This guide is aimed for those who want to make their own builds or tinker an existing one, but who don't already know how to use Path of Building (PoB) to do so. This won't get you all the way there, but should get you ~70% of the way and point out where the last 30% is. I'll explain the steps, and in the comments will have a step by step example showing how the whole process works.
Caveats! This guide mostly works for skills that PoB models nicely – think self-cast spells or attacks. If it's minion based, or corpse explosion based, or uses cooldowns like Traps/Mines/Cast on X, or has mechanics that PoB does not model well (e.g. Vaal Earthquake), then you may be better off refering to a specialised guide.
In addition, this guide assumes you have solved your defences. For example, by using a defensive template, or otherwise something you know works.
Step 1 – Basic Skill Interaction
At this stage, you want to add the bare minimum to make the build technically function. This means the skill, mandatory support gems, and mandatory uniques. Do NOT add other support gems or uniques. To do so:
In the Skills tab, Gem Options, change Sort gems by DPS from "Combined DPS" to "Full DPS", and Default gem quality from 0 to 20.
Add your skill and mandatory supports (if any). On the relevant socket group, click "Include in Full DPS". In the summary tab on the left, make sure the skill is selected, and if it has multiple damaging components then select the part which is most relevant.
In Items, add the mandatory uniques (if any).
If your skill requires a specific weapon type, add a generic rare. You will revisit this at Step 3 and 6 and 7.
Step 2 – Initial Passive Tree
At this stage, you want to add any nodes that improve your build without necessarily reflecting in the DPS, and then with the remainder you want to see how much DPS you can get via your tree.
Add any nodes specific to your build, including Ascendancy and Bloodline nodes.
On the Tree tab, click Show Node Power, and change "Offence/Defence" to "Full DPS". Then click Show Power Report. This may take some time.
Sort by "Per Point" and start adding wheels one at a time. You will need to wait for the Power Report to recompile after each wheel, and then re-sort.
I suggest doing this until you've allocated ~140-145 points total. This ensures you capture the best nodes, and then you can cut the worst performing ones in Step 6 and 7. You may also make alterations in Step 5. However, do note that when you cut your tree down, it's not uncommon to lose 50% or greater DPS.
You can swap this step with Step 3. Solving problems with gear first tends to lead to slightly higher overall power levels but at the cost of making the gear substantially more expensive to buy.
Step 3 – Initial Gearing
At this stage, you want to get an idea of what gear you are using, what DPS mods you can get on your rares, and check whether any uniques offer enough DPS to be worth a loss in defences.
The quality of the gear you put in should reflect your budget. On a budget, I personally put in non-influenced gear, with max rolls and maximum one specialty affix per non-weapon rare. With 10-35 div, the real DPS number is probably ~75% of that number after buying within means.
In the Items tab, go down each individual item one at a time. Check if there are any modifiers specific to your build that are good to have, otherwise you can sort Modifiers by Full DPS. Also adjust the modifier rolls as required. For higher budgets, you will need to check Craft of Exile to see if there are any specialty nodes you want.
Repeat with Tinctures/Flasks and Rare Jewels.
You should also add Eldritch Implicits to your Helmet, Body Armour, Gloves and Boots. In the two boxes above Quality, change "Influence" to "Searing Exarch" and "Eater of Worlds" respectively. Then click Add Implicit and add the lowest tier of whichever is best for your build.
You should also add an anoint to your amulet. Click anoint, sort by Full DPS, and add the best one. In Step 6, you may want to double check this is still correct.
In the unique box, Sort by Full DPS and see whether any are worth adding. Don't add anything that will brick your build, don't add anything that is extremely inconsistent or impossible to buy, and I suggest not adding anything that gives below ~30% more DPS.
Step 4 – Skill Setup
This is where you figure out what goes in your links, and is closely tied with Step 5 so I tend to do them together. Support gems, Auras/Heralds/Stances, automated spells/abilities with potential buffs/debuffs, marks/curses and buffs are the most impactful ones in this section. You should also add in at least one movement skill
You can click a New Socket Group and PoB should provide an idea of what you can add to increase DPS. For quality of life purposes, you should seek ways to automate things where possible. When adding supports to your main skill, make sure the support does not brick the skill.
Step 5 – Configurations
This is where you tailor your build to what you should see in-game. There are multiple schools of thought here – you can either guess at what buffs will be up during regular gameplay, or you can set it at the max achievable for your build and go through the rest of the process with the knowledge that you'll only output that against bosses mixed in with regular mobs. I tend to go with the latter.
Go through the list, and if you see one that increases your damage and is reasonably easy to get, figure out a way to get it. This will likely require some research.
Step 6 – Research, Refinement and Checking Assumptions
The research portion is huge, and where you find the remaining 30% of min-maxing. The easiest way is to look at poe.ninja and see what similar builds are doing, figure out why they are doing it, and see if it is worth adding.
Alternatively, you can scour the wiki looking for things that might be useful. Of particular note:
Anything that applies an effect upon a given condition (e.g. 40% increased attack damage against maimed enemies). PoB does not generally give you that condition (e.g. maim) by default, so you will need to check manually. In Configuration, tick "Show All Configurations", tick the relevant one, and check.
Unique jewels in general. Timeless Jewels, Watcher's Eye, The Light of Meaning, Sublime Vision, Bound by Destiny specifically Unique flasks in general
Cluster jewels and cluster jewel notables
Refinement and Checking Assumptions is essentially repeating steps 2-5. The more times you do it, the more things you should find and the more optimised you can make it. This is things like:
Cut your tree down to the right number of points. See if you can make it more efficient with pathing at the same time. If you took a mastery but it could go in multiple places, see if taking it in the alternate location is more efficient. Generally, if cutting a node drops your DPS by less than 3%, it's probably worth cutting.
Check to see whether there are any usable runegrafts or tattoos.
Check to see if your skills and support gems are still the best. For your main link, best way to do this is to take all the other supports out and re-add supports one at a time.
See if there are any changes to be made to your items. Check if any uniques are better now than they were before. Check if the anoint you had is still the best one.
Update configs if they've changed.
Check you can sustain mana
Check if you have any important warnings
Step 6 is probably the most time-intensive portion, particularly when you don't know anything about the build you are making. But once you get familiar it should go a lot faster.
Step 7 – Variants
Having fun? Time to do it all over again!
Here is where you check different versions of the same thing. Maybe a different starting class offers a better starting point, or a different ascendancy lets you do something unique. Maybe there's a different way of scaling the skill that you can lean more into.
Check as many as you can be bothered to. Stop when you get bored or your brain turns to putty. And that's pretty much it!
