Storm Mage Infernalist Build Guide
The Storm Mage Infernalist uses Skeletal Storm Mages for both AoE and single target damage. The Mages casts Arc which bounces between enemies for AoE damage.
Cast Eye of Winter to further boost your Minion's damage by applying the Critical Weakness debuff. Damage is further enhanced by the Conductivity Curse and the Pain Offering buff.
This build’s greatest asset is its primary defense. It has a massive energy shield pool and uses Grim Feast to double that during maps that allows you to reach extreme numbers like 15-30k Energy Shield.
All of this combined, allows you to clear quite aggressively while still being able to pull back and let your Minions protect you from enemies when needed. If you want a chill Minion playstyle then this is the build for you.
Note: You do not need resistances on any specific item, just get the required total resistances and attributes amongst all gear combined. You need to cap your Resistances at 75% unless otherwise specified in the guide!
This gear is basically as good as it can get and is in no way a requirement to have for the build. It is to show what modifiers you want to strive for on your items.
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This guide assumes you are at least level 68 and have completed Act 3 Cruel, to learn more about the leveling process check out our Witch Minion Leveling Guide.
Skills
- Skeletal Storm Mages are used to both deal damage and apply debuffs. Since the main damage gem uses Elemental Focus this means they cannot apply shock to enemies. To solve this problem a second gem setup with Skeletal Storm Mage is used with support gems that improves the chance and uptime to shock enemies and to applyLightning Exposure. You should use two for improved shock and exposure uptime if you have more than 10 damage dealing mages.
Note: You can create a second Skeletal Storm Mage skill gem if you remove the first one you have equipped. - Conductivity lowers enemy Lightning resistances for more damage.
- Pain Offering increases the damage for all your Minions.
- Eye of Winter applies a debuff that increases the chance for your Minions to to deal a Critical Strike. Use a level 13 Uncut Skill Gem for this skill to reduce the mana cost.
- Grim Feast allows you to double your Maximum Energy Shield pool. Optionally supported by Clarity for increased Mana regeneration. Do not link this if it means you loose an extra Skeletal Storm Mage.
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- Skeletal Cleric heals all your other Minions and resurrects your other Skeletons. You only need one or two of these support Skeletons, use the rest of your Spirit on Skeletal Storm Mages or Clarity.
- Blink An optional skill you can fit in, if you think you have enough damage at the cost of removing two Skeletal Storm Mages. (When you have around 500+ Spirit)
Note: You can use Blink without removing two Skeletal Storm Mages if you utilize weapon swapping as it is explained in the "Skill Rotation" section part 4.
- Optional if you have Skeletal Warrior on your Sceptre. They are mainly used to tank, apply debuffs and cull enemies at low life.
- Optional Detonate Dead can be used early on in the build when your Skeletal Storm Mages are lacking damage to clear enemies fast enough.
Note: Use a low level (7-10) Detonate Dead skill gem. The mana cost increases a lot each level and it is not worth using a higher level gem for this skill.
Skill Rotation
- For both maps and bosses you cast Pain Offering first to buff your Minions
- Then cast Conductivity if there are any Rare or Boss monsters to lower their Lightning resistances.
- Lastly cast Eye of Winter two to three times to get 10 stacks of Critical Weakness. Make sure to cast a new Eye of Winter now and then to keep 10 stacks up at all time.
- If your Minions get stuck you can setup your second weapon set to have ZERO summoned Minions in the Skills tab. By doing this all your Minions despawn when you swap to your second weapon set. Then you can quickly swap back to your main weapon set which causes all your previous living Minions to respawn right next to you. A similar function to how the spell Convocation worked in PoE1. However if you have an active auto-resurrection pending the rest of your Minions cannot instantly respawn and you have to wait for them all to spawn when the auto-resurrection finishes.
Skill Leveling Priority
Passives
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For the attribute nodes take enough Intelligence and Dexterity to meet gear, skill gem and support gem requirements, then use the rest on Strength for more life. You can respec your attributes for gold if the requirements on your gear suddenly changes instead of waiting to level up.
There are many valuable nodes on the passive tree, but the most important stats to acquire are:
- Minions have #% reduced Reservation.
- #% Increased Maximum Energy Shield
- Minions deal #% Increased damage.
- Minions have #% Increased Critical Damage Bonus
- Minions have #% Increased Critical Hit Chance
- Minions Revive #% Faster.
- Minions have +#% to all Elemental Resistances.
- #% Faster start of Energy Shield Recharge.
- #% Increased Energy Shield Recharge Rate.
It's worth noting that nodes such as Illuminated Crown and Ancient Aegis, encourage equipping a Helmet and Body Armour with high Energy Shield. Check the Gearing section for more information.
Ascendancy
Learn how to complete the Trial of the Sekhemas and Trial of Chaos to earn your first 2 Ascensions with our Ascension Guide!
- 1st Ascension : Loyal Hellhound.
- For an extra Minion and reduced damage taken by 20%.
- 2nd Ascension: Altered Flesh.
- This helps deal with Phyiscal damage if you have Chaos Resistance. When you start stacking Maximum Fire resistances you take less Cold and Lightning damge.
- 3rd Ascension: Beidat's Will
- For more maximum Spirit at the cost of 25% life reservation.
- 4th Ascension: Beidat's Hand or two Life.
- The default choice is Beidat's Hand.
- However, if you have less than 2000 life and Low Chaos resistance, take two Life nodes instead.
Gearing
Offensive Scaling
- The by far best modifier to scale this build is Level of all Minion skills
- +# to Spirit and Increased Spirit
- Minions and Allies have #% Increased Damage
- Minions and Allies have #% Increased Crit Damage and Crit Chance.
- Minions and Allies have #% Increased Cast Speed
Defensive Scaling
- Sufficient +#% to Fire, Cold, Lightning and Chaos Resistance to cap your Resistances.
- Sources of +#% to Maximum Fire Resistances to scale your elemental defenses into the endgame.
- #% Increased Energy Shield.
- +# To Maximum Energy Shield.
- +# to Maximum Life.
- A shield with a high % Block Chance. Oaksworn is a solid option before you acquire a very good Rare Shield.
- If you are still struggling check out our Survival Guide for additional useful information!
Here's how you should gear your Storm Mage Infernalist. Sorted mostly in order of importance.
Note: A useful Essence when crafting many of the defensive items below is Essence of Enhancement and Greater Essence of Enhancement.
Weapons
- The most important item to acquire is a Minion Sceptre with multiple modifiers that increase your Minion's damage, ideally on an Rattling Sceptre. That said, if you acquire a Minion Sceptre with multiple good modifiers on another base that is fine.
Specifically, look out for the following stats on them in rough order of importance:- +# to Level of All Minion Skills
- #% Increased Spirit
- Allies in Your Presence Deal #% Increased Damage
- Allies in Your Presence Have #% Increased Cast Speed
- Allies in Your Presence Have #% Increased Critical Hit Chance
- Allies in Your Presence Have #% Increased Critical Damage Bonus
If you prefer more damage over using a shield for passive block chance, you can dual wield a Sceptre together with Trenchtimbre for 3 extra +# to Level of All Minion Skills.
Helmets
Body Armour
Shield
Gloves
Boots
Rings
Amulet
Belt
Jewels
Atlas Passives
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- Generally aim for mechanics that spawn lots of monsters, such as Breach or Ritual.
- The build can do all map mods, but there are of course more dangerous ones like -#% To Maximum Elemental Resistances that you do at your own peril!
Map modifiers which increases enemies elemental resistances reduces the Lightning damage your Minions deal. - Early on Waystones found have a % chance to be a higher tier, is good for progression. Make sure you use your highest waystones on bosses.
Learn about the endgame activities available to you in Path of Exile 2 with our guide!
FAQ
When should I swap from Skeletal Arsonists to Skeletal Storm Mages?
You can swap to Skeletal Storm Mages after the Campaign, but make sure you change all your skill gems and supports to have the correct setup for this build. Make sure to get Sapphires with at least two damage rolls to scale their damage.
I struggle with my attributes, what should I do?
I keep dying! Is there any way to solve my defense?
What bonuses should I choose from relics in Act 2 and venom drought in Act 3?
How do I get extra sockets for Skeletal Warriors and Infernal Hound?
Why not use Doryani's Prototype Unique?
Video
Summary
- Skeletal Storm Mages are the main damage dealers for both single target and AoE.
- Conductivity is used to curse enemies to lower their Lightning resistance.
- Eye of Winter is used to apply the Critical Weakness debuff.
- Pain Offering is used to buff all your Minions for more damage.
- Grim Feast is used to provide an extremely strong defensive layer setup by doubling your Energy Shield in maps.