<CENTER>![kaelci pathofexile hive blog peakd poe header image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kaelci/23w2HKzfC1EJcBFd5kRy7QjA9uKdAtTEXQBVzdcHNvnf1L8znmQ912NycaonXU476ch5N.png)
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My partner was adamant. I wouldn't see level 80 and higher in *Path of Exile* unless I followed a build that someone else had slaved over to perfection.

I am proud to announce that he was wrong.

<CENTER>![kaelci pathofexile hive blog peakd poe DING DING DING.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kaelci/23tRt9Cj3LWX5v79wCfHVdQRCUwmj4aTgexo8LXpS2FtGH8NexJHrERbxFW8zNVncL5gx.png)
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<CENTER><h2>Ding! Level 80!</h2></CENTER>


First of all, I ditched my ranger and re-rerolled a witch. Not for any particular reason, I do enjoy the ranger, but my partner was (and still is) playing a witch and I remembered how much I enjoyed it in the hardcore races, despite that being the character I was more likely to die with. 😅

I wanted to be all lightning and zappy zappy... and just like with my ranger, I wanted to do my *own* build and not rely on someone else's.

So I did.

I literally went through all the skill gems and support gems on the Path of Exile Wiki and worked this and this and this out. Then I read posts on Reddit and the PoE forums about the abilities I wanted to use and the best supports for them... only to feel vindicated because apart from one or two things, most people did what I was planning on doing.

Common sense saves the day!

<CENTER>![kaelci pathofexile hive blog peakd poe random character image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kaelci/23wBdmbAtKykaUuhEMA7WSvHjaBiXrje1QgjQ1mwHdxpsWjwuN7gJg2Hsz5ro4YgKGezp.png)
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Yesterday I levelled up to 80, and then surpassed it twice more before bedtime. And it was all thanks to me, myself and I, and not someone else's build that was blindly followed. 😛

However, I will admit that it's very difficult. Once you get into this area of the game, every time you die you lose a fair chunk of XP. And I was dying a fair bit. But then something great happened.

I found this:

<CENTER>![kaelci pathofexile hive blog peakd poe ring valakos sign.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kaelci/23t76xYCUwubCHP3TRByoVzngAEj4Nq7gjJS2PYPEDV7z3NQF1UEgRxByU19qsz1wMYUk.png)
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And my partner gave me this:

<CENTER>![kaelci pathofexile hive blog peakd poe neck choir of the storm.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kaelci/48FiCoA2eSuJBNkBDJqAFBKy14aM2vsXnXKgDh43y2EZrGjQcHkMxTRJDCCHo7vkLc.png)
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Suddenly I was more survivable, I could zoom through things with ease! And out of curiosity I rushed to assorted gear pages online and trawled through them until I found other things that sounded perfect for what I'm trying to achieve.

There's a chestpiece that'll be perfect called *Inpulsa's Broken Heart*. Now I just need to find it. And there are two rare cobalt jewels I need to find -- *Plague Joy* and *Glyph Glisten*.

After I get those things, I'll need to re-roll a fire/cold resistance ring several million times until I get a good one, and I should be set!

<CENTER>![kaelci pathofexile hive blog peakd poe stash tab sigh.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kaelci/Eo6CCgsJDsAbMJqf1Q1Njqp7pYdqBRCSkMafwXVAuBrEYL3Qr6kD5SDztrUs32sAquv.png)
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I also caved in and bought a supporter pack so I had enough coins to buy... yes... some stash tabs. Yes, I needed a larger stash.

However, I am adamant that I *also* need an inventory expansion. With the maps and the limited portals to get back into the maps, I have to be more choosy in what I'm picking up... which is probably a good thing. But I want to vendor *everything!*

I'll pay double what I did for the stash tabs! 

### *Inventory is everything!*

<CENTER>![kaelci pathofexile hive blog peakd poe just running wif my golems.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kaelci/23vsBo2AfEb7twGy8s6EX9gZHeTGsyVyrpgBUsRTGEiQkxtu4jH4ro5yVqqPo1f9xGsYG.png)
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If you're curious, I'm running a Storm Burst elementalist witch with a couple of Golems. 

I have a lightning circle I stand in at all times, an aura that allows me more lightning damage, I curse things when they damage me, brand them with stormy goodness when I crit, and my Tempest Shield zaps them when I block.

*Take that, vile creatures!*

Check out AviaSerin on <a href="https://www.pathofexile.com/account/view-profile/Kaelci">my profile page</a> if you wish. 🙃
<sub>(She just so happens to be named after my antagonist in *Vengeance!* You should read it! <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BP9KTSV">Here's a link to Amazon</a>)</sub>

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<CENTER><h4>Until next time,</h4></CENTER>
<CENTER><h2>Thanks for stopping by! 😊</h2></CENTER>

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<CENTER><sub>All screenshots in this post are courtesy of me, @kaelci and are from the game: <em>Path of Exile</em>.</sub></CENTER>