Overview
This is a speed-leveling companion build for the Huntress’s Spirit Walker ascendancy, built entirely around taming the Act 3 giant monkey and letting it (plus a stable of support companions) one-shot the screen while you sprint between objectives. Early levels lean on Twister and Roaring Stash with a spear, then everything pivots at level 16 when minion gear comes online and the monkey takes over as your primary damage source.
The creator frames it as one of the most “budget broken” ways to level in 0.5 — companions provide Ancestral Hysteria and a Haste aura that stack huge attack speed, so the build flies through the campaign. A detailed level-by-level plan carries you from level 1 to act five, with companion taming as the pacing gate rather than gear or currency.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Extremely fast campaign clear — acts melt as companions one-shot packs behind you
- Genuinely budget-friendly; many key uniques cost an exalt or less
- Strong, scalable damage once the monkey is tamed at the start of Act 3
- Works as a first character or as a fast second-character reroll
Cons
- Taming the monkey and a second Haste-aura beast is fiddly and can take a few resets
- Easy to outrun the content and eat an experience penalty if you skip too much
- Relies on companion micro and presence positioning, not a one-button playstyle
- Early game without any starter currency is noticeably rougher
Key Skills
- Tamed Beast (Monkey) — the Act 3 capture that becomes your main damage companion
- Wild Protector (bear) — first-ascension auto-clear minion that wave-clears as you run
- Twister + Roaring Stash — early spear skills that carry you to level 16
- Haste-aura companion — a second tamed beast granting attack/cast/movement speed
- Pain Offering / undead minions — sacrificial undead bodies that buff the companion army
Gear & Anointments
Leveling priorities are cheap speed uniques: Wanderlust for movement speed, Shavronne’s Wrappings for presence range, a gold ring for resistances, and a strong rare spear (the level-16 spear runs roughly 10–20 exalt). After the monkey, swap to minion-skill rings and a rattling scepter, then layer Ever-Grasping rings for the companions’ chaos damage and an Infolding chest for resists and spirit. Exact item rolls should be confirmed against the source video.
Endgame Notes
The guide is leveling-focused and explicitly hands off to a future companion-zoo endgame video — expect to respec the passive tree and expand into more companions and unique weapons once you reach maps.
Credits & Source
Build credited to Mattjestic Life. See the source video for the full level-by-level leveling route and gameplay: Fastest 0.5 Spirit Walker Speed Leveling Companion Build.