Duelist
Gladiator====================================================================================
WELCOME
This is a comprehensive guide, that opens the campaign with 
Shield Crush and eventually swaps entirely over to a nearly-invincible 
Animate Guardian of Smiting 
Gladiator.
IF you are new to POE1, I'd rate this build as a 3/10 on the "hard to understand and replicate" scale.
IF you enjoy a more relaxed (and nearly AFK style) of POE1 gameplay, this is THE BUILD.
IF you are a veteran, the endgame version of this archetype is going to push the limits, and you will enjoy how it works.
I respond to all relevant comments on YT and am active in our Discord.
Please post questions in the channel in Discord. TYTY GL! <3
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Updates (07/20)
- We currently do not know for certain whether
Transfusion Support will be in the game in 3.29. If not, I consider this build bricked unless another source of Soul Eater is available.
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Meet Bob
Allow me to introduce: Animate Guardian of Smiting
He is known as "Bob", and in this build you will summon him as a persistent single minion, and he will kill everything while you build up nearly AFK immortal defenses on Gladiator. In his highest form, Bob will take out the massively dense and fastest Breach portal, or the insanely difficult 1600+ Delve unique bosses, all while you stand and watch.
The primary fuel for Bob is persistent Soul Eater stacks from a 
Corrupting Fever + Transfusion Support gem interaction, alongside Headhunter stacks from 
The Hallowed Monarch. You will also amplify Bob's damage while stacking your health pool (
Flame Link and 
The Grey Wind).
Meanwhile, with Gladiator 
More Than Skill and the bloodline layer from 
Corruption's Embrace, your defenses will scale to the point where you are unkillable.
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What does this guide do?
This is intended to be a day 1 league-launch comprehensive guide. You will roll a Duelist and for the campaign and early mapping will lean heavily on Shield Crush for efficiency and dependency-free progression.
When you have a few key items assembled for Bob, you'll make the hard swap to Animate Guardian or Animate Guardian of Smiting, and let Bob take it from here.
The final form in 3.28 was able to clear any map content as well as any event in 2000 depth delve. Let's push the limits even further in 3.29 (updates will be at the top of the guide).
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Regex
NOTE: I'll probably rework these as they've gotten rid of socket colors, so we will just look for links and then key affixes.
I've provided a very CAREFULLY curated REGEX for Acts 1,2,3 and 6 (gem swap). Note the descriptions of each so you understand how it works.
Regex for Act 1:
- Updated for 3.29 with color-neutrality: shows any 3-link
- Highlights movement speed
- Highlights any potential shield, you have to manually check stats
([rgb]-){2}[rgb]|-\w-|Runn|rint|s:.+sh
Regex for Act 2:
- Updated for 3.29 with color-neutrality: shows any 3-link and 4-link
- Highlights potential shields still
- Highlights movement speed
([rgb]-){2}[rgb]|-\w-.-|-\w-|Runn|rint|s:.+sh
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Shield Crush
