Table of Contents
Introduction
Welcome to our Last Epoch Acolyte Build Tier List. The contents of this guide were sourced from Bina's Last Epoch Master Spreadsheet, where he details the builds that have been used and tested. The builds are tested against the following categories: Speed, Corruption, Arena, Tankiness, Single Target, Cycle Start, and Hardcore.
Tier List Explanation
S-Tier:
- What They Are: The best of the best. These builds outshine others in strength, flexibility, and effectiveness in almost every game scenario.
- Why Use Them: Perfect for players who want to excel in the game, tackling the toughest content with ease.
A-Tier:
- What They Are: Really powerful, just a notch below S Tier. Great at certain things, but not as universally adaptable.
- Why Use Them: Great for those who want a potent build that can handle most challenges without needing the absolute best.
B-Tier:
- What They Are: Dependable and effective, B Tier builds are good but lack the edge to push them to the top. They're balanced, offering a mix of damage and survivability but not excelling in any particular aspect.
- Why Use Them: Ideal for players who prefer reliability or are still mastering the game. They're good all-rounders.
C-Tier:
- What They Are: Average builds that can get the job done but might struggle with higher difficulty levels or efficiency. They might have notable weaknesses or require specific setups to shine.
- Why Use Them: Good for experimenting or for players who enjoy a challenge. They might also cater to unique, niche playstyles.
D-Tier:
- What They Are: The least powerful builds that are generally outclassed by other options. They might be fun or interesting but don't expect top-tier performance.
- Why Use Them: Best for casual play, trying something different, or self-imposed challenges. Not recommended for competitive or high-difficulty content.
| Tier | Class |
|---|---|
| S Tier | • Wraith Necromancer |
| A Tier | • Death Seal Lich |
| B Tier | • Golem Necromancer |
| C Tier | • Marrow Shards Lich • Hungering Souls Lich |
| D Tier | • Harvest Lich |
S Tier
Wraith Necromancer
In the shadowy corridors of power, where the veil between life and death is at its thinnest, a Necromancer calls forth an infernal legion. This isn't just any horde of the damned; it's an elite force of Fire Minions, summoned from the depths to unleash devastation. With Summon Wraith and Summon Volatile Zombie at their command, this Necromancer stands as a dark maestro, orchestrating an apocalypse with every gesture. The battlefield under their sway is a spectacle of explosive AoE, unmatched single-target DPS, and a fortress of survivability built upon cunning defensive strata.
Here's how you conjure this terrifying force:
- Flame Wraiths Unleashed: With Flame Wraith and the rare Adorned Immortal Idols, your Summon Wraiths transcend mere specters. They become incendiary archers, raining fire from afar, ensuring your wraiths are not just numerous, but pyric and precise.
- Volatile Vanguard: Your Summon Volatile Zombie is more than fodder; it's a cornerstone of your arsenal, a wellspring of Ward and a bastion of destruction, bolstering your ranks with its explosive demise.
- Shadows of Dread: Wield Dread Shade like a dark artisan, enhancing your minions with nodes of nightmares: Dying Coven, Grim Fate, and Lingering Doom. Each shade not just a whisper of death, but a promise of obliteration.
- Ward of the Uhkeiros: Draw upon the Twisted Heart of Uhkeiros, a relic of power that weaves Ward from the very fabric of death, shrouding you in an impenetrable veil of the ancients.
- Evasive Maneuvers: Employ Transplant not just as a means of escape, but as a tactical tool, refreshing buffs and repositioning with the cunning of a necrotic tactician.
While this dark symphony requires no Uniques to commence, there are artifacts that can elevate your dominion to the realm of legends:
- Aberrant Call: A whisper of power, turning each summon into a cacophony of destruction.
- Logi's Hunger: A maw that devours not flesh, but the essence of your foes, fueling your unholy crusade.
- Julra's Obsession: An obsession not with power, but with perfection, each minion a masterpiece of malice.
- Twisted Heart of Uhkeiros: The heart beats not with blood, but with the essence of ward, a bulwark against the tide of retribution.
A Tier
Death Seal Lich
Enter the realm of the Death Seal Lich, a nightmarish force that knows no bounds in its quest for dominance. This build combines fearsome single-target DPS with an impenetrable fortress of defensive strategies, making it an unstoppable force against any and all game content.
Core Mechanics:
- Reaper Transformation: Step into the shoes of the Reaper, maintaining this formidable form in the heat of battle to maximize your power. The key is to keep this transformation active, enhancing your presence and impact in every skirmish.
- Rip Blood & Doomcall Dynamics: The essence of this build lies in the relentless use of Rip Blood, which not only damages enemies but also bestows Damned Stacks upon yourself. Leveraging Marina's Lost Soul, the aim is to escalate Doomcall's damage to unparalleled heights, turning each encounter into a spectacle of destruction.
- Resource Management: This build is a delicate dance with death, where Death Seal plays a pivotal role. It's not just about dealing damage but also about flirting with the low-life threshold to unlock your true potential.
- Death Seal's Double Edge: Activating Death Seal is akin to opening Pandora's box, where you're rewarded with a significant damage reduction and an even more substantial damage multiplier. When intertwined with the Desperate Shroud and Corrupted Consciousness nodes, the result is a breathtaking surge of power that can turn the tide of any battle.
Mobility and Utility:
- Transplant and Reap: To navigate the chaos of combat, this build offers two agile movement skills. These abilities are your lifelines, ensuring that you're always in the right place at the right time, be it for unleashing havoc or evading peril.
Equipment Recommendations:
- Grimoire of Necrotic Elixirs, Marina's Lost Soul, & Omnis: While the build stands strong on its own, these unique items are the icing on the cake. They're not just add-ons; they're multipliers to your already formidable prowess, elevating your capabilities to their peak potential.
B Tier
Golem Necromancer
In the dimly lit chambers of necromantic arts, where silence whispers of unspeakable pacts, a Necromancer forges an alliance with the skeletal. At the heart of this dark covenant stands a monolith of marrow and might—the Bone Golem. Not merely a sentinel of bone, this golem is the epicenter of a cataclysmic strategy, a harbinger of destruction wrought from the very essence of necromancy: Rip Blood. This isn't just a tactic; it's an art form, turning each drop of life's essence into a maelstrom of Bone Shatters that rend the battlefield asunder.
Here's how you orchestrate this skeletal symphony:
- Betrayal and Blood: The Betrayal Node is your unholy scripture, guiding your hand as you Spam Rip Blood upon your golem. Each cast not just a wound, but a trigger, setting off Bone Shatters that cascade through your foes like a relentless tempest.
- Shrouded in Shadows: Cloak your golem in Dread Shade, a veil of darkness that amplifies its might, and bind your enemies with Bone Curse, marking them for destruction under the relentless march of your golem.
- Evasive Necromancy: Utilize Transplant not merely as an escape but as a strategic pivot, a dance of death and rebirth that refreshes your buffs and repositions you amidst the chaos of combat.
While this grim waltz demands no unique artifacts to begin, there are relics that can elevate your dominion to the echelons of legend:
- Death Rattle: A whisper from the grave, turning each spell into an elegy of demise.
- Ribbons of Blood: Bindings that do not just tether the soul, but amplify the chorus of destruction that your golem unleashes.
- Twisted Heart of Uhkeiros: The heart of a necromancer beats not with blood, but with ward, a bastion against the onslaught of retribution, ensuring your survival amidst the deadliest encounters.
C Tier
Marrow Shards Lich
The Marrow Shards Lich stands as a formidable force within the game, a true testament to what it means to be a sanguinary powerhouse. This build isn't just about raw power; it's about the artful dance of destruction and survival. With its exceptional single-target DPS and a robust defense system, it's equipped to conquer any challenge thrown its way.
Core Mechanics:
- Reaper Transformation: Embrace the essence of the Reaper, maintaining your presence in the thick of combat to leverage this form's full potential. The longer you can sustain this state, the greater your dominance on the battlefield.
- Marrow Shards & Bone Splinters: At the heart of this build lies the ability to shatter Marrow Shards, unleashing a lethal barrage of Bone Splinters. These splinters don't just scratch the surface; they pierce through the very core of your foes, delivering devastating damage.
- Resource Management: What sets the Marrow Shards apart is its unique cost mechanism. It demands no mana; instead, it exacts a toll on your health, adding a thrilling edge to your strategic play.
- Death Seal Dynamics: The build thrives on the brink of death, with Death Seal acting as a catalyst for the low-life playstyle. Activating Death Seal not only fortifies your defenses with a 33% damage reduction but also amplifies your offensive might with a 66% damage multiplier. This, when synergized with the Desperate Shroud and Corrupted Consciousness nodes, transforms you into an unstoppable force.
Mobility and Utility:
- Transplant and Reap: Mobility is key in any battle, and this build offers two exceptional movement skills to navigate the chaos of combat. Transplant and Reap are your gateways to strategic positioning and tactical retreats, ensuring you're always where you need to be.
Equipment Recommendations:
- Grimoire of Necrotic Elixirs & Omnis: While not essential, these unique items are the cherries on top of an already formidable build. They enhance your capabilities, pushing the build to its zenith and allowing you to experience the true pinnacle of power.
Hungering Souls Lich
The Hungering Souls Lich is a spectral force to be reckoned with, boasting a harmonious blend of area damage, peerless single-target DPS, and robust survivability. This build is a testament to the art of balance, capable of laying waste to everything the game throws its way.
Core Mechanics:
- Reaper Transformation: Embody the reaper and maintain this ethereal form amidst combat to leverage its full might. This transformation is more than a mere change in appearance; it's a significant boost to your battle prowess that you'll want to keep active continuously.
- Spectral Arsenal: Wield the spectral powers of Hungering Souls, Bone Curse, and Soul Feast to orchestrate a symphony of destruction. Hungering Souls is fine-tuned for devastating single-target impacts, while Bone Curse and Soul Feast create a deadly area of effect (AoE) maelstrom, ensuring no foe is left standing.
- Death Seal's Bargain: Embrace the edge with Death Seal, delving into a low-life strategy that's as daring as it is potent. With Deadlock, this ability becomes a dual-edged sword, offering a 33% cushion against incoming damage and a staggering 66% increase to your own damage output. The interplay with Desperate Shroud and Corrupted Consciousness Nodes magnifies this effect, bestowing buffs that are nothing short of transformative.
Resource Management:
- Mana Sustenance: Given the build's thirst for mana, it's crucial to invest in mana regeneration to keep your arsenal at the ready, ensuring that your spectral powers never wane.
Mobility and Utility:
- Transplant and Reap: Mobility is paramount, and with both an unspecced Transplant and Reap at your disposal, you're equipped to weave through the chaos of battle, positioning yourself for the perfect strike or a strategic retreat.
- Hungering Souls's Synergy: Harvested Legions plays a pivotal role, activating Hungering Souls's Grave Bond and Unholy Trinity Nodes, which are essential for unleashing the full fury of your spectral onslaught.
Equipment Recommendations:
- Lich's Relics: To ascend this build to its ultimate form, certain unique items are indispensable. Grimoire of Necrotic Elixirs, Marina's Lost Soul, and Omnis are not just additions; they're multipliers of your power, refining and amplifying your capabilities to their zenith.
D Tier
Harvest Lich
The Harvest Lich emerges as a dark harbinger, wielding the power to vanquish all in its path. With its exceptional DPS aimed at single targets and a fortress of defensive mechanisms, it stands tall as an indomitable force within the game.
Core Mechanics:
- Reaper Transformation: Embrace the essence of the reaper, maintaining this formidable stance amidst the fray to harness its full potential. This transformation is more than just an aesthetic change; it's a strategic advantage that you'll want to sustain for as long as possible.
- Harvesting the Battlefield: The crux of this build revolves around the skill 'Harvest', allowing you to reap through enemies with ease. It's not just an attack; it's a statement, obliterating anything daring enough to stand in your way.
- Strategic Sacrifice with Death Seal: The build takes a bold approach with Death Seal, embracing a low-life playstyle that's both risky and rewarding. Deadlock's integration means that while active, you not only mitigate incoming damage by 33% but also amplify your own damage output by 66%. The synergy with Desperate Shroud and Corrupted Consciousness Nodes further enhances this effect, offering buffs that are nothing short of monumental.
Mobility and Utility:
- Transplant and Reap: Mobility is key, and with Transplant and Reap, you have the tools necessary to navigate the battlefield's dangers and opportunities with precision. These skills ensure that you're always where you need to be, whether that's in the heart of combat or strategically repositioning for the next strike.
Equipment Recommendations:
- Armory of the Lich: To elevate this build to its zenith, certain unique items are highly recommended. Grimoire of Necrotic Elixirs, Siphon of Anguish, Shattered Chains, Omnis, and Titan Heart not only enhance your capabilities but also fine-tune the build's dynamics to perfection.
- The Crown Jewel - Death's Embrace: If fortune favors you with Death's Embrace, especially one with Legendary Potential, your DPS will skyrocket, placing you in a league of your own.
Conclusion
And that wraps up our journey through the Acolyte build tier list! I hope this exploration has shed some light on the various paths you can take with your Mage, from the unbeatable strategies of the S Tier to the unique quirks of the D Tier. It's been great diving into the strengths and nuances of each category with you.
Whether you're about to embark on a new adventure or refine your current strategy, I wish you thrilling battles and epic victories in Last Epoch. If you ever want to revisit this or delve into new builds, you know where to find me.
Until next time, may your choices lead you to triumph!
