Path of Exile players love to overcomplicate things. It’s basically the hallmark of the community. When Grinding Gear Games dropped the 3.23 Affliction league and replaced the old alternate quality gems with Transfigured versions, everyone went looking for the next "broken" interaction. Most people gravitated toward the flashy stuff, like Penance Brand of Dissipation. But if you were lurking in the Ranger forums or deep-diving into the mechanics of Blink Arrow and Mirror Arrow (BAMA), you stumbled across a weird little gem called Oblivion Arrow of Extrication.
It’s niche. Honestly, most players probably hide it on their loot filter by now. But for a specific subset of summoner builds, it represents a massive shift in how bow-based minions actually function in the endgame.
What is Oblivion Arrow of Extrication anyway?
The naming convention in Path of Exile is getting a bit out of hand, let’s be real. In the old days, you just had Blink Arrow. You shot an arrow, you teleported, and a clone stayed behind to shoot stuff. Simple. Oblivion Arrow of Extrication is a Transfigured version of Blink Arrow, but it flips the script on how the "movement" part of the skill works.
Standard Blink Arrow is a traversal skill. You use it to cross gaps or dodge a Shaper beam. The "Extrication" variant changes the cooldown and the way clones are summoned. Instead of just being a movement tool that happens to leave a friend behind, it’s designed to be a primary damage source. It has a much higher maximum clone limit than the base version.
Think of it this way: normal Blink Arrow is a getaway car. This version is a clown car. You’re just pumping out clones as fast as the cooldown allows, turning the screen into a chaotic mess of green arrows and spectral Rangers. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s surprisingly effective at melting bosses if you know how to scale minion duration and attack speed.
The Mechanics Most People Get Wrong
People see "Arrow" and think they need to stack physical damage on their character. Wrong. If you’re using Oblivion Arrow of Extrication, you are playing a minion build. Period. The clones use your bow and quiver, but they scale off minion damage nodes on the passive tree. This is where people trip up. They spend 50 Divines on a high-DPS physical bow and wonder why their clones hit like wet noodles.
You need elemental flat damage. Ideally, you’re looking for a Short Bow or a Thicket Bow with "Adds X to Y Lightning Damage" and high attack speed. Why? Because of the way the clones interact with auras like Wrath or Anger. Since you can have so many clones active at once with the Extrication variant, flat damage scaling becomes exponential.
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Why Extrication over Bombarding?
You've probably heard of Mirror Arrow of Bombarding Clones. It’s the "meta" choice. It rains down arrows like a Rain of Arrows skill. So, why bother with Oblivion Arrow of Extrication?
Mobility.
Bombarding clones stay put. They are sentries. If a boss moves—and let’s face it, Sirus moves every three seconds just to be annoying—your Bombarding clones are useless. The Extrication variant allows you to reposition constantly while maintaining your clone count. It feels more "active." It feels like you’re actually playing an ARPG instead of just being a walking turret platform.
Also, the targeting AI is slightly different. The standard projectiles from Extrication clones have better "reach" for clearing wide-open maps like Dunes or Burial Chambers. Bombarding is great for concentrated burst, but Extrication is the king of feel-good mapping.
Gearing This Thing Without Going Broke
The barrier to entry for a BAMA build using Oblivion Arrow of Extrication is actually lower than people think. You don’t need a Mageblood. You don't even need a Headhunter.
- The Bow: Get a Five-Link Imperial Bow or Thicket Bow. Use Essence of Wrath until you hit a decent attack speed roll. If you have an open suffix, craft "Minions have % increased Attack Speed."
- The Quiver: This is your secret weapon. The clones inherit your quiver's stats. Look for "Minions have % increased Damage" (available through certain essences or influences) and flat life.
- The Chest: Fourth Vow is the go-to for defense. If you’re feeling brave and want pure damage, a Lioneye’s Vision provides a free Pierce support, which helps the Extrication clones clear mobs much faster.
The real cost comes from the jewels. You want Ghastly Eye Jewels in every single socket. Life, flat lightning damage to minions, and—this is the big one—minion attack speed if you’ve used a minion skill recently. Because you’re constantly spamming Oblivion Arrow of Extrication, that buff is always up.
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The Cooldown Problem
Path of Exile is a game of "how can I ignore the rules?" The rule for this gem is the cooldown. If you just click it, you have to wait. That’s boring. Nobody wants to wait.
To make this gem feel "human-quality" and not clunky, you have to stack Cooldown Recovery Rate (CDR). You can get this on your belt, your boots, and specifically through the Saboteur ascendancy if you’re weird (don’t do that), or more commonly, through the Necromancer or Guardian ascendancies using specific gear.
Most players use the "Fleeting" jewel or specific passives near the Ranger start to shave off those precious fractions of a second. When you get the cooldown of Oblivion Arrow of Extrication under 0.5 seconds, the game changes. You stop being a person shooting arrows and start being a flickering god of teleportation and clone generation.
Common Misconceptions About "Extrication"
"Does it work with Greater Multiple Projectiles (GMP)?" Sorta. It makes your clones shoot more arrows, but it doesn't make you summon more clones. People often confuse the projectile count of the clone with the summon count of the skill.
Another big mistake? Forgetting Accuracy. Your minions need to hit things. If your clones have a 70% chance to hit, you’re losing 30% of your total damage output for no reason. Grab the "Gravepurity" cluster or use a Precision aura. It’s a small fix that doubles your actual DPS in red maps.
Real-World Performance: The T17 Test
In the current state of Path of Exile (2025-2026 meta), T17 maps are the benchmark. Can Oblivion Arrow of Extrication handle them?
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Yes, but it’s a "glass cannon" situation. Because the gem requires you to constantly teleport into potentially dangerous areas to refresh your clones, you need layers of defense. Suppression is mandatory. 100% or don't bother. You also need a way to recover life on hit or have massive regeneration.
The gem shines in boss fights like The Eater of Worlds. Because the clones are targets themselves, they often soak up projectiles that were meant for you. It’s a defensive layer disguised as an offensive skill. The boss spends half the time shooting at a clone that’s about to expire anyway while you’re safely across the arena.
Actionable Steps for Your Build
If you’re looking to swap to Oblivion Arrow of Extrication today, don't just buy the gem and slot it in. You'll hate it. Do this instead:
- Check your CDR: Ensure you have at least 20% increased Cooldown Recovery Rate from gear or charms before switching.
- Audit your Quiver: If your quiver doesn't have minion-specific stats, you're leaving 40% of your damage on the table.
- Automate your Auras: Use Divine Blessing with Haste. You need the movement and attack speed to make the summoning animation feel snappy.
- Get a 21/20 Gem: Transfigured gems scale heavily with level. A level 21 Oblivion Arrow of Extrication provides a significant jump in base minion health and damage over a level 20 version.
The reality is that this gem isn't for everyone. It's for the player who wants to zip around the map like a maniac while an army of spectral clones does the heavy lifting. It’s technical, it’s a bit finicky, and it requires a lot of "mathing out" your cooldowns. But once it clicks? It's easily one of the most satisfying ways to play a Ranger in the modern era of PoE.
Stop treating it like a movement skill. Start treating it like the main event.