MMOEXP Final Update to the Chaos Lich Build in Path of Exile 2
Today, I’m excited to present the final update for the Chaos Lich build in Path of Exile 2. This guide will walk you through everything you need to go from level one to the min-max version of the build I’m currently using for endgame content. Whether you’re eager to start leveling, mapping, or even tackling late-game bosses, this comprehensive guide has you covered. To enhance your journey, you might want to consider strategies that allow you to buy POE2 Currency, which can significantly boost your progression and equipment acquisition in the game.
Overview of the Chaos Lich Build
The Chaos Lich build is an incredibly satisfying and tanky option that relies on chaos damage over time (DoT). I initially designed this build for mapping, ritual, and expedition farming, but its effectiveness and sheer enjoyment have kept me glued to it longer than I anticipated. The build offers a relaxed playstyle while allowing for fast and effective clearing of high-density maps. It can easily handle T4 content bosses like Zashed and King in the Mist, and while T4 simulacrum feels challenging, the build excels in its reliability against them.
Key Features:
· Tankiness: With energy shield values upwards of 10,000 and a recharge rate that makes you feel nearly immortal.
· Simplicity: The build features straightforward skill rotations, making it easy to learn and master.
· Damage Potential: High chaos damage, particularly effective against map bosses and rare monsters.
Character Sheet Breakdown
Let’s start by evaluating the character sheet.
· Life: 1,800
· Energy Shield: 12,600
· Energy Shield Recharge Rate: 3,000 per second
· Energy Shield Recharge Delay: 2 seconds
All elemental resistances are capped, including chaos resistance, crucial for surviving chaos damage. The low-life version of this build, specifically incorporating Final Barrage and Quick Response, maximizes your defense by relying on energy shield instead of life.
Skill Gems and Setup
A vital part of this build involves specific skill gems for both mapping and bossing encounters. Here’s a breakdown of the main skills you’ll need:
Main Damage Skills:
1. Essence Drain: Your primary DoT skill. Use it with:
· Mapping: Chain support
· Bossing: Deliberation support
2. Dark Effigy: Excellent for single-target damage and mapping. Pair it with:
· Mapping: Overabundance, Control Destruction, Venom, Ancestral Urgency
· Bossing: Replace Ancestral Urgency with Execute for single-target DPS.
Curse and Debuff Setup:
· Despair: Use a lower-level gem to save mana, with support gems like:
· Inspiration
· Titan Curse
· Cursed Ground
· Decaying Hex
Utility Skills:
· Withering Presence: On weapon set one, combine it with Clarity and Persistence for enhanced atmosphere.
· Contagion: This skill helps to spread debuffs, use a low-level gem for efficiency.
· Blink and Convolescence: Provide mobility and damage boost during encounters.
Gear Recommendations
Gear plays a crucial role in scaling the effectiveness of your build. Here’s an overview:
Priority Stat Focus:
1. Explicit Damage: Prioritize +levels to all spell skills, especially chaos-related.
2. Energy Shield: Find gear with high energy shield stats.
3. Cast Speed: This improves the quality of gameplay, especially during mapping.
Key Gear Pieces:
· Wand: Focus on +levels to chaos spell skills, along with spell and chaos damage.
· Atziri's: Essential for damage reduction through its unique mechanics.
· Amulet: Prioritize maximum energy shield, +levels to spell skills, and stats that enhance your survivability and damage.
· Chest: Aim for maximum energy shield and tri-resistance attributes.
· Rings: Utilize Amethyst rings for chaos damage, cast speed, and survivability stats.
· Gloves, Belt, Boots: High energy shield with maximum life and resistances should always be the goal.
Passive Tree and Ascendancies
For the passive tree, the sequence of ascendancy points is as follows:
1. Soulless Form
2. Eternal L
MMOEXP：Essential Tips for Navigating Path of Exile 2
Path of Exile 2 (POE2) is an expansive action RPG filled with myriad mechanics, secrets, and interactions to discover. With over 1,500 nodes on the passive skill tree and countless combinations of skill gems and support gems, the game can feel overwhelming. After spending around 70 hours in POE2 and progressing through the Cruel difficulty as a Witch, I've compiled some crucial tips that can help both new and seasoned players enhance their gaming experience. Here are some important pieces of knowledge that could easily be missed.
Tip 1: Unlocking the Full Potential of Support Gems
One of the most essential aspects of POE2 is the skill gem and support gem system. Initially, it may seem limited to just three support gems per skill gem, but unticking the "Show Recommended Gems" button reveals a vast array of options that enhance your skills significantly. For instance, when you untick this option while equipping the Witch’s Flame Wall, you’ll discover support gems that provide spell echo, allowing the skill to cast twice without extra mana costs—a game-changer for any build. Always keep this button unticked to explore all the potent gems available for your skills.
Tip 2: Real-Time DPS Evaluation
Make the most of the skill gem menu to track your damage per second (DPS) in real-time. This allows you to see how equipment changes and different support gems affect your damage outputs immediately. By comparing stats after equipping a new piece of gear or swapping out support gems, you can optimize your build effectively. This feature is invaluable for late-game min-maxing, ensuring each choice impacts your build positively.
Tip 3: Customize Your Interface Options
Navigate to the options menu and customize your gameplay interface. Enabling the "Show Mini Life Bar" option helps you stay focused on the action without constantly glancing at the corners of the screen to monitor health and mana. Keeping your attention in the center of the screen can help you avoid unnecessary damage and enhance your overall playability.
Tip 4: Keybinding for Efficiency
Take some time to go through input options and set keybindings that suit your gameplay style. For example, setting a key for the create portal command makes teleporting much more efficient. Additionally, remember that placing a portal in an active zone allows you to log off and return later, resuming your adventure exactly where you left off—perfect for busy schedules or short play sessions.
Tip 5: Vendor Stock Refresh
Every time you level up, don’t forget to check vendors, as their stock refreshes with potentially better gear. Though it may seem tedious, it can lead to significant upgrades that surpass loot from bosses, so make it a habit to check vendors, especially in your home base.
Tip 6: Understanding the Salvage System
Get acquainted with the salvage system—this allows you to dismantle items with quality or sockets to create valuable resources. Salvaging ten items yields a shard that can enhance future gear. While it may seem slow, the massive amounts of loot collected throughout your journey make this a worthwhile process. Save salvage resources for late-game gear changes since you’ll frequently swap equipment in the early game.
Tip 7: Unique Boss Awareness
Be mindful of unique bosses in the game, as they do not respawn after being defeated. Clearing areas thoroughly ensures you benefit from permanent buffs that can enhance later gameplay. Keep track of your map and revisit areas to ensure you don’t miss out on any notable encounters.
Tip 8: Highlighting Loot
Never miss loot again by holding the Alt key to highlight all items in your vicinity, including hidden chests and items. For a permanent display of all loot, press Z to toggle this feature on. This can dramatically change your loot collection experience and prevent overlooked treasures.
Tip 9: Stun Mechanics
Understanding the power of stuns can significantly elevate your combat efficiency. Phy