The Torvian, Hand of the Saviour build is a high-octane melee specialization for Path of Exile 2, designed around the unique mechanics of The Saviour sword. This build focuses on creating a legion of Reflections—mirage clones of your character—that mimic your attacks to overwhelm enemies with a torrent of steel. It is a visually spectacular and incredibly effective playstyle for players who enjoy fast-paced, aggressive combat. The core of this build is its ability to scale damage exponentially with the number of Reflections, making it a powerhouse for clearing maps and a formidable foe against single-target bosses when positioned correctly. For players seeking an economic edge while gearing, resources like PoE 2 Currency can help accelerate progression.
Build Philosophy and Core Mechanics
The primary mechanic of the Hand of the Saviour build revolves around the unique property of The Saviour one-handed sword: "On Melee Critical Strike, summon a Reflection of you for 2 seconds." These Reflections use your primary attack skill, effectively multiplying your damage output. Our goal is to maximize the uptime and number of these Reflections by investing heavily in attack speed and critical strike chance.
In Path of Exile 2, with its new weapon-swapping system, this build gains even more versatility. We will utilize a primary weapon set for maximum clear speed with The Saviour and a secondary set optimized for single-target boss encounters or specific utility needs. The build relies on pure physical damage, augmented by the Impale mechanic, to deliver devastating blows. Defensively, we will stack Armour, Life, and Fortification to survive in the heart of combat, where this build thrives.
Pros and Cons
| Cons | |
|---|---|
| Exceptional Clear Speed: Reflections can clear entire screens of enemies with just a few attacks from you. | Weapon Dependent: The build is entirely non-functional without The Saviour sword. |
| High Single-Target Potential: With proper positioning, all Reflections can focus on a single boss, melting their health bar. | Requires Good Positioning: You must be in melee range to trigger Reflections, exposing you to danger. |
| Engaging and Active Playstyle: Constant movement and attacking make for a very dynamic gameplay experience. | Can Be Squishy: Without significant investment in defensive layers, the build can feel fragile. |
| Visually Impressive: Filling the screen with your clones is one of the most satisfying visual effects in the game. | Potentially Laggy: The sheer number of attacks and effects can cause performance drops on some systems. |
Ascendancy Choice: Templar - Justicar
- Righteous Zeal: Boosts attack speed and grants Onslaught on kill for quicker Reflection generation.
- Divine Judgment: Marks enemies, increasing physical damage taken and culling them at 15% life.
- Guardian's Aegis: Increases Armour and Fortify effect for better survivability.
- Hand of Retribution: Extends Reflection duration, increases their damage, and grants occasional taunt on hit.
Skill Gem and Support Setup
Primary Weapon Set (The Saviour + Rare Sword)
Main Skill: Cyclone
- Cyclone – Movement and damage in one.
- Melee Physical Damage Support – Strong multiplier.
- Impale Support – Ensures 100% Impale chance.
- Fortify Support – Grants Fortification.
- Increased Critical Strikes Support – Maintains high crit chance.
- Pulverise Support – Larger AoE and more melee damage.
Secondary Weapon Set (Dual High-DPS Swords)
Single-Target Skill: Double Strike
- Double Strike – Hits twice per attack.
- Multistrike Support – Repeats attacks rapidly.
- Melee Physical Damage Support – More raw damage.
- Ruthless Support – Heavy hit every third attack.
- Impale Support – Maintains Impale stacks.
- Close Combat Support – Increased damage in close range.
Auras and Utility Skills
- Determination – Massive armour boost.
- Pride – Increases physical damage enemies take.
- Blood and Sand – Switch between AoE and damage modes.
- Leap Slam – Mobility and obstacle bypass.
- Vaal Ancestral Warchief – Totem for burst damage.
- Molten Shell linked to Cast when Damage Taken – Defensive layer.
Gearing Strategy
- The Saviour – Core weapon.
- Off-hand Rare Foil – High phys DPS, crit, attack speed.
- Body Armour – Life, Armour, resistances or Belly of the Beast.
- Helmet – Life, resistances, Cyclone or Double Strike enchant.
- Gloves – Spiked Gloves with Life, resistances, attack speed.
- Boots – 30–35% movement speed, Life, resistances.
- Amulet – Life, crit multiplier, added phys damage.
- Rings – Steel Rings with Life, resistances, flat phys damage.
Gameplay and Final Tips
For mapping, activate your auras, enter Sand Stance, and Cyclone through enemy packs. Your critical strikes will summon Reflections to clear surrounding foes. Leap Slam between packs and over terrain for fluid movement. Against bosses, swap to your secondary set, switch to Blood Stance, and deploy Vaal Ancestral Warchief. Position yourself so your attacks and Reflections hit the boss simultaneously, maximizing single-target DPS. Maintain Fortify and trigger Molten Shell when anticipating heavy damage. This build thrives in the hands of aggressive players who can balance offense and defense effectively, and with the right preparation through resources like cheap path of exile 2 currency, it becomes even more formidable.