The Elementalist’s Storm build is a powerful spellcasting build in Path of Exile 2(POE2) that focuses on unleashing devastating elemental storms to dominate both mapping and bossing content in POE2, and it is one of the best PVP Builds in the game. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to create and optimize this build, including ascendancy choices, skill gems, gear recommendations, and playstyle tips.
1. Introduction to the Elementalist’s Storm Build
The Elementalist’s Storm build revolves around the Stormweaver Ascendancy, which specializes in elemental damage and critical strikes. The core mechanic of this build is the Elemental Storm skill, which creates powerful storms based on the highest elemental damage type of your spells. This build excels in both clear speed and single-target damage, making it a versatile choice for all content in Path of Exile 2.
2. Ascendancy Choices
The Stormweaver Ascendancy offers unique nodes that synergize perfectly with elemental spells. Here are the key nodes for this build:
| Ascendancy Node | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Scouring Winds | Amplifies the effectiveness of Exposure ailments, increasing damage against afflicted enemies. | Boosts clear speed and damage output. |
| Tempest Caller | Grants access to the Elemental Storm skill, summoning storms based on your critical spell hits. | Enables consistent storm generation for sustained damage. |
| Rain Dancer | Reduces the cooldown of Elemental Storms, allowing for more frequent casting. | Improves uptime of storms for continuous damage. |
| Heart of the Storm | Recoups 40% of elemental damage taken as Energy Shield. | Enhances survivability in high-damage situations. |
3. Skill Gems and Links
The Elementalist’s Storm build relies on a combination of primary spells, utility skills, and support gems to maximize damage and survivability.
Primary Spells
- Lightning Bolt: High single-target damage with shock potential.
- Arc: Excellent for clearing packs with its chaining mechanics.
- Ball Lightning: Sustained damage with high shock chances.
- Firestorm: AoE fire damage for ignites and fire-based storms.
- Comet: Devastating cold spell for generating cold storms.
Utility and Support Spells
- Flammability: Reduces enemy fire resistance.
- Frost Bomb: Applies cold damage-over-time and increases cold damage.
- Elemental Storm: Core skill for creating storms based on your highest elemental damage type.
- Added Lightning/Fire/Cold Damage: Increases elemental damage output.
- Spell Echo: Repeats spell casts for better coverage.
- Controlled Destruction: Trades critical strike chance for significant spell damage.
- Penetration Gems: Lightning, Fire, and Cold Penetration to bypass enemy resistances.
- Arcane Surge: Grants mana regeneration and cast speed for smoother spellcasting.
4. Elementalist’s Storm Build Gear Recommendations
Gear is crucial for maximizing the build’s damage and survivability. Below is a table of recommended gear:
| Gear Slot | Item | Modifiers to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Lifespring Wand | +Spell Gem Levels, +Elemental Damage, +Critical Strike Chance |
| Helmet | High Energy Shield Helmet | +Energy Shield, +Elemental Resistances |
| Body Armor | Expert Keth Raiment | +Spirit, +Energy Shield, +Elemental Resistances |
| Gloves | Blueflame Bracers | 100% Fire to Cold Conversion, +Critical Strike Chance |
| Boots | Kaom’s Roots | +Movement Speed, +Energy Shield, +Life Regeneration |
| Amulet | The Everlasting Gaze | +Energy Shield, +Mana, +Elemental Damage |
| Rings | Steel Rings | +Elemental Damage, +Critical Strike Chance, +Resistances |
5. Elementalist’s Storm Build Passive Skill Tree
The passive skill tree for this build focuses on:
- Critical Strike Chance: To maximize storm generation.
- Elemental Damage: To boost the damage of your spells and storms.
- Energy Shield and Mana: For survivability and sustain.
- Spell Damage and Cast Speed: To improve overall performance.
6. Playstyle and Tips
- Mapping: Use Arc and Firestorm to clear packs of enemies quickly. Trigger Elemental Storms frequently to maintain high damage output.
- Bossing: Focus on Lightning Bolt and Ball Lightning for single-target damage. Use Frost Bomb and Flammability to debuff bosses and increase your damage.
- Survivability: Keep Elemental Storms active to recoup Energy Shield and mitigate incoming damage. Use Blink for mobility and positioning.
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the best weapon for this build? | Lifespring Wand is ideal for boosting spell gem levels and elemental damage. |
| How important is critical strike chance? | Critical strikes are essential for triggering Elemental Storms consistently. |
| Can this build handle endgame content? | Yes, the Elementalist’s Storm build excels in both mapping and bossing due to its high damage and survivability. |
| What are the best defensive layers? | Energy Shield, Elemental Resistances, and recoup mechanics are the core defensive layers of this build. |
Curious to understand why we use all 3 elemental damage, mixing lightning, cold and fire skills instead of focusing on a single element.
Thank you for your comment, it inspired me to write an article about the reasons for using all 3 elemental damage in Elementalist’s Storm Build. you can read the article, it contains details of the reasons for using all 3 Elemental. https://gamiunity.com/en/poe2-why-you-should-use-all-3-elemental-in-elementalists-storm/