Path of Exile (PoE) is a dark and complex action RPG that keeps evolving with each expansion. The upcoming Path of Exile 2 promises to deliver even deeper mechanics, enhanced visuals, and a refined experience. One of the most exciting new features in PoE 2 is the introduction of new ascendancies, skill gems, and entirely new classes. Among these, the Lich build stands out as a sinister and potent playstyle that focuses on death, necromancy, and an army of the undead. This guide will explore the Lich build in detail, covering skills, passive tree, gear, and the strategies that will make you an unstoppable force of death in PoE 2.

What is the Lich Build in PoE 2?

The Lich is a class that revolves around mastering death magic, raising the dead, and using dark energy to destroy enemies. Lich builds are typically focused on the Necromancy archetype, empowering the player to summon undead minions like Skeletons, Zombies, and Spectres, while also utilizing various dark spells to deal massive amounts of damage. The Lich thrives in areas of high survivability, depleting enemies through massive damage-over-time (DoT) effects, curses, and other dark arts.

In PoE 2, Lich builds take a unique twist, incorporating new mechanics that make this style of gameplay more engaging and strategic. The Lich combines pet-based playstyles with powerful dark magic, enhancing both minion and direct spell damage. Whether you're raising a legion of skeletons or commanding cursed explosions, the Lich brings the power of death directly to the battlefield.

Key Features of the Lich Build in PoE 2

Necromancy Mastery: The Lich builds have access to exclusive necromancy spells that allow them to summon and empower undead minions. These minions can be customized and further amplified through the passive skill tree and gear.

Death Magic Spells: Lich builds gain the ability to use powerful death-based spells that not only deal direct damage but also inflict powerful debuffs such as curses, poison, and bleeding. These spells are useful for both dealing damage and crowd control.

Survivability: Lich builds are often designed to endure prolonged combat scenarios. Through a combination of minion tanking, curse mechanics, and defensive spells, the Lich is well-equipped to survive harsh conditions while commanding an army of the undead.

Dark Rituals and Corruption: With new mechanics in PoE 2, the Lich class will have access to rituals that can enhance their abilities, alter the very fabric of their surroundings, and manipulate the forces of corruption. This mechanic offers a fresh layer of strategy when playing a Lich.

Core Skills and Gems for the Lich Build

In Path of Exile 2, the Lich class offers a variety of skills and active gems that can be used to craft your build. Players can obtain gems through Poe 2 trade. Here is a breakdown of key skills that are optimal for the Lich build:

1. Animate Dead

Skill Type: Minion Spell

Description: Animate Dead allows you to raise powerful minions from the corpses of fallen enemies. These minions will fight for you and can be enhanced through skill gems like Minion Damage, Empower, or Minion Life.

Synergy: Lich builds often use Animate Dead to summon hordes of enemies that tank damage for the player while the Lich focuses on high-damage spells from afar.

2. Vaal Summon Skeletons

Skill Type: Summon Spell

Description: A powerful skill that allows you to summon a large number of skeletons in a short period. It's ideal for overwhelming enemies with sheer numbers.

Synergy: Using Vaal Summon Skeletons alongside your regular Animate Dead or other minions ensures that you have a constant source of support for your damage dealers while making you less vulnerable to incoming damage.

3. Essence Drain

Skill Type: Spell (Damage over Time)

Description: Essence Drain is a long-range spell that applies a debuff on enemies, dealing damage over time and draining their energy. Lich builds often incorporate Essence Drain for efficient crowd control and DPS.

Synergy: Using a combination of Essence Drain with supportive skills like Forbidden Flame (curse application) or The Green Nightmare (poison effects) can amplify your damage output significantly.

4. Spirit Offering

Skill Type: Aura

Description: This spell grants a boost to minion life, damage, and survivability. Spirit Offering is a key skill for Lich builds that rely heavily on minion-based combat. The aura also provides an additional defensive layer.

Synergy: Always keep Spirit Offering active to bolster your undead forces. Pair it with minion-focused passive nodes in the tree and equipment to maximize the effectiveness of your minions.

5. Wither

Skill Type: Curse/Debuff

Description: Wither reduces enemy resistances and lowers their maximum health, making them more susceptible to your attacks. This curse is a must-have for any Lich build to ensure that your enemies die quickly.

Synergy: Apply Wither to bosses and high-resistance enemies. Combining it with Essence Drain or other DoT spells will ensure that you break down even the toughest foes.

6. Death's Door

Skill Type: Movement/Defensive

Description: This skill provides the Lich with a temporary shield, increasing your survivability and allowing you to escape tough situations. It also grants the ability to phase through certain obstacles temporarily.

Synergy: Use Death's Door when approaching difficult fights or when needing to reposition yourself during combat. The added shield is also helpful in surviving massive damage phases during boss encounters.

7. Bone Offering

Skill Type: Aura

Description: Bone Offering boosts your evasion and block chance, which helps you stay alive while commanding your army of undead. In conjunction with the Lich's high mobility and minion support, Bone Offering enhances survivability.

Synergy: Bone Offering works well for tanking damage with your minions. It is best used alongside defensive passive nodes and gear that focus on increasing your evasion and energy shield.

Passive Skill Tree and Ascendancy for Lich

When it comes to building your Lich character in PoE 2, the passive skill tree and ascendancy choices are crucial. The Lich focuses heavily on increasing minion damage, survivability, and spell damage, all while enhancing the powers of curses and DoT effects.

Passive Skill Tree Focus:

Minion Damage and Life: Since the Lich relies on raising minions, it's important to take nodes that increase both their damage and survivability. Look for nodes like "Minion Damage" and "Minion Life," as well as "Strength of the Grave" or "Master of the Undead."

Energy Shield and Chaos Resist: The Lich can be vulnerable to damage, so investing in Energy Shield nodes and Chaos Resistance is a good strategy for staying alive.

Spell Damage and Damage Over Time: To amplify your Essence Drain or other death magic spells, investing in "Spell Damage" or "Damage over Time" nodes can drastically boost your damage output.

Curse Effect: The Lich excels with curses. Increasing the effectiveness and AoE radius of your curses with nodes like "Curse Effect" or "Forbidden Influence" will make your playstyle much more efficient.

Gear and Itemization

1. Weapon:

Wand: A wand that increases spell damage, chaos damage, and curse effectiveness is ideal for this build. Look for a wand with high base damage and stats like "Chaos Spell Damage" and "Increased Critical Strike Chance."

Sceptre: Alternatively, a sceptre with high minion damage or a special implicit that enhances minion strength can be an excellent choice.

2. Armor:

Helmet: Seek a helmet that increases minion life, spell damage, or energy shield. Mods like "Increased Minion Damage" or "Minion Life" are crucial.

Body Armor: Look for armor that provides increased energy shield and life, as well as resistances to keep you safe in combat. Also, prioritize high life rolls and any mods that reduce chaos damage taken.

3. Rings and Amulet:

Rings: Use rings that boost your energy shield or chaos resistances. The "Circle of Nostalgia" ring that increases Chaos Damage or spell damage is an excellent choice.

Amulet: An amulet that enhances minion damage, chaos damage, or curse effectiveness can be extremely beneficial.

4. Flasks:

Quicksilver Flask: Movement speed is crucial for repositioning during combat.

Divine Life Flask: Since Lich builds sometimes focus on energy shield, a flask to regenerate life and energy shield quickly can help you survive through tougher encounters.

Rumi's Concoction: Increases your chance to block attacks, which makes it helpful for mitigating physical damage while summoning your minions.

Conclusion

The Lich build in Path of Exile 2 promises to be one of the most versatile and enjoyable builds in the game, blending powerful spells, curses, and minions into one unstoppable force of darkness. Whether you're focused on summoning an army of undead to overwhelm your enemies or casting powerful curses and damage-over-time spells, the Lich excels in manipulating death itself. You can also buy POE 2 Currency to quickly become stronger.

By combining the right skills, ascendancy, passive tree, and gear, your Lich can become a fearsome force capable of clearing endgame content with ease. Make sure to adapt your build based on the challenges you face in the game world, and always remember that in PoE 2, the more you embrace death, the stronger you will become.