The Shadow is Path of Exile's dexterity/intelligence hybrid class. He prefers to use fast-hitting weapons such as daggers or claws to dart in and out of battle, while laying traps or remote mines and controlling the flow of combat. In this guide, poecurrencybuy aims to share the most popular builds about Shadow in Path Of Exile Betrayal League.

 

Recommended Shadow Builds

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Shadow Assassin Builds

POE 3.5 Shadow Assassin Molten Strike Build (PC,XBOX,PS4)- Fast Life Recovery, Cheap, Tankly

This is a poison build that used to clear Shaper/Elder and all of their Guardians on a budget (see gear section). Uber Elder is also possible, though requires better gear.

Gems Setup

6 Link: Molten Strike - Added Chaos Damage - G. Multiple Projectiles - Multistrike - Ancestral Call - Deadly Ailments

The first five gems are pretty much required to have, Deadly Ailments is the best DPS gem we have left.

Level 21 Added Chaos Damage is very desirable because it's the main source of base damage

A 6-link is very important for your damage, as the final link is another 60% bonus.

Recommend getting a Tabula Rasa or 6-linked rare item for a cheap start.

Volkuur's Version 

Replace Added Chaos Damage for Immolate because it has higher numbers (you can ignite with critical strikes).

Frost Blades 

Frost Blades - Added Chaos Damage - Chain - Multistrike - Ancestrall Call - Damage on Full Life

If you want, you can try out Frost Blades It produces less lag than MS and has better area coverage, but significantly worse single target damage.

The gem colours are the same as Molten Strike, so you can easily swap between both skills. Threshold jewels are not needed.

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4 Link: Shield Charge - Fortify - Faster Attacks, Arctic Armour

As Movement Skill I highly recommend Shield Charge, as it's more precise than Whirling Blades and costs less mana.

With Fenumus' Weave, these gems have to be in the gloves because every other setup would support Aspect of the Spider, increasing the mana reservation.

Volkuur's Version

Replace Arctic Armour for Anger for some extra fire damage.

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4 Link: Spell Totem - Wither - Increased Duration - Faster Casting

The totem pretty much doubles our damage and should only be used in bossfights. The Hinder debuff does not stack with Aspect of the Spider, but overwrites it for a stronger effect instead.

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4 Link: Cast When Damage Taken (level 1) - Immortal Call (level 3) - Increased Duration - Enfeeble (level 5)

Just the usual IC/Curse setup to protect you.

Note that you can use any curse you prefer, but Enfeeble is the most defensive.

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3 Link: Herald of Agony - Pierce - Minion Damage

Adding support gems to the Agony Crawler will increase you mana reservation to a total of 85%, which is still fine.

If that's too low for you, you can swap Minion Damage for Additional Accuracy (which doesn't have a mana multiplier).

Note that the Crawler starts extremely strong, but falls off the further you progress through maps

A level 21 Crawler with 40 stacks will end up dealing ~120k single target DPS, which makes it sufficient for packs, but relatively weak against bosses. If that's not enough for you, feel free to consider another setup

Level 21 on the Herald is highly recommended, as is 20% quality.

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3 Link: Cast When Damage Taken - Summon Lightning Golem - Blood Rage

Both of these buffs boost our attack speed. Blood Rage can be sustained with our life regeneration, so it actually helps survivability by increasing our hit rate.

These gems are on CWDT because I'm too lazy to activate them myself (Blood Rage is instant so you could also manually activate it if you want).

 

Shadow Saboteur Builds

POE 3.5 Shadow Saboteur Starter ARC Mine Build (PC,XBOX,PS4)- High Speed, Cheap, Endgame

This build is the jack of all trades. It can do every map mod, boss, has decently fast clear, and is extremely cheap. Put all of these together and you have yourself an extremely powerful beginner friendly and starter build that can catapult you into end game extremely quickly and efficiently.

Gems Setup

Main 6L Body

Minefield Support + Remote Mine Support + Added Cold Damage Support + Increased Critical Strikes Support + Arc + Lightning Penetration Support

If you have a call of the brotherhood you can swap out added cold damage for added lightning or controlled destruction

If you have a 4L or 5l

4L Setup --> Minefield - Remote Mine - Inc Critical Strikes - Arc

5L Setup --> MineField - Remote Mine - Inc Critical Strikes - Arc - Added Cold

Helm

Lightning Spire Trap + Lightning Penetration Support + Advanced Traps Support + Elemental Focus Support

Movement Skill/How We Proc Arcane Surge (huge damage boost)

Arcane Surge Support + Faster Casting Support + Flame Dash

Quality of Life Gems

Smoke Mine + Detonate Mines + Spell Totem Support + Increased Duration Support

When you put this spell totem down it will detonate your mines instantly if there are enemies around, so you don't have to press detonate yourself.

Smoke mine gives us a huge movement speed bonus.

Aura Gems

Clarity + Wrath

Defensive Cast When Damage Taken Setup

Cast when Damage Taken Support + Immortal Call + Phase Run + Enfeeble

Don't level up any of these gems past 2

POB link: https://pastebin.com/xA38DXvn

 

POE 3.5 Shadow Saboteur Lightning Spire Arc Build (PC,XBOX,PS4)- Fast, Cheap, Endgame

This builds have great map clear speed and serious firepower with very low investment. You can choose it as your end-game build (need very good reflexes for end-game though!

Gems Setup

Level 12

At level 12 get Arc and start doing this setup:

3L: Arc-Trap Support-Multiple Traps

4L: Arc-Trap Support-Multiple Traps-Added Lightning

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Level 18

4L: Arc-Trap & Mine Damage-Trap Support-Multiple Traps

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Level 22

At level 22 buy Deerstalker boots!

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Level 28

At level 28 start using Lightning Spire Trap in a second 4L:

4L: Lightning Spire-Added Lightning-Trap & Mine Damage-Advanced Trap Support (or Controlled Destruction)

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Level 38

At level 38 start using Cluster Traps Support on Arc:

4L: Arc-Trap & Mine Damage-Trap Support-Cluster Traps

POB link: https://pastebin.com/qwAv98Cw

 

Shadow Trickster

POE 3.5 Shadow Trickster Starter Toxic Rain Build (PC,XBOX,PS4)- Cheap, Safe, Fast Recharge, Endgame

This build is an easy, cheap league starter build using the new Toxic Rain and Herald of Agony, that can be boosted with a some investment. 

Gems Setup

Primary clear skill 5L on weapon:

Toxic Rain - Vicious Projectiles - Added Chaos Damage - Void Manipulation - Swift Affliction

Possibilities for 6th gem for 6L

Mirage Archer, Increased AoE, Vile Toxins, Faster Attacks, Poison, Unbound Ailments, Empower

Debuff totem

Ranged Attack Totem - Rain of Arrows - Withering Touch - Faster Attacks - Added Chaos - Lesser Poison

For high-tier bossing, perhaps swap Barrage in for Rain of Arrows (not necessary in yellow maps). Rain of Arrows also works very nicely in delves. Alternatively, have Barrage instead of Toxic Rain on a weapon swap.

Minion clear

Herald of Agony - Minion Damage - Damage on Full Life - Vicious Projectiles

Defense / Utilit

Discipline

CWDT - Immortal Call - Increased Duration - Phase Run

Blink Arrow

Summon Ice Golem

Up to you whether to self-cast Phase Run (nice for Delves), or trigger it with CWDT for a "vanish" effect.

 

POE 3.5 Shadow Trickster Starter Caustic Arrow Build (PC,XBOX,PS4)- High Clear Speed, Cheap, Amazing

This build that you can start playing as from the get go and really shines with some investment. If you just like run around as stuff dies, it's maybe suitable for you.

Gems Setup

For clearing

[Caustic Arrow + Swift affliction + Vicious Projectiles + Mirage Archer + Concentrated Effect + Damage on Full Life]

Once you acquire your offhand 6l +3 bow use these

[Caustic Arrow + Swift affliction + Vicious Projectiles + Void manipulation + Empower + Concentrated Effect + Concentrated Effect]

POB link: https://pastebin.com/8ALRQHej