Looking for beginner caster/ranged with base game classes only

Hi there!

Just purchased GD (base game only) - I’m long time player of PoE looking for a change.

I’m looking for a build guide (that doesn’t use too many acronyms that I don’t understand!) for a ranged/caster class (sorry - mastery?!) … but I can’t find any build guides for that style that are recent (last 6 months?) and use base game classes only. Everything I find is either very old (so out of date?) or uses the new masteries introduced in the DLC

So … can anyone recommend one or two range/caster build guides that are recent and base came masteries only pls?

Thx, ZedZed

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check build compendiums base game :slight_smile:

You can try lightning Rifle Elementalist or maybe dual pistols Pyromancer.

The thing is recent builds won’t help you, since the game have lots of newer items, devotions etc and not only classes…

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Druid, elementalist, pyromancer, sorceress, conjurer all are good caster classes.

Yes, that’s what I’m finding. Even old guides that look ok (mastery wise) have been updated to take into account weapons / devotions that came in AoF or FG. It’s pretty frustrating. Feels like I’ve pretty much got to make it up as I go along, or get the DLCs (when they are next cheap!).

Well, you can look here for builds that might be worth aiming for, though how much they’ve changed with the various updates to gear is anyone’s guess.

Get the expansions, man.

Best you can do is “Do the best with what I got” to quote generic merchants.

other than that, Vitality Conjurer definitely works the best with all that lifesteal, physical resist, absorb, and resist reduction frontloaded on it’s skills.

no Dark One set without AoM…

This is what I mean … even when I find a build using base game masteries … the recommended gear comes from an Expansion! It’s so very frustrating. Of course … this isn’t anyone on the forums fault (thanks everyone for the replies so far - a friendly bunch!) … I just feel like if the best gear even for base game masteries comes from the DLC/expansions, than feels a bit sneaky to be selling base game at £20 (and I know it’s been down to £6!).

I know I could just “play the game” … but I’m time poor and so can’t really afford 20-30 hours into a build that turns out to be a dead end. And I’m a total noob, so I probably would :slight_smile:

Anyhoo … if anyone has any further advice that would be great. Otherwise I guess I’ll play and see where I get to. Enjoy learning the game and working out my own shonky build!

well, since the expansion increased the level cap, of course expansion epics/legendaries, which are higher level than the max level of the base game, are stronger than any base game item.

That said, https://www.grimtools.com/db/advsearch?query=N4IgLgngDgpiBcoCSYYFsDKMwLAJwFcYBfAGhAEtU0AZGANxgBsFQ0KA7BANgAYyQAEyYBjViHoBDDhSZNJuQiWJA here are all the sets from the base game that are at least level 65 or higher (according to grimtools. I’m too lazy to check). Of course you can ignore things like oathkeeper bonuses, inquisitor things or necromancer that.

For the conjurer I mentioned, I’d probably good for a mix of Wildblood and maybe demonslayer jacket, but in all honesty, the lack of pinpointed support makes it look like I have a lot more of freedom in what to choose, and just picking a “plug-and-play” set might not be a good idea for everything even!

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