Poe Bleed puncture gladiator build

Welcome to the world of Path of Exile! In this guide, we'll delve deep into the Bleed Puncture Gladiator build, which is a popular and powerful choice for players who enjoy dealing physical damage over time and controlling the battlefield. Whether you're new to the game or just looking to explore a different playstyle, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to get started with this build.

The Bleed Puncture Gladiator build focuses on utilizing the Puncture skill to inflict powerful bleeding damage on enemies. Bleed is a damage over time effect that deals physical damage based on a percentage of the initial hit's damage. The Gladiator ascendancy enhances this playstyle by providing additional bleed damage, defenses, and utility.

Build Mechanics and Key Concepts

Bleed Mechanics

Bleed damage is calculated based on a percentage of the initial physical hit's damage. It's affected by modifiers to physical damage, damage over time, and bleed damage. Bleeding damage stacks and can be very potent when applied correctly.

Puncture Skill Overview

Puncture is a ranged skill that inflicts a debuff on enemies hit, causing them to take increased damage from bleed effects. It's important to note that Puncture has a mechanic where the damage scales with how much movement the target makes while affected by the debuff. Targets that move more will take more damage from the bleed.

Gladiator Ascendancy

The Gladiator ascendancy offers various benefits for the Bleed Puncture build:

- Versatile Combatant: This removes your chance to dodge, but makes you block attacks and spells, improving your overall survivability.

- Blood in the Eyes: Enemies you hit are maimed, causing them to take increased physical damage and have reduced movement speed. This synergizes well with Puncture's damage scaling mechanic.

- Gratuitous Violence: Bleeding enemies explode upon death, dealing area damage. This helps clear packs of enemies efficiently.

- Painforged: Grants additional block chance if you've been hit recently, enhancing your defensive capabilities.

Building Your Character

Passive Skill Tree

When allocating points in the passive skill tree, prioritize nodes that increase physical damage, damage over time, bleed damage, life, and defenses. Consider pathing towards both damage and survivability nodes.

Ascendancy Choices

For a Bleed Puncture Gladiator, the recommended ascendancy choices are:

1. Versatile Combatant

2. Blood in the Eyes

3. Gratuitous Violence

4. Painforged

Skill Gems

- Puncture (6-Link): Main skill that inflicts bleeding. Link it with support gems like Brutality, Deadly Ailments, Vicious Projectiles, Maim, and Swift Affliction.

- Ancestral Warchief or Ancestral Protector: Totems that boost your damage output.

- Blood Rage: Increases your attack speed and generates Frenzy charges.

- Enduring Cry: Generates Endurance charges and provides life regeneration.

- Cast When Damage Taken (CWDT) Setup: Immortal Call, Increased Duration, and Steelskin for additional survivability.

Support Gems

- Brutality: Increases physical damage, but prevents the skill from dealing non-physical damage.

- Deadly Ailments: Enhances the damage of bleeding effects.

- Vicious Projectiles: Increases projectile damage, benefiting the Puncture skill.

- Maim: Inflicts the Maim debuff on hit enemies, boosting physical damage.

- Swift Affliction: Increases damage over time effects, including bleed.

- Ruthless: Adds more damage to every third hit, enhancing your burst damage.

Items and Gear

Prioritize items with the following modifiers:

- Increased Physical Damage

- Increased Damage over Time

- Increased Bleeding Damage

- Life and Resists

- Attack Speed

Gameplay and Strategies

Engaging Enemies

1. Target high-value or boss enemies with Puncture to maximize the bleed damage.

2. Utilize your totem (Ancestral Warchief or Ancestral Protector) to boost your overall damage.

3. Trigger Blood Rage for increased attack speed and Frenzy charges.

Managing Bleeds

1. Apply Puncture to enemies and encourage them to move for increased damage from the bleed.

2. Keep an eye on your enemies' health bars to see the bleeding damage ticking away.

3. Utilize Gratuitous Violence's explosion to clear groups of enemies efficiently.

Defensive Tactics

1. Block attacks and spells thanks to the Versatile Combatant ascendancy node.

2. Use Enduring Cry to generate Endurance charges for additional damage mitigation.

3. Keep an eye on your life pool and stay mobile to avoid dangerous attacks.

4. Maintain your resistances and life pool through gear and passive nodes.

Leveling and Progression

Early Levels (1-30)

Focus on leveling with a solid physical damage skill like Ground Slam or Tectonic Slam. Invest in life nodes, physical damage nodes, and attack speed nodes on the passive skill tree.

Mid Levels (30-60)

Transition to using Puncture as your main skill as you acquire the necessary support gems and ascendancy nodes. Continue prioritizing life and damage nodes.

Late Game (60+)

Start optimizing your gear to prioritize physical damage, bleed damage, and life. Begin investing in more endgame-worthy items and continue to fine-tune your passive skill tree.

The Bleed Puncture Gladiator build offers a satisfying playstyle that revolves around careful positioning, bleeding damage, and tactical engagement. It's a strong choice for both new and experienced players who enjoy dealing damage over time while maintaining decent defenses. Remember that the build's effectiveness will also depend on your gear and personal playstyle, so don't hesitate to experiment and adjust as you progress through Path of Exile's challenging content. Good luck, Exile!

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