What Skill Gems Should You Choose For Your Witch In Path Of Exile 2’s Early Game? - Top 4

Jan 21, 2025 Author: POECurrency.com

In the early access of Path of Exile 2, which was popular all over the world some time ago, there are 6 basic classes available for players to use, among which Witch has become the choice of many players. On the one hand, it is because it can summon some minions to reduce the pressure of the character in battle, and on the other hand, it can use powerful spell skills to cause extremely destructive damage from a distance.

Regardless of which aspect, the key part of making a strong build in POE 2 is to choose some of the best skills. Given the unique mechanism of skill gems in the current game, you will have a lot of skills to choose from. Generally speaking, it is suitable to place skill gems that focus on increasing the durability and damage of the character in the early Witch build, and some players will pay more attention to the summoned minions.

To help you spend less time in the game, this guide will show you some skill gems you can choose for your Witch in the early stages. However, because each player explores differently, it is very likely that the skill gems obtained in the same stage are different, so you can use different ones according to your own needs and progress, which is also possible.

1. Unearth

The first one we introduce to you is Unearth, which can be cut by the first level Uncut Skill Gem you get. This skill will create some bone spikes on the ground between you and the enemy, which can continuously damage the enemy and has 15% Critical Chance. What’s more, Unearth can revive dead enemies along the entire path, and they will help you finish the battle.

This skill gem that enhances the sustainability of Witch builds will be your best choice in the early game when gear is not effective, and you can even use it in the late game. It is very suitable for dealing with those combat scenes that may make you busy, because it can deal area damage while turning fallen enemies into friendly forces, enhancing the strength and sustainability of the battle.

2. Skeletal Arsonist

In fact, Skeletal Arsonist is a skill gem dedicated to summoning Bone Minions, which will cause tremendous damage by throwing exploding fireballs at the enemy. Compared to Skeletal Snipers, which only focus on single enemies, it is more suitable for casting some area damage, which can be used to deal with some groups of enemies rushing at you in the early stage of the fight.

You can also combine Skeletal Arsonist with Unearth, so that the minions that throw fireballs will signal other minions to self-destruct when their health is low. So the more minions you summon, the more damage they will cause after the explosion. No matter how powerful the enemy is, they can easily destroy it, which is very suitable for farming those lower-level bosses to gain more experience points and POE 2 currency.

Since this skill focuses on dealing fire damage, if you plan to make it your main skill, you can put more gear focused on fire damage in your Witch build, or spend some POE 2 Regal Orbs to increase the rarity or affixes of these gears to maximize the ability of this type of elemental damage.

3. Skeletal Warrior

If you want to feel the pleasure of some melee or physical attacks in a Witch build that focuses on spells, then Skeletal Warrior Minions will be a good fit for you, especially in the early stages when the entire build’s defense capabilities are not very strong. They can be used in some battles where the enemy has strong mobility, pulling the enemy to facilitate the Witch to perform powerful spell attacks from a distance, so that you can more easily obtain POE 2 Currency and other loot.

However, since these minions themselves have few defensive means, they are easily defeated in battle, so you need the Skeletal Warrior skill gem to revive them so that they can fight for you again. You can compare it to Unearth in the same way, both of which can enhance the persistence of a Witch in early game content, but Skeletal Warrior can only revive exclusive minions, while Unearth will revive enemies.

It should be noted here that you need to manage Spirit when using this skill, and you may need to spend a large amount here. In addition, this skill can also be obtained through your equipped weapons, so you can use those Uncut Skill Gems to cut into other skills first. But as long as you no longer use this weapon, you can only rely on skill gems to summon Skeletal Warrior Minions.

4. Bone Cage

Bone Cage is a level 3 skill gem that deals more damage to enemies than the previous ones. It will summon a circle of bone spikes around the enemy when cast. Once the enemy touches the bone spikes, they will be destroyed immediately, causing damage and pinning the enemy in place. Generally, it will cause 15-22 points of physical damage and has a 15% chance of causing critical damage.

You can combine this skill with various skills that can summon minions, so that when the enemy is pinned and their movement and attacks are restricted, those minions that can cause different elemental damage can cause the most damage here.

The above are some of the skill gems you can choose for the early Witch build in POE 2 Early Access. Once again, because these gems are all searched by you during exploration, you may not get the same gems at the same stage, and you can also make appropriate skill choices according to your situation. I wish you a happy game!

Next: Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 Update Predictions | ToTA, Delve, Breach Rework & New Classes

Previous: What Best Minions Should You Choose For Witch In Path Of Exile 2? - Top 6

Predicted Release Date For Patch 0.4.0

Based on the four-month release cycle of PoE 1 and the fact that Rise of the Abyssal League launched at the end of August, it is speculated that PoE 2 patch 0.4.0 will be released soon. Considering the development team’s Christmas break, they typically don’t release new patches right before the holidays, so patch 0.4.0 should arrive in the first half of December.

The next league’s launch event is usually held the week before the current league ends, and the likely date is December 6th, which also marks the one-year anniversary of PoE 2. The official release of patch 0.4 is expected around December 13th. It’s anticipated that full patch notes for 0.4.0 will be revealed in the last week of November.

Of course, the development team might also announce a delay due to unfinished content, releasing it after Christmas holidays in January 2026.

Possible New Content

ToTA Mechanics

ToTA (Trial of the Ancestors) mechanic was originally planned for patch 0.3.0 but wasn’t completed, so patch 0.4.0 is almost certain to introduce it. It will be a full gameplay mechanic, not a small seasonal feature, and may be tied to Ascendancy Class system.

Delve

Delve is one of Game Director Jonathan’s favorite mechanics. The related content was already present in the patch 0.3.0, which is Isle of Kin.

Since tablets in PoE 2 now function similarly to scarabs in PoE 1, introducing a mechanic like Delve - which consumes PoE 2 currency to enter - is a logical next step. Delve is also a nearly infinite long-term mode that can sustain player engagement, making it an ideal feature for a Christmas season release.

Breach Rework

Breach received a major rework in PoE 3.27, and the outcome was well-received. PoE 1 currently acts somewhat like a beta realm for PoE 2, so the developers may rework systems in PoE 1 to refine them before porting them into PoE 2. Therefore, Breach is very likely to receive a rework in patch 0.4.0.

New Classes

Patch 0.4.0 will likely introduce new classes, as patch 0.3.0 made very few updates to classes and ascendancies. To deliver a strong seasonal update impact during Christmas, the official team is expected to release at least one new class. While nothing is confirmed yet, several possibilities exist.

Druid

Druids were mentioned alongside Huntresses in patch 0.2.0, suggesting that development on the class may already be complete. Therefore, seeing a Druid class in patch 0.4.0 seems logical. However, Druids are inherently complex, with form-shifting mechanics that may conflict with certain design systems, so delays are possible.

Templar

If Delve is added, PoE 2 will need more tank-oriented classes capable of enduring sustained damage. Warrior and its ascendancies alone may not be enough. Therefore, introducing Templar class alongside Delve is a strong possibility.

With the introduction of new classes comes a wave of new skill gems, support gems, and possibly new weapon types.

These new skills will not be restricted to the new classes; all classes can use them, which will inevitably impact existing builds and the broader meta. Some balance changes are expected, potentially affecting overperforming builds such as Lightning Arrow Deadeye.

Predicted Content

Atlas Endgame Overhaul

Patch 0.3.0 added more unique maps, further refined Atlas Tree, and removed the requirement to use Towers, completely changing how players cultivate the map.

These changes lower the reward ceiling for top-tier players on maps, but simultaneously raise the reward floor for average players, making farming smoother for less hardcore players.

Patch 0.4.0 is likely to include a major overhaul of the endgame. Since patch 0.3.0 already adjusted towers and tablets, this may be a prelude to even larger changes.

If currency-intensive mechanics like Delve are added, the existing Atlas passive skill tree may require adjustments. Additionally, there are signs that the team favors certain PoE 1 endgame philosophies. They may keep the large otherworldly maps of PoE 2 but rework how they operate, improving tower interactivity to make gameplay more engaging and reduce the current tendency toward mindless grinding.

New Acts

If patch 0.4.0 already includes large systems like Delve and ToTA, the team may not have enough development bandwidth to finish Acts 5 and 6. These may instead be introduced next year in patch 0.5 or 0.6.

Players can remain optimistic about PoE 2 Patch 0.4.0, as Patch 0.3.0, by adjusting the pace between PoE 1 and early PoE 2 versions, has brought significant improvements in player numbers, playtime, and player satisfaction. Therefore, future updates to Path of Exile 2 will continue to move towards hyper blast fun.

Path Of Exile 3.27 Top 10 Best Builds | Overpowered League Starters & Fast Mapping Builds

Path of Exile 3.27 has been running for over two weeks, and many players have moved beyond the early campaign phase and are focusing on mapping.

At this point, players typically need builds that offer high survivability and fast map-clearing speed to improve farming efficiency. Below are 10 of the strongest builds currently available.

1. Kinetic Blast Wander Build

Kinetic Blast Wander build theoretically boasts over 20 million DPS, making it an extremely powerful build, though it's highly likely to be nerfed in the next patch. This build primarily utilizes Bloodline node, Farewell to Flesh, and the new skill gem Kinetic Blast.

Kinetic Blast is a ranged projectile skill that explodes into multiple additional explosions upon hit, all of which hit a single enemy.

Farewell to Flesh node amplifies the damage of each Herald skill as long as mana is preserved. Combined with Herald of Thunder and Herald of Ice, it achieves nearly 90% mana preservation. This build also boasts a permanent 24% shell, elemental immunity, and energy shield over-life drain, making it exceptionally survivable.

Early on, place Herald gem in Honourhome helmet, focusing on stacking power and elemental focus. Use Essence Worm Unset Ring for double scaling. Later, stack Herald effects with Tattoos, Cluster jewels, and Corruptions to ensure the buffs are self-circulating.

2. Earthshatter Berserker Build

Earthshatter Berserker is a classic power-based build, excelling in Hardcore SSF and the trade league. It's fast, brutal, and surprisingly tanky.

During the campaign, you can focus on crafting physical weapons, using PoE currency appropriately to ensure your magical or rare weapons have suitable affixes. During the farming phase, you can acquire an axe through gambling, then stack life, resistances, and movement speed on rare items.

While farming, you need to constantly use Blood Rage to maintain exerted attacks and destroy everything in its path. This build is very easy to gear up, allowing for high damage even on the first day of your league journey.

3. Archmage Hierophant Build

This build requires a transfigured version of Frostbolt, making Frostbolt have no cooldown and heavily reliant on cast speed scaling, and its gameplay is similar to a spell-based Flicker Strike.

By unleashing Frostbolts to fill the screen, you can instantly destroy hordes of monsters, while simultaneously adding overlapping explosions with Vortex of Projection. You no longer need to manually cast Vortex, and it's automatically triggered by the projectiles, allowing you to maintain movement and safety. After acquiring Echoing Shrine, it transforms into a spell-based Gatling gun.

4. Venom Gyre Deadeye Build

Venom Gyre Deadeye build scales damage and defense directly from Dexterity. Each point of Dexterity translates into Speed, Poison Power, and Evasion.

Early on, you can use Cobra Lash for a smooth upgrade path, switching to Venom Gyre later in the game. This build blends melee and projectile gameplay, excelling in content like Legion, Breach, Blight, and Strongboxes thanks to its high-resolution map speed and mobility.

5. Energy Blade Inquisitor Build

Energy Blade is a hybrid build that converts the energy shield into pure lightning damage, and it can enhance almost any spell. Initially, you only need a small number of Divine Orbs. Later, their powerful AOE capabilities provide substantial rewards, and you can use them as a base to develop various playstyles.

6. Penance Brand Of Dissipation Build

This build primarily involves placing brands to attach to enemies, accumulating energy, and then exploding them into pulse waves.

Mind Over Matter and Eldritch Battery can absorb damage using mana. The energy shield is used as mana, making this build incredibly tanky when fully charged.

In boss fights, timing and control are crucial. The explosion deals the most damage when the brand reaches maximum energy.

7. Cyclone Hollow Palm Gladiator Build

This build utilizes the signature Cyclone skill, but forgoes weapons. Every drop of its damage and defense comes from Dexterity, which simultaneously increases damage, attack speed, and evasion.

You can pair it with Devoto's Devotion helmet for increased attack speed, and Purity of Elements for elemental resistance, making your character almost impossible to hit. Gladiator Ascendancy also provides block and damage reduction, which, combined with potion effects and Ralakesh's Impatience boots, allows for even faster attack speed, making it one of the fastest map-clearing builds in the game.

8. Animate Weapon Of Ranged Arms Necromance Build

This classic summoner build is reborn with the new support ability Bladefall of Trarthus. The new ability eliminates the need to manually cast it every few seconds to generate weapons; it now continuously generates blades, perfectly maintaining the duration of Animate Weapon.

This build is more powerful, more resilient, and more flexible. It's viable in hardcore mode, capable of pinnacle bosses, and requires only simple gem switching between farming and boss fights. The primary damage comes from Animate Weapon itself, supplemented by Spectres, Animate Guardian, and Despair.

9. Poisonous Concoction Of Bouncing Build

This is the most beginner-friendly build and performs exceptionally well in the current version. It's fast, deadly, and has extremely low gear requirements, making it virtually immune to bad luck. Because its damage relies entirely on the character's health, potions, and skill gem levels, players don't even need a weapon. Simply stack health, resistances, and dodge on your gear to achieve this. Pathfinder provides permanent flask effects, a huge amount of movement speed, and powerful poison sustain.

10. Flicker Strike Frost Blades Champion Build

Flicker Strike is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and chaotic skills in Path of Exile, and in version 3.27, it returns faster, stronger, and more insane.

The fun of this build lies in its extreme speed and chaos. You can teleport infinitely between enemies, sometimes even your screen can't keep up with your movements. The rework of Champion Ascendancy further enhances this.

That concludes these PoE build recommendations. Hopefully, this will help you find a more fun and easier build.

Path Of Exile 3.27 Keepers Of The Flame Uber Boss Kill Event Guide | Dates, Rewards, And Best HCSSF Builds To Reach Level 50

It's been almost two weeks since Path of Exile 3.27, but most players should already have a general understanding of the league. The official event is Keepers of the Flame Uber Boss Kill event.

The event challenges players to defeat Uber Incarnation of Dread in designated matches, rewarding the first to succeed with prizes including a gaming laptop.

Date

The event lasts for one week, starting this Thursday:

Start Time: November 13, 2025, 1 PM PST or November 13, 2025, 3 PM CST.
End Time: November 20, 2025, 1 PM PST or November 20, 2025, 3 PM CST.

How To Participate?

To participate in this event, several conditions must be met:

Your character must be on HC SSF. This is to prevent you from receiving help from other players (console players can participate through Softcore Self-Founded Server).
Account sharing or similar activities are prohibited; otherwise, you will be disqualified.
Players who participated in Alpha test server, as well as former and current employees of the official team, are not eligible for rewards.

This event is open to all players. The event panel will appear on the character selection screen 30 minutes before the event starts. Click Join to participate. Your character cannot move before the event starts. The official team also stated that if the event encounters technical issues, such as server instability, the team will launch a new league and restart the event.

Console players may not be able to receive the first-place physical prize, which is only available to PC players. However, console players can still claim other virtual item rewards.

Rewards

The first player to kill Uber Incarnation of Dread will receive a grand prize, while the top five players will each receive a microtransaction bundle. All players who participate in this event and reach level 50 during the event period will receive a Third Edict Mystery Box. Final rankings will be determined by the official team.

First Place Reward

The first place winner will receive an official Alienware 16X Aurora Gaming Laptop, with the following specifications:

Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 275HX, 24 cores
Windows 11 Home
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5070
64 GB DDR5
2 TB SSD
16” Non-Touch QHD+

Top Five Rewards

Each of the top five players will receive one of the following microtransaction bundles:

Celestial Warlord Armour Pack
Celestial Warlord Back Attachment
Divergence Weapon Effect
Celestial Emperor Finisher Effect
Breach Hedron Portal
Midnight Pact Character Effect
Harmony Footprints Effect
Tumbling Exalted Orb Pet

Level 50 Reward

Players who reach level 50 will receive a Third Edict Mystery Box, with a chance to obtain the following item:

Charge Skin Variations (3 variations)
Dodge Roll Effect Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Helmet Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Body Armour Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Gloves Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Boots Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Alternate Helmet Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Back Attachment Variations (2 variations)
Fracturing Character Effect Variations (3 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Weapon Skin Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Helmet Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Body Armour Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Gloves Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Boots Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Back Attachment Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Weapon Skin Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Skin Variations (2 variations)
Giant Sphynx Pet Variations (5 variations)
Shifting Portal Effect Variations (2 variations)
The Forgemaster's Map Device
Molten Portal Effect
Explosion Level-up Effect Variations (3 variations)
Rhoa Mount Variations (2 variations)
Well Hideout Decoration Variations (2 variations)
Doryani's Rare Finisher Effect Variations (4 variations)

How Can Regular Players Obtain Rewards?

Although this event will last for 7 days, the prizes are clearly designed for players with time and skill, such as Ben, Alex, Jung, Exil, etc. However, Third Edict Mystery Box rewards are also quite good for regular players. The question is how to safely and quickly level up to 50 in HC SSF.

In Hardcore SSF, you cannot buy PoE Currency or trade items with other , and your character is deleted upon death. Therefore, to reach level 50, survivability is paramount, followed by damage and leveling. Ideal builds maintain sufficient damage output while also possessing some AoE capabilities, allowing for quick monster clearing.

Melee Slam Builds

These builds utilize Slam-type skills for wide-area, high-damage attacks. Juggernaut is highly recommended due to its extremely high defensive capabilities, making it suitable for Hardcore Fighting (HCSF) progression.

It enhances survivability through Endurance Charge and additional elemental and physical damage reduction. You can complete all content and Tier 17 maps with only 5-link gear.

Alternatively, you can choose Slayer or Berserker, but their defense is not as high as Juggernaut's.

Wand Builds

Wand builds utilize Wands for attacks, primarily launching Projectiles. The wands in PoE 3.27 are incredibly powerful, especially with the new skill Somatic Shell and developer demos focusing on projectile attacks and wands. Three new wands have also been added this league. The damage and upgrade speed of wand builds are undeniable.

Kinetic Blast of Clustering Hierophant and Kinetic Rain Elementalist or Hierophant are also very powerful wand builds, but their survivability is lower than melee Slam builds, requiring a certain level of skill.

Mines builds

Mines builds can use mines to trigger abilities, creating large-area AOE explosions. In the current league, it's recommended to pair them with Exsanguinate and Reap. This proved effective in the previous league and doesn't have high gear requirements.

As for Ascendancy class, you can choose Trickster and Elementalist, although Trickster has been nerfed in this league.

If you're unsure which specific build to play, you can first check the performance of HCSSF ladder builds from the previous league to confirm their viability before choosing trap builds.

That concludes the overview of POE 3.27 Uber Boss Kill Event. We hope you achieve your desired ranking and win the grand prize.

Path Of Exile 3.27 Blights Farming Guide | Mechanisms, Changes And Strategies

The current Keepers of the Flame league in PoE is interesting because it not only adds several new mechanics, but its core mechanic, Breaches, is essentially a reset and echo of the permanent gameplay and the past Breach league.

Besides the new Breaches, which are worth experiencing, some permanent gameplay has been updated through 3.27 league, offering a better experience and a large amount of loot. Among these gameplay, Blights is quite important.

So why does Blights remain valuable among the many new gameplay elements, and how can you farm it in the new league to obtain currency and various items? We will explain.

Blights Mechanism Overview

Blights are essentially a tower defense encounter that generates through Fungal Growths in any map area. Generally, the probability of triggering it on non-unique maps is at least 8%.

In addition, you can also unlock Blight encounters by transferring other normal maps from using the modifiers. Blights on these special maps are larger, allowing you to earn more rewards by killing more enemies.

Compared to most Path of Exile encounters or events, Blights are easier to complete and trigger, and more importantly, offer a wider variety and greater quantity of rewards. Therefore, trading Blighted maps is very popular.

When Blights appear, they are represented in-game as fungi. The important NPC Sister Cassia will then place a purification pump on these fungi, causing them to randomly grow roots in various directions.

As the roots extend, you'll find a portal at the end of each root, from which enemies spawn and converge towards the center of the fungus. The number of roots that can spawn depends on the map tier you're in when Blights are triggered, with a maximum of 8 roots.

Your task is to build defensive towers on each root to prevent enemies from entering the fungus's core. Sometimes, certain roots may spawn even more enemies or special Blight bosses.

Furthermore, the enemies on different roots have different resistances, requiring you to build defensive towers based on their characteristics. The resources for building these towers are obtained by completing other game tasks or defeating Blight enemies.

Also Read: Path Of Exile 3.27 Explosive Arrow Champion: Best Starter Build - Easy And Powerful Guide In Keepers Of The Flame

Once an enemy breaches the defensive tower and reaches the core, the durability of the purification pump placed by Cassia will decrease until it disappears. While enemies will stop spawning, this also means your Blight challenge has failed.

However, if you successfully defend against and defeat all the enemies on the roots, a reward chest will spawn at the portal at the end of the root. Even if you fail, a portion of the reward will be retained, preventing you from returning completely empty-handed.

Changes To Blights In 3.27 League

While the main Blight mechanics weren't changed in 3.27 league updates, the experience was improved through several details.

Firstly, now when you open a chest, other chests within a 1.5-meter radius will automatically open, and their items will be automatically collected into your inventory, eliminating the hassle of walking between roots to collect items.

Secondly, the boss summoned by Blight Scarab of Blooming will no longer bring additional monsters, thus appropriately reducing the difficulty of completing Blight encounters and making it easier to earn rewards.

How To Choose Passive Nodes, Scarabs, And Maps?

Keepers League has updated the entire Atlas tree, so to more effectively clear Blights, you need to change your passive tree setup.

To this end, you should prioritize unlocking nodes in both small and large passive nodes that increase the spawn rate of Tier 1-15 maps, thereby increasing the chance of triggering Blight encounters by generating many maps.

An additional node to mention is Singular Focus, which will cause more regular maps to be converted into Favored maps instead of Blight versions, so you should avoid it.

Furthermore, you need to unlock nodes that increase the number or type of Scarabs dropped when killing enemies on the map, thus providing more enhancements to your Blight maps and increasing their farming value. Available Scarab nodes include:

Amplified Artifacts and Remarkable Relics
Scarab of Bosses
Strongbox Scarabs
Scarab of Fortifications
Amplified Artifacts and Remarkable Relics
Scarab Nodes for Specific Mechanics

Based on this, besides the already mentioned optimized Blight Scarab of Blooming, another recommended Scarab is Blight Scarab of Invigoration, which increases the difficulty and loot rewards of all Blight enemies within its effect range.

Since triggering Blights randomly during exploration is too random, converting existing maps is a better way to farm them efficiently. Therefore, we recommend prioritizing converting Toxic Sewer map.

Which Eldritch Altar Should You Choose?

You might find this altar on the map after defeating specific enemies. There are two types: the red Searing Exarch Altar and the blue Eater of Worlds Altar, each applying different buffs to your Blight map.

The red altar increases your chances of obtaining different types of currency, while the blue altar increases the quantity and rarity of your drops.

In 3.27 league, both blue and red altars are viable for Blight maps; the final choice depends on your desired effect: blue altars offer higher overall value and are better suited for upgrades, while red altars require less investment.

Tower Building Strategy

In the current league, Atlas passive skill Templar Ingenuity allows you to build all types of Blight towers and upgrade them to the highest level.

We recommend building one of each type of tower to diversify their attributes and ensure you can defend against a wider variety of enemy types.

These are the tips for continuing to farm loot using the classic Blight farming mechanic in Keepers of the Flame league. We hope this helps you progress through the league!