Overview
This is a day-one progress check on an Arc Blood Mage league start in Forbidden Rites. After a slow first day spent mostly in the campaign, the character has just reached the Atlas and is running yellow and red waystones with a mix of bought and dropped gear. The build casts Arc from life with Blood Mage spell leech, and the plan is to add Cast on Critical with Comet once a proper spirit amulet is found.
The main change since the pre-league plan is how Lightning Infusions are generated. Instead of Orb of Storms with the Secrets of the Orb node, the character now uses Ball Lightning plus Lightning Warp: cast the ball, teleport to it and pick up the infusions it leaves behind. The creator finds this faster, especially once Lightning Warp has cast speed, so the extra-orb node can be refunded.
A pair of electrocute gloves found in the campaign has become an unexpected defensive layer. All lightning damage contributes to electrocution, which holds enemies in place for a few seconds, giving free hits on packs and bosses alike.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Comfortable on day one with cheap rare gear and campaign drops
- Good clear and efficient bossing already at the start of maps
- Electrocute gloves lock down packs and bosses, adding real safety
- Ball Lightning + Lightning Warp keeps infusions up quickly
Cons
- Still missing a spirit amulet, so the Cast on Critical Comet layer is not online yet
- Tooltip damage is low; only enough for yellow to red waystones at this stage
- The key Soul Tether belt with the right corruption is not even listed on trade yet and will be expensive
- The fourth ascendancy requires either the Sekhemas trial or the Trialmaster, both demanding
Key Skills
- Arc — main clear and damage skill, much stronger with Lightning Infusions
- Ball Lightning + Lightning Warp — infusion generation by teleporting onto the ball
- Comet (Cast on Critical) — planned damage layer once spirit allows it
- Orb of Storms — alternative infusion source if using Secrets of the Orb
Gear & Anointments
- Weapon with + levels, cast speed, damage as extra lightning and extra fire, and spell damage
- Rare armour focused on capping resistances
- Next upgrade: an amulet with + spell levels and spirit to run Cast on Critical
- Long-term goal: Soul Tether belt with the corruption that removes its energy shield drain
The tree takes the usual spell and crit nodes, elemental damage and exposure effect, Elemental Archon, and the shock and lightning penetration cluster, with cast-on-crit and trigger nodes planned for day two.
Credits & Source
Build credited to KOSX_01. See the source video for the full build’s gameplay footage and voice commentary: The day 01 update for the build! | Arc Bloodmage | Path of Exile 2 Forbidden Rites.