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Analyzing The Impact Of New Skill Gems And A Significant Nerf In Path Of Exile 3.24 Necropolis

Mar 20, 2024 Author: POECurrency.com

The latest teaser from GGG for Path of Exile 3.24 Necropolis introduces intriguing new skill gems that automate skill usage, alongside a notable nerf. This article examines the potential implications of these new gems and explores the ramifications of losing left-click instant skills for certain builds.

Analyzing The Impact Of New Skill Gems And A Significant Nerf In Path Of Exile 3.24 Necropolis

Automation

Automation is an intelligence-dexterity hybrid blue gem that serves both as a skill and a support. 

When paired with instant spells, Automation bestows the Automation skill, which can be activated similarly to a reservation skill. When activated, Automation automatically triggers all supported instance skills as they come off cooldown, rendering manual use of linked skills impossible.

Call To Arms

On the other hand, Call to Arms is a pure strength red gem that operates similarly but for Warcries. 

It functions as both a skill and support gem. When combined with Warcries, Call to Arms grants the Call to Arms skill, which can be toggled on. 

Once activated, it triggers all supported Warcries upon cooldown, preventing manual use of the linked Warcries. Additionally, this setup causes all Warcries to share cooldowns.

Path of Exile 3.24 Call To Arms

Initial Thoughts

Upon initially viewing these two gems featured at the start of the teaser, I took a moment to carefully review them. I found the concept quite appealing as it provides players with additional options, which I consider advantageous. 

However, the teaser concluded with a notable statement: "We've removed the capacity to bind any instant skill to left-click as a result." Indeed, this implies the removal of the ability to utilize instant skills via left-click.

Community Reaction

Approximately an hour after the teaser's publication, the Reddit post became untraceable as it had been heavily downvoted. 

Consequently, moderators were compelled to pin the thread to ensure its prominence on the Path of Exile subreddit. 

Similarly, the cross-post for this teaser elicited a predominantly negative response, with almost every comment expressing discontent over the alteration to left-click instant skills.

Potential For Comprehensive Changes

In all honesty, I've found myself undecided when faced with similar community uproars in the past. This time around, I've invested considerable thought into the matter.

I've pondered the potential rationale behind this change in the context of POE 3.24, contemplating the possibility of a comprehensive overhaul to a specific system or perhaps viewing it as a smaller adjustment within a larger framework. 

However, I've yet to find a satisfactory explanation. Unless significant developments are in progress, I remain uncertain about the implications of this alteration.

The Implications Of This Shift

Currently, our best course of action is to analyze this change within the context of the game's current state.

Here's how the change impacts most builds: If you previously employed an instant spell or Warcry on left-click, under the new system, when linked to Automation or Call to Arms, Warcries will trigger automatically upon cooldown without any manual input. However, this change comes with drawbacks: increased cost, slower cooldown recovery, and the need for an additional gem slot due to the link with Automation or Call to Arms. This means you have to spend more POE Currency.

Path of Exile 3.24 Automation

Let's consider the pros and cons realistically. While the automatic triggering of skills upon cooldown may seem beneficial, it's crucial to note that this isn't always the case, especially if you weren't continuously holding down left-click. The increased cost and longer cooldown are definite drawbacks, although they raise questions about the potential benefits of the automatic triggering. Additionally, sacrificing an extra gem slot is a significant disadvantage.

However, these implications primarily apply to builds utilizing left-click instant skills. What about builds employing damage abilities on left-click, such as General's Cry, Corrupting Cry, and those utilizing Detonate Mines

In the absence of macros or similar solutions, these builds face reduced damage potential, as they now require Automation gems in their primary link, or they must adjust to using an additional keybind, impacting their playstyle comfort.

Macros

However, in the realm of gaming, macros exist as a reality.

Over time, GGG has progressively reduced the necessity for macros within various aspects of Path of Exile gameplay. They've generally shifted away from design choices that encourage players to rely on macros. However, this specific change is poised to significantly increase the adoption of macros or similar tactics to address this issue and revert to previous gameplay dynamics.

There are already numerous posts on the subreddit outlining methods like the NumLock trick to effectively replicate the functionality of the old left-click instant skill. These posts are receiving widespread positive feedback and upvotes.

Positive Response To The Gems

However, if we set aside the widespread discontent, it becomes evident that many players actually responded positively to the introduction of these two new skill gems. 

Nevertheless, their strong aversion to the elimination of left-click instant skills has overshadowed this positivity.

Unresolved Skills?

Additionally, there are unresolved edge cases to consider, such as the Focus skill or the Necromancer's Bone Armor, which cannot currently be supported by Automation.

Effectiveness Of Call To Arms

I find the concept of Call to Arms supporting quite appealing, so let's briefly delve into it.

An interesting aspect that may have escaped notice in the teaser is that this gem simultaneously triggers all Warcries, rather than sequentially. For instance, in a slam build, you could allocate a four-link setup with Call to Arms connected to three Warcries. With some investment in Warcry Cooldown Reduction (CDR), you could eliminate the need for manual activation of Warcries in these builds, which would be truly beneficial.

However, it's worth noting that the mana cost and reservation multiplier associated with this gem are excessive. At level 20, Warcries already incur a substantial mana cost of 19 without any additional links. 

Therefore, adjusting these parameters is imperative for this quality of life enhancement to be viable.

The Cost Of QoL

The fundamental problem lies in the implementation of both these new gems. 

Their excessively high cost in the pursuit of quality of life renders them counterproductive. Attempting to integrate them into your build would ultimately detract from, rather than enhance, your gaming experience.

Brand Recall

Indeed, Brand Recall is also a factor to consider.

It's conceivable that they might introduce a slight casting delay to mitigate potential exploits in this regard. Since the Automation gem triggers linked instant skills, it has the capacity to activate Brand Recall. Consequently, this scenario resembles builds that slot Brand Recall into a trigger weapon or rely on triggering it with Spellslinger

However, with Automation, there's no need to initiate the trigger or reserve Spellslinger. It consistently triggers without any player input, which could lead to absurdity with Saboteur triggerbots.

Conclusion

On the whole, I must express my appreciation for the conceptualization of these new skills, which I find to be quite commendable. 

However, their execution leaves much to be desired. If the intention was always to eliminate left-click instant skills, then the solution should have been more refined, especially considering the reliance of entire build archetypes on this mechanic.

In my view, sacrificing a bit for the sake of improved quality of life is often justified and tends to benefit the majority of players. However, in this instance, the sacrifice is far from minor, and true quality of life would only be achieved if left-click instant skills had never been part of the game.

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Is The Last Lament Lich Build Feasible On A Low Budget In Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0?
Is The Last Lament Lich Build Feasible On A Low Budget In Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0?

The Last Lament Crossbow Lich build performed very well in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0, offering extremely fast clearing speed, high single-target damage, and significant tanking power through its low health mechanics and high movement speed.

This build is considered S-tier for end-game content, including mapping and bossing, and is a popular and powerful choice within the community, allowing you to blast away at small enemies while running quickly.

The only drawback to this build is its cost; completing this setup requires at least several hundred Path of Exile 2 Divine Orbs. This makes it an end-game build, unsuitable for leveling or starting in a league due to its high item cost.

So, why is this build so expensive? It's because it requires a unique weapon - The Last Lament Desolate Crossbow. This weapon, when paired with Lich Ascendancy, effectively mitigates disadvantages, making it highly sought after. 

This build boasts incredible speed and tankiness, but it requires a significant gear investment to fully realize its potential. Besides the aforementioned unique Crossbow, it also requires a variety of gear, including Stellar Amulet, Death Articulated Ornate Gauntlets, and Headhunter.

Our goal here is to make this build playable while still spending less on Divine Orbs. Of course, there are some obvious differences between a low-cost build and a more expensive one: slower movement speed, lower damage, and lower defense, but this should be enough to avoid certain monsters in the map and keep you alive. If you're interested in trying it, read on!

Now, I'll walk you through some updates to this Last Lament Lich build, including its mechanics, how to reduce health, how to use skills, and how to play with it.

Temporal Chains & Cursed Ground Synergy

First, we've added Temporal Chains, a curse that slows down enemies, which is very useful. It's like slowing them down, reducing their ability to attack you. With your energy shield so low, it's your best defense.

Temporal Chains' defensive power is much better than I expected. When you're in a tight space, like when you're trapped in a Ritual or about to open a Breach to fight a boss, you can quickly cast it to slow down enemies.

At the same time, we also cast Cursed Ground, which is mandatory. This uses Temporal Chains as a ground debuff, similar to other ground effects like Chilled Ground or Consecrated Ground, slowing enemy movement and slowing down other effects.

Then, I added Ritualistic Curse, Focused Curse, and Heightened Curse, which make the curses more powerful, last longer, and regenerate more quickly.

If you have extra skill gems, you can also add things like increased duration.

How Does It Work?

Now, let's explain how this build works. First, we mentioned earlier that this is a low-life build. This is because the unique thing about this build is that Last Lament has a 300-life cost to avoid consuming the last bolt, allowing you to fire continuously without reloading. This means that as long as you maintain low life, you can perform an unlimited number of attacks without reloading, effectively converting your life into infinite ammunition.

Lich Ascendancy's Eternal Life node allows players to maintain their health while maintaining a certain amount of energy shield. Combining these two, the health cost of Last Lament is essentially negated, meaning you won't lose health to avoid reloading.

Not only that, this build leverages the low-life mechanic, gaining significant bonuses from passive skill tree nodes and support gems, creating a character with incredible speed and immense power.

How To Maintain Low Life?

So, if we're currently at full health, how can we return to low health?

  1. First, equip Eternal Life node; this is crucial; it prevents your life from scaling while you have energy shield.
  2. Next, remove any gear that provides energy shield, or use a helmet with Eldritch Battery effect to convert your energy into mana. This is crucial because it allows your life to be affected by your actions.
  3. Be careful about using skills that drain life, such as those with Lifetap support gem, to quickly deplete your life until it drops below 35% of your maximum health.
  4. Finally, quickly re-equip your standard helmet to lock your life at its current low health state. Your life will now be permanently low, and you can benefit from Eternal Life node.

Gear Selection

For this build, we've significantly reduced the original PoE 2 currency budget, so some of the gear may not be the best options for your current Last Lament Crossbow Lich build, but it does offer the best value.

  • Weapon: The Last Lament Desolate Crossbow
  • Helmet: Constricting Command Viper Cap
  • Ring: Rune Grasp & Kraken Eyes
  • Amulet: Rune Scarab
  • Body Armor: Pandemonium Skin
  • Gloves: Vengeance Claw
  • Belt: Shavronne's Satchel
  • Boots: Invasion Spark

Gameplay

Finally, to clear maps and defeat bosses with the Last Lament Crossbow Lich build in Path of Exile 2, you'll need to utilize its powerful single-target ability, Compose Requiem, and ensure you always have low health and the necessary resources.

Additionally, focusing on acquiring a high-quality wand with high spell damage and cast speed is crucial for boosting your damage output against bosses.

Then, strategically allocate your Lich Ascendancy points to unlock key nodes like Necromantic Conduit and Crystalline Phylactery to reap the full benefits of this build.

Remember to prioritize defensive abilities like energy shield and high evasion, as these synergize perfectly with Lich's Eternal Life node, keeping you permanently at low health. Finally, remember to collect and re-cultivate areas to acquire better gear to boost your damage and survivability.

That's all for this low-budget Last Lament Crossbow Lich build. If your inventory is overflowing with orbs, you don't need to worry about this at all. However, if you're low on currency or want to push your limits, this Last Lament Lich build might be worth a try!

How Does The New Asynchronous Trade System In Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0 Work? | Selling And Trading Details
How Does The New Asynchronous Trade System In Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0 Work? | Selling And Trading Details

While Path of Exile's complex skill tree system and challenging endgame mechanics are both fascinating, one flaw it often criticizes is its cumbersome and rigid trading system.

Yes, in PoE, if you want to trade an item with another player, you and the seller must be online at the same time. This means that if you encounter a seller who's offline or unresponsive for a long time, you'll have to rely on luck to secure a perfect deal!

On the other hand, the in-game trading system can also be inconvenient for sellers. When you're desperate to sell an item, you have to constantly monitor the chat screen. If someone actually expresses interest in trading, you'll have to drop your map or whatever you're doing to sell it.

Sometimes, you'll receive a message to sell an item, drop what you're doing, only to find that the other party either doesn't show up or tries to sell it for less than you originally requested. It's really frustrating!

But all that's a thing of the past with Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0. The new Asynchronous Trade System in The Third Edict will surprise you every time you log back in!

Here, we'll explain how to unlock and use the brand-new Asynchronous Trade System in Patch 0.3.0. Let's take a look!

How To Unlock Asynchronous Trade System?

Creating A Hideout

To unlock Asynchronous Trade, you must first enter Path of Exile 2 Act 4. Here, you'll meet an NPC named Ange, who will give you a quest called Hostile Takeover, which requires you to find a suitable location to build a hideout.

If you don't have a suitable hideout yet, you can travel to Wakapanu Island, defeat Diamora, and then speak with Ange again in Kingsmarch to unlock Shoreline Hideout. Don't worry, we've got a detailed Diamora boss guide here.

Read More: How To Defeat The Final Boss In Path Of Exile 2 Act 4 Whakapanu Island? - Diamora, Song Of Death Boss Guide

Talking To Ange

Once you have a hideout, head there, and Ange should automatically appear. You can interact with it and perform Asynchronous Trade, which allows you to sell items for a fixed price without having to trade online.

Obtaining Or Converting To Merchant Tabs

To sell items, you need some Merchant Tabs, which can be obtained in-game through the microtransaction store. However, if you own Premium Stash Tabs from before the 0.3.0 update, you can also convert some of them into Merchant Tabs through the official Path of Exile 2 website.

Please note that upgrading tabs is permanent; this system wasn't available in Path of Exile 1. Therefore, if you upgrade here, you will temporarily lose access to these tabs from POE 1.

Also, it's worth noting that the old trading system is still available in-game. Therefore, if you want to continue using this system for any reason, please do not upgrade every Premium Stash Tab you own.

How To Trade Using This System?

Selling Items

After you obtain these Merchant Tabs, click Manage Shop button. You should see your Merchant Tab and an additional Earnings Tab there. To sell an item, place it in Merchant Tab and set a price.

However, it's worth noting that Asynchronous Trade System currently doesn't allow you to set a price for an entire tab like Premium Stash Tab does. I imagine this is to prevent accidentally listing an item in the wrong tab without knowing it.

Also, only items that can't be exchanged for PoE 2 currency can be placed in Merchant Tab. Therefore, items like Currency, Shards, Fragments, Essences, Socketables, and Gems must be sold through Currency Exchange or the legacy trading system.

Once an item is placed in Merchant Tab and priced, you have approximately 30 seconds to freely adjust the price or remove it. After that, it will be registered on Marketplace, locking in its position and price for a short period of time.

Before setting a price, it's recommended to research the selling prices of items with similar attributes to avoid overpricing or underpricing, which could result in unnecessary losses.

If you're still unsure, I recommend setting a slightly higher price. If the item doesn't sell for a long time, you can always lower the price. Regardless, it's recommended to check and lower the price of any unsold items every one or two days to increase your chances of a successful trade.

If someone is interested in an item while you're in hideout, you'll see it appear next to the hideout, ready for players to trade.

If you're online, you'll receive a small notification in the bottom right corner of your screen indicating a successful sale. Even if you're offline, players can still access and trade items, so when you log back in, you'll receive a bonus of POE 2 currency!

If you want to see which items you've sold, you can view your sales history in the top right corner of the merchant window.

Trading Items

If you want to acquire an item, you have two options. You can use the new Asynchronous Trade Marketplace or Currency Exchange in Path of Exile 2.

To open Trade Marketplace in-game, select it from the menu. From there, you can enter exactly what you're looking for and search.

When you find an item, you can click Travel to Hideout to instantly teleport to that player's hideout and trade there.

Alternatively, if you're using the old trading system, you can click Direct Whisper. The other options are essentially the same.

My Thoughts

Honestly, I think the new Asynchronous Trade system is a vast improvement in PoE 2. The old system was notoriously bad, and a real hindrance for both buyers and sellers.

The only problem with the new system is that it requires players to enter Act 4 of the new league before they can trade, which is why some people still use the old system. I really hope this changes, at least by making it available in towns in the early stages.

How To Defeat Tavakai The Chieftain Final Boss In Path Of Exile 2 Act 4 With Three Phases!
How To Defeat Tavakai The Chieftain Final Boss In Path Of Exile 2 Act 4 With Three Phases!

Today, our guide to the final boss fight in Path of Exile 2 Act 4 is finally here! This mysterious boss is Tavakai, the Chieftain, and he's the most dangerous enemy in the campaign so far.

This three-phase boss fight is quite lengthy, and Tavakai's powerful attacks will definitely put your build and gear to the test. Therefore, I sincerely recommend that you upgrade your character to at least level 56 or higher before attempting Tavakai, unless you're willing to invest a large amount of POE 2 currency in crafting a complete set of crafted gear.

Preparation is also essential before every brutal boss fight, and you'll have to ensure you have auto-recharged life and mana flasks; otherwise, you'll have a hard time surviving. If you're ready, follow along as we tackle the final battle in Path of Exile 2 Act 4!

How To Find Tavakai?

To find Tavakai, you'll first need to travel to Whakapanu Island. Next, you'll need to fight your way through two of Path of Exile 2's largest and most challenging maps: Ngakanu and Heart of the Tribe.

So, take your time and explore every corner. You'll find him in Heart of the Tribe area.

Phase 1 - Tavakai, the Chieftain

Once you've found Tavakai, the Chieftain, Phase 1 begins.

Honestly, this is the easiest phase, so your goal is to use as few flasks as possible to advance to the next phase, as you'll need them later.

Tavakai's attacks in this phase are very simple, primarily using his axe for physical attacks. Fortunately, these attacks are easily dodged, as he moves slowly, allowing you to counterattack with Momentum.

His powerful attack creates Jade Crystals, which then explode. Stay away from them to avoid the explosions, which provides another opportunity for a counterattack.

The key to completing this phase quickly is to dodge attacks and counterattack, allowing you to continue stacking damage on the boss.

Note that when Tavakai's health reaches 50%, he stops attacking and transforms into Tavakai, the Fallen. When this transformation occurs, a shockwave will hit you, knocking you to the ground. This officially begins Phase 2.

Phase 2 - Tavakai, the Fallen

Follow Tavakai, the Fallen to another arena, where you'll find Makoru in Altars. This is where the final battle begins.

In Phase 2, Tavakai becomes even more powerful, regenerating his health. Additionally, he gains new attacks that deal significant damage. Let's take a look at them.

  • His first move is to swing his axe skyward, followed by a rain of jade spikes. This attack covers the entire arena, so try to watch where it lands to avoid being hit.
  • Tavakai can also summon three to five jade statues that explode when they get close to you, dealing area damage.
  • Another powerful attack occurs when he says, "Lend me your hunger, Father of Chaos!" A pool of blood will appear on the ground, and he'll stomp on it, dealing area damage.
  • Then, when he says, "Weakness becomes you!", several bloody tentacles will sprout from his hands. If these tentacles hit you, they'll inflict Shock, Ignite, and Fire Resistance debuffs.
  • Another powerful attack during this phase occurs when he says, "Unleash yourself, Valako!" He'll slam his bag into the ground, creating several waves of jade spikes that fly upward. The best way to avoid this attack is to stay close to Tavakai, as it covers the entire arena.

You May Like: Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0 Changes To Witch Hunter Ascendancy Class' Passive Skills

However, the problem with phase 2 is that Tavakai's boss attacks continuously, making it impossible to predict the exact timing of your counterattack. However, during our testing, he would first unleash waves of jade spikes, then summon jade statues, followed by blood tentacles, and finally a rain of jade spikes. It felt like everything was happening simultaneously. It was complete chaos.

However, my advice is: you must deal damage first, then pause and run away to survive, then return to attack. Of course, the problem with this is that you'll never be able to stack a significant amount of damage, and the battle will be stretched out again, but it's the only way to survive.

This is also where your auto-recharged flasks come in handy; they're invaluable, otherwise a few combos from the boss will easily kill you.

Anyway, keep fighting, and soon Tavakai will unleash his most powerful attack of this phase: Daughter of the Moon. This is when a massive beam or icicle strikes the ground for several seconds. If you're hit, your chance of death is very high.

Phase 3 - Tavakai, the Consumed

Continue to deal damage, and as Tavakai's health drops to 25%, the final phase begins. At this point, the boss transforms into his final form, Tavakai, the Consumed. He's fully healed again, which is terrible.

Unsurprisingly, the final phase is the hardest, as his attacks are once again buffed.

  • Tavakai's first attack is a weapon combo attack, culminating in a series of Leap Slams. You'll want to dodge these attacks and avoid counterattacks.
  • He also has an attack that opens rifts, from which Shadow Dragons spawn. They're clearly from another dimension, as you can see stars within the rifts. These dragons will inflict debuffs on you, so stay away from them.
  • Next, Tavakai will cover the entire arena with greenery. Standing in it triggers Tawhoa's Forest debuff, which essentially reduces all damage taken while you're there. The only safe zone is in the center of the map, but Tavakai is likely there.
  • The boss also has a new attack during this phase: he summons a series of exploding blood crystals from the ground. Try to avoid standing on or near them.
  • If you're tempted to head to the center of the arena, think twice, because Tavakai summons a small sun that rises and explodes there. The explosion leaves behind an even smaller sun and burning ground. Once the sun hits the ground, it deals massive area damage.
  • If all these attacks aren't enough, he can also summon an erupting volcano that spews flames onto the ground. And the more health you deplete, the more attacks the boss will have, making the fight more difficult. So, you can see why this fight is so frantic.

However, the real problem is that you can't attack continuously, which is why defeating Tavakai is so difficult.

Basically, you need to constantly survive, wait for things to cool down before striking back. Then interrupt your attacks again, and repeat this process, making sure your life and mana flasks don't run out.

Towards the end of the fight, Tavakai will also cast lightning bolts that chase the player. These attacks will shock you and slow you down, making you more vulnerable to all his other attacks.

All in all, it's a tough fight, and I think a bit of luck is ultimately required. Because your life and mana flasks are crucial to your survival!

When you finally defeat Tavakai, the Chieftain, The Hooded One will appear, and Tavakai will return his weapon to him. The Hooded One will rescue Makoru and restore Tavakai to his mortal form.

Yes, that concludes our guide to the toughest bosses in Act 4 campaign! Enjoy your victory!

How To Build Acolyte Of Chayula Hollow Palm Monk League Starter In Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0? - For Leveling, Campaign & Endgame
How To Build Acolyte Of Chayula Hollow Palm Monk League Starter In Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0? - For Leveling, Campaign & Endgame

Today, we'd like to share our league starter build for Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0: Acolyte of Chayula Hollow Palm Monk.

The core of this build is the new Hollow Palm Technique Keystone, added in The Third Edict update. This grants physical damage based on your skill level and attributes, creating a powerful unarmed build.

Players earn Keystones by progressing through the passive skill tree and can build around it, utilizing skills like Ice Strike or Storm Wave to deal massive damage through stacked attack speed and critical hits even without a weapon equipped.

This flexible build allows players to focus on stacking evasion and energy shield to unlock massive damage, creating powerful unarmed melee or spellcaster builds.

Especially for a class like Monk, Hollow Palm Technique can be used to become a powerful unarmed fighter, stacking evasion and energy shield to gain massive attack speed and critical chance.

I expect this Acolyte of Chayula Hollow Palm Monk build to be fairly easy to level up throughout the campaign and scale well into the late endgame. Let's take a look at how to maximize this build's potential during the different stages of The Third Edict!

Ascendancy Class

I imagine your first question is why play this Hollow Palm Monk with Acolyte of Chayula Ascendancy? Is it the best Ascendancy class in PoE 2? Personally, I think it's definitely not; it's just slightly above average.

If it were in Patch 0.2.0, I would definitely say the best Ascendancy for Hollow Palm Technique would be Deadeye without a doubt.

However, in PoE 2 The Third Edict, the developers gave Acolyte of Chayula a major overhaul, adding mechanics like Volatility, which deals a significant amount of chaos damage when detonating stacks, and the ability to leech chaos damage via the renamed Sap of Nightmares node. So, I'm really curious to see how it performs.

So, I'm going to talk about some of the advantages that Acolyte of Chayula has in Hollow Palm.

First, in PoE 2 patch 0.3.0, Acolyte of Chayula now grants chaos damage via Volatility mechanic, granting 1% increased chaos damage per stack of Volatility detonated. So, essentially, I think Acolyte of Chayula is a good starting class for leagues, as it does deal a lot of free damage, right?

On top of that, we'll also get the leech effect of Sap of Nightmares node. Honestly, I think in this league, if you're playing a melee, offensive character, Energy Shield is pretty hard to come by outside of a few specific classes. So, as a melee Monk character, a class that can leech Energy Shield, this is quite viable.

But the main reason I chose Monk Acolyte of Chayula as my starting Ascendancy class is because it has the closest skill to Hollow Palm Technique on the skill tree. So if you want to master it as quickly as possible, then Acolyte of Chayula is the one for you.

However, if you want a smooth leveling experience, this might not be the best approach. Quarterstaffs generally don't truly master Storm Wave until level 22, and before then, you might struggle to stack more critical damage into your build.

Leveling

If you're looking for fast leveling with this build, I'd recommend starting with Spear instead of Quarterstaff, as I find it easier to level up than Quarterstaff. Especially since Frozen Locus skill gem, a key item for Quarterstaff build damage stacking, was significantly nerfed in 0.3.0, reducing its damage range at all gem levels. This makes Quarterstaff no longer always a must-have for Monk builds.

In the early game, to obtain and maximize Spear, it's recommended to first head to Clearfell Encampment and spend a small amount of PoE 2 currency from the vendor there to obtain a Hardwood Spear, which will allow you to use Whirling Slash and obtain Uncut Skill Gem from Renly.

After that, when you reach the next map, you can travel to Abandoned Stash, pick up Twister, and start using Whirling Slash Twister.

Next, head to Mud Burrow and find Frozen Locus dropped by Devourer boss to obtain the next Uncut Skill Gem.

From there, you can start leveling up. This is until you reach level 13, when you begin to unlock Hollow Palm Keystone.

Campaign

However, if your goal is to complete the campaign, you can actually start using more Quarterstaff-based skills, such as Ice Strike, Tempest Bell, and Glacial Cascade.

This is because the developers reworked the mechanics of Wind Blast and Vaulting Impact in patch 0.3.0. Furthermore, Vaulting Impact triggers a skill called Broken Stance, which allows you to deal more damage with smaller attacks.

Therefore, we'll be using Ice Strike and Wind Blast for a lot of minor attacks to help us gain an advantage in single-target attacks going forward.

This will now be how we level throughout the campaign, starting at level 13, and we'll continue using these skills until the endgame begins.

Endgame

Right now, I've chosen to use Ice Strike as my primary skill for leveling, and we'll eventually switch to Storm Wave. However, during the endgame, we'll still use Ice Strike for single-target attacks.

This build has a lot of single-target options, since Hollow Palm isn't really a skill-based build, but more of a playstyle, right? So you can use a lot of skills with it, but for the foreseeable future, I'd choose Ice Strike as my primary single-target skill.

However, you don't have to use Ice Strike and Tempest Bell exclusively for single-target attacks. In fact, I do think skills like Falling Thunder, which deals damage based on Power Charges, can be very useful when paired with fast-paced skills like Flicker Strike, which consumes Power Charges to quickly teleport to the enemy and deal damage. Therefore, these two skills might be more suitable for late-game boss fights.

For endgame mapping, we'll rely on Shattering Palm, which has undergone a bit of a redesign and no longer has its own damage, but the nice thing about it is that it scales with our weapon's damage. Since weapon damage in this build is provided by Hollow Palm Technique, I suspect Shattering Palm will be even more powerful than before. This way, we can truly rely entirely on Shattering Palm to clear the map.

That's it for this Acolyte of Chayula Hollow Palm Monk build guide. This build is a great choice for everything from early leveling to campaign and endgame challenges. We'll see how it performs!

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