My League Starter for PoE 2 0.5 - Gemling Legionaire Quality Stacker
Summary
- Core Build Concept: Utilize the Gemling Legionaire ascendancy to leverage the new Advanced Thaumaturgy skill, which grants additional quality effects to every socketable skill gem in the game.
- Strategy: Start as a Witch Hunter (Mercenary) for a stronger early-game experience, then pivot to Gemling Legionaire by day one or day two once specific high-value “quality” gem interactions are identified.
- Flexibility: The build focuses on experimentation, aiming to test various skill gems (up to 200 options) for powerful transformative quality effects.
- Late-Game Potential: Explores potential for attribute stacking, specifically using strength-scaling items like Brutus’ Lead Sprinkler for added fire damage and triggered effects.
Gemling Legionaire Ascendancy
The primary draw of the Gemling Legionaire is the Advanced Thaumaturgy ascendancy skill, which allows for unique “quality” modifications on any socketable skill. These modifiers can be highly transformative, such as the Fireball quality that grants extra projectiles.
Because the build aims to experiment with approximately 200 different skill gems, the playstyle is intentionally open-ended. The goal is to identify which skill gems benefit most significantly from the increased quality effects.
League Start Progression
- Early Game (Witch Hunter): Begin the campaign as a Witch Hunter. Recommended leveling options include:
- Grenades (standard approach)
- Fragmentation Shot
- Permafrost Bolts
- Transition: Pivot to Gemling Legionaire once the campaign is completed or early into the mapping phase, depending on how quickly powerful skill gem interactions are discovered.
- Defensive Layering: The build intends to utilize a hybrid Evasion/Energy Shield approach, benefiting from the Ghost Dance keystone.
Late-Game Scaling and Attributes
While the primary focus is on skill gem quality, there is significant potential for late-game scaling through attribute stacking.
- Strength Stacking: Using items like Brutus’ Lead Sprinkler allows for consistent damage scaling.
- The weapon provides added fire damage based on total strength.
- The Molten Shower skill triggered by the weapon offers additional synergy, especially as strength totals reach high thresholds (e.g., 500+ to 2,000 strength).
- Flexibility: If the Gemling Legionaire path underperforms, the Witch Hunter base provides the flexibility to pivot to other specializations like Tactician, or even transition into minion-based builds.