[0.5] ED Contagion Lich League Starter (Level 1 to Endgame)

Witch
Lich
Verified
End Game
Starter
Speed Leveling
0.5 RotA
By DEADRABB1T LIVE
Updated on Jun 8, 2026

This Build is an Endgame Setup for the Lich Ascendancy and one of the best League Starters due to its extremely good defensive layers, overall tankiness, and simple and satisfying Gameplay while still being able to deal high amounts of sustained Damage even on a lower investment Level.

Although it is mostly suited and optimized for the Witch Class and Lich Ascendancy, it can absolutely be played by any other Class or Ascendancy to easily get through Campaign and into early Endgame as fast and smooth as possible.

Soulless Form, Atziri's Disdain and Heavy Buffer give this Build an out-of-the-gate damage mitigation of 25% with the use of the core Ascendancy Node of Eternal Life. With a big focus on Energy Shield with high ES Bases as our Gear and basically picking up every % increased maximum Energy Shield Node on the Passive Tree, we can easily reach up to and above 10K Energy Shield while also maintaining a high Energy Shield recharge rate and a fast start to Energy Shield recharge.

Our main Damage Abilities are Essence Drain with Contagion to spread the Debuff, while also utilizing Dark Effigy paired with Despair for even more clear and good single target DPS.

This Build excels at High Tier Maps, especially with high monster density. With its very simple and efficient rotation of applying Contagion and Essence Drain, the Build has amazing clearing capabilities while being extremely tanky and incredibly hard to kill.

Included in this Build Guide are a leveling Setup for using Essence Drain and Contagion through the Campaign and into Endgame, an early Endgame Mapping Setup to get from T1 into T15 Maps, and two different high investment Endgame Setups, one using the Low Life Trick to get some advantages from some of the Low Life Bonuses from Execute III, Tecrod's Gaze and Final Barrage, and one regular Full Life Setup without the use of that Trick but still going with very high Cast Speed and Energy Shield Recharge.

If you have any Questions or Suggestions about the Build, feel free to tune into my Stream at twitch.tv/DEADRABB1T, where I stream every day. I am always happy to answer any questions that may arise.

  • Simplicity

  • Clearing

  • Survivability

  • Mana Hungry

Gem Priority

Stat Priority on Gear during Act 1:

  • +Chaos Spell Skills
  • Spell/Chaos Damage
  • Maximum Life
  • Cold Resistance

Check Vendors as often as you can to look for +Chaos Level Wands, Movement Speed for Boots, or any other Upgrades you can get (High ES/Armour Gear, Resistances, Maximum Life).

Go for Damage first and then slowly start to scale the Energy Shield we are getting throughout the progression of the Campaign.

Skill Gem Level Priority:

  • Essence Drain
  • Contagion
  • Bonestorm

For an Atlas Setup once we reach early Endgame and complete the first few Atlas Points, check the T1-T15 Maps Build Variant.