Bleed Warlock Build Guide – Last Epoch

The Warlock sub-class in Last Epoch focuses on amplifying curses and DoT damage to destroy her foes. In this Warlock build guide, I'll be presenting you with the necessary information on how to make use of the Warlock's unique kit and playstyle to its fullest extent.

Best Warlock Build in Last Epoch

Since the Warlock's kit has such a heavy emphasis on DoT effects, this build prioritizes this by consistently placing debuffs on a large number of enemies. Due to this focus, we will be making use of three key legendary items that amplify the Bleed DoT and enhance general DoT damage from Burn and Necrotic. With these three DoTs and the addition of other minor ones, this build makes short of work of just about everything Last Epoch has to throw at you and is viable well into the end-game.

Best Attributes for Warlock in Last Epoch

The Warlock is a sub-class of the Acolyte, so Intelligence is by far the most important stat for this build. Intelligence boosts the potency of your Spell Damage, which is also a core secondary stat to be aware of. There are, additionally, non-Attribute stats that you should be looking for on your gear pieces for this build.

These stats are vital components to this Warlock build, and I highly recommend you get as many gear pieces as possible stacked with them along with Intelligence.

Related: How to make a Loot Filter in Last Epoch

Best Skill Specializations for Warlock in Last Epoch

The following skills are used to make this DoT-based playstyle function at its core.

• Rip Blood - Specialization in this skill is taken due to the Gushing Wound node in the skill tree, which allows Rip Blood to always apply a Bleed DoT on a hit. Blood Catalyst always removes its ability to sustain you in favor of more application of Rip Blood on nearby enemies, thus allowing for more Bleed DoT effects to be active.
• Chthonic Fissure - The Warlock's signature ability, Chthonic Fissure enables more DoT effects through Burn and Torment in an AoE effect, increasing the number of active DoTs on a given target. By taking the Blood Gulch node, the Ignite status is converted into Bleed, which scales very well with the rest of your gear, which also has a priority on Physical Damage and Physical Resistance Shred.
• Ghostflame - Ghostflame servers as your primary mobility option with this build by taking Spirit of Dread and Doom Surge. Additionally, taking Dread Furance allows the ability to apply the Ignite and Damned DoT effects as a bonus.
• Chaos Bolts - Through the talent node Exacted Libation, Chaos Bolt hits will have a chance to cast Rip Blood on targets, which then triggers additional Bleed Dot effects. From here, invest in nodes that boost the size of the Chaos Bolts explosion radius, such as Pandemonium and Scatter.
• Bone Curse - Lastly, Blood Curse is used to boost Physical Damage dealt to afflicted foes, increasing your Bleed DoT damage in the process. Cloven Flesh grants Bone Curse a high chance to inflict Bleed on affected targets. Crippling Anguish provides you with some much-needed crowd control through the Slow status.

Best Passives for Warlock in Last Epoch

The following are the core Acolyte Passives you should take for this build.

• Blood Aura - Provides you a flat boost in overall damage.
• Blood Pact - Gives you an even larger boost in damage, but you take minor damage if you've killed anything recently. This minor damage does not matter and you will not notice it.
• Forbidden Knowledge - Gives you intelligence and Necrotic Resistance, making it easier for you to hit the 75% resistance cap.

Next, here are the core Warlock Passives you should acquire for the build.

• Soul Stealer - This passive provides you additional mana regen while lowering cooldowns. It solves most of the mana issues you may have.
• Spiteful Decay - Provide a healthy increase to all of your DoT effects
• Cauldron of Blood - Provides a significant increase to your Bleed Chance while also allowing for automatic casts of Rip Blood due to the Bleed Overload buff you get.
• Spirit Leech - Provides you a solid boost in survivalability through health leech.
• Wither - Allows you to inflict the Withered status on enemies, reducing the damage you take from them.
• Vessel of Chaos - Provides a significant boost to your DoT effects.
• Ward of Malevolence - Gives you a massive boost to your survivability through Ward generation as long as you are killing enemies.
• Accursed Seer - Boosts your casting speed. Always nice to have.

Finally, here are the core Lich Passives you should take for the build.

• Apocrypha - Provides a flat increase to your Intelligence while giving solid mana regen as a secondary.
• Dance with Death - Gives you a solid damage bonus that is tripled when you are at low health.
• Serrated Bones - Provides you with a large boost to Bleed Chance.
• Desolation - Boosts the power of your DoT effects
• Unclosed Wounds - Provides you with a massive boost to your damage at the cost of health drain. This health drain is inconsequential.

Best Blessings for the Warlock in Last Epoch

The Blessings you want to take for this build should focus on supporting the DoT playstyle while boosting survivability so you can safely watch your foes rot away.

• Hemmorage of Marrow - Provides a high chance to inflict the Bleed status on a successful hit. This is amazing for this build, as every active Bleed adds significant damage.
• Grand Patience of Herkir - Provides a sizeable survivability boost when channeling Ghostflame for mobility or further spreading more DoT effects.
• Grand Fury of the North - Provides a sizeable chance to shred physical resistance on a hit, boosting the damage of all Bleed effects.

Best Gear Items and Affixes for Warlock in Last Epoch

Due to DoTs being such a major portion of your damage with this build, there are a few core items you should chase after.

• Mad Alchemist's Ladle - Provides numerous Chance on Spell Hit effects and afflictions, and significantly boosts the power of DoT effects. I'd rate this legendary item as a must-have for this build. This weapon can drop as early as Level 17, so keep an eye out.
• Valdyre's Chalice - Massively boosts the potency of your Bleed DoTs by increasing its proc chance and duration, while also boosting your survivability by providing a health leech effect based on Physical DoTs. You can target farm this relic through The Last Ruin by running Unique or Set Relic echo rewards. Requires Level 64.
• Blood of the Exile - Provides a huge boost to Movement Speed while also massively buffing Bleed DoTs via increased duration. Additionally, moving enemies will suffer significantly more damage from Blood DoTs. These boots can be target farmed by running Spirits of Fire on nodes with Unique or Set Boots as the echo reward. Requires Level 48.

These are the affixes you should keep an eye out for while farming for the above gear pieces.

• Spell Damage - This is a common modifier that boosts your overall damage. Always a solid staple to have on gear.
• Increased Damage Over Time - As the name says, boosts the damage of your DoT effects, which is incredibly important for the Warlock and this build specifically.
• Increased Bleed Duration - Since Bleed is so high value, you'll want to boost the duration of the DoT through this modifier.
• Increased Damage with Rip Blood - Rip Blood is the staple ability for this build, making boosting damage of the ability a valuable consideration.
• Increased Damage with Blood Splatter - Part of the Rip Blood ability, Blood Spalatter adds a secondary damage instance in an AoE around the Rip Blood target, thus boosting its damage is just as important.
• Increased Physical Damage - Bleed is a Physical DoT, thus boosting your Physical Damage will also increase the potency of your Bleed afflictions.
• Chance to Physical Shred - Bleed is your main DoT for this build. Since it is Physical in damage type, shredding Physical Resistance is highly valuable.

Related: How to claim Twitch Drops in Last Epoch – All rewards

Best Idols for the Warlock in Last Epoch

There are only two viable Idols I'd recommend to you for this Warlock build.

• Adorned Immortal Idol - Boosts the damage of Rip Blood and Blood Splatter. These will begin dropping for you by Level 20.
• Small Eterran Idol - Boosts the damage of DoT effects while also boosting Physical Damage. These will begin dropping for you by Level 11.

How to play the Warlock in Last Epoch

Your sole goal in playing this Warlock build is to apply as many DoT effects onto as many targets as possible. Bleed is your primary DoT, and should be active on several targets at once. With the Mad Alchemist's Ladie, targets afflicted by Bleed will also be suffering numerous other afflictions such as Electrified and Poisoned.

In most cases, Rip Blood or Blood Curse will start an affliction train due to all their compounding effects. Generally, you'll want to open on every target with Bone Curse before casting anything else due to the major Physical Damage amplification it offers. From here, unleash Chthonic Fissure to continue adding afflictions to your targets. Use Ghostflame to add Ignite and Damned while moving to safety as needed. Finally, Chaos Bolts are on distant targets allowing for automatic casts of Rip Blood, further adding to the DoT train.

As you can see, this build is rather easy to play, but it does require the mentioned gear to function at full capacity. Your DoT effects will rot down any afflicted enemies, allowing you to deal DPS while keeping your distance and staying on the move. Endgame bosses in Last Epoch demand substantial mobility to evade their attacks while simultaneously dishing out consistent damage to overcome them. This Warlock DoT build solves both problems with ease.

For more helpful guides relating to Last Epoch, check out our Last Epoch Sentinel Leveling Guide right here on Pro Game Guides.