Penance Brand Elementalist

The Elementalist is already a good ascendancy class, but Echoes of the Atlas buffed it even further, making it one of the best ascendancy classes for the duration of the expansion and even after it–if GGG decides not to roll these improvements back, that is, with the Penance Brand Elementalist.

Pros:

• Good offense and defense
• Well-rounded
• Can do solo
• Great clear speed

Cons:

• No Holy Conquest
• Cannot be leveled up with Penance Brand
• Has to wait a few seconds to deal solid damage

Passive Skill Tree

Here’s the Passive Skill Tree.

Skill Gem Setup

• Core Skill: Penance Brand with Ignite Proliferation, Awakened Deadly Ailments, Awakened Unbound Aliments, Awakened Burning Damage, and Awakened Swift Affliction support gems
• Golems: Summon Flame Golem, Ice Golem, Stone Golem, and Lightning Golem
• Auras: Malevolence, Clarity (level 5 or lower), Herald of Purity, Summon Chaos Golem
• Enduring Cry with increased Duration and Second Wind support gem
• Mobility: Flame Dash with Second Wind and Arcane Surge support gems. Buffs: Wave of Conviction and Elemental Weakness with either Added Fire Damage or Combustion support gem

Gear Setup

• Weapon and Off-hand: Rare Wand with increased fire damage over time, cast speed, and +1 to level of spell skill gems
• Head: Rare Warlord’s Helm with increased life, elemental resistances, -9% fire resistance to enemies, and Enduring Cry enchantment
• Body: Incandescent Heart (Unique) for increased life, armor, and energy shield; gain 10-20% of elemental damage as chaos damage, increased light radius, and light radius based on energy shield instead of life
• Gloves: Rare Sorcerer Gloves with life, elemental resistances, dexterity, and physical conversion
• Belt: Rare Leather Belt with increased life and elemental resistances
• Boots: Rare Two-Toned Boots with increased life, at least 20% movement speed, resistances, and maximum endurance charges
• Accessories: 2 Rare Vermillion rings with increased life and resistances; the Primordial Chain (Unique amulet) for life regen, +3 to maximum number of golems, and increased golem speed
• Jewels:
  • Rare Jewels with increased life and fire damage
  • Lethal Pride (Unique)
  • Anima Stone (Unique) +1 Maximum Number of Golems, and another+ 1 if you have 3 Primordial items socketed or equipped
  • Primordial Elegance (Unique) for increased golem attack and cast speed, buff from golems, and increased golem armor; Primordial
• Flasks:
  • Experimenter’s Quicksilver Flask of Adrenaline for increased movement speed
  • Basalt Flask of Staunching for physical damage reduction and reflection, and bleeding recovery/immunity
  • Foreboding Hallowed Hybrid Flask of Warding for life and mana recovery and curse recovery/immunity
  • Enduring Eternal Mana Flask of Curing for mana recovery and poison recovery/immunity
  • Cinderswallow Urn (Unique) for life, mana, and energy shield recovery when killing during flask effect; recharged by consuming an Ignited Corpse
  • With the new expansion, it’s nice to be back to your elements–literally. So if you’re looking for a good build to start with, look no further than the Penance Brand Elementalist

If you’re up to the challenge, try this Penance Brand Elementalist. After all, those that go against the flow get rewarded. It’s time you took up the gauntlet and went against the grain.