In this guide, we will take a closer look at the universal build for any league – Hexblast Mines build. This build performs well at the start of the season, when you have no currency, but also does not sag in the late game, and also copes well with bosses. However, PoE is famous for its flexibility, which means that it is quite easy to make a mistake in the build. Here you will learn step by step about gem setup, skill tree, Ascendancy, and more.
Hexblast Mines Gameplay
The main source of damage is Hexblast itself, which deals Chaos Damage. With Wither supported by Spell Totem Support, we place a debuff on enemies that increases the Chaos Damage they receive. What’s more, due to Wither’s curse, Hexblast starts dealing massive AoE damage, greatly increasing your damage and kill speed. To quickly move Hexblast build uses Shield Charge, which also deals damage, however, negligible.
In general, the gameplay is quite simple and repetitive: debuff with Wither, use Hexblast, move with Shield Charge, but the devil is in the details, which we will analyze below.
Hexblast Mines Pros & Cons
Any build has weaknesses and strengths that you need to understand in order for your gameplay to be successful.
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Great DPS with minimal gear | May be mana issues until the right jewelry |
| Not a glass cannon | Can be one shotted |
| Auto targets enemies | You need Curse on Hit ring for Hexblast |
There are no builds without cons, and Hexblast seems to have the most optimal weaknesses and exceptionally great strengths.
Leveling tips for Hexblast Mines
Leveling Hexblast does not seem to be particularly difficult, as many of the necessary items for the build will drop as you progress through the acts. However, there are points that need to be highlighted so that you do not have problems.
- First of all you have to use Curse on Hit ring for Hexblast mines. Without it, it is extremely inconvenient to play this build.
- Until you hit level 28, rely on Stormblast Mine combined with Orb of Storms. Set down your Orb of Storms first, then toss the Stormblast Mine inside the circle to trigger its power. When you reach level 28, switch to Pyroclast Mine until you’re ready for Hexblast. Even if you aren’t using Hexblast immediately, keep it in your off-hand slot so it gains experience. Remember, gems in backup weapons still level up, even if you aren’t using them!
Equipment Tips:
- For Merveil, wear a Sapphire Ring.
- For Vaal Ruins in Act 2, put on a Ruby Ring.
- Once you’re over level 20, Two-Stone Rings are your best bet. Aim to boost your Fire, Cold, and Lightning Resistances close to or over 75%.
Survival and Defense:
- If you’re finding it hard to stay alive, the Aura Grace can be your shield. You can use it sooner than you might think.
Key Skills to Acquire:
- Normal Labyrinth: Pick up Demolitions Specialist. This boosts the power of Auras from Mines and hinders enemies for a short time when your mines land. When using Pyroclast Mine, monsters near the mine get weaker, so the more mines you drop before exploding them, the better. Plus, the Hinder effect makes monsters move slower.
- Cruel Labyrinth: Go for Born in the Shadows. This skill is awesome because you take less damage from enemies that are blinded. And guess what? Your mines can blind them upon impact.
- Merciless Labyrinth: Choose Pyromaniac. This gives you immunity to Ignite and Shock and lets you recover 10% of your health every second. Perfect for those who love playing with mines!
- Overgear Power Leveling: level up your character and skip to the end-game content just in hours.
Hexblast Mines Gem Setup
Keep an eye on your skill gems’ quality. Look for labels like Superior, Anomalous, Divergent, or Phantasmal. Remember, some gems need to reach a specific level to work properly. This is crucial for particular Auras and defensive configurations. But don’t stress; not all gems need to be maxed out. And, of course, all gems must be connected.
Helm
You can use any item with 4 sockets as a helmet.
- Zealotry
- Divine Blessing Support
- Inspiration Support
- Increased Duration Support
Weapon
Any weapon with 3 sockets.
- Wither
- Spell Totem Support
- Multiple Totems Support
Offhand
Any offhand with 3 sockets. Sockets are not connected
- Frostblink
- Bear Trap
- Grace
Body Armor
The Cloak of Flame Scholar’s Robe is the best item in the body armor slot.
- Hexblast
- Divergent Minefield Support
- High-Impact Mine Support
- Charged Mines Support
- Awakened Void Manipulation Support
- Anomalous Trap and Mine Damage Support
Gloves
Any item with 4 sockets. 3 of them must be connected.
- Immortal Call
- Cast when Damage Taken Support
- Increased Duration Support
- Summon Skitterbots (not connected)
Boots
Any item with 3 sockets.
- Shield Charge
- Faster Attacks Support
- Momentum Support
Ring
You need a Profane Proxy Unset Ring with a socket.
- Elemental Weakness
Hexblast Mines Gear Setup
First of all, you should understand that it is extremely difficult to find the best gear in the game, unless, of course, you have used our PoE Gear Crafting service, with which you will get all the best items in an instant. However, if you decide to obtain items on your own, then you should pay special attention to the items that give Resistances. Resistances are an extremely important stat in the mid and end game.
At the early game, after completing the campaign, you need items that give Life and Resistances (up to 75%). From the very beginning, make sure that your sockets match the colors of the gem you are using and that they are connected. Use Jeweler’s Orbs, Orbs of Fusing and Chromatic Orbs for this. Ideal if you have Tabula Rasa or Cloak of Flame. The last item is especially good as we will be using it in the final build as well.
Best Weapon for Hexblast
A Wand with the following modifiers is suitable as a good weapon:
- Mine Throwing Speed
- +1 Level to Chaos or all Spells
- % Spell Damage
- % Spell Critical Strike Chance
- % Critical Strike Multiplier
- Added Spell Damage to Fire/Cold/Lightning
However, the best weapon would be the Endgame Wand, which has most of these modifiers at the highest level.
Best Armor Hexblast
Boosting your Mine Throwing Speed is crucial, and your Belt stands out as a vital tool for enhancing it. Therefore, any belt that gives as much “Increased Mine Throwing Speed” as possible will suit you.
As body armor, the Corrupted Flamecloak is ideal for you. However, his corrupt should be as follows:
- +2 to Level of Socketed AoE Gems
- +1 to Level of Socketed Gems
Other pieces of armor provide minor improvements and the desired modifiers on them depend on the situation, however, here are some tips:
- You always want 40% increased Hexblast Damage or 30% Reservation Efficiency for Grace as Helm modification.
- You probably want 120% increased Critical Strike Chance on your Boots.
- Use Taste of Hate for extra defenses against physical and cold hits.
Best Jewelry Hexblast
When choosing an amulet, pay attention to the following modifiers:
- +1 to all Skill Gems
- +1 to all Chaos Skill Gems
- % Critical Strike Multiplier
- + to Maximum Life
However, Marylene’s Fallacy is the best Amulet for Hexblast build.
As for rings you always need a ring with the modifier “Curse on Hit”. Profane Proxy is ideal as an additional ring, because it allows you to get full Effect on your Curse.
Flask
We will use this arrangement of flasks:
- Eternal Life Flask
- Quartz Flask
- Quicksilver Flask
- Amethyst Flask (or Taste of Hate)
- Jade Flask
Enchant your 3 utility flasks:
- Reduced Effect of Curses during Flask Effect
- Increased Evasion during Flask effect
- Increased Movement Speed during Flask effect
- Increased Critical Strike Chance during Flask Effect ( no need in late game)
Hexblast Mines Build Mechanics
Hexblast is an incredibly high damage chaos AoE spell, if you curse someone. So first of all you need to curse something. It will increase your damage and explosions by 100%. However, after you hit an enemy the Hex is also removed, so you have to have a ring with “Curse on Hit” to apply curses over and over again and deal massive damage all the time.
The second thing is Hexbolts has a huge cast time; that’s why we need to increase mind throwing speed. Moreover, hexblast has a low base crit chance, but you can fix it with proper items with +Critical strike chance.
Keep in mind, despite the fact Hexblast has chaos damage it resists the lowest resistance, no matter what that is. So if an enemy has like 20% chaos resistance, but it has zero fire res and that’s the lowest, then it will resist with that instead.
Hexblast Mines PoB
Here you can get acquainted with Passive Tree and Ascendancy.
Passive Tree
In passive tree, we are interested in Mine Mastery, as this is our main damage. We’re also keen to learn Critical Mastery as our base crit is incredibly low. Further, we level up Life mastery, Mana Mastery and Evasion Mastery for more defense and resource regeneration.
Ascendancy
Opt for the Saboteur as your Ascendancy for its impressive mix of Damage, Defense, and Life Restoration capabilities:
- Demolitions Expert amplifies the Aura Power of your Mines, resulting in a significant boost in Damage. Furthermore, foes around your Mines experience reduced movement speed.
- Emerging from the Shadows causes enemies in close proximity to be blinded, and you sustain reduced harm from such blinded foes.
- Pyromaniac grants you a potential 10% Life Regeneration and makes you impervious to both Shock and Ignite effects.
- Bombardier Prodigy heightens your damage output, especially when you consistently apply Shock, Chill, and Ignite to adversaries.
Hexblast Mines Bandits
To deal with Bandits kill them all and get 2 skill points.
Hexblast Mines Pantheon
- Brine King reigns as your primary Pantheon pick, offering stun resistance following a recent stun-hit within the last 2 seconds and, upon upgrading, immunity to Freezing.
- For the Minor Pantheon, Ralakesh is the preferred selection in the early stages, counteracting the primary drawbacks of Bleeding.
- When targeting Searing Exarch altars, Abberath becomes essential due to the Burning ground left by monsters.
In conclusion, this comprehensive guide has explored the incredibly versatile Hexblast Mines build, which is suitable for any league in Path of Exile. This build not only excels in the early stages of the game with limited currency, but also remains strong in the late game and effectively counters formidable bosses.
Nevertheless, it is essential to be mindful of the game’s flexibility, as even minor errors in the build can have significant repercussions. By following the step-by-step instructions provided here, players can master the gem setup, skill tree allocation, Ascendancy choices, and other crucial aspects of this build.
