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PoE 2 Build

[0.3] Lazy's Ballista Banner Tactician

Mercenary

Verified

Tactician

0.3 TTE

Starter

End Game

By Lazy Exile

Updated on Nov 20, 2025

Nov 20, 2025

Build Overview

Hey guys, It's Lazy Exile, and I want to share my League Starter for 0.3.

This is going to be Ballista Totem + Banner Build on Tactician.

This guide will be keep up-to-date as I progress through the league in 0.3. Final Endgame Update Done. Max Difficulty Xesht also done with this End Game update.

Day 2 Update - Early Game Setup (can refer to Day 4 Setup instead of running 0 res)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfmGTMtOrDU

Day 3 Update - Budget MF setup (150-200% rarity)

https://youtu.be/vzm9yqPgokM

Day 4 Update - End Game Totem Banner Dual Curse

https://youtu.be/gPvV3KLr7E0

Build Summary

This is a build revolve around Ballista Totem (Mortar Cannon) and Banners (War Banner, Defiance Banner) with a Dual Curse setup (Elemental Weakness, Temporal Chains). A comfy totem setup where you can drop totem and let your totem do the works.
This play a lot similar to the traditional totem setup and place totem and go.

Defensive

Pinning is also insane on Tactician, and most of the time, you can kill enemies before they get a chance to fight back. Decently tanky in Armour and Evasion setup. The main thing is you can drop your totem and run around to dodge everything.

Offensive

Mortar Cannon have 100% uptime with pinning, and they will hardly die if you position them correctly. Elemental Weakness + Frost Bomb in this setup is a lot stronger than the traditional Crossbow build because we run Sceptre in our setup.

Ultimately, going for crit in the end game will give you enough damage for pinnacle bossing.

Content this is good for?

Mapping
Ritual (Banner + Totem is good for stationary content)
Abyss (Banner + Totem is good for stationary content)
Essence (Banner + Totem is good for stationary content)
Bossing (A lot of strong scaling vector for endgame)

Campaign Bonuses

Valley of the Titans (Act 2)

30% Increased Charm Effect Duration & +1 Charm Slot

The Venom Crypts

30% Elemental Ailment Threshold

Hall of the Dead

+5 Strength, +5 Dexterity, +5 Intelligence

Act 5.2 - Qimah - 7 Pillars

+5 to All Attributes (if lacking attributes)

+5% to Elemental Resistances (if lacking resistances)

3% increased Movement Speed (best choice)

Strengths and Weaknesses

Unique Ballista/Totem Playstyle
Beginner Friendly
Strong early game
Should scale relatively well into late game
Endgame version can clear Pinnacle boss

Banner is extra buttons
Visual Clarity (might be a plus)

Build Variants

End Game

Early Game

Budget MF

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4 & Interlude

This variant is meant for early mapping setup, with 2 ascendancies, and no banner. Once you have the 4th ascendancy, and a better crossbow, go to the endgame setup.

Budget: ~ 2 Divines or less

Level: 75-80+

Equipment

End Game

Early Game

Budget MF

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4 & Interlude

Set 1

Set 2

Equipment Priority

+11

Equipment Guide

Check the Vendor when you go back to town, paste the regex into the search box to highlight the items.

Gear & Stats Priorities

Weapon Set 1

Lifesprig (or any wand with fast cast speed)

I use Mana Drain to recover my mana
I think there are better option than this

Wrath Sceptre

Increased spirit (no definite number, but if you want to run my exact gem and support, 55+)
Intelligence (30+ since we need high intelligence to run at least level 18 Frost Bomb)
Use Perfect Essence of Command (Aura Magnitudes works with Banner, and will make it a lot better)

Weapon Set 2

Siege Crossbow (Highest lv base)

As high physical damage roll as possible
+1 to Ballista (BiS I think) / Increased Grenade Damage (also very good mod)
Attack speed / + Level to skills (attack skill craft with Perfect essence is fine)

Valako's Vice

Mainly for shock in the build, and also potentially works with Fulmination for AoE

Gladiatoral Helm (armour/evasion base)

Maximum life
Elemental resistances
Increased rarity

Breach Ring / Gold Ring

Add phys damage to attack (higher tier is better)
Elemental resistances
Maximum life / Increased rarity

Doedre's Damning

Additional curse

Death Mail / Dastard Armour (armour/evasion base)

Look for Highest roll of armour and evasion
Elemental resistances
Maximum life
Armour also applies to elemental damage

Fortress Sabatons (armour/evasion base)

Movement speed 30%+
Maximum life
Increased rarity / Elemental resistances

Utility Belt (rare belt)

+ Armour / Maximum life
+ Strength (at least +30)
Elemental resistances (if missing)

Skill Gems

End Game

Early Game

Budget MF

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4 & Interlude

Support Gem Requirements:

Str 30

Dex 55

Int 55

Expand all

Fulmination

Mana Drain

Blasphemy

Frost Bomb

Mortar Cannon

Wind Dancer

Companion: {0}

Overwhelming Presence

Mirage Archer

Gem Priority

+19

Important

Keep in mind, we are running Gem Enthusiast, so you need to have at least 10x green and red support gem. Fill the missing color in auto attack if needed.

Weapon Swap

In order to play smoothly, you will drop totem (auto swap to weapon set 2), and use Mana Drain, or Frost Bomb to swap back to weapon set 1

Skill Rotation

Drop Mortar Cannon
Cast Frost Bomb (auto swap to set 1)
Cast Mana Drain if run out of mana

For normal mobbing, just drop Mortar Cannon

Weapon Set 1 (Banner Setup)

Check the little box next to Used with weapon set I

Blasphemy - Set 1

Frost Bomb - Set 1

Companion: {0} - Set 1 & 2 - Haste Aura or Extra Phys Aura

Overwhelming Presence - Set 1

Weapon Set 2 (Mortar Cannon)

Mortar Cannon - Set 2

Wind Dancer - Set 2

Companion: {0} - Set 1 & 2 - Haste Aura or Extra Phys Aura

Mirage Archer - Set 2

Passive Tree

End Game

Early Game

Budget MF

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4 & Interlude

main:

123

set 1:

set 2:

Ascendancy

If you just get to map, Right Where We Want Them can be good with 2 ascendancy points, and slowly build up to run all the aura with A Solid Plan and Whoever Pays Best for banner.