In Path of Exile 2, the world of skill gems continues to evolve with new and exciting ways to engage in combat. One of the standout skills that has caught the attention of players is Shockburst Rounds, a POE 2 Currency lightning projectile attack designed specifically for use with crossbows. This skill offers a thrilling combination of high-speed projectiles and devastating lightning effects, making it a powerful tool in the arsenal of any crossbow-wielding character.
Overview of Shockburst Rounds
Shockburst Rounds is a unique skill that harnesses the power of lightning and channels it into a series of rapid, piercing projectiles fired from a crossbow. These projectiles not only deal significant lightning damage but also have the potential to chain and create additional effects that target multiple enemies in their path.
The skill is categorized as a projectile attack, meaning it requires a crossbow to use effectively. Crossbows in Path of Exile 2 typically allow for more controlled, long-range firepower, making them ideal for Shockburst Rounds, which thrives on precision and rapid-fire mechanics.
Mechanics and Effects
The core mechanics of Shockburst Rounds revolve around the player launching a high-speed lightning projectile from their crossbow. These projectiles are imbued with lightning damage that can affect enemies over a wide range. Here’s a breakdown of its key features:
Lightning Damage: Shockburst Rounds primarily deals lightning damage with each shot, which scales with modifiers that increase lightning damage, projectile damage, and elemental damage.
Piercing Projectiles: The projectiles fired by Shockburst Rounds are capable of piercing through enemies, hitting multiple targets in a single shot. This makes the skill particularly effective in situations where mobs of enemies are present, as it allows for rapid, widespread damage output.
Chain Effect: In addition to piercing through enemies, Shockburst Rounds has a chain effect, causing the lightning to jump between enemies within a certain range. This increases the skill’s area of effect and overall damage potential, especially in densely packed enemy groups.
Critical Strike Synergy: As a lightning-based attack, Shockburst Rounds works exceptionally well with critical strike-focused builds. Critical hits can significantly enhance its damage output, turning it into a highly explosive skill that can wipe out large groups of enemies with ease.
Projectiles per Second: The attack speed of Shockburst Rounds can be further enhanced by crossbow-related mods and passive tree nodes. This leads to higher projectiles-per-second (PPS), ensuring that the skill not only deals considerable damage but does so at a rapid pace, overwhelming foes with a storm of lightning.
Build Synergy and Playstyle
Shockburst Rounds is ideally suited for lightning-focused projectile builds, especially those utilizing crossbows. Players looking to maximize this skill should focus on building for projectile damage, attack speed, and lightning damage modifiers. Since the skill benefits from critical strikes, investing in crit chance and crit multiplier is a solid option.
Moreover, Shockburst Rounds shines in both single-target and AoE damage. With the ability to cheap POE 2 Divine Orbs chain between enemies, it’s great for clearing packs of monsters while still maintaining strong damage against bosses or tougher enemies. Its synergy with Projectile Damage and Lightning Damage nodes on the passive skill tree makes it an excellent choice for specialized crossbow builds that want to excel at long-range, burst damage.
Conclusion
In Path of Exile 2, Shockburst Rounds is a thrilling and dynamic skill that brings lightning-based projectile attacks into the forefront of crossbow builds. With its piercing projectiles, chain effect, and synergy with critical strike and lightning damage, it offers both versatility and power. Whether you're mowing down hordes of enemies or focusing on high-impact single-target damage, Shockburst Rounds is sure to electrify your playstyle and leave a trail of destruction in its wake.
