Late-League Starting: Fun and Accessible Weapon-Based Builds in POE

If you and your brother are starting late in the league and are looking for enjoyable and accessible weapon-based builds, there are a few options that have shined due to Crucible or other factors. Frost Blades can be a solid choice for leveling and progressing through the story. Additionally, there are various attack-based builds that your brother might find appealing.

For in-depth guides and videos that cover the leveling process, it's recommended to explore popular community resources such as the official Path of Exile forums, YouTube channels dedicated to POE builds, or reputable websites that provide comprehensive build guides. These sources often provide detailed instructions, gearing advice, and tips for leveling efficiently.

As for the gear climb from a starter build, the requirements to progress through the story are relatively modest. Aside from Frost Blades for leveling, your brother will mainly need items with sufficient resistances and life to avoid frequent deaths. Weapon upgrades can be considered every 2-3 acts to ensure a smooth progression.

Once your brother finishes the story, he can transition to Chaos Inoculation (CI) if desired. Most CI-focused gear can be equipped around level 68, so until then, he can allocate some life nodes on the skill tree to ensure survivability.

In terms of gear, the average items your brother will be equipping won't be overly expensive. However, cluster jewels can be a notable investment, with prices ranging from 1 to 5 Divine Orbs each for the Inquisitor variant. Prioritize obtaining an Ephemeral Edge with the best Energy Shield (ES) roll and some good ES gear with resists. Higher-end items like clusters and rings with intelligence and strength can be pursued as he progresses and accumulates currency.

Regarding expensive items, here are a few options to consider:

- Awakened Multistrike: This can be quite expensive (around 18 Divine Orbs). However, regular Multistrike can suffice until your brother can afford it. Divergent Multistrike is also a viable and more affordable alternative.

- Stormshroud: While not essential, it provides ailment immunity and can be obtained for around 2 Divine Orbs.

- Cluster jewels: The attribute and attack speed variants can cost 1 to 5 Divine Orbs per cluster. Your brother can start with slightly inferior clusters and upgrade to better ones over time. The Trickster cluster should be available for around 1 Divine Orb.

- Oriath's End: This item is not mandatory for the build.

- Watcher's Eye: Another non-mandatory item, it can be acquired for around 1 Divine Orb.

- Forbidden Flesh/Flame Trickster: These are optional and can be chosen to address issues like Temporal Chains or proximity bubbles. Alternatively, the jewel sockets can be utilized for more powerful DPS jewels or additional passive points.

- Eyes of the Greatwolf (Inquisitor): Not mandatory. Your brother can use an amulet with +40 attributes, strength, intelligence, and energy shield for around 1 Divine Orb or craft one if lucky.

- Bottled Faith (Inquisitor): Not mandatory. A second Diamond Flask can be used instead.

- Split Personality (Inquisitor): Priced at around 1 Divine Orb.

- Impossible Escape/Elegant Hubris (Inquisitor): Both can be obtained for around 2-3 Divine Orbs each, and they provide a significant damage boost when used with a helmet.

Remember, while these expensive items can enhance the build, they are not mandatory for its success. Your brother can gradually work towards acquiring them as he progresses through the game.

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