Very simple, cheap, beginner-friendly and HC-viable Quad-Curse Bane Occultist

Preface:
This is a short version for beginners and if it gets traction I might do a more detailed version. On to the guide.

It literally runs on a lvl1 wand, lvl 20 belt, lvl 30 helmet and gloves and breezes through tier16 maps.

Class: Witch (Occultist)

Skill tree progression for 60 points:
https://imgur.com/a/4DMiwFp

After that try to move towards this (I prefer +1 max curse node on top left first) and eventually at level 70-80 when you equip some energy shield gear respec life nodes into more ES nodes and take Chaos Innoculation node for that juicy 100% chaos damage resistance:
shorturl.at/goS27

Low level unique items that will take you all the way to T16 maps (get them at your own pace. I recommend to just trade for them as they're super cheap):
https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Lifesprig
https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Bated_Breath
https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Vixen%27s_Entrapment
https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Doedre%27s_Scorn

Any other slot is just a rare with the best stats you can find yourself (note: try to have as much resists as possible, should try to keep 75 of each resist except chaos at all times. Life is also great until you start converting into energy shield build.)

The way you level this character is simple - just level until 24 any way you like while trying to follow the skill tree. Then on lvl 24 on act 3 after doing a quest you will get "Bane" skill gem as a reward. If you can get a 3-link (and you can buy the gems from vendors) with "Controlled Destruction" and "Despair" it's going to be a beast of a skill. If you get a 4-link - that's going to literally melt everything until the endgame.

Once you get the helmet called "Doedre's Scorn" - make it a 4-link with the gems: "Bane, Despair, Controlled Destruction, Efficacy".

I would recommend doing all the quests, not rushing through the game too much. You will enjoy more playing at your own pace. And you will need those regret points you get from sidequests later on.

Flasks:
You should aim to have a couple life pots while levelling and the rest doesn't matter. Just keep the pots updated.
For lategame setup after you convert your build you want to have quartz, jade, granite, basalt and quicksilver flasks with immunity to bleed, immunity to curses, immunity to freeze and immunity to burning (which flask it is on doesn't matter).

Items:
The 4 mentioned uniques will suffice.
Throughout all the items you want to have them fill all resists to 75.
On boots you want to have 30% movement speed.
The rest is as much energy shield as possible.

Skills:
4L Bane + Despair + Controlled Destruction + Efficacy - this is your main clear and should be slotted into Doedre's Scorn.
4L Temporal Chains + Enfeeble + Malevolence + Poacher's Mark - these are your auto-cast curses and should be slotted into Vixen's entrapment.
4L Wither Totem + Spell Totem + Multiple Totems + Faster Casting - this is your auto-debuff which you place while bossing for juicy dps.
3L Flame Dash + Faster Casting + Arcane Surge - this is your movement skill which also increases your dps after casting it. Just don't level Arcane Surge past a few levels. (It has a mana treshold which increased rapidly and you want to trigger it on every single cast).
6L Vaal Blight + Efficacy + Controlled Destruction + Void Manipulation + Infused Channeling + Empower - this is your additional huge single target dps because you might as well do something after you cast bane on that boss. (Even a 4-link would suffice, it's just what to target, Bane is still the primary)
In your wand you should definitely slot Vaal Discipline and Chaos Golem. They don't have to be linked.

Ascendancy:
When you complete the labyrinth - you get to ascend and choose a subclass. You should choose occultist and grab these nodes:
Vile Bastions -> Profane Bloom -> Malediction -> Void Beacon

I usually do the first labyrinth after reaching the middle of act 4 (crystal caves where you meet Lady Dialla). The rest of labyrinths as I get access to them.

RESERVED