Looking for a good tank for Path of Exile Ultimatum? Try the Max Block Lacerate Gladiator.
In Path of Exile, there’s no better Ascendancy class when it comes to achieving balance between offense and defense than the Gladiator. Then the Max Block Lacerate Gladiator build takes this balance even further and makes it viable in the current endgame. So if you’re looking for a build to spend you PoE Currency on, look no further than this one.
Ups and Downs of the Gladiator Build
This Gladiator build comes with many advantages. Among them, the biggest would be the fact that it can run all content. Also, the build makes good use of the Ascendancy’s survivability, allowing you to brave hordes of enemies and even bosses without much fear as long as you don’t mess up too bad. Finally, this build is not a pricey one, so you can save your Exalted Orbs for other things in the future.
On the other hand, it has a slower clear speed compared to most builds, as it relies on damage over time. It also does not help that the build has a more limited damage cap. Needless to say, it also means that this Gladiator takes more time in taking down bosses, and that it’s not for impatient players.
The bottom line is that the sheer survivability is what makes it an attractive choice. If you’re offense-oriented, this isn’t for you. But if you’re looking for a very safe bet, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Lacerate and Reckoning
As the name suggests, the core skill of this build is Lacerate, which deals a small conical AOE damage on two opposite directions, and the mobs directly in front of the Gladiator being dealt twice the damage. For Lacerate’s support gems, have Awakened Melee Physical Damage, Awakened Brutality, Awakened Multistrike, Awakened Deadly Ailments, and Fortify.
The skill then synergizes with Blood and Sand, which gives the skill a chance to inflict Bleeding to enemies it hits. For more usable mana while using Blood and Sand, have it with an Enlighten support gems.
While the build mostly relies on Lacerate to deal damage, it has a secondary skill, Reckoning. Players can only have this skill with The Surrender, a Unique shield. Blocking activates the skill, which in turn deals 115-175% of your base damage, which is a lot. Since you’ll be blocking a lot, this skill will be activated a lot, so you’ll be dealing considerable passive damage on top of Lacerate and the bleeding damage it will be inflicting.
Reckoning can be supported by gems, and for that you’ll have Brutality so it deals more damage, and Life Gain on Hit for more sustainability. Lastly, have Pulverise for increased area of effect. It lowers attack speed, but at the same time, the skill technically has no attack speed, so there is no loss with having this support gem.
Other Supportive Abilities
Next up would be the skills that bolster its damage. Giving the build life leech and therefore more damage, attack, speed, and sustainability is Blood Rage. It also increases attack speed and gives the build a chance to gain a Frenzy charge, which in turn grants even more attack speed as well as damage.
As for the auras that pretty much yield the same effect, there is Divergent Pride for increased damage on enemies affected by it, Anomalous Flesh and Stone to give your attacks the chance to maim enemies for being in Blood Stance, which is something you will almost always be on. These auas should also have Enlighten, while Flesh and Stone should have Maim support for obvious reasons.
After that are the utility gems: Ancestral Warchief and Enduring Cry. The former can be a distraction and in a way be a defensive measure that also deals a bit of damage of damage on its own, while the latter forces enemies to attack you while you gain Endurance Charges, and thus increasing your defenses.
Further increasing the build’s defenses is Molten Shell, which should be coupled with Cast When Damage Taken so you won’t have to activate it yourself, which can be tedious, as well as Increased Duration.
Last but definitely not least would be mobility. For that, there is Leap Slam, which should have Lifetap and Faster Attacks support gem. Do not worry about Lifetap; you won’t be casting it a lot since you’re tough anyway.
That’s about it for one of the tankiest for Path of Exile: Ultimatum. So, ready to stand against those in your way and make them bleed? With the Max Block Lacerate Gladiator, you will be.