[Top 5] PoE Best Armor Sets for Duelists That Are Powerful!

Updated:

26 Aug 2022

[Top 5] PoE Best Armor Sets for Duelist That Are Powerful

When you have such a massive discrepancy in power level between certain ascendancies, and Champion being a prime candidate for top 3 Ascendancy, you’ll get a lot of meta builds for Duelists, and as such, a few uniques become a staple for this beast of a class. So here are the best 5 builds and their wearables!

5 – Explosive Arrow Ignite Champion

A build that’s been meta for over 6 months now, lauded as one of the best league starters, and capable of clearing the entire game on a budget, it’s no surprise this build would become a great combo with Champion. Lots of damage combined with the tankiest class in the game right now. Recipe for success!

Helmet

You’ll want as much life and evasion as possible since this is where you’ll get a bunch of Spell Suppression to help gearing be easier on you later on. It’s also a great place to get a ton of Flammability Curse effect or Reservation Efficiency for your auras.

Body Armor

Yet another good place to cap yourself on Spell Suppress, but your main goal here is getting as much Armor, Evasion (use hybrid equips!) and Life as possible.

Gloves

You can either go with an Eldritch Influenced gloves, if you’re on a budget, with Fire DoT Multi and Ignite Prolif, or if you’re splurging, going for a Maven’ed and Woked Hunter/ Warlord glove, with Culling, Fire DoT Multi, Damage over Time, on an Apothecary’s Gloves, is a good way to get a ton of damage.

Boots

Lots of Suppression again, Life, Attributes, Resistances as you need them, and Onslaught, since the ignite damage your ballistae deal counts as your kills. Also, Ignites deal Damage Faster from Eldritch Implicits is a great way to increase your damage!

Weapon

You’ll want a +3 Bow with as much attack speed and some source of cold or lightning damage (to proc EE), and if you can splurge, a bunch of Fire DoT Multi/Dot Multi.

Quiver

As much Life, DoT Multi, and attack speed as possible will go a long way to help your damage. Also, make sure to focus a lot on getting all the resistances you might be lacking.

Amulet

Ashes of the Stars. In my opinion, the most fun equipment in the game, Ashes unlocks the hidden potential of all Alt Quality Gems, and this brings a whole host of benefits for auras, secondary skills, buffs… It’s a powerhouse item, that also grants a +1, easily.

Belt

Mageblood. It comes as no surprise that a top-tier build would want to wear an MB, which enables a much more selfish playstyle and improves your stats so significantly high that it eclipses everything else. Truly a marvel and an overpowered item.

Rings

Polaric Devastation is a fairly new item that grants the much coveted Covered in Ashes mod, amping up your damage significantly. On the other slot, you’ll want as much Life and Resistances possible, to round out your build.

https://poe.ninja/challenge/builds/char/almoay/Almochamp?time-machine=week-2&i=5&search=time-machine%3Dweek-2%26class%3DChampion%2CGladiator%2CSlayer

4 – Lightning Strike Omni Champion

Also a very meta build, strong as they come, especially when aided by Crystalized Omniscience, to reach hundreds of Elemental penetration as well as freeing up the need to pick up Res on gear. It also synergizes supremely well with Champion, making it a fantastic all-around build, capable of dealing against anything and anyone with ease.

Helmet

Though not always used, Black Sun Crest is single-handedly the item which gives the most Omniscience in the game, capable of giving up to 45% Omni in a single slot! It also comes with the wonderful +1 to socketed gems, which is great if you have Enlighten, in order to maximize your mana usage.

Body Armor

It’s a great place to pick up a lot of life and Spell Suppress, while also being a fantastic place to eliminate ailments altogether, with Veiled Mods. You also will be able to pick up a lot of damage through the use of Eldritch Implicits, by boosting an Anger up.

Gloves

One of the most crucial slots, due to how VLS works, and how much you want +2 to Strike Skills, as this unlocks the double dipping that LS has on single target, with proper positioning. Pick up as much Attribute and Life as possible, with some extra attack speed as gravy.

Boots

This is a prime slot to pick up whatever resistance you’re lacking as well as attributes. You’ll also want at least one empty suffix to craft Ailment Avoid, and then roll Ailment Avoid with Eldritch Influence, capping you at 100% with some extra from the passive tree.

Weapon

A Triple Elemental Claw with as much DPS as possible and high crit.

Shield

Yet another place that will help you cap out on Spell Suppression, attributes, Block chance and as much Evasion, Life, and Armor as possible.

Amulet

Crystalized Omniscience, the tenet of the build.

Belt

Unlike most where going for a Mageblood is a no-brainer, because of how easy it is for Champion to get a ton of Evasion and Armor, we use a Perseverance here, because it not only gives us over 250% increased Attack damage, but also grants Onslaught and Fortify for free!

Rings

A great place to get a bucket load of attributes, either with Synth bases or Fractured mods, as well as getting as much Minus Mana Cost to ease up on LS’s cost.

https://poe.ninja/challenge/builds/char/PADENN/HelixMakesMeCry?time-machine=week-2&i=3&search=time-machine%3Dweek-2%26class%3DChampion%2CGladiator%2CSlayer

3 – Shield Crush Champion

A complete off-meta build, but it goes to show just how powerful Champion is that it can make anything work. Though it isn’t the best clearer, it’s a tanky and powerful build that can do all content when properly built.

Helmet

You’ll want as much Life, Armor and RME as possible. It’s also a great place to pick up Reduces Mana Cost of Attacks through Eldritch Implicits.

Body Armor

Getting Shield Crush to Level 24 is crucial to bring its damage over the next threshold, and we do that by using a Skin of the Lords, for +2, and a level 21 gem, that combined with Ashes of the Stars, brings the gem level to 24. Skin of the Lords also boosts our defences, which were already substantial, sky high, with its 100% Global Defence mod.

Gloves

You’ll want a pair of Sinistral Gloves, as any Shield Build would, and get as much attack speed and Spell Suppression as possible, as well as life and resistance as you need them.

Boots

Yet another great place to pick up a lot of spell suppression and resistances, you’ll also need to be concerned about picking up a bunch of movement speed!

Weapon

This is an odd-ish, choice of weapon but it grants a lot of attack speed, which Shield Crush loves, as well as 100% accuracy while on Low life (we’re always on low life because of Petrified blood!) You could also go with a Prismatic Eclipse, which has great options for corruption!

Shield

As we’re a shield build, we need as many stats from our shield as possible, and the strongest way of doing that is by getting a beefy shield with 2,5k + Armor, some life, maybe max res and spell suppression. Remember, your shield is your weapon, so splurging on it is a good idea.

Amulet

Ashes of the Stars. Best unique amulet in the game.

Belt

Perseverance yet again, as it’s a phenomenal belt for the price tag and how well it synergize with Champion.

Rings

Life, Res, attributes. Whatever else you’re lacking.

https://poe.ninja/challenge/builds/char/mariox1011/Hardmode_modCheck?time-machine=week-2&i=0&search=time-machine%3Dweek-2%26class%3DChampion%2CGladiator%2CSlayer

2 – Corrupting Fever Reap Champion

Yet another extremely powerful meta build, though geared towards clearing as quick as possible, as opposed to being a bosser, CF, in combination with a strong Reap for single target, is capable of deleting most enemies with ease on a budget while also being insanely tanky, thanks to Champion’s inherent survivability.

Helmet

This is a good slot to pick up a Synth base with Aura Effect, or if none of those are available, then going for strong Eldritch implicits, like Curse Effect or Reservation Efficiency. You’ll want as much Life, Res (Chaos in particular), and Spell Suppress as possible.

Body Armor

Again, as much life as possible, with Spell Suppression, perhaps even a a Life Temple Mod, and most importantly, a free prefix to craft Avoid Ailments!

Gloves

This is a great place to pick up a lot of Phys DoT Multi, as it helps both CF and Reap, but also one of the best slots to pick up a bunch of Spell Suppression as well as Chaos Res, Attributes or more damage.

Boots

Same as before, Life, Spell Suppress, Attributes, and the most Movement Speed you can get, and it’s a good idea to pick up some Life Regen, as that’s your resource to cast your spells. And don’t forget that you’ll want some strong Ailment Avoid Eldritch Implicits, at least 30+ to be fully capped!

Weapon

Here you’ll want at least a +2 Wand (or you go with a Poet’s Pen in a completely different setup, but also works) with as much Phys DoT and Phys DoT Multi or DoT Multi. Spell Damage and Attack speed (you’ll be proccing CF through KB) as possible, but it is gravy.

Shield

A +1 Shield with as much Max Res as possible, to enable Melding of the Flesh, and give you as much Life and Life Regen as possible. Anything else is gravy but welcomed.

Amulet

BiS would be a +2 Amulet with Phys Dot Multi, which while possible, is supremely hard to craft. That said, getting it improves the build monumentally.

Belt

Mageblood. This, combined with great elemental resistance flasks makes you almost immortal to Ele Dmg, and since you’re a Champion, you barely take Phys Damage, making you insanely Tanky!

Rings

These are slots that bring a lot of power to the build. Getting things like Life Gain on Hit, Fractured Curses on hit, and Onslaught on Hit will bring the build full circle. Other supremely strong stats are DoT Multiplier from Delirium Essences, Life, Res, Minus Mana Cost, % Inc Damage, etc.

https://poe.ninja/challenge/builds/char/Exoxit/ExoxitSentinel?time-machine=week-2&i=9&search=time-machine%3Dweek-2%26class%3DChampion%2CGladiator%2CSlayer

1 – Shockwave Cyclone Slayer

Surprisingly, the most interesting build of the list isn’t a Champion but a Slayer instead. This build revolves around many synergies that compound on a lot of damage in an easy-to-follow interaction.

Helmet

This is similar to the Berserker Strength stacker helmet, with lots of Accuracy per Str, Crit Chance, Nearby Enemies have Minus Chaos Res, etc. Getting a lot of life and even a Phys Taken as Fire is a great idea to improve your survivability, since you are a melee build!

Body Armor

You could use an Iron Fortress, but there’s a lot of power defensively with using a tanky, powerful chest with as much life as possible, MRE, and even getting % Less Damage Taken Per Str from Eldritch Implicits!

Gloves

Though you can do better with other gloves, Meginord’s Vise is easy to mass corrupt in order to get some easy Despair on Hit and a bucket load of Strength.

Boots

The core of the build, Replica Alberon’s Warpath takes your Strength (while also giving up to 18%!) and converts it into a truck-load of Chaos Damage to Attacks! This synergize super well with the weapon we use!

Weapon

Replica Frostbreath is a great weapon because we don’t need a super quick or high DPS weapon. But it grants us a 100% chance to Deal Double Damage, which is literally 100% more damage, while also chilling enemies.

Shield

Redblade Banner, to boost our Battlemage’s Cry to the maximum since we’re a Strength Stacking build that will use Iron Will and then convert that extra damage back into Attack damage, which translates into a LOT of damage for our Shockwave.

Amulet

For all your jewellery, you’ll want as much % Strength as Possible, as Synth Bases, and then craft upon that to reach over 2k STR. You’ll also want Life, Crit Multi, AoE, Minus Mana Cost for Channeling skills.

Belt

Mageblood, of course.

Rings

Same as the Amulet. Crit Multi with essences, % Strength, Life, Minus Mana cost.

https://poe.ninja/challenge/builds/char/BLADEMAJIAN/VUERICH?time-machine=week-2&i=17&search=time-machine%3Dweek-2%26class%3DSlayer%2C!Champion%2CGladiator

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Bruno C.

Bruno comes from the rainforests of the Brazilian jungle, battling beasts and seeking wonders, he has developed a thirst for adventure and a need to chronicle his findings!

Gamer Since:

1997

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RPG

Currently Playing:

Path of Exile

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Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition, League of Legends, Crysis 2-Maximum Edition

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