Ascendant Cipher: Infinite Spells
CipherA single-class Ascendant Cipher that uses the Kitchen Stove blunderbuss to cap Focus instantly, triggering Ascended for a window of zero-cost spellcasting at boosted Power Level. From level 13 onward, an Ancestor's Memory + Salvation of Time loop with a Priest extends Ascended indefinitely, spamming level 8 and 9 spells like Time Parasite, Driving Echoes, and Amplified Wave. Built and tested for Path of the Damned Iron Man on Final Patch 5.0.
Damage
Infinite zero-cost level 1-9 cipher spells during Ascended. Amplified Wave + Soul Shock clear packs. Disintegration deletes bosses with 240 Raw DoT.
Survivability
Low base HP from 3 Constitution. Relies on positioning, Iron Will defense, Effigy's Husk Might immunity, and Borrowed Instinct +20 to all defenses.
Boss
Top-tier. Recall Agony amplifies damage taken, Time Parasite halves boss attack speed, Disintegration ignores armor for guaranteed kills.
Cipher
Soul-mage class that builds Focus by dealing weapon damage and spends it casting psychic spells. The Ascendant subclass loses Power Level outside of full Focus, but reaching the cap triggers Ascended for a window of zero-cost spellcasting at boosted Power Level.
Grants +1 Power Level whenever the character is affected by a beneficial effect, which stays active almost permanently in this build.
Mandatory build-defining blunderbuss. The Thunderous Report enchantment is a once-per-encounter AoE shot that fires four projectiles, capping Focus instantly and triggering Ascended on turn one. Pair with Two-Handed Style for the focus-generating opener.
Alternatives
How to Obtain
Robe granting immunity to Might afflictions, the most disabling debuff a glass-cannon caster can be hit with. No recovery penalty, so spells fire at full speed. Hidden in the Forgotten Mausoleum at the Hanging Sepulchers.
How to Obtain
DLC necklace that converts 10% of hits to crits with cipher spells, doubling the value of every cast at full Focus. Drops from Sissak in the Spun Terrace, or rewarded for returning the Warden Contract.
Alternatives
- Strand of Favor (alternate)Wiki
How to Obtain
Combat Strategy
- ▸Open every fight from stealth with the entire party.
- ▸Wait for enemies to pull onto your tank or cluster around a chokepoint.
- ▸Confirm Kitchen Stove is equipped and the Thunderous Report shot is off cooldown.
- ▸Fire Thunderous Report from stealth into the enemy cluster.
- ▸The four projectiles cap Focus immediately and trigger Ascended.
- ▸The stealth bonus removes recovery, so the next spell fires with zero delay.
- ▸Cast Amplified Wave or Soul Shock for AoE damage and prone control while focus cost is 0.
- ▸Drop Mind Blades on smaller groups when only 2-4 targets remain.
- ▸Recast Borrowed Instinct early to lock in the +20 accuracy buff for the rest of the window.
- ▸Open boss fights with Recall Agony to apply the 30% raw damage echo.
- ▸Follow with Disintegration for 240 Raw damage over 15 seconds.
- ▸Cast Time Parasite to halve the boss's attack speed and double your own.
- ▸At level 13+, cast Ancestor's Memory on the party Priest to grant Brilliant.
- ▸The Priest casts Salvation of Time on the cipher to extend Ascended past its base duration.
- ▸Brilliant refunds the Priest's spell slot, sustaining the loop until combat ends.
Sources
Verified: 2026-05-05 · All content is original with full credit to original creators.