Skip to content

Lazy's Ballista Banner Tactician Build

Class: Mercenary
Ascendancy: Tactician
League: 0.3 League Starter to End Game
Author: Lazy Exile
Updated: September 30, 2025

Overview

A totem-based build revolving around Ballista Totem (Mortar Cannon) and Banners (War Banner, Defiance Banner) with a dual curse setup (Elemental Weakness, Temporal Chains). This is a comfortable totem playstyle where you drop totems and let them do the work while you focus on positioning and survival.

Build Summary

Defensive Features

  • Pinning mechanics provide excellent crowd control on Tactician
  • Armour and Evasion hybrid setup for decent tankiness
  • Drop and run playstyle - place totems and dodge while they fight
  • Enemies are often killed before they can retaliate

Offensive Features

  • Mortar Cannon with 100% uptime through pinning mechanics
  • Dual Curse setup (Elemental Weakness + Frost Bomb) is stronger than traditional crossbow builds due to Sceptre usage
  • Critical strike scaling in endgame provides sufficient damage for pinnacle bossing
  • Totems rarely die when positioned correctly

Content Viability

✅ Excellent for: - Mapping - Ritual (Banner + Totem excels at stationary content) - Abyss - Essence - Bossing (strong scaling vectors for endgame)

Strengths & Weaknesses

✅ Strengths

  • Unique Ballista/Totem playstyle
  • Beginner friendly
  • Strong early game performance
  • Scales well into late game
  • Endgame version can clear pinnacle bosses

❌ Weaknesses

  • Banner management requires extra button presses
  • Visual clarity issues (might be overwhelming)

Campaign Bonuses

Valley of the Titans (Act 2)

  • 30% Increased Charm Effect Duration & +1 Charm Slot

The Venom Crypts

  • 30% Elemental Ailment Threshold

Hall of the Dead

  • +5 Strength, +5 Dexterity, +5 Intelligence

Act 5.2 - Qimah - 7 Pillars

Priority order: 1. 3% increased Movement Speed (best choice) 2. +5% to Elemental Resistances (if lacking resistances) 3. +5 to All Attributes (if lacking attributes)

Key Equipment

Weapon Set 1 (Banner Setup)

  • Lifesprig (or fast cast speed wand)
  • Use Mana Drain for mana recovery
  • Shrine Sceptre
  • 55+ Increased Spirit
  • 30+ Intelligence for level 18+ Frost Bomb
  • Use Perfect Essence of Command (Aura Magnitudes work with Banners)

Weapon Set 2 (Mortar Cannon)

  • Siege Crossbow (highest level base)
  • High physical damage roll
  • +1 to Ballista (BiS) or Increased Grenade Damage
  • +6 Level to attack skills
  • Attack Speed
  • Zealot Gauntlets (Armour/Evasion base)
  • Constricting Command (requires 5 fewer enemies to be surrounded)
  • Doedre's Damning (additional curse)

Key Rings & Accessories

  • Add physical damage to attacks
  • Intelligence requirements
  • Elemental resistances
  • Maximum life
  • Increased rarity (for MF variant)

Skill Setup

Weapon Set 1 (Banners)

  • Blasphemy + Elemental Weakness + Temporal Chains
  • Frost Bomb (for exposure)
  • War Banner, Defiance Banner, Dread Banner
  • Purity of Fire
  • Companion (Haste Aura)

Weapon Set 2 (Mortar Cannon)

  • Mortar Cannon + Cluster Grenade + supports
  • Wind Dancer (utility)
  • Mirage Archer + Explosive Grenade
  • Companion (shared with Set 1)

Skill Rotation

Standard Mapping

  1. Drop Mortar Cannon (auto-swaps to weapon set 2)

Full Rotation (Tough Content)

  1. Drop Mortar Cannon
  2. Cast Frost Bomb (auto-swaps to set 1)
  3. Drop War Banner, Defiance Banner, Dread Banner
  4. Cast Mana Drain if low on mana
  5. Repeat step 1 once Mortar Cannon finishes shooting (4 grenades)

Pinnacle Bossing

  • Swap Short Fuse I with Short Fuse II for increased damage

Build Variants

Early Game / League Starter

  • Budget: Minimal investment
  • Focus on basic totem setup

Budget Magic Find

  • Budget: 10-15 Divines
  • 150-200% rarity
  • Level: 85-95+

End Game

  • Full optimization with rare gear
  • Most items achievable except optional From Nothing jewel
  • Strong pinnacle boss capability

Important Notes

  • Requires Gem Enthusiast passive - need 10+ green and red support gems
  • From Nothing jewel is optional but powerful
  • Weapon swapping is core to the playstyle
  • Banner management becomes second nature with practice

Video Guides

The build creator provides regular video updates: - Day 2: Early Game Setup - Day 3: Budget MF Setup (150-200% rarity)
- Day 4: End Game Totem Banner Dual Curse

Original guide by Lazy Exile on Mobalytics. This documentation provides a condensed version of the comprehensive build guide.