Noob wanting to make a sword and board scion

Looking for some direction. Only other char I've played was a necro that petered out on tier 3 maps (and could not even clear cruel trials), so wanted to go tanky.

Anyway, looking for tips on what to focus on, and how to build a good one. Just general advice, no point in playing if I'm just copying someone else.

I've always enjoyed sword and board anything :) As such, a big tip is to make sure you make the most out of your shield. This includes finding a decent shield with core stats: Maximum life, resistances, armor/evasion rating/energy shield (depending on your build), etc. However, the biggest advantage to a shield is block chance; make sure you gather as much block chance (both regular block chance and spell block chance) as possible to increase your overall durability. High block chance can also yield other possibilities, such as the use of various unique items (i.e. Aegis Aurora, Bringer of Rain, The Anvil, etc.) and a few skills (Tempest Shield and Reckoning come to mind).

If you literally want to use a sword, one of my personal favorite sword skills is Reave. Combined with Multistrike, Faster Attacks, Concentrated Effect/Increased AoE, and other applicable support gems, it can pack quite a punch. Alternatively, you can go the elemental route and use something like Static Strike + Physical to Lightning + Lightning Penetration for a crap-ton of lightning damage.

Also remember that the type of life and mana recovery you'll be using depends on the types of skills/items you're using. For example, life/mana leech works best for heavy-hitting attacks; thus attack speed isn't as important for leeching builds. Conversely, life/mana gain on hit works best with builds with high attack speed and multiple hits. I suggest testing out a variety of set-ups to see which one you prefer.

In regards to the Scion herself, don't be afraid to take advantage of her position on the passive tree. She's smack-dab in the middle, thus allowing for lots of flexibility. For example, you can head towards the Marauder area for the physical damage nodes, armor nodes, and Resolute Technique (if you don't mind not dealing critical damage). Likewise, you can head towards the Ranger for more evasion nodes and Acrobatics and Phase Acrobatics. Furthermore, you can head towards the Templar for a plethora of elemental nodes or the Duelist for a hybrid of nodes. Lastly, remember that the Scion has the ability to "jump" to the other classes' starting areas, thus saving a heap of passive points while also giving you added benefits from one of a classes' three ascendancies.

Overall, the Scion is meant to be flexible, so try out everything as much as you can and see what you like best.

Thanks for the info. Why is reave so popular? Doesn't seem too special, and cyclone has been about the only skill I found that deals enough damage to deal with bosses so far (lvl 30 or so)

Again, it's a matter of preference.

With lots of investment in AoE, Reave can essentially turn into a ranged attack, meaning you can attack enemies without ever getting in their range while still taking advantage of the variety of melee-related support gems. Increased AoE for Reave also provides a wide arc so you can hit multiple targets very easily. Likewise, while using Cyclone, you gain immunity to stun and knockback. Furthermore, Cyclone has greater single-target damage [compared to Reave]. Cyclone does take some time and practice to get used to, but it's certainly a popular choice amongst melee skills.

I've seen builds that utilize both with Reave utilized for AoE damage and Cyclone [or sometimes Double Strike] for single-target damage.

I see. I been trying to use my reave some, but for now cyclone is what is clearing mobs fast. immunity to stun is a mixed blessing, as stun attempts proc counter attacks. Thanks for the feedback, I'll keep leveling the reave and trying different supports.

And on the topic of melee support, which are the best to go with?

Damage-wise, you'll want supports that are multiplicative before ones that are additive. Supports that are multiplicative are described as "more"; these include Melee Physical Damage, Bloodlust, Concentrated Effect, etc. On the contrary, additive supports are described as "increased." Additive supports are still useful though.

In regards to defense, Fortify is always a nice way to reduce incoming damage. As aforementioned, life recovery will depend on the type of skill(s) you're using. Therefore, you can use Life Leech or Life Gain on Hit when appropriate and if needed.

Well, seem to have screwed up. She kills things amazing fast, but gets one shotted by the lab boss on cruel, and can't do tier 3 maps reliably.

What's your passive tree look like? Link it, and we can help you out :)

Just ascended for the second time. Her dps was over 10k with her buffs acrtive awhile ago, but dropped it to about 8.5 in favor of added defenses. This is what I'm looking like now.

https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAABAABAADBAO4B5wIRAl8DJwSHBS0FPAkzFI4VIBc-GbQaPhpVG5cbrSP2JJ0qTSzpLYMvzDB8Mk426DndPd094j8nQKBD50TSR35IeEjuSshNRk2SUUdXVF5FYN5hIWFSYlpi7GVNdO14rnk5eu97FHvDfXV-4oLkhNmE74Zgh9aKr4qzjX2Nv4-ZkBGS85OolLiezZ8no4qj56QMpzCsr7GzvTa-p768wHbAv8GCxVPRNtN-1FLawdwy4izp1e969qP66_rx_ro=

No comments on my lousy build?