The Best Early Skill Gems For Witch Builds In Path Of Exile 2

In Path of Exile 2, the Witch class is a fan-favorite option for plenty of good reasons. Players can definitely wreak havoc on their enemies when they choose the right build for their Witch. One of the key parts of any build in this game is selecting the best skills.

With so many skills available to choose from, the selection process can be a bit daunting. Players will want to focus on those skill gems that make their Witch more durable and increase their damage. In addition, they’ll want to take advantage of as many minions as possible. The right combination will make them unstoppable. For the early game, these are the best skill gems for a Witch build in Path of Exile 2.

6

Unearth

Damage Enemies And Raise Minions

• 15% Critical chance
• Raises bone spikes from the earth

Unearth is available as a level 1 skill gem and should be unlocked as soon as players get their first uncut skill gem. It’s a great choice for the Witch, as it brings forth bone spikes from the earth in front of them. Even better than the damage it can cause enemies is this skill’s ability to raise corpses in its path as Minions.

This is a great option for the early game and something that can still remain effective later on. It’s an ideal skill for when things get hectic, as it can deal AoE damage and raise fallen enemies as minions at the same time. So, when things look bleak, players can raise an army easily to defeat the strongest foes.

5

Skeletal Arsonist

Effective AoE Damage

• Summons bomb-throwing Minions
• Summoned Minions can detonate other Minions on command

The Skeletal Arsonist skill gem allows players to summon bone Minions who deliver significant damage by hurling exploding fireballs at their enemies. It’s perfect for dealing AoE damage, whereas the similar skill gem Skeletal Snipers focuses on individual enemies.

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Skeletal Arsonist pairs well with Unearth, as the fireball-throwing Minions can signal other Minions to self-detonate at low health. The more Minions players can raise, the more damage they can inflict with these explosions, making them a force to be reckoned with, no matter how tough the enemy is.

4

Skeletal Warrior

Persistent Reviving Minions

• Summons reviving Skeletal Warrior Minions
• Requires Spirit to use

The Skeletal Warrior skill gem is ideal for supporting the Witch in battle. It gives players an edge over their enemies, especially when their Witch is extremely squishy at the start of a playthrough. While they don’t have much in the way of their own defense, these Minions can quickly revive.

Players will need to manage their Spirit, especially if they’re using other skill gems that require this resource. This skill is also available by equipping various weapons, allowing players to spend their uncut skill gems on alternative skills first. However, once that weapon is unequipped, they’ll need the skill gem to continue summoning their Skeletal Warriors.

3

Bone Cage

A Ring Of Pinning Bone Spikes

• Summons a ring of bone spikes around the target location
• Bone spikes damage and pin enemies when touched

Bone Cage is a level 3 skill gem that can cause significant damage to enemies. Players can use it to summon a ring of spikes around their foes. The spikes are destroyed on contact, causing damage and pinning the enemy that touched them. This skill causes between 15 and 22 Physical Damage and has a 15% chance of causing Critical Damage.

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This skill can be very effective when combined with various Minion-summoning skills, especially when enemies become pinned. When their movement is restricted, it’s the perfect time to swoop in and do as much damage as possible.

2

Contagion

Chaos Damage Over Time

• Inflicts a base of 1.8 Chaos damage per second
• When an afflicted enemy dies, the debuff spreads to all nearby enemies

Contagion is a Chaos spell that causes DoT. Even more impressive is the fact that, if players take down their enemy while the debuff is in place, it and all other Chaos debuffs will spread to nearby enemies and reset all durations. Players can even reanimate corpses that were afflicted with Contagion, and they will also spread Contagion on hit.

This skill gem is particularly effective when fighting large hordes of enemies. It pairs well with Unearth, as players can take advantage of fallen enemies with the Contagion affliction. Players can benefit even more from this skill gem by adding the support gem Magnified Effect to increase the AoE by 40%.

1

Flame Wall

Scorching Fire Attack

• Summons a wall of flame in front of the Witch
• Inflicts Burning on all enemies who touch it

Flame Wall is a powerful elemental skill gem. It summons a literal wall of flame directly in front of the Witch, inflicting Burning on all enemies that come into contact with it. Projectiles fired through the wall by the player or their allies will also cause Fire Damage and inflict Burning.

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The wall of fire deals a base damage of 4.2 per second and lasts for 4.5 seconds. It’s highly effective when players need a minute to breathe in a battle. If players are finding that the Witch’s occult skills aren’t quite cutting it, adding this skill to their arsenal will definitely be a game-changer, often turning the tide of battle in their favor.

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Early Access Release

December 6, 2024

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