PoE Sanity

Spirit Walker Huntress Looks PRETTY GOOD!

By Path of EveningWatch videoDuration: PT1M6S

Summary

  • The new Spirit Walker ascendancy allows the Huntress to tame boss-level beasts, such as the Crowbell or the Act 3 Great Ape.
  • Companion minions are receiving a massive damage buff, estimated at 300% according to GGG’s Q&A with ZiggyD.
  • Spears are currently underperforming in the early game; bows are recommended for the initial campaign acts.
  • End-game strategies suggest a Spear and Scepter hybrid build focusing on projectile skills like Lightning Spear.

Boss-Taming and Companion Buffs

A recent seven-minute showcase from GGG highlighted the Spirit Walker, a new ascendancy for the Huntress. The defining feature of this subclass is the ability to tame boss-level beasts, specifically mentioning the Crowbell and the large monkey boss found in Act 3.

To make this viable, GGG is implementing a massive increase to companion minion damage. In a Q&A with ZiggyD, it was noted that this increase is approximately 300%. This is a critical adjustment, as companion damage has historically been insufficient for high-level play.

League Start Considerations

While the ascendancy is promising, be cautious about using spears during the league start. Currently, spears are very weak in the early stages of the campaign. Unless the upcoming patch notes significantly buff their early-game scaling, it is more efficient to use bows during the opening acts.

End-Game Build Theorycrafting

For end-game progression, the Spirit Walker ascendancy appears to synergize well with projectile-based spear skills like Twister or Lightning Spear. Lightning Spear is currently the preferred choice for this setup.

The recommended equipment configuration and strategy are as follows:

  1. Equip a spear in the main hand and a scepter in the off-hand.
  2. Take advantage of the Primal Bounty node to gain extra projectiles.
  3. Use the high projectile count to achieve top-tier clear speed across maps.
  4. Rely on tamed boss companions to provide the heavy lifting for single-target damage.

Key References