POE 2 Infernalist Minion Build: A Comprehensive Guide
In the vast and intricate world of Path of Exile 2, players are constantly seeking powerful and unique builds to dominate the game. Among the many options available, the Infernalist minion build stands out as a fan favorite, offering a blend of chaos, destruction, and strategic depth. This guide dives into the Infernalist minion build, exploring its strengths, optimal setups, and tips for maximizing its potential.
Understanding the Infernalist Class
The Infernalist is a subclass of the Necromancer, specializing in summoning and controlling minions to wreak havoc on the battlefield. Unlike other minion-focused builds, the Infernalist leans heavily into chaos damage and area-of-effect (AoE) skills, making it a formidable choice for clearing large groups of enemies. The key to this build is balancing minion survivability with raw damage output.
Key Skills for the Infernalist Minion Build
Summon Infernalist: This is the cornerstone of the build. Summoning an Infernalist allows you to unleash a fiery minion that deals massive chaos damage over time. Upgrade this skill early to maximize its effectiveness.
Hellfire, Ignite, and Burn Damage: The Infernalist excels at applying burn damage, which ticks over time. Skills like Flameblast and Searing Touch complement this playstyle perfectly.
Minion Life and Damage Support: To ensure your minions survive longer and hit harder, invest in support gems like Minion Life Support and Minion Damage Support.
Aegis Aurora and Shield Skills: While minions handle the damage, you need to stay alive. Aegis Aurora provides a defensive buffer, while skills like Flame Dash allow for quick repositioning.
Optimal Gear for the Infernalist Minion Build
Your gear choices will make or break this build. Focus on items that enhance minion damage, life, and chaos resistance. Here are some top picks:
The Flow of Life: This amulet is a must-have, as it provides a significant boost to life and energy shield recovery.
Hinekora’s Sight: This chest piece offers excellent elemental resistance and energy shield bonuses.
Impresence (Chaos): This essence monopoly gives a massive boost to chaos damage, which is ideal for this build.
The Passive Skill Tree: A Path to Success
The passive skill tree in Path of Exile 2 is more streamlined than ever, but it still requires careful planning. For the Infernalist minion build, focus on:
Minion Life and Damage Nodes: Prioritize nodes that increase minion life, damage, and attack/cast speed.
Chaos Damage Nodes: Since the build relies heavily on chaos damage, invest in nodes that amplify this damage type.
Defensive Nodes: Don’t neglect survivability. Allocate points to life, elemental resistance, and damage mitigation.
Playstyle and Tips
The Infernalist minion build is all about managing your minions effectively while dealing consistent damage. Here’s how to get the most out of it:
Use Your Minions Wisely: Keep your minions alive by positioning them strategically and using defensive skills when necessary.
Leverage AoE Skills: Skills like Flameblast are perfect for clearing large groups of enemies quickly.
Stay Mobile: With Flame Dash, you can reposition yourself to avoid danger while your minions continue to wreak havoc.
Case Study: Clearing the Caldera
To illustrate the effectiveness of this build, consider the Caldera map. With its narrow pathways and clusters of enemies, it’s the perfect place to test your minion army. Summon your Infernalist, apply burn damage with Searing Touch, and watch as enemies melt under the constant chaos damage. Your minions will handle the rest, clearing the map with ease.
Final Thoughts
The Infernalist minion build in Path of Exile 2 is a testament to the game’s depth and flexibility. By combining powerful minion summons with chaos and burn damage, this build offers a unique playstyle that’s both challenging and rewarding. With the right gear and passive tree choices, you’ll be unstoppable on the battlefield. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a new player, this build is sure to deliver hours of fun and destruction.