In Path of Exile 2, one of the most exciting and unique playstyles is the Summoner Shaman build, which blends the power of elemental spirits and totems with the U4GM relentless might of nature. The Shaman class offers a distinctive approach to summoning, focusing on the manipulation of elemental forces and ancestral spirits to wreak havoc upon your enemies. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about building a Summoner Shaman in Path of Exile 2, from skills and gear to passive tree choices and playstyle.
The Foundation of the Summoner Shaman Build
At its core, the Summoner Shaman build revolves around summoning powerful elemental creatures, primarily spirits, to do the heavy lifting in combat. Shamans call upon the raw power of nature, channeling earth, wind, fire, and water into obedient spirits that fight for you. These spirits are summoned through a variety of active skills, supported by powerful passive tree nodes that enhance their effectiveness.
Unlike some other summoner builds that focus on minions like zombies or skeletons, the Summoner Shaman build takes advantage of elemental forces, meaning the focus is on creating and boosting spirits that align with nature’s forces. These elemental spirits function much like traditional minions, but they bring additional elemental damage types to your arsenal, allowing for a versatile playstyle.
Key Skills for the Summoner Shaman Build
To maximize the potential of a Summoner Shaman, players will need to focus on specific skills that summon elemental spirits and totems. The following are some key skills to consider:
Ancestral Storm: This active skill summons a storm spirit that deals lightning damage in a wide area. It excels in clearing packs of enemies quickly and efficiently. The storm spirit will follow your character around, zapping enemies with powerful bolts of lightning.
Fire Spirit Totem: This skill summons a fire totem that shoots out powerful fireballs, dealing intense burn damage over time. It’s excellent for dealing with bosses and high-health enemies, as the burn effect adds sustained damage that stacks over time.
Earth Warden: This is a defensive ability that calls upon a massive elemental spirit made of stone and dirt. This spirit acts as a tank, absorbing damage and protecting your other spirits. Earth Wardens can be placed strategically to keep enemies at bay while your other elemental spirits attack.
Water Spirit Surge: A great skill for crowd control, Water Spirit Surge summons a water spirit that creates slow-moving waves of water, which can freeze or slow enemies. The added crowd control effects allow you to take on large groups of monsters while keeping them in check.
Passive Tree Pathing and Key Nodes
The passive skill tree in Path of Exile 2 offers numerous opportunities to enhance your Summoner Shaman build. When focusing on the Shaman archetype, you should aim for nodes that enhance elemental damage, spirit survivability, and the effectiveness of your totems. Some key nodes include:
Elemental Confluence: This node increases the damage of your elemental spirits and gives them more health, ensuring they stay alive longer and deal more damage. It’s one of the core nodes for improving your overall damage output.
Spirit Weaver: This node increases the effectiveness of your summoned spirits, granting them extra bonuses such as attack speed, damage reduction, and elemental resistances.
Totemic Mastery: For players who wish to focus on totems, this node enhances the damage output and survivability of summoned totems. It also allows you to summon additional totems simultaneously, giving you more versatility in combat.
Gear and Items for the Summoner Shaman
To complement your Summoner Shaman build, you’ll need to focus on items that provide elemental damage boosts, increased mana, and enhanced minion survivability. Key item types include:
Totem and Spirit-Specific Modifiers: Look for items that specifically boost the power of your totems or spirits. These could include unique items like the Totem of the Elements, which gives bonus elemental damage and resistance to your spirits.
Elemental Damage Rings and Amulets: Seek out jewelry that boosts elemental damage, such as rings with +% Lightning Damage or +% Fire Damage. These will significantly increase your elemental spirits' damage output.
Mana Regeneration Gear: Summoning spirits and totems requires a substantial amount of mana. Be sure to have mana regeneration mods on your gear, such as % increased mana regeneration rate or +% maximum mana to keep up with the high mana demands of your build.
Playstyle and Tips
The Summoner Shaman build is all about positioning and managing multiple spirits and totems at once. Here are a few tips to make the most of your Shaman:
Keep your distance: Since your spirits act as your main damage dealers, stay behind them and let them do the heavy lifting. Position yourself away from the fray to avoid damage and allow your elemental forces to do the work.
Use crowd control wisely: Water spirits and Earth Wardens can help control crowds and protect you from overwhelming mobs. Don’t be afraid to use your defensive spirits strategically to manage dangerous situations.
Buff your spirits: Take full advantage of buffs that increase elemental damage and defensive stats for your spirits. Make sure you have the proper auras or support gems to enhance their survivability.
In summary, the Summoner Shaman build in Path of Exile 2 is a versatile and powerful summoner archetype that combines elemental damage with the protective forces of nature. By focusing on totem placement, elemental spirit summoning, and careful passive tree choices, you can build a character that wreaks havoc while staying safe from harm.