If you’re jumping into Season 9 and thinking, “Alright, new class… where do I even start?” — yeah, same here. The Prophet looks simple at first, but once you actually get into it, there’s a lot going on.
I spent some time going through this build, and honestly, Thorned Roots Prophet feels like one of those builds that’s easy to start but has way more depth than you expect later. So instead of overcomplicating things, let me walk you through it like I would explain it to a friend starting fresh.
Hero Siege Prophet Guide – Best Thorned Roots Starter Build
Let’s get this straight — if your goal is smooth leveling without constantly dying or struggling for damage, this build delivers.
What makes it stand out:
- You get movement speed right from level 1
- You have a dash (Leaping Charge) early on
- There’s even a flying form later, which is honestly kind of broken for traversal
- Damage scales naturally with poison, so you’re not gear-blocked early
But yeah, it’s not perfect.
- Your Spirit companion dies way too easily
- Mana can feel tight early on
- Since it’s a new class, gear prices might be higher than usual
Still, for a starter? Very solid.
Early Game Setup (Level 1–30)
This part is super straightforward, and you really don’t need to overthink it.
Your main focus:
- Dump points into Thorned Roots (this is your main damage)
- Grab Spirit of the Windigo early → movement speed boost
- Unlock Leaping Charge → helps with mobility
Now here’s something people mess up — they just spam Thorned Roots and run out of mana.
Instead:
- Start putting some points into Nature’s Blessing
- It boosts damage without increasing mana cost
That small adjustment makes leveling feel way smoother.
Mid Game Power Spike (Level 30–70)
This is where the build actually starts feeling fun.
You unlock:
- Spirit of the Forest
- Storm Hawk Form (Flying + Attack Speed)
Now you have options:
- Want speed? → go Storm Hawk
- Want survivability? → go defensive form
- Just want smooth farming? → mix both depending on situation
Also around this point, your AoE gets much better thanks to augments. You’ll notice enemies just start melting faster.
Skill Priority (Simple Version)
If you don’t want to overthink the skill tree, just follow this:
- Max Thorned Roots
- Invest in Nature’s Blessing
- Take Leaping Charge (1 point minimum)
- Unlock Spirit of the Forest
- Upgrade Thorn Branches later for extra spread damage
That’s it. No complicated setup needed early.
Sub Skill Tree
This part is easy to ignore, but it’s actually huge.
For Thorned Roots:
- Increase AoE
- Add Poison Break
- Take Double Damage nodes
For Thorn Branch:
- Use the Arc/Spread augment → better clear
For mobility:
- Upgrade Leaping Charge range + speed
You’ll feel the difference immediately once these are set.
Stats
Keep it simple:
- Intelligence → damage
- Vitality → survivability
- Energy → only if mana feels bad
A good balance early:
- 2 INT / 2 VIT
- Add Energy only if needed
Later in endgame → mostly Intelligence.
Gear Progression
Early game:
- Anything with:
- Poison damage
- Cast speed
- Movement speed
Mid game:
- Start stacking:
- Poison skill damage
- Faster cast rate
- Resistance penetration
Late game:
- Aim for:
- High poison scaling gear
- Damage multipliers (very important)
- Good charms (don’t skip these)
There’s also a Prophet-specific poison set, but honestly?
You’ll often get better results mixing strong individual items instead of forcing the full set.
Relics, Potions & Augments
- Relics: go for poison scaling or penetration
- Potions: prioritize magic skill damage + cast rate
- Chest augment:
- Monstrosity → raw damage
- Corrosion → better DoT scaling
If you lean fully into poison stacking, Corrosion becomes very strong.
Best Mercenary Choice
Just keep it simple:
- Night Mercenary → best overall (magic find + tanky)
- Stack magic find gear on your merc
More loot = faster progression. That’s all that matters early.
Incarnation & Ether Tree
Once you hit endgame:
- Focus on poison scaling + survivability
- Ether Tree → customize farming (this is where meta will evolve)
There’s no “perfect path” yet, so don’t stress — experiment a bit.
If you’re starting Season 9 and don’t want a frustrating experience, this build is honestly one of the safest choices.
It’s not flashy early, but:
- It levels fast
- It scales well
- It doesn’t rely on rare gear to feel good
And the best part?
You still have room to experiment later without completely rebuilding your character.
If you stick with it, Thorned Roots Prophet can easily carry you from early leveling all the way into serious endgame farming.