7 hours ago
With Path of Exile 3.27 right around the corner, many players are once again searching for a reliable, low-cost, and highly survivable league starter that can comfortably scale into endgame content. While some skills have been adjusted or reworked, others remain quietly powerful-and one of the most overlooked options continues to be Lacerate Gladiator paired with Retaliation Eviscerate POE currency .
Originally proven in 3.25, this build remains almost entirely untouched by patch changes and still delivers excellent single-target damage, strong screen-wide clear, and exceptional survivability. If you're looking for a starter that can progress smoothly from campaign all the way to Uber Pinnacle bosses without expensive gear or complicated mechanics, this build checks every box.
This guide breaks down why the Lacerate + Eviscerate Gladiator works so well, how to manage its early-game pain points, and how to scale it into a high-DPS, high-block endgame monster-all with a true 100% hand-holding approach.
Why Lacerate + Eviscerate?
At its core, this build solves a common melee problem: single-target damage versus area clear.
Lacerate: The Single-Target Anchor
Lacerate remains one of the strongest bleed-based melee skills for bossing. Its focused hit pattern, reliable damage scaling, and compatibility with Gladiator's bleed mechanics make it excellent for:
Tough rare monsters
Map bosses
Pinnacle and Uber Pinnacle encounters
Importantly, Lacerate is completely untouched by recent patch notes, making it a safe and stable choice for league start.
Eviscerate: Screen Coverage and Flow
Eviscerate, used as a retaliation skill, complements Lacerate perfectly by solving its biggest weakness-clear speed. Lacerate can feel "too melee" in dense packs or awkward layouts, while Eviscerate:
Hits a large portion of the screen
Cleans up surrounding enemies instantly
Keeps mapping smooth and satisfying
The synergy is simple but effective:
Lacerate deletes priority targets, Eviscerate wipes the rest.
Trying to use Eviscerate alone for bossing can introduce issues, but combined with Lacerate, the two skills cover each other's weaknesses beautifully.
League Start Damage and Scaling Potential
This build shines at every stage of progression:
Early game: Smooth leveling, reliable bleed damage
Midgame: Comfortable mapping with explosions
Late game: Easily reaches DoT cap on normal Pinnacle bosses
Uber endgame: Around 14 million Uber Pinnacle DPS, which is very respectable given the DoT limitations
It's important to understand that Uber DPS is capped differently than standard Pinnacle DPS due to technical DoT limits. While normal Pinnacle bosses cap around 36–45 million, Uber Pinnacles scale differently-and 14 million Uber DPS is more than enough for consistent clears.
All of this is achieved while staying relatively cheap, making it ideal for both solo players and economy-focused league starters.
Solving Mana Issues (The Right Way)
One of the most common concerns with Lacerate Gladiator is mana sustain, especially early on.
While Blood Magic is technically an option, it's not recommended here. Running auras-even during the campaign-provides too much value to give up.
The Real Solution: Cannibalistic Rite
The key node for mana management is Cannibalistic Rite, which:
Reduces mana cost of attacks
Causes attack costs to be partially paid with life instead of mana
This single node dramatically improves comfort and allows consistent skill usage without disabling auras.
Additional Mana Fixes
To fully stabilize mana:
Take reduced mana cost of skills mastery
Grab life and mana leech nodes early
Aim to reach mana leech by around level 54
If mana still feels rough:
Allocate Spirit of War for more reduced attack cost and mana leech
Prioritize life + mana leech nodes early for dual sustain
This setup ensures that by mid-campaign, mana issues are mostly gone-and by maps, they're irrelevant.
Ascendancy Choices and Block-Based Survivability
Survivability is where this build truly shines.
Block Is Everything
From around level 75 onward, your goal is to maintain:
60–65% attack block
60–65% spell block
Block is the primary defensive layer, and nearly everything else is built around reinforcing it.
Ascendancy Priority
Early on, Gratuitous Violence paired with Jagged Technique (bleeds you inflict are aggravated) is the preferred route for damage and clear.
However, if survivability feels weak:
You can rush More Than Skill earlier for massive block bonuses
Swap Jagged Technique temporarily if needed
Flexibility here allows the build to adapt to both softcore and hardcore playstyles.
Passive Tree: Key Defensive Nodes
Several passive nodes are non-negotiable for comfort and survivability:
Aggressive Bastion
As the Mountain
Tetsudo (extremely important)Tetsudo provides life recovery on block, which turns block chance into active sustain. This is one of the biggest quality-of-life improvements in the build.
Once your block exceeds ~65%, Versatile Combatant should be taken as soon as possible to equalize attack and spell block.
If attribute issues arise, nodes like Proficiency or Harrox can help stabilize Dexterity or Intelligence requirements.
Maximum Resistances and Damage Reduction
At around level 91, the build layers multiple defensive bonuses:
Soul of Steel (+1 max elemental res)
Armor mastery (+1 max res)
Nomadic Technique (+2 max all res)
Combined, this pushes maximum elemental resistances close to 80%, dramatically reducing incoming elemental damage.
Additional layers include:
30% reduced extra damage from critical strikes
High armor scaling
Endurance charge generation
For endurance charges, Inexorable is strongly recommended:
25% chance to gain an endurance charge when hit
Additional armor while stationary
Even without manual generation, endurance charges stay up almost permanently.
Pantheon choices like Soul of Garukhan (shock avoidance) and Soul of the Brine King (freeze protection) further stabilize defenses.
Spell Suppression: Optional, Not Mandatory
This version of the build does not rely on spell suppression.
With high block chance and elevated maximum resistances, survivability is already excellent. However, if you prefer additional mitigation:
Spell suppression can be rolled on boots, gloves, body armor, and helmet
A few passive points can cap suppression easily
This note is optional and can be achieved by sacrificing minor life nodes if desired.
Aura Setup and Utility Skills
Core Auras
Pride-mandatory for damage
Determination-mandatory for survivability
A third aura can be used if mana allows, but it's optional and provides minimal benefit compared to Pride and Determination.
Defensive Utility
Molten Shell is the primary guard skill, scaling extremely well with armor
Vulnerability is best used as a self-cast curse for boss damage
Uber Version and Endgame Scaling
The Uber version is the natural end goal of this build.
Configured correctly in Path of Building (Uber Pinnacle setting), it reaches:
~14 million Uber Pinnacle DPS
Up to 17 million with optimized gem setups
For maximum damage:
Swap defensive gems for Endurance Charge on Melee Stun or Awakened Deadly Ailments
Use level 21 Lacerate of Hemorrhage
Gear and Uniques
Most gear slots rely on affordable uniques, with upgrades focused on:
Corruptions
Increased Pride effect
Charge generation
Items like Stranglegrasp, Pride-effect belts, and Frenzy charge relics offer strong scaling without extreme cost.
Mana reservation requires careful management, especially with amulet anointments and reservation multipliers.
A dedicated crafted axe is recommended, as market options can be overpriced-crafting allows better control and value.
Final Thoughts: A Safe, Powerful League Starter
The Lacerate + Eviscerate Gladiator remains one of the most well-rounded melee league starters heading into PoE 3.27. It offers:
Reliable damage from day one buy POE goods
Exceptional survivability through block and resistances
Smooth mapping with explosions
Strong Uber boss potential
Low entry cost and simple mechanics
If you follow the progression path and Path of Building setup carefully, this build will comfortably carry you from campaign to Ubers without stress.
Originally proven in 3.25, this build remains almost entirely untouched by patch changes and still delivers excellent single-target damage, strong screen-wide clear, and exceptional survivability. If you're looking for a starter that can progress smoothly from campaign all the way to Uber Pinnacle bosses without expensive gear or complicated mechanics, this build checks every box.
This guide breaks down why the Lacerate + Eviscerate Gladiator works so well, how to manage its early-game pain points, and how to scale it into a high-DPS, high-block endgame monster-all with a true 100% hand-holding approach.
Why Lacerate + Eviscerate?
At its core, this build solves a common melee problem: single-target damage versus area clear.
Lacerate: The Single-Target Anchor
Lacerate remains one of the strongest bleed-based melee skills for bossing. Its focused hit pattern, reliable damage scaling, and compatibility with Gladiator's bleed mechanics make it excellent for:
Tough rare monsters
Map bosses
Pinnacle and Uber Pinnacle encounters
Importantly, Lacerate is completely untouched by recent patch notes, making it a safe and stable choice for league start.
Eviscerate: Screen Coverage and Flow
Eviscerate, used as a retaliation skill, complements Lacerate perfectly by solving its biggest weakness-clear speed. Lacerate can feel "too melee" in dense packs or awkward layouts, while Eviscerate:
Hits a large portion of the screen
Cleans up surrounding enemies instantly
Keeps mapping smooth and satisfying
The synergy is simple but effective:
Lacerate deletes priority targets, Eviscerate wipes the rest.
Trying to use Eviscerate alone for bossing can introduce issues, but combined with Lacerate, the two skills cover each other's weaknesses beautifully.
League Start Damage and Scaling Potential
This build shines at every stage of progression:
Early game: Smooth leveling, reliable bleed damage
Midgame: Comfortable mapping with explosions
Late game: Easily reaches DoT cap on normal Pinnacle bosses
Uber endgame: Around 14 million Uber Pinnacle DPS, which is very respectable given the DoT limitations
It's important to understand that Uber DPS is capped differently than standard Pinnacle DPS due to technical DoT limits. While normal Pinnacle bosses cap around 36–45 million, Uber Pinnacles scale differently-and 14 million Uber DPS is more than enough for consistent clears.
All of this is achieved while staying relatively cheap, making it ideal for both solo players and economy-focused league starters.
Solving Mana Issues (The Right Way)
One of the most common concerns with Lacerate Gladiator is mana sustain, especially early on.
While Blood Magic is technically an option, it's not recommended here. Running auras-even during the campaign-provides too much value to give up.
The Real Solution: Cannibalistic Rite
The key node for mana management is Cannibalistic Rite, which:
Reduces mana cost of attacks
Causes attack costs to be partially paid with life instead of mana
This single node dramatically improves comfort and allows consistent skill usage without disabling auras.
Additional Mana Fixes
To fully stabilize mana:
Take reduced mana cost of skills mastery
Grab life and mana leech nodes early
Aim to reach mana leech by around level 54
If mana still feels rough:
Allocate Spirit of War for more reduced attack cost and mana leech
Prioritize life + mana leech nodes early for dual sustain
This setup ensures that by mid-campaign, mana issues are mostly gone-and by maps, they're irrelevant.
Ascendancy Choices and Block-Based Survivability
Survivability is where this build truly shines.
Block Is Everything
From around level 75 onward, your goal is to maintain:
60–65% attack block
60–65% spell block
Block is the primary defensive layer, and nearly everything else is built around reinforcing it.
Ascendancy Priority
Early on, Gratuitous Violence paired with Jagged Technique (bleeds you inflict are aggravated) is the preferred route for damage and clear.
However, if survivability feels weak:
You can rush More Than Skill earlier for massive block bonuses
Swap Jagged Technique temporarily if needed
Flexibility here allows the build to adapt to both softcore and hardcore playstyles.
Passive Tree: Key Defensive Nodes
Several passive nodes are non-negotiable for comfort and survivability:
Aggressive Bastion
As the Mountain
Tetsudo (extremely important)Tetsudo provides life recovery on block, which turns block chance into active sustain. This is one of the biggest quality-of-life improvements in the build.
Once your block exceeds ~65%, Versatile Combatant should be taken as soon as possible to equalize attack and spell block.
If attribute issues arise, nodes like Proficiency or Harrox can help stabilize Dexterity or Intelligence requirements.
Maximum Resistances and Damage Reduction
At around level 91, the build layers multiple defensive bonuses:
Soul of Steel (+1 max elemental res)
Armor mastery (+1 max res)
Nomadic Technique (+2 max all res)
Combined, this pushes maximum elemental resistances close to 80%, dramatically reducing incoming elemental damage.
Additional layers include:
30% reduced extra damage from critical strikes
High armor scaling
Endurance charge generation
For endurance charges, Inexorable is strongly recommended:
25% chance to gain an endurance charge when hit
Additional armor while stationary
Even without manual generation, endurance charges stay up almost permanently.
Pantheon choices like Soul of Garukhan (shock avoidance) and Soul of the Brine King (freeze protection) further stabilize defenses.
Spell Suppression: Optional, Not Mandatory
This version of the build does not rely on spell suppression.
With high block chance and elevated maximum resistances, survivability is already excellent. However, if you prefer additional mitigation:
Spell suppression can be rolled on boots, gloves, body armor, and helmet
A few passive points can cap suppression easily
This note is optional and can be achieved by sacrificing minor life nodes if desired.
Aura Setup and Utility Skills
Core Auras
Pride-mandatory for damage
Determination-mandatory for survivability
A third aura can be used if mana allows, but it's optional and provides minimal benefit compared to Pride and Determination.
Defensive Utility
Molten Shell is the primary guard skill, scaling extremely well with armor
Vulnerability is best used as a self-cast curse for boss damage
Uber Version and Endgame Scaling
The Uber version is the natural end goal of this build.
Configured correctly in Path of Building (Uber Pinnacle setting), it reaches:
~14 million Uber Pinnacle DPS
Up to 17 million with optimized gem setups
For maximum damage:
Swap defensive gems for Endurance Charge on Melee Stun or Awakened Deadly Ailments
Use level 21 Lacerate of Hemorrhage
Gear and Uniques
Most gear slots rely on affordable uniques, with upgrades focused on:
Corruptions
Increased Pride effect
Charge generation
Items like Stranglegrasp, Pride-effect belts, and Frenzy charge relics offer strong scaling without extreme cost.
Mana reservation requires careful management, especially with amulet anointments and reservation multipliers.
A dedicated crafted axe is recommended, as market options can be overpriced-crafting allows better control and value.
Final Thoughts: A Safe, Powerful League Starter
The Lacerate + Eviscerate Gladiator remains one of the most well-rounded melee league starters heading into PoE 3.27. It offers:
Reliable damage from day one buy POE goods
Exceptional survivability through block and resistances
Smooth mapping with explosions
Strong Uber boss potential
Low entry cost and simple mechanics
If you follow the progression path and Path of Building setup carefully, this build will comfortably carry you from campaign to Ubers without stress.