Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2) introduces a whole new level of complexity, especially with the reworked skill tree and updated mechanics. One of the most exciting builds for players who enjoy manipulating the forces of darkness is the Chaos Witch. Chaos Witch excels in using chaos damage, leveraging curses, and playing around degeneration effects to deal massive amounts of damage to POE 2 Currency enemies. If you’re looking for an effective Chaos Witch leveling build, here’s a guide to get you started.
Key Skills and Abilities
The Chaos Witch build revolves around Chaos Damage over Time (DoT) and strong curses. The two main skill gems you’ll use are Essence Drain and Bane. These provide excellent AoE (Area of Effect) and single-target damage while also utilizing chaos damage to its fullest potential.
Essence Drain (ED): This skill deals chaos damage over time and can hit multiple enemies in a wide area, which makes it perfect for clearing packs of monsters quickly. You will scale it with chaos damage nodes and also boost its effectiveness by applying the Forbidden Rite support skill. As your level increases, you will find that Essence Drain becomes one of the best leveling skills due to its damage output and effectiveness across various monster types.
Bane: Bane allows you to curse enemies with a set of powerful curses, further boosting your chaos damage and weakening enemies. By linking Bane with support gems like Blasphemy, you can apply curses automatically, making it easier to manage your debuffs on multiple enemies at once. You’ll want to focus on curses that weaken enemy defenses and reduce resistances to chaos damage.
Passive Skill Tree
When selecting your path through the passive skill tree, prioritize Chaos Damage, Damage over Time (DoT), and Energy Shield nodes. These nodes will not only increase your damage but also help with survivability, as the Chaos Witch often relies on Energy Shield as the primary form of defense.
Look for the following key areas in the passive skill tree:
Chaos Damage: A no-brainer for any Chaos Witch build. It increases the potency of your damage over time and direct chaos skills.
Damage over Time (DoT): This node will increase the effectiveness of both Essence Drain and other chaos DoT skills.
Life or Energy Shield: Since the Chaos Witch can be quite fragile early on, investing in energy shield or life nodes will make a huge difference to your survivability.
Leveling Tips
Early Levels: Start with Essence Drain or Void Sphere as your primary damage source. Focus on acquiring items that boost your chaos damage and resistances early on, as survivability is key during the early leveling stages.
Mid-Game: By the time you reach Act 6 or 7, you should be looking for ways to scale your DoT and curse effects more efficiently. Aim for Blasphemy support for automatic curse application and increase your damage with chaos damage mods on gear.
End-Game: Once you reach the endgame, it’s all about maximizing your chaos damage and scaling your DoT with items, passives, and flasks. Consider crafting or acquiring high-quality gear with chaos damage, energy shield, and life mods. Prioritize Crown of Eyes (for damage scaling) or Darkray Vectors for even more chaos power.
Conclusion
The Chaos Witch is a powerful and versatile choice for those who love the concept of manipulating deadly forces. While the early levels can be challenging, once you have your skills and passives optimized, the build becomes incredibly potent and fun to play. By focusing on chaos damage, curses, and efficient damage over time, the Chaos Witch leveling build in PoE 2 provides a cheap POE 2 Currency rewarding experience for players who want to harness the power of the void.
