
- Explosive Clear Speed: Gratuitous Violence makes mapping smooth.
- Budget Friendly: Works well with rare gear, no mandatory uniques.
Weaknesses
- Positioning Required: Must manage stances and stay close to enemies.
- Not the Fastest Clear: Projectile builds outpace it in raw speed.
- Gear Scaling: To reach Uber-level damage, investment in high-DPS weapons is necessary.
Endgame Potential
With proper investment, the Lacerate Gladiator can:
- Reach 4–5 million DPS on bleed.
- Maintain 5,000+ life and 17,000 armour.
- Achieve 88/88 block chance with lucky rolls.
- Handle Uber bosses and high-tier maps with relative ease.
Conclusion
The Lacerate Gladiator build in PoE 3.27 is a fantastic choice for players who want a melee build that balances offense and defense. It’s beginner-friendly, affordable, and scales into endgame content. While it may not clear maps as fast as projectile builds, its tankiness and bleed damage make it one of the most reliable builds this season. For players who enjoy melee combat and want a build that can survive the toughest encounters, the Lacerate Gladiator is a top-tier option.
