Poison Ward Stack Ghostly Artillery Pathfinder

The Ghostly Artillery Ward Stacker is a fun and mobile Mapper capable of tanking near-infinite Damage as long as it has something to hit back. Offering an Autobomber Playstyle for fast Mapping, but it is capable of swapping to a stationary projectile-spamming and tanky single-target stance to deal with anything the game throws at you.

This Character is built around the new unique Ghostflame Blade Dread Captain's Cutlass, specifically the special Mod only rollable on it: "Trigger Level 20 Ghostly Artillery when you Attack with this Weapon"

This Modifier is the only Trigger that happens on Attack, regardless of whether it hits or misses. Which means this skill can be used both as an Autobomber by triggering with Leap Slam and for Single Target with Molten Strike. The Skill Ghostly Artillery also comes built in with a special Version of Volley Support, which allows each Projectile to deal individual Damage! While not noticeable on its own, due to the parallel flight path, combined with Returning Projectiles Support or Nimis it allows each Projectile to converge on return and hit the same Enemy multiple times!

The only Downside of this Skill is that it locks both Weapon Slots with Ghostflame Blade and The Squire to have a 7-Link. As a result, it comes with low base Flat Damage. To mitigate this downside, one of several Stacking Packages has to be chosen. While Strength Stacking is an obvious choice with Replica Alberon's Warpath and later even with a shaper influenced Ghostflame Blade and Original Sin, the Ward Stacking option is way more interesting.

Ward Stacking got a HUGE Buff in 3.29 with the addition of Vestigial Uniques. Both Faithguard and Nightgrip transfer their Important Mod to other Uniques. Nightgrip Damage gets nerfed by 5%, BUT we lose the downside of Damage bypassing our Ward, which means we can combine it with Runic Boon "5% Chance to Restore your Ward on Hit".

Concluding in a near-immortal build, cause of the many Cannon Hits it causes each Second, and a very flexible Ascendancy Choice with several good options.

Mapping

Jump through the map with Leap Slam

When needing to be stationary for a league mechanic or boss, use Molten Strike

Toogling Plague Bearer whenever it is full is optional, but recommended whenever stationary.

Bossing

Position yourself on top of the Boss to cause maximum Projectile overlap on the Nimis Return.

On Pinnacle Bosses, pre-spam Projectiles 1 Second before the Boss is targetable (with Molten Strike)

If needed, reposition with Leap Slam and Frostblink

Toggle Plague Bearer whenever it is full.

Ward

Ward is a one-time energy shield that mitigates any Incoming Attack for the Ward Amount.

If you have 500 Ward, any hit for 500 or less Damage will be fully consumed, and a Hit for 600, for example, would deal 100 Damage to Life.

Regardless of the size of the Hit, Ward has a Set Cooldown of 2 Seconds until it reactivates. Your Ward is visualized by a Yellow-Golden Glow on your Lifebar. When it is consumed, it will stop glowing, and the Ward Number greys out.

Ward can be instantly reactivated by using a Iron Flask or procing Runic Boon:Boon of the River.

It can also be turned permanent by using Olroth's Resolve, but it is linked to a heavy downside, which you would have to mitigate with something like Beacon of Madness (Two-Toned Boots Armour/Energy Shield)

Additionally, the Ward Recovery Speed can be adjusted in both directions with Items like Faithguard or Olroth's Charge.

Flat Ward can only be gained from Runic Bases, droped during Expedition Encounters or from Shipment to Kalguuran Ports.

Ward scales only of Global Defenses, but can be scaled by Energy Shield if using a Faithguard

Ward offers no offensive capabilities by default. But has been used in several Builds in combination with Nightgrip or as a so-called Ward Loop build, repeatedly breaking and recovering Ward to proc Skills with Cast when Damage Taken Support or Cast on Ward Break Support.

Ghostly Artillery

Ghostly Artillery is a Unique Skill granted by the Ghostly Arm Modifier, which can only be found on a Dread Captain's Cutlass. It is not bound to the base item Ghostflame Blade, but the Unique Version instead.

Similar to other unique Skill Items like Arakaali's Fang and Soulwrest it is supported by all applicable Supports socketed in it and works with The Squire and all Supports socketed in that too.

It is a Projectile Attack with 207% Damage Effectiveness and a 0.15 Second Base Cooldown. It will trigger on each Attack regardless if it hits anything.

According to PoE Wiki and PoEDB, it has an AoE Radius, and it Damage scales with Concentrated Effect Support

The Cannons spawn on skill trigger and take about 1 Second to fire the Projectile; this delay cannot be modified with Attack Speed or Duration Modifiers.

02.08.2026 | Initial Write Up