TL;DR
- Blade Blast of Unloading transforms Blade Vortex stacks into sequential explosions that follow your movement
- Triggerbots and Brand Recall automate blade generation, allowing continuous damage while moving
- Power charge stacking with unique items provides massive critical strike and damage scaling
- Defensive layers use absorption charges and life optimization to counter glass cannon nature
- Multiple build variants available for different budgets and playstyle preferences
Welcome to this week’s featured Path of Exile build showcase, where we explore Primaeva’s innovative Blade Blast Saboteur. This exceptional setup leverages the newly introduced transfigured Blade Blast of Unloading gem to create devastating circular explosions that track your character’s position. The build represents a significant evolution in spell interaction mechanics.
Blade Blast functions as a complementary spell that requires blade generation from other skills. Traditional versions work with Bladefall or Ethereal Knives, which leave physical blades on the ground for subsequent detonation. However, the current league introduced a game-changing alternative: Blade Blast of Unloading. This transfigured variant operates entirely differently, interacting with Blade Vortex instead of ground-based blades.
Blade Vortex accumulates spinning blade stacks around your character, with Blade Blast of Unloading systematically detonating them in sequence. This fundamental shift in mechanics opens up new strategic possibilities for damage delivery and mobility.

Primaeva recognized the immense potential of this mechanical shift and developed a comprehensive approach. The key effectiveness factor lies in timing your movement skills precisely – when executed correctly, the sequential explosions follow your character’s path, enabling continuous damage output while maintaining full mobility. The primary challenge involves sustaining blade stacks without interrupting flow by repeatedly casting Blade Vortex manually.
The automation solution begins with Arcanist Brand, a specialized brand skill that revolutionizes spell casting. Once deployed, this brand automatically triggers linked spells at regular intervals without requiring manual input. For this build, it’s connected to Blade Vortex, creating a hands-free blade generation system that operates independently of your main actions.
For newcomers to Path of Exile, the next layer might seem complex but represents the build’s core innovation. Primaeva recommends acquiring the Saboteur’s Perfect Crime ascendancy node, which summons two autonomous Triggerbot minions. These mechanical assistants intercept any triggered spells – including the Blade Vortex cast by Arcanist Brand – and duplicate the casting process. Since two Triggerbots operate simultaneously, each brand activation effectively produces double the blade stacks.

The true game-changing element, as Primaeva describes it, is Brand Recall. Activating this skill immediately recalls and triggers all active brands simultaneously. With five brands deployed, this results in five activations, further multiplied by Triggerbots to generate ten Blade Vortex stacks instantly.
The final automation step involves binding Brand Recall to your left mouse button for seamless integration into movement. You’ll only need to periodically recast Arcanist Brand as their durations expire, maintaining the automated blade generation cycle indefinitely.
Pro Tip: Position your brands strategically around combat areas rather than clustering them together. This spreads blade generation across a wider area and ensures more consistent coverage when using Brand Recall.
We’ve established the beautiful circular patterns, but how do we transform them into lethal instruments? The answer involves additional circular mechanics – specifically, numerous miniature circles!
Power charges represent an exceptionally efficient investment strategy for critical strike optimization in this configuration. Primaeva utilizes Ralakesh’s Impatience unique boots, which provide the benefits of maximum power charges permanently, regardless of your current charge count.
The strategy then focuses on accumulating additional maximum power charges through various sources including passive tree nodes, specific unique items, and league mechanics. This charge stacking approach creates exponential damage growth through multiple synergistic mechanics.



Numerous methods exist to gain additional damage per power charge. Void Battery and Malachai’s Loop represent ideal weapon choices that synergize perfectly with this charge-focused approach. Current league charms provide additional stacked bonuses that complement the charge scaling strategy.
The Badge of the Brotherhood amulet serves as an essential component. This unique item equalizes your maximum Frenzy Charges with your maximum Power Charges, providing all associated benefits from both charge types simultaneously.
Through optimal gear and passive tree configuration, you can achieve nine maximum power charges, thereby gaining the full benefit spectrum from all charge-related bonuses. The increased attack and cast speed significantly enhances Shield Charge mobility and Arcanist Brand activation frequency, improving overall build responsiveness.
Advanced Technique: Time your power charge generation with flask usage and skill rotations to maintain maximum uptime on critical damage bonuses.
In an ideal scenario, this character configuration should eliminate threats before they can engage, but Primaeva acknowledges its glass cannon characteristics. Several strategic approaches help mitigate this vulnerability. Recall that we’re utilizing Malachai’s Loop for power charge optimization – this item carries a significant drawback where reaching maximum power charges normally causes self-shock.
Fortunately, a belt-shaped solution exists. Equipping Graven’s Secret transforms power charge acquisition into absorption charges instead. This mechanical conversion prevents the self-shock effect from Malachai’s Loop while providing additional defensive benefits.
Absorption charges provide damage recoup mechanics, converting a percentage of elemental damage taken into energy shield regeneration over time. This creates a sustainable defensive loop that complements the aggressive playstyle.
Given the extensive use of unique items, careful optimization of remaining equipment slots for defensive attributes becomes crucial. Utula’s Hunger body armor offers an excellent defensive solution, providing substantial life bonuses provided no other gear pieces contain life modifiers.
Fortunately, the other essential unique items lack life modifiers, making this combination perfectly viable. Primaeva’s demonstration highlights how transfigured gems can enable powerful builds with creative implementation.
Defensive Priority: Focus on capping elemental resistances first, then invest in life and energy shield where possible. The absorption charge mechanic provides substantial effective health against elemental damage sources when properly scaled.
Beyond the core demonstration, Primaeva has detailed multiple build variations catering to different budget constraints and playstyle preferences. One alternative version emphasizes Impale mechanics for physical damage amplification, while another focuses on cold damage conversion to freeze enemies with the massive area of effect.
The Impale variant focuses on physical damage retention and amplification through the Impale mechanic, providing consistent damage against heavily armored targets. The cold conversion version offers superior crowd control through freezing mechanics, enhancing survivability against large groups.
For players with limited currency, budget-friendly alternatives exist that maintain core functionality while scaling appropriately with investment. The build progression path offers clear upgrade milestones that provide noticeable power spikes at each stage.
We extend our appreciation to Primaeva for sharing this innovative approach. This build configuration can significantly optimize your currency efficiency while delivering exceptional performance. Enjoy your journey, exiles!
Progression Tip: Start with the budget version and upgrade pieces systematically based on their impact-to-cost ratio. Some unique items provide disproportionate power gains for their cost.
Action Checklist
- Acquire Blade Blast of Unloading gem and set up Arcanist Brand with Blade Vortex
- Allocate Saboteur’s Perfect Crime for Triggerbot automation
- Bind Brand Recall to left click and practice movement timing
- Secure core unique items: Ralakesh’s Impatience, Void Battery, Malachai’s Loop
- Optimize power charge stacking through passive tree and additional unique items
- Implement defensive layers with Graven’s Secret and Utula’s Hunger
- Practice advanced techniques: brand placement, charge management, and skill rotation timing
No reproduction without permission:OnLineGames Guides » PoE Builds 3.23: Blade Blast Unloader Saboteur Build Master the Blade Blast Saboteur with advanced automation and power charge optimization techniques
