The Explosive Arrow Ballista Elementalist is a potent and highly specialized build in Path of Exile that combines the unique mechanics of the Explosive Arrow skill with Ballista totems, maximizing damage through ignite explosions and rapid fuse application. This build excels at both clearing packs of monsters and handling endgame bosses safely by exploiting multiple fuses stuck in enemies that trigger devastating explosive damage. The core philosophy hinges on scaling attack speed and ignite effectiveness to continuously apply and detonate fuses, resulting in massive elemental damage bursts PoE 1 Currency.

Mechanically, Explosive Arrow works by sticking fuses onto enemies with each hit; after the fuses expire, a powerful explosion occurs, dealing fire damage scaled by the number of fuses applied. The Ballista totems deploy Explosive Arrow attacks autonomously, allowing the player to safely maximize fuse application without direct risk. By summoning six Ballistas at endgame, players effectively triple the number of fuses applied compared to casting Explosive Arrow themselves, vastly increasing damage output. The build therefore, focuses on increasing attack speed to apply fuses more frequently and maximizing ignite damage, rather than relying on high bow DPS or typical projectile scaling.

The Elementalist ascendancy perfectly complements this setup by offering strong elemental damage boosts, ignite enhancements, and defensive layers through elemental resistances and regeneration. Notably, the Elementalist’s bonuses to damage over time and exposure debuffs synergize well with the ignite-based explosions. Players prioritize critical passive skills for elemental damage, ignite chance, and attack speed, while completely avoiding skills such as pierce, chain, or fork on Explosive Arrow, as these reduce targeting efficiency with the Ballista totems.

Supporting gems include the main Explosive Arrow skill linked with Increased Attack Speed, Elemental Damage with Attacks, and Greater Multiple Projectiles for clearing ease. Additional utility and defense are gained through brand auras like Flammability and by synergizing with golem buffs, as some players incorporate Golem totems to boost survivability and damage mitigation without relying heavily on minions for offense. Movement skills with Fortify or mobility-enhancing gems further aid map clearing and positioning.

In terms of gear and defensive strategy, the build is designed with substantial life and elemental resistances while incorporating physical damage mitigation through unique items and passive tree nodes. Players often use high EHP setups supported by defensive uniques like Transcendence and Loreweave for elemental damage mitigation and regeneration. The focus remains on balanced survivability to match the build’s aggressive playstyle and the sustained onslaught of explosions it generates PoE Currency buy.

Ultimately, the Explosive Arrow Ballista Elementalist offers a unique, engaging playstyle that thrives on stackable ignites and rapid fuse application through totems, delivering some of the highest fire damage potential in Path of Exile. Its combination of safety, sustained damage, and efficient clear speed has made it a popular choice among seasoned Elementalist players aiming to tackle the toughest content with both precision and raw destructive power.