The newest Path of Exile league Lake of Kalandra 3.19 is upon us and arrives today! We’ve updated the guides on our sister site PoE Vault to ensure that Exiles are well-prepared to discover the Lake of Kalandra while controlling their level of risk and reward.
The lake of Kalandra Challenge League
In the Kalandra Challenge League, you’ll travel to the mirrored lake that granted Kalandra her powers of duplication. The lake manifests reflections of Wraeclast itself, which emerge from its misty surface as you approach. Fight through these dangerous encounters to uncover Kalandra’s mysteries and earn true power. You may recognise Kalandra from the infamous Mirror of Kalandra, Path of Exile’s most valuable item.
This August expansion contains the Kalandra challenge league, improvements to the Atlas endgame, four new gems, 14 new unique items, 100+ buffed existing uniques, revamps to Harvest, Beyond and Archnemesis, a variety of balance changes and much more!
For more information, please head over to the PoE Vault League Hub
Recommended builds for the Lake of Kalandra League
We’d like to give you a few recommendations of what we believe to be some of the strongest league starter builds (although any build tagged as a League Starter and updated for 3.19 is a very solid choice)
Poison Animate Weapon Necromancer – GhazzyTV
Being an iconic Necromancer skill for over two decades, an almost forgotten build rises after the fall of last league’s top dog to contender for the spot of the best Summoner build in the game. Being a niche playstyle, this might not be for everybody, but for those who fall in love, it will have a place in their heart for the rest of their PoE career.
Absolution Necromancer – GhazzyTV
Being the strongest boss killer summoner build for multiple leagues now, the Absolution Necromancer is returning to now be crowned queen of the summoners. Less affected by the current balance changes, it is a safe bet both for league start and late game scaling. With a wide range of potential crafting options from the league mechanic, combined with the raw damage of the skill, it will see a lot of play.
Physical Golem Necromancer – GhazzyTV
Golems are still a competitive choice for beginners and veterans. The forgiving playstyle makes it an exceptional choice for new players. Golem summoner builds have been a powerhouse for a lot of leagues and this league marks no difference, even after the nerfs to the Necromancer.
Freezing Pulse Totem Hierophant – TbXie
Offering a unique playstyle, totems are for sure something to get used to. But when played to its full potential, the advantages lie at hand: staying away from enemies keeps you alive, while your totems wreck everything coming remotely close. Started as a joke build no one ever took seriously, it developed into a strong build nobody laughs about anymore.
Toxic Rain DoT Trickster – TbXie
From the ashes of the old trickster ascendancy class rises a new approach to evasion-based builds, featuring a classic and fan favourite skill. The Toxic Rain trickster combines engaging gameplay with competitive damage scaling from early to late game. Making use of the reworked ascendancy, the build takes an old approach to the modern era.
Wintertide Brand Occultist – TbXie
An old league start favorite, back once again. Wintertide Brand Cold-Dot offers solid clear, a comfortable time through the campaign and rock-solid defenses once invested some currency in it. If you’re looking for a build that is relaxing to play, reasonably tanky, works on a budget and can be invested into heavily if you enjoy it, Wintertide brand Cold-Dot is for you. This build is extremely new player friendly and is a very good choice for a first build, but it suits veterans equally well.
Storm Brand Inquisitor – Velyna
Storm Brand offers a smooth campaign experience, a very smooth investment curve throughout early maps and easily helps you farm currency for future upgrades. Due to Inquisitor regen being what it is, it sports utterly unethical sustain. This build is primarily a mapping build and thrives off creating explosion chains that deletes most of the screen in a satisfying manner. This build is be suitable for anyone, both new and returning players.
Herald of Agony Champion – Velyna
Do you like Creepy Crawlies? Do you want a giant scorpion demon pet? Do you like Being tanky? From early in the campaign and all through maps, this build simply walks its way through with no worries. Do not be scared by the transition halfway through, it is smooth and unproblematic. This build is easily piloted by newer players and is be disability friendly.
Explosive Concoction Ascendant – Velyna
Have you ever been so frustrated by flasks and lack of flask sustain you quite literally wanted to throw the flask on the ground? Well now you can! This build uses its utility flasks as a damage amplifier and explodes everything on the screen. Due to its core mechanics, it sports massive flask sustain so no need to properly manage them either. The build is also reasonably tanky, if you care about that sort of thing.
Ultimate Cyclone Slayer – PoEVault
The build is back! The fan favorite Spin-to-Win build is back in action at long last. This build has been a super popular choice among new players and veterans alike and is one of those genre defining builds. If you want to hold down right mouse button as you spin across Wreaclast, leaving everything in your wake dead and/or exploded, this is the go-to build. Suitable for everyone.
Besides the above builds, we have a lot more league starters ready for you. If you still have not found a build and the above recommendations are not for you, then head over to our league start build hub
To ease the levelling experience, you can pick up our Quick Reference Levelling guide.
For any questions regarding builds and itemization in Lake of Kalandra come and chat with our moderators on the PoE Vault Discord!
We wish you an amazing league start.
Team Poe-Vault
