Overview
This is the “tank update” of the Whirling Chaos Gemling: a Flame Blast + Whirling Slash ignite engine that converts into chaos damage and spreads through Contagion, now rebuilt around an evasion / energy shield hybrid instead of armour. The headline claim is that it comfortably runs heavily juiced content — 200% Delirium eight-mod maps and T16 Grand Expeditions with a dozen map modifiers and 13+ remnants — without Mageblood, Headhunter or other chase uniques.
The defensive core is Forgotten Warden, a body armour that gives extra damage reduction from deflected hits. Stacked with near-capped deflection, a large energy shield pool, damage taken from mana before life, curse immunity and a Loyalty-supported companion, the character spins through remnants while Contagion carries the clear. The offensive core is the double-ignite trick: Flame Blast plus Despair’s burning ground stacks ignite magnitude to extreme levels, which Whirling Slash then maintains, making the ignite effectively infinite.
The creator stresses that the ES/evasion version only works when specific breakpoints are met — below them the character gets one-shot rather than feeling slightly weaker. Total cost is described as under the price of a Mageblood.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Handles juiced Grand Expeditions and high-stack Delirium without chase uniques
- Very high movement and attack speed — rarely gives enemies a clean hit
- Curse immune via runes, with damage taken from mana and companion Loyalty as extra layers
- Contagion-driven clear means most of the map dies while you reposition
- Clear upgrade path (Mageblood, Jade, Bismuth, eventually a scepter + double companion setup)
Cons
- Hard breakpoints: roughly 85–90% deflection, ~4.5k+ ES and ~5.7 Whirling Slash attacks per second are mandatory
- Double-ignite timing is a real skill check (or an automated setup that tanks mana and adds screen noise)
- Darkness Enthroned + Rune of the Blossom spirit solution is expensive for a mid-game belt
- Equal red/blue support gem split and gem-slot restrictions make setup fiddly
- Not a campaign or fresh-league build
Key Skills
- Flame Blast — channelled snapshot that sets up the huge ignite
- Whirling Slash — spear skill that keeps the ignite running and does the moving/spinning
- Contagion (via Cast on Elemental Ailment) — spreads the chaos damage across packs
- Despair — curse whose burning inscription enables the second ignite; timed at ~80% of Flame Blast cooldown or automated
- Ghost Dance + Wind Dancer — mandatory defensive auras; Blasphemy with Despair / Temporal Chains as spirit allows
Gear & Anointments
Priorities are defensive: an ES helmet (buffed by Illuminated Crown), gloves with as much deflection rating as possible, Azeri Step boots with low damage-prevented-by-deflection and high deflection rating, and a Forgotten Warden chest with high deflected-hit reduction. Runes of warding plus Hollow Keeper deliver curse immunity. The staff should carry two increased damage lines (spell + fire or chaos) and only one “extra” line, because ignite magnitude is already enormous from stacks. Jewels are simple spell/chaos damage with faster-ailment suffixes. A Control Metamorphosis jewel picks up Spaghettification, Event Horizon and a mana-before-life keystone-style node cheaply. A Rite of Passage charm should use purely defensive stats.
Endgame Notes
For the automated second ignite, socket Despair and Burning Inscription into Cast on Elemental Ailment; a slow Kalguuran gem such as Skyfall raises the energy threshold so it procs less often. For manual play, leave the first ignited ground immediately after Flame Blast and recast Despair around 80% of the cooldown. The scaling path is Mageblood + Jade to drop Azeri Step, then a spirit amulet, and eventually a wolf scepter with stacked companions and Loyalty.
Credits & Source
Build credited to josiahyeet. See the source video for the full gameplay footage and gear walkthrough: SPEED + POWER = Easy Juiced GEs (No MB) - Flameblast + Whirling Slash Tank - PoE 2 Gemling Build.