Path Of Exile Resource #13 - Headhunter Unique Item Review

Headhunter in Path Of Exile is a unique leather belt that when equipped grants the player up to 55 additional points of strength, up to 55 additional points of dexterity, up to 60 increased maximum life, up to 30 percent increased damage against rare monsters, and the unique ability modifier, "when you kill a rare monster, you gain its mods for 20 seconds". The unique also has the leather belt implicit of granting up to 40 increased maximum life, which means that in total you can receive up to 100 increased maximum life alone from this unique. This unique has not changed since it's original introduction into the game in October of 2013.

Item Usefulness Information - This unique can be used in most builds, as it is largely effective in most builds and has no requirements other than being at least level 40. The reason why it is effective in most builds is due to the unique modifiers it has, these modifiers are very broad and effective at empowering most builds through game content. The up to 55 additional points of strength granted by the unique is useful for any characters that lack strength in their builds, but may need some for fulfilling the attribute requirements needed to equip or fully utilize a specific item. The up to 55 additional points of dexterity granted by the unique has a similar implication to the one stated above. The up to 100 increased maximum life granted as a modifier and from the implicit is useful for any character builds that scale life as their primary source of defense against enemies. If your build utilizes Chaos Inoculation, this modifier as well as the implicit of the unique will not affect you. The up to 30 percent increased damage against rare monsters is useful for most builds, since in general it will make your overall clear speed quicker, and it will enhance the effect of the last modifier on the unique. The modifier helps you to gain mods quicker, as the last unique modifier grants you the ability "when you kill a rare monster, you gain its mods for 20 seconds" and will make your character stronger in less time, making it a great synergistic modifier to enhance the power of the unique. The last unique modifier on the belt "when you kill a rare monster, you gain its mods for 20 seconds" is incredibly powerful, since there is no limit to how many rares you can kill as well as how many mods you can obtain. This unique modifier alone makes the unique a progressive item type, since it might take a few kills over a period of time to see a noticeable difference in your clear speed and defenses. Even if your build already has good clear speed, defenses, or both, by equipping this belt it will make your clear speed, defenses, or both even better. 20 seconds, while it may not seem to be a long stretch of time, is actually very long if your build has a naturally quick play style and has good clear speed. In the early stages of the game, as well as the late stages of the game, this unique is helpful due to it's ability to increase your survivability, your clear speed, as well granting you additional attributes which can help you meet the attribute requirements needed to equip or fully utilize a specific item if needed.

Informative Links -
http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Headhunter - additional information regarding the Headhunter unique
http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Attribute - additional information regarding the Attribute mechanic
http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Chaos_Inoculation - additional information regarding the Chaos Inoculation keystone passive skill