How to Make a Build - For Total Noobs

I'm not an expert at PoE, but I've learned a few things about making builds through experimenting on my own. I've read through build guides and watched videos, but I've always made and played my own builds. This guide is by no means the only or best way to make a build. Rather, this is a summary of my own process.

Some players create builds based on specific unique items, others begin with a certain skill and seek to explore its maximum potential, and some builds are for specific end-game content. There are many methods for making builds, but I'm going to share what works for me, and what I think is a straightforward method for new PoE players. After endless tinkering with custom builds - most of them unsuccessful - I've finally developed a process that's increased my knowledge of the game and how to play it.

There is one really important factor to making a build if you're a PoE noob - RESEARCH! The PoE Wiki[www.poewiki.net] is your friend. If you're unwilling or don't have the time to research the many facets involved in making your build, then perhaps you should go with an established online build guide instead.

Never assume anything about PoE. Making a build without a comprehensive understanding of everything involved in the build, including skill gems, passives, gear, etc. means you're probably making a lot of mistakes and the build won't work as anticipated. Do yourself a favor and research the sh!t out of this game. It takes hours and hours, but the more you know about PoE the more you'll enjoy it and appreciate its depth.

Most Builds Need These Things

Damage
Do you know the impact of 'Increased Damage' compared to 'More Damage', or how much 'Flat Damage' can increase your DPS? DoTs, or debuffs can significantly increase DPS, too. How do you know if 'Attack Speed' or 'Cast Speed' is crucial to your build? There are simply too many factors that effect DPS for me to list them all here, but this link (and its numerous other embedded links) will explain all you need to know about dealing damage in PoE...
https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Damage

Zizaran has a YT video as a good example of increasing a build's DPS, here...
https://youtu.be/MPPcUX94bXk?si=0YR16Qo7t0Ckofqo

Of course, every build needs to deal damage, but if that's the primary focus of your build, odds are it won't perform to your expectations. Sure, a glass cannon build can take you relatively far into the end game vs certain content, but I subscribe to the idea that a well rounded build with layers of survivability generally performs better overall.

Regardless of your class and preferred style of play, most builds need the following things to be successful...

Life Regen
Your build needs more than just a couple of life flasks to replenish that red orb. In the end game, you're going to need those flask slots for a more active part of your build. So, without using life flasks, how do you intend to regain life? Health Regen, Life Leech, Life Gain on Hit, Life Gain on Kill, etc. should all be a consideration for your build. This is not to imply that you shouldn't use healing flasks, on the contrary, you should continue using them until your build reaches the point that you have enough life gain from other sources that you can substitute a life flask with something that gives your build a bit more power or survivability. However, many builds continue using 1 life flask with certain modifiers as part of the finished build.

Mana Regen
Your build also needs more than a couple of mana flasks to replenish that blue orb. In the end game, you're going to need those flask slots for a more active part of your build. So, without using mana flasks, how do you intend to regain mana? Mana Regen, Mana Gain on Hit, Mana Gain on Kill, or using Life to substitute for some, or all, of your skills mana costs should all be a consideration for your build. Reduced mana costs of skills is great for builds with high mana cost skills. This is not to imply that you shouldn't use mana flasks, on the contrary, you should continue using them until your build reaches the point that you have enough mana gain from other sources that you can substitute a mana flask with something that gives your build a bit more power or survivability. However, many builds continue using 1 mana flask with certain modifiers as part of the finished build.

Energy Shield
For builds that use Energy Shield (ES) as a major part of the build, you should consider how to maximize its effectiveness. ES has a 2 second delay before it begins recharging. That doesn't sound like much, but considering how fast vast amounts of damage are dealt in the end game, decreasing that delay is vital for an ES build. Similarly with life and mana gain, ES builds need ways to Increase the speed and amount of ES gain in combat. There are several passive tree nodes, gear, gems, and jewels that all bolster an ES build. Simply stacking ES and relying on the default recharge rate is generally a bad idea.

Flask Management
Similar to life and mana management, flask management is crucial for every build. Even the best flasks are only as useful as the frequency with which you can activate them. Consider how to increase the rate at which your flasks gain charges, their total number of charges, reduced charges when used, and their duration, to add that extra oomph for your build. There are some passive tree clusters and various gear that can help with this issue. Again, similar to managing ES, relying on the default flask recharge rate, duration, and effects means you are gimping your build.

Movement Speed
Movement speed may, or may not, be the most crucial feature of your build, but it certainly elevates most builds from 'just ok' to actually viable. Not only does increased movement speed help level up your character faster, it's essential for 'clear speed' of end game content and also for maintaining Power, Endurance, and Frenzy charges, or other buffs that rely on 'on kill' and 'on hit' by attacking mobs. One of the best ways to maintain those charges and buffs is to quickly get from one mob to the next before those charges and buffs expire. Travel and Blink skills certainly help zip around the map, but few things can substitute for a high movement speed. Additionally, one of the best ways to increase the survivability of your build is to not not get hit in the first place. A high movement speed rewards players willing to take a more active play style vs end game content. Quicksilver flasks, boots with increased movement speed, certain passive tree nodes, and certain gear are all things to consider for your builds.

Minimizing Debuffs & Critical Strike Damage
Another consideration for the survivability of your build is how to minimize the effects of, or how to make yourself immune to, certain debuffs and Critical Strikes. No matter how well you play, you're going to get targeted by curses, ailments, and other nasty debuffs. Sometimes these are merely a minor annoyance, but sometimes they're powerful enough to kill your character in a matter of seconds. Debuffs that lower your resistances are incredibly deadly. While not every build has options for mitigating debuffs and Critical Strikes, when at all possible you should consider how to reduce their impact, or even better, how to gain total immunity to them. Some of the most common debuff killers are bleeding, freeze, shocked, and poison (chaos damage over time). Likewise, mitigating Critical Strikes, even by just a little bit, adds another important layer of survivability to your build. The '30% Reduced extra Damage from Critical Strikes' node from the passive tree is never a bad choice for your build.

Defenses!!!
Evasion, Armor, and Energy Shield are all important, and most builds typically focus on two of those three layers for defense. HOWEVER, your build also needs an extra layer of defense like Spell Suppress, Shield Block, Dual-Wield Block, or Spell Block, etc. at MAX VALUE if possible. Other options include damage reduction with Endurance Charges, or stacking Pantheon buffs with similar damage reduction features from skills or passives. Certain Ascendancies have defensive options not available anywhere else in the game. Some builds even use their vast mana pool as a resource to absorb damage. However you do it, it's much more important than you might think, otherwise your build probably won't survive the high-tier end game content. The key to most successful builds is that they have excellent defensive layers, not just millions of DPS.

Your first decision is which format do you want to play - Standard or League.

League
For league play you'll need a build that levels fast because leagues typically reset every three or four months. At the beginning of a new league everyone starts out with literally nothing. However, a trading economy soon develops and eventually players can get pretty much any gear they want - if they can afford it. When a league resets, all your characters and stash are transferred to Standard format. If you enjoy fast paced gaming, diving into new content, and competing with other players to complete challenges, then league play is probably a good choice for you.

Standard
Standard format is 'eternal', meaning you can play a character without the pressure of a looming league reset, however you don't get to try out the newest league mechanics and content. As someone with relatively limited time to play PoE, I decided that Standard format is better suited for me. I enjoy doing things at my own pace, and I often get the itch to try new builds while I still have characters in development. It's fun for me, but it's not an efficient way to play in a League.

Hardcore, Solo Self-Found, & Ruthless
There are also Hardcore and Solo Self-Found (SSF) options. Hardcore builds are yet another way to make a character. If you enjoy the challenge and extreme pressure of not dying in PoE, then Hardcore is right for you. If you want to play PoE as a purely solo venture (no trading economy), dependent on your own crafting and RNG for gear, then SSF is a suitable choice. If you're a masochist and enjoy punishing yourself, you can also try newest mode, Ruthless. I've tried Ruthless a few times, and I gotta say, it's not my cup of tea. However, if you truly enjoy the struggle, give Ruthless a try.

Do what feels right for you and play the game the way you enjoy.

Lets Begin at the End

There are so many options in PoE that one of the biggest challenges to making your own build is deciding how to begin. Personally, I like to begin by selecting a class ascendancy. Obviously, certain classes are structured for melee, ranged, or spells, but there's a lot of potential crossover for classes and playstyles. For me, the class ascendancy helps narrow the overwhelming build options, and it helps me plan the build from start to finish. Keep in mind that you'll get your first two ascendancy points around level 35 to 40ish after completing your first Labyrinth, and more pairs of points around level 60ish & 75ish. The last set of ascendancy points you might not get until level 80ish or higher. So plan accordingly while leveling your character.

I've also found that rather than trying to force my preconceived ideas for a build into an ascendancy, I've had more success by keeping an open mind and letting the ascendancy skills guide the process. This was an important epiphany for me to elevate my builds from craptastic to actually playable because it encourages synergy throughout the development of your build.

A typical class ascendancy has two main skill paths and two minor skill paths. Main skill paths tend to be more specific in focus and usually consist of 4 linked skills, while minor skill paths tend to offer a bit more flexibility or utility and consist of 2 linked skills.

Selecting ascendancy skills should provide a strong indication of what the build needs for passives and skill gems. I like to search the passive tree for nodes related to each main ascendancy skill. This gives me an idea about how easy or difficult it is to path to the nodes I need to complement the ascendancy skills. For example, The Ranger Pathfinder has two main skills related to chaos damage and poison - Nature's Reprisal and Master Toxicist. Searching the passive tree for chaos and poison nodes reveals many clusters from the bottom of the tree, along the right side of the tree, and all the way up to the top of the tree. We could create a Dex+Str build by pathing along the bottom of the passive tree, a pure Dex build by focusing on the right side of the tree, or perhaps a Dex+Int build by pathing towards the top of the tree. This is extremely important not only for the ascendancy skills we want, but also for the base stat requirements (Str, Dex, Int) of the skill gems which we'll select in the next step. A lot to consider!

Certain main and minor ascendancy skills might seem like a perfect combo, but the passive tree nodes you need to synergize with them are spread out all over the place and require the vast majority of your skill points. Your build still needs a lot of points for life and survivability. Passive tree cluster locations shouldn't be the only factor in selecting ascendancy skills, but it certainly helps me understand the relationship between the passive tree and the ascendancy skills I want for my build.

So, which ascendancy skills should we choose? I suggest dividing the ascendancy skills into 4 points of offense and 4 points of defense/utility skills. I also suggest you prioritize your ascendancy skills and determine exactly in which order you want to acquire them. Generally, if your build is tanky and relies on certain ascendancy skills for important offense boosts, then prioritize those skills first. On the other hand, if your build is a bit squishy, then you should prioritize defense ascendancy skills first.

Earning ascendancy points is part of a series of Labyrinth quests. If you're unfamiliar with the Labyrinth you definitely need to watch some videos and read up on it.

https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/The_Lord%27s_Labyrinth

More Research!

There are so many skill gems, and GGG is always cooking up new skills and revising old skills. How do we narrow our options for choosing a skill gem for our build, and why are we doing this before we complete our passive tree?

Usually, your selection of skill gems has a huge impact on your selection of passive tree nodes. So, it's easier to start with the skill gem and search the passive tree for proper nodes, rather than putting points into rando passives and trying to find a skill gem that works with them. It's also not uncommon to have two sets of different attack skill gems in weapons you can swap, one for clearing packs of mobs, and another for killing bosses. Ideally we can do both with one set of skill gems, but that's not always possible.

For my offense skills I like to plan my build by picking one active skill gem and three support gems, because 4 link items are relatively easy to come by even in the early game. However, you might not get a good 5 or 6 link item until the late game. If you absolutely need a 5 or 6 link item for you build to work properly, you'll likely encounter difficulties unless you find or purchase certain 5/6 link items. The 6 link Tabula Rasa unique body armour is a common solution for this problem.

Most builds have one active attack/spell skill, but it's not uncommon to have a second active attack/spell skill to boost or complement the main skill. Many builds utilize 'auto skills' via support gems like 'Cast on Critical Strike', 'Cast on Melee Kill', 'Cast When Damage Taken', 'Cast When Stunned', and 'Cast While Channeling'. Every build needs a movement or blink skill. Many builds boost their dps by utilizing minion gems like golems, or with totem skills. Auras and Curses are also very popular, for good reason. The Blasphemy support gem turns Curses into Auras, hooray! Finally, most builds have an 'Oh Sh!t' skill like Molten Shell, Steelskin, or Immortal Call.

When selecting skill gems, always pay close attention to several factors, and I again suggest checking every detail of skill gems on the PoE Wiki. There are a lot of good tips and suggestions on most of the skill gems. It takes time to research so many skill gems, but PoE is all about details, and learning all the details makes you a better player with better builds.

How does the skill gem interact with, or how is it impacted by, your ascendancy skills?
In addition to figuring out how to maximize your skill gems with the passive tree, you should first consider how your ascendancy skills interact with your desired skill gems. In my opinion, this is one of the most important considerations for choosing your skill gems. This is because many ascendancy skills radically alter how certain skill gems work or have a major impact on their potential damage. For some ascendancy skills you can think about them as if they are uber-support gems for your skill gems.

What character level is the skill gem?
I'm referring to the required character level to use the gem. You need something for the early game, and it's possible you might continue using that skill gem for your entire build. It's also possible the skill gem you really want for your build isn't usable until level 30ish, so what will you do until then?

What base stats (Intelligence, Dexterity, Strength) are required to use the gem?
Check the PoE Wiki for the gem level 1 through 20 base stat requirements if it's a skill gem you plan on developing all the way into the late game. It really sucks when you're unable to even socket a gem or continue leveling an important skill gem because you didn't consider the base stat requirements. Plan accordingly with proper gear and passive tree bonuses to your base stats! Also keep in mind that you might not need all your skill gems at level 20. Maybe you only need or want to invest the minimum base stats necessary just to equip the gem at level 1 and keep it that way.

What type of weapon is required to use the skill gem, and what kind of base stats are required to use that type of weapon?
When you're not totally familiar with all the available skill gems it's easy to mistakenly plan a build based on a weapon type that's incompatible with your selected skill gem, or a weapon type with base stat requirements contrary to the base stat requirements of the skill gem. It's easier, although not absolutely necessary, to make a build when the base stat requirements for the skill gems match the base stat requirements for your preferred weapon and gear.

What is the damage effectiveness % of the gem?
Attack and spell skill gems have a damage effectiveness % modifier, meaning that some skills get a 200% or higher bonus, while others only have 25%. This means if you have a weapon with a +10 damage bonus with a skill gem at 100% damage effectiveness, the +10 damage bonus stays a +10 bonus. But if you have a skill gem with 200% damage effectiveness, the +10 bonus is essentially doubled to +20! Of course, a gem with damage effectiveness below 100% will only benefit by a fraction of damage bonuses. It's math. This is true for flat damage modifiers on all of your gear.

Generally, skill gems with single targets or small AoE have higher damage effectiveness % modifiers, while skill gems capable of hitting wide areas have lower damage effectiveness % modifiers, but there are notable exceptions. Consider how to maximize the damage effectiveness of your attack skills, and don't be dissuaded by skill gems with low damage effectiveness %. Certain skill gems are so powerful they need a low damage effectiveness % for balance.

How do you acquire the skill gem?
Through a quest reward, vendor, or otherwise? Certain gems are drops only.

What tags are associated with the skill gem?
There are many different tags, and they are important for linking support gems and selecting passive tree nodes relevant for your main skill gems. If you don't know what a certain tag means, look it up on the wiki - it might be crucial to the viability of your build! More tags doesnt necessarily mean a skill gem is better, rather it's a more complicated gem.

How exactly does the skill gem function and what are its mechanics?
Again, PoE Wiki is invaluable in this regard because the description on the gem infographic is almost never as thorough as the details available in the PoE Wiki. A really important thing to research is if the skill gem 'hits' enemies, as many support skill gems depend on the active skill gem making a 'hit'. This is also not always clearly explained in the skill gem infographic. Notably, many Skill gems that don't hit will link with Support gems that require a hit, but your Skill gem won't actually benefit from the Support gem. So, just because you are allowed to link certain Skill and Support gems doesn't always mean they actually work together.

Is the skill gem good at clearing packs or single targets?
In the early game, my suggestion is to use a skill gem with AoE, splash, or multi-hits that's good at clearing packs. A single target skill gem is only viable in the early game if you can immediately link it with a support gem that has AoE, splash, or multi-hit options. In other words, it's easier if the skill gem already has the capability to hit several targets without relying on support gems. Another reason for selecting a skill gem with the capability of hitting multiple targets is because most support gems which provide hits on multiple targets also decrease your attack dps. In the early game this can cripple your dps - especially if you're using a mediocre damage effectiveness % gem - and slow down your level progression.

Everything about gems and Active Skills is here...
https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Skill_gem

Everything about support Gems is here...
https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Support_gem

How Many Skill Points?
Most builds plan on enough passive points up to level 90, which is typically 113 points if you kill all the bandits for the 2 bonus points. However, leveling up to 90 takes a long time unless you're an efficient and dedicated daily player. Leveling up to the max of 100 is something only the most serious players are willing to do, and most build guides don't include passive tree points up to level 100. I tend to plan the most essential parts of my builds with 103 points up to level 80, with the understanding that the last 10 points will gradually trickle in as I grind up to level 90 and 113 points.

Based on the ascendancy skills, the skill gems, and the base stat requirements for gems and gear, it's time to figure out how to make an efficient path on the passive tree. Here are some general suggestions about planning your passive tree path...

Stay focused on the needs of the ascendancy skills, skill gems, and gear.
One of my favorite things about PoE is the passive tree. I enjoy just looking at it. There are so many possibilities, but also many ways to get sidetracked on your build. You can't have everything you want on the passive tree, so you need to really focus on the few things your build truly needs! Make every point count.

How to Path on the Passive Tree

Branches
The passive trees of pro builds often have sprawling branches between node clusters, and there are a few reasons why. First, those branches serve a purpose other than simply connecting important node clusters for the build. They provide a substantial amount of stat bonuses with each node a +10 bonus to Str, Int, or Dex. This allows use of certain skill gems with high base stat requirements in the early and mid game, often before you have significant stat bonuses on your gear. Those stat bonuses also add up to help boost the core mechanics of every build, like life, mana, accuracy, evasion, energy shield, etc. So there's nothing unusual or wrong while theorycrafting your build to have passive tree branches stretching from one side of the skill tree all the way to other side. In fact, it's kind of odd not to.

Life Clusters
I try to path the branches of my passive tree so life node clusters are within easy reach. If I have to path along several nodes just to get to a life cluster, it better be worth it! Typically, most of the passive trees for my builds either have life clusters on the main branches, or within 2 to 3 nodes away from the main branches. The only exception to this might be if I'm pathing to the massive life cluster near the center-left of the passive tree that has 40% increased total life. Most life clusters have between 15% to 25% increased total life.

Prioritize
Another pathing option is to prioritize certain node clusters or Keystones, and path directly to those nodes in a specific sequence to boost your skill gems, or to coordinate your passive tree nodes with gaining certain Ascendancy skills. For example, if making a trap build, it makes sense to path to the nodes for extra traps before completing other node clusters. Or you might path to a few shield block node clusters for your Tempest Shield build before developing other clusters.

Regardless of which pathing method you use for your build, keep in mind a few more things listed below...

How much offense do I need?
I plan my builds by allocating 45ish points to my most important offense node clusters, including all the nodes along the path to get to those clusters. That's about 1/3 of the 113 total points! Then I path to life clusters and utility options. When playing my builds I path to a couple of my offense node clusters, or skill gem related nodes, early in the game. In the very early game you don't need to be a tank, and a fledgling offense on the passive tree helps level your character much faster.

Another consideration for offense is damage type. There are many types of damage, and it helps to focus on one type of damage or multiple damage types that work together on the passive tree. For example, nodes for projectile damage and bow damage for a ranged build, or dagger damage and one-handed melee weapon damage for a melee build. The PoE Wiki usually lists which types of damage increase the dps of skills. More research!

How much life do I need?
This depends on several factors, including if you're making an energy shield (ES) build instead of a life build, but generally I like to aim for about 200% life bonus for melee/tanky builds, and a minimum of 175% for anything else. Certain areas of the passive tree are kind of sparse with life nodes, so it may take a lot of points to path to the life bonuses you need for the build.

A good rule of thumb is to have 300 life for each Act, so upon finishing Act 10 you have 3K life. Combining life increases from the passive tree with life increases on your gear, you should be able to attain 300 life per Act without much difficulty. Many PoE noobs complain about one-shot deaths from unique and rare monsters, and it's often because of their paltry life total. 3K life is just enough to do low tier atlas maps without dying very often.

Resists?
Most pro builds don't spend many points for resistances on the passive tree. If you're playing in a trading format, it's not difficult to cap your resists with bonuses from gear. However, there are situations for which it's incredibly helpful to include resists on your passive tree. If you're playing SSF (solo self found) resists bonuses from the passive tree are useful until you get enough bonuses from your gear, then refund those resists passive points. Another consideration is that you don't have to worry as much about including fat resists on all of your gear. This means you can use gear with more offense focused mods. However, the trade-off is usually in favor of resists on your gear and more offense/life on the passive tree. BUT, any chance you get to add 1%+ max resist on the passive tree is well worth it! It's more significant than you may realize.

To Keystone, or not to Keystone?
The Keystones are the largest nodes on the tree, and they dramatically alter the mechanics of the game. Before establishing your path on the passive tree, you need to determine which, if any, Keystones are absolutely necessary for your build. Don't feel like you must include Keystones in your passive tree, but certain builds simply won't work without them. Most of my builds typically have 1 to 4 Keystone nodes.

Run the Jewels
How many jewel sockets do you need on the passive tree? This really depends on the specific needs of a build, but generally I don't go out of my way to path to jewel sockets. If there happens to be a jewel socket just one or two nodes away from my main path, then maybe I'll include it if I've already covered all the other needs of the build like life and offense. Most of my builds have 0 to 3 jewel sockets, but similar to making a build based on specific unique gear, you can make a build based on several specific 'unique' jewels. Some pro builds have as many as 5 or 6 Jewels in their passive tree. Keep in mind that some unique jewels are limited to only 1 or 2 jewel sockets in the passive tree. Do your research!

Cut Corners!
While planning your passive tree path, it should evolve as you add the necessary nodes for the build. It's not unusual for me while planning my build to 'finish' a 113 point passive tree, then go back and find ways to make a more efficient path with fewer points. Many builds tend to have a few main branches, with relevant node clusters attached to those branches. You'll likely have to really spread out to get life nodes, power/endurance/frenzy charge nodes, specific nodes for weapon/damage types, or nodes that complement your skill gems. In fact, it's very unusual for a build to have all of its passive skill points crowded together in one area of the passive tree.

As mentioned earlier in the guide, some builds are based solely around specific unique items. I enjoy crafting gear and collecting unique drops rather than trading for unique items, but that's just my solo self found preference. If you enjoy trading and selling items, then you should definitely research unique items to complement your build.

Similar to passive tree Keystones, some unique items totally change the game mechanics or sidestep certain restrictions. Don't assume you need high level or expensive unique items for your build. Many low level uniques have amazing abilities or modifiers, and many uniques are quite affordable. For example, you might plan on unique items with redundant abilities from your passive tree, which means you can go back and refund those passive tree points for something else. Or you might find unique items that stack modifiers or important abilities for your build. You might end up not finding any uniques specifically well suited for your build and that's ok! Rare gear is often more powerful than uniques and there's an infinite variety of rare gear in PoE.

Most game mechanics and abilities described in the PoE Wiki include a list of related unique items. Want to make the ultimate frenzy charge build with unique gear? Check the PoE Wiki!

As a general suggestion, I like gear which includes a hefty amount of life (or ES if going that route) and resists. I often craft extra life and resists - especially chaos resist - onto my rares to fill in any gaps in my life total and defense.

Another common mistake by PoE noobs when following a build guide, or when they hit an end game wall, is their gear is not optimized for their build. If you want a build capable of taking you into the high tier end game content, you need to squeeze every bit of survivability and DPS out of your gear. Investing in expensive gear (if playing in a trading format) or using a ton of currency to craft better gear (if playing SSF) is worth it.

Flasks
There are several different flasks in PoE, and these are just as crucial as all your other gear, if not more so. A common, and kinda lame, complaint about PoE is 'playing the piano' due to the repetitive use of flasks. But the benefits of flasks are too strong to ignore. If you want to survive end game content, you will absolutely need to use most or all of your flasks often for defense and offense boosts. So you better get used to tapping those 1 through 5 number keys.

Don't Get Gear Trapped While Leveling!
While leveling your character you might find yourself extremely dependent on certain pieces of gear for life and resist bonuses. It's tempting to continue upgrading your other gear with fat offense bonuses - ignoring life and resists - while hanging on to your lower level boots and gloves with sweet life and resist bonuses. It's a crutch, and at some point being too dependent on a couple of items for life and resists will really mess up your progress. It's kind of like a wobbly Jenga tower that collapses if you remove just one wrong piece. The best solution is to spread out your life and resist bonuses on almost all of your gear. In fact, I suggest having an extra 20-30% total resists beyond the max, so when you do need to upgrade gear it doesn't hurt too much if the new item has a little bit less resists than the old item.

Alright, you've figured out the ascendancy skills, skill gems, passive tree, and gear for your build. You have all that stuff memorized right? It helps me a lot to make a diagram of how my build will develop as I level up my character. I like to take screen shots of the skill gem and support gem infographics and arrange them based on character level requirements so I have a better understanding of the development of my build. I also add up all the reserved mana necessary for auras, curses, etc., and make notes of the required base stats for skills and gear. Then I go back and check the passive tree to make sure I'm meeting all the necessary requirements for everything to work.

Resources like Path of Builder, PoE Planner, and Mikelat's Aura Calculator, etc. are incredibly helpful for double checking the details of your build. It's also a good idea to get other opinions on your builds. Even seasoned players make mistakes or misunderstand how certain things work when testing a new build. The PoE build forum is active and helpful, PoE Reddit often has fast responses by veteran players, and even Steam has some helpful resources. If you have any friends who play PoE, ask their opinions of your build. There are so many possibilities in PoE it's quite likely you're overlooking opportunities to min/max your build and make it as good as possible. Be willing to listen to advice when it's given and don't respond like a crybaby if someone rips your craptastic build.

Whatever process works for you, it's worth the time to plan it out and double check all the details of your build before spending hours and hours leveling up your character only to discover you made a major mistake and have to start over.

Good luck Exile!