Core Gems
Infernal Cry
This is the main skill of the build. We want to scale its level and quality as high as possible because it directly scales the damage and area of the whole setup.
Paquate’s Pact
This is our main damage engine. Infernal Cry triggers Paquate’s Pact, which applies Corrupted Blood to enemies. We stack Infernal Cry levels because Paquate’s Pact benefits from that scaling as well as it copies the main gem level for itself
Echoing Cry
Makes Infernal Cry repeat multiple times. This is one of the biggest reasons the build feels so good for mapping because every repeat covers a larger area and can clear several screens around you.
Fire Mastery
Adds another level to supported Fire Skills, which helps scale Infernal Cry.
Swift Affliction
More Damage over Time for our Corrupted Blood.
Brutality III
More Physical Damage. Corrupted Blood is Physical Damage over Time, so this is one of our important damage supports.
Utility / Defensive Gems
Herald of Blood
Used for extra explosions and clear.
Supports:
- Bleed IV
- Heft
- Armour Break / Armour Explosion
- Uruk’s Smelting
These help with additional clear and Armour Break
Magma Barrier
Mainly used for the alternative-quality Maximum Block Chance bonus.
Scavenged Plating
Extra Armour.
Arctic Armour
Another defensive layer. Alternative quality gives increased Armour per stage.
Blood Hunt / Boss Utility
Blood Hunt is mainly there for bosses and tanky rares.
Supports:
- Bleed IV
- Rapid Attacks
- Magnified Area
- Culling Strike
We use it to apply Incision, which works together with Thousand Cuts. At 10 Incision stacks, the enemy takes significantly more Physical Damage. We do not care about Blood Hunt causing Bleeding, which is why Bleed IV works perfectly here.
Why Are There So Many Other Gems?
This is the part that looks confusing at first.
Most of the extra skill gems are NOT actually used.
They are there because of the Gemling Legionnaire ascendancy.
With Virtuous Barrier, socketing skills gives us Modes based on their attribute requirements. For example, a Strength-requirement skill gives Strength Modes, and each Strength Mode increases our Maximum Life.
That is how we can still reach around 3,000 Life even while wearing a lot of uniques and farming gear.
So if you see gems like Shockwave Totem, extra Warcries, or other red Strength gems in the setup, you are not supposed to press them. They are simply socketed to generate more Strength Modes.
Gem Studded
We also use extra support gems to take advantage of Gem Studded.
The important thing is balancing the number of support gems with different attribute requirements so we can activate multiple Gem Studded bonuses at the same time.
In my current setup I keep the support-gem counts balanced enough to benefit from things :
- No Critical Damage Bonus against us
- Reduced Skill Costs
- Reduced movement penalty
So again, some support gems may look completely pointless for the skill they are socketed into. That is intentional. They are there for the ascendancy bonuses, not because we actually need their support effect.
Priority
If you are just starting the build, focus on:
Infernal Cry → Paquate’s Pact → Echoing Cry → Fire Mastery → Swift Affliction → Brutality
After that, add your defensive/utility gems, then fill the remaining sockets with the attribute gems and support gems needed for Virtuous Barrier + Gem Studded.
The actual filler skill does not matter much. What matters is its attribute requirement and what Mode/support count it gives you.
Mercenary
Gemling Legionnaire
