Best Slayer Builds in Path of Exile

Duelist has great stats for tanky gameplay with lots of evasion and damage dealing. The Slayer Ascendancy of Duelist Class has more offense stats. Slayer subclass is considered a great boss killer thanks to its’ nodes Headsman and Bane of Legends.

In addition, Brutal Fervour gives life leech for defense, making this class an all-around subclass.

Although being a melee-based subclass, all of the slayer’s builds’ have range-like abilities. This is due to the area of effect bonus that this subclass can get from proper builds.

Here we will discuss builds like these that will help you in boss fights and make your overall gaming smooth.

Ultimate Cyclone Slayer Build

The skill and stats of Cyclone skill gem are the focus of this build. It is a melee-based build based on high critical damage.

Cyclone is considered the best melee end-game build for this class and ascendancy. This setup also works well in the early game.

We’re aiming for a high critical rate with this build. As a result, this construct will be able to deliver a lot of damage while also melting foes’ health bars.

This build also prioritizes high defense to ensure that your character can withstand boss damage.

Play Style

Almost all of the time, you’ll want to employ the Cyclone skill to clear the stage or battle monsters. Cyclone is a simple and channeled ability and is considered a movement skill.

This is a physical damage build so you can itemize in the early game easily. You play with this build by stacking damage, Attack Speed, Movement Speed, Critical Chance & Multiplier, and Impale.

If you want more armor-based gears, things can get tricky. As not many armor gears give critical damage as we want to play with.

So, it can get a little expensive or difficult. But you can craft yourself some gears. So, use Leap Slam into the horde of enemies and use Cyclone to kill all the enemies.

Recommended Equipment

Leveling

You can use Ground Slam till you are Level 12. Then, you should replace it with Sunder. Your Sunder gem links should look this in order of importance:

Until these, all gems are available you can use any gem you like. Onslaught Support, Main Support, and Ruthless Support can be acquired early but Melee Physical Damage Support can only be acquired in ACT II. If you are using Tabula Rasa, Added Fire Damage can be ideal to use.

Also in ACT II, you can get Heard of Ash and Herald of Purity for leveling. You can drop Herald of Purity and use Pride after you acquire it in quest Lost in Love in ACT III. 

Blood and Sand are also very critical for this build so acquire them as soon as possible. It is available at Level 4.

Gem Links

The Cyclone Gem will be the main skill gem you will use in this build. Use items with the given number of slots in the gem link.

At the end-game, your gem link should look like this:

Cyclone 6-Link	Cyclone is the main skill gem of this build and needs a 6-Link. This gem build can be adjusted by using other gems you like. You can use Damage on Full Life Support if you are ok with over leech. Also, you can use Infused Channeling Support if you need more mana. If not, you can use Close Combat Support instead, which works well with Lion’s Roar. 1) Cyclone 2) Awakened Brutality Support 3) Infused Channeling Support 4) Awakened Melee Physical Damage Support 5) Impale Support 6) Damage on Full Life Support Also, you can use Concentrated Effect Support or Increased Area of Effect Support for more damage and clearing, respectively. You can use Pulverise Support instead of Impale Support which has more damage and better clear but less boss damage. But for this, you need to color your weapon with white sockets using Vorici on the Research Division.
Leap Slam 4-Link	1) Leap Slam 2) Faster Attacks Support 3) Endurance Charge on Melee Stun Support or Precision 4) Vaal Haste or Vaal Grace
Auras 4-Link	1) Pride 2) Herald of Purity 3) Enlighten Support (Level 3/4) 4) Maim Support or Phase Run
Cast When Damage Taken Support 4-Link	1) Cast When Damage Taken Support (Level 2) 2) Molten Shell (Level 11) or Immortal Call (Level 4) 3) Blood Rage (Level 20) 4) Dread Banner (Level 20) or War Banner (Level 20)

Ascendancy

After you get Ascendancy Points, make sure you get these ascendancy nodes. These ascendancy nodes work really well with this build.

Bandits

Along with the main storyline, you will get a quest “Deal with the Bandits”. This quest will grant you 2 Passive Skill Points or 1 Skill Point and other rewards.

You will get four choices in this quest.

For this build, choose to help the bandit Lord Alira.

Pantheons

This is for the passive buffs you will get after defeating certain gods. You have to defeat 12 gods. These gods are categorized as Major and Minor Gods. You can get a specific buff in your character stats. One from Major God and one from Minor God.

You have two options for Major Gods. If you want defense, choose Soul of Solaris for major god.

If you want high movement speed, choose Soul of Lunaris.

In the case of Minor god, you may choose Soul of Gruthkul or Soul of Yugul.

Blazing Headsman Slayer Build

This slayer ascendancy build is focused on fire damage (a type of elemental damage). This build is a melee build but has some ranged attacks. This build will grant you 100% fire reflect immunity. Like, the build above this build’s main skill gem is Cyclone.

You will use Awakened Elemental Damage gems too. So, as other cyclone builds you will also get to spin and do critical damage. But you will also have fire damage and life leech.

Play Style

As there is elemental damage involved, use Cyclone with Awakened Elemental Damage. You will do fire damage and will have a chance to lit enemies with fire. Fire Reflect Immunity will be with you so don’t worry to use fire damage.

Use your Cyclone and spin between enemies to kill all at once. You have to equip many Uniques so try to reach end-game as soon as possible.

Your main unique gear will be Xoph’s Blood Amber Amulet. So, make sure you get this gear as fast as possible. The playstyle is not that complicated. So, just relax and spin. 

Recommended Gears

Here are some of the recommended gears for this build. These gears work well with this build. 

Leveling

With this build, you can use any weapon in the early game because it isn’t focused on the early game. However, you should keep upgrading it for a smooth start. Concentrate on improving Physical Damage. The best build for this is Voidforge with Xoph’s Heart, so focus on getting these.

Awakened gems are recommended, but you can play without them if you find it difficult. This build may cause mana issues while leveling, so use Praxis Ring until you find two rings with a -3 mana cost of channeling skills. With Ancestral Protector, you’ll also need to use Cyclone and Vaal Ancestral Warchief.

Gem Link

You will need 6 slotted Weapon and Chest gear for this build. Due to two 6-links, this build gem link can be a little expensive. After 6-link, you will need all 4-links.

Some gems can be hard to find. So, you may have to use trade or vendor for them.

These gem links will bring the best out of your build:

Cyclone (6-Link)	1) Cyclone 2) Rage (Divergent) 3) Infused Channeling 4) Awakened Fire Penetration 5) Awakened Elemental Damage with Attacks 6) Awakened Melee Physical Damage
Vaal Ancestral Warchief (6-Link)	1) Vaal Ancestral Warchief 2) Ancestral Protector 3) Combustion 4) Elemental Damage with Attacks 5) Fire Penetration 6) Melee Physical Damage
Auras (4-Link)	1) Summon Skitterbots 2) Herald of Purity 3) Precision 4) Enlighten Support (Level 3)
Leap Slam (4-Link)	1) Leap Slam 2) Vengeance 3) Rage 4) Blood and Sand
Blood Range (4-Link)	1) Blood Rage 2) Assassins Mark 3) Berserk 4) Enhance (Level 4)

Ascendancy Nodes

Follow the list of Ascendancy Nodes given in order. As soon as you get Ascendancy Points invest them on these nodes.

Bandits

For this build, save bandit lord Alira.

Pantheons

In this build, you should choose Soul of Lunaris.

For minor god, you have three choices. You can choose Soul of Gruthkul or Soul of Yugul, or Soul of Shakari.

Reaves Reborn Slayer Build

This build is for the ones who do not want to spend lots of currencies to get high damage. Although this build is cheap; you can pass any content in the game. You will not see any kind of unrealistic gear that you have to buy from vendors or players. 

If you are a league starter, this build can be the ideal one. This build can be said to be one of the best league starters build. Most of the Slayer builds use Cyclone but this build uses Reave gem. This build is a pseudo-melee build that has a big AOE.

Play Style

Reave is the main skill gem for this build which is used for damage. For more damage, it should be combined with Vaal Double Strike in boots and two Totems. Make sure you have a 100% hit chance all the time. To ensure this, you can buy gear, use a Precision gem or get Precision using passive points.

As gems will be focused on damage and precision, make sure your gears give you the life of at least +50. Carry curse flasks with you all time and get a mana leech source from gears or passives.

Also, get spell block and at least 75% attack block. For this build, Elemental Resistances should be at least 72% and you must have Freeze, Shock, and Ignite Immunities.

You have to use Steel Skin gem which you have to keep on your left-click all the time. Also, use Leap Slam for movement and get into many enemies to kill them at once.

Keep your Blood and Sand gem and Blood Rage active. Vaal Souls are necessary for bosses and should be used as much as you can.

Use Vaal Warchief for DPS boost and Vaal Reave to increase your range. Always keep your totems up for boss fights like Protector and Vaal Warchief.

Recommended Gears

As we mentioned, this build is flexible and cheap. Both cheap and expensive gears can be used in this build. So, if you want to build cheap or expensive here are all of the recommended gears for this build. These gears work well with this build. 

Leveling

For this build, use 2-handed weapons which are very cheap. War cries make 2-handed weapons strong so get them early. All the Acts in the game are easy in this build with only 4-links and two physical weapons. Refund all the passive points after leveling with the 2-handed weapons. 

Don’t forget to complete every side quest to get all the rewards. Before fighting every Kitava, completion of corresponding labyrinth trials is necessary. Always filter out Wisdom Scrolls which can be obtained by selling Whetstones.

Expensive crafting is not necessary for this build but getting the necessary gears and fast leveling, crafting can be a good idea.

Make sure you have 6.5K+ life for leveling. While leveling, for boss fights make sure you have Vaal Ancestral Warchief, Ancestral Protector, Blood Stance, and VDS clones. 

At the end-game there are some things you need if you want it to go smooth:

Gem Link

Reave will be your main skill gem and also with it, you can use Vaal Reave which should be set as an attack without moving. These are the gems set up for this build:

Reave (6-Link)	1) Reave 2) Rage Support 3) Awakened Melee Physical Damage Support 4) Divergent Multistrike Support 5) Awakened Brutality Support 6) Vaal Reave Vaal Reave is just for getting the attack stacks to 8 from 4. So, it may not be linked. You can use normal gems instead of Awakened ones if you cannot afford them. It should be used on your body gear.
Vaal Ancestral Warchief (4-Link)	1) Vaal Ancestral Warchief 2) Phantasmal Ancestral Protector 3) Tempest Shield 4) Impale Support Instead of Vaal Ancestral Warchief, you can use Ancestral Warchief. And, Ancestral Warchief can be used instead of Phantasmal Ancestral Protector. It should be used on your Helmet.
Steel Skin (4-Link)	1) Steel Skin 2) Leap Slam 3) Anomalous Reckoning 4) Life Gain on Support This should be used on your gloves.
Vaal Double Strike (4-Link)	1) Vaal Double Strike 2) Melee Physical Damage Support 3) Brutality Support 4) Anomalous Power Charge on Critical Support This should be used on your Boots.
Blood and Sand (3-Link)	1) Blood and Sand 2) Dread Banner 3) Multistrike Support This should be used on your Weapon.
Blood Rage (3-Link)	1) Blood Rage 2) Pride 3) Arrogance Support This should be used on your shield.

Ascendancy Nodes

For this build, choose these ascendancies nodes for this build listed in order of importance.

Bandits

For this build, save bandit lord Alira. You can also kill all the bandits for 2 Passive Points if you like.

Pantheons

For major gods, you can choose Soul of Arkaali. For minor god, you can choose Soul of Ryslatha.