PoE 3.27 Best Tank Build Guide: Smite Slayer

The Smite Slayer is one of the standout tank builds in Path of Exile 3.27, known for mixing impressive toughness with steady, reliable damage. It handles mapping, bosses, and even Ubers without much stress PoE 1 Currency. 

The build takes advantage of Smite's double-hit mechanic, where you deal a melee strike and a secondary lightning area hit. When positioned correctly, both hits land on the same target, giving you strong burst potential. Paired with the Slayer ascendancy's powerful life leech, this creates a character that can stay alive through punishing encounters while still putting out meaningful single-target damage.

A lot of the build's strength comes from how its gear layers offense and defense. You start with a two-handed weapon for easier leveling, then shift to dual wielding around level 75 for more attack speed and higher overall DPS. Two key uniques—Doryani's Prototype and Dawn Breaker—play a major role. Doryani's Prototype turns lightning damage taken into armor scaling, which greatly improves survivability, while Dawn Breaker converts incoming cold, lightning, and physical damage into fire, making mitigation far easier. With Slayer's overleech and high armor stacking, these items work together to keep you safe without dragging down your damage.

Skill setups focus on Smite of Divine Judgement as the central skill, supported by auras and defensive tools to boost survivability and smooth clearing. Flesh and Stone adds extra defensive comfort, while Steelskin and similar gems help absorb burst damage. Endurance Charges tie into the build through ascendancy choices and gear, giving another layer of physical mitigation. Offensively, support gems like Brutality and Elemental Damage with Attacks help push damage, and movement skills keep you mobile from fight to fight.

The playstyle relies on good positioning so Smite can hit twice. By standing slightly off-center from your target, the melee hit and the lightning area hit line up, giving you a nice damage spike—especially useful in boss fights where shortening phases can make a huge difference. With the Slayer's constant life leech active, you can stay aggressive instead of holding back, and the build's layered defenses let you tank hits that would normally force a retreat. This mix of offense and endurance makes the playstyle straightforward and enjoyable, even for newer players.

Leveling is simple: a two-handed weapon for smooth clearing early on, then a transition into dual wielding once you have the core items and ascendancy setup. Early gear mainly focuses on life and resistances, while the passive tree builds toward attack speed and survivability. This setup gives you a clean path toward maps and helps you settle into the final version of the build without awkward gaps in power.

Crafting and tempering further refine the build. Players generally seek cooldown reduction, lightning damage increases, and strong life leech modifiers. Masterworking jewelry for endurance charge generation is a big help for staying alive during long fights. Once the full setup comes together, the synergy between gear and ascendancy creates a character that feels self-sustaining, durable, and surprisingly strong without relying on block, ward, or minions.

The Smite Slayer is a reliable, well-rounded tank build that performs consistently from the campaign into endgame Poe 1 Divine Orb. It delivers a mix of survivability, respectable damage, and a smooth gameplay loop built around fast hits and constant leech. If you're looking for a sturdy and beginner-friendly option that can also handle the toughest bosses in 3.27, the Smite Slayer is an excellent choice.