U4GM - How to Build a Tanky Character in PoE 2 for Endgame Content
Building a tanky character in Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2) is essential for tackling the game's challenging endgame content. A well-constructed tanky build can withstand massive amounts of damage while maintaining the ability to deal significant damage. Here’s how you can create such a character and dominate endgame content.
Understanding Tankiness in PoE 2
Tankiness in PoE 2 primarily revolves around increasing your character's life, energy shield, and ability to absorb damage. This can be achieved by using specific items, skill sets, and allocating passive skills accordingly.
1. Choosing the Right Ascendancy
The first step in building a tanky character is selecting an ascendancy that complements your tanky goals. Some ascendancies, like Guardian for Templars or Juggernaut for Marauders, provide inherent tankiness and synergize well with defensive mechanics.
2. Skill Selection
Selecting skills that offer high defensive capabilities is crucial. Skills like Molten Shell, Steelskin, and Tempest Shield provide excellent defensive layers. Additionally, using area of effect skills that also offer damage or crowd control can enhance survivability by allowing you to manage enemies more effectively.
3. Passive Skills Allocation
Your passive skill tree should focus heavily on life, energy shield, and physical or elemental resistances. Points should also be allocated to increase endurance, block, or dodge chances. Using nodes that provide increased armor, evasion, or energy shield is also beneficial.
4. Gear Optimization
Your character's gear plays a crucial role in tankiness. Seek items with high life, energy shield, block, or evasion ratings. A good balance between offense and defense is key. Additionally, using items with defensive stats like increased life leech or spell suppression can further enhance survivability.
5. Obtaining Essential Items
Acquiring the right gear can be challenging and expensive, often requiring a significant amount of PoE 2 currency to trade for essential items. Trading for gear or farming endgame areas can help collect necessary items to complete your build.
6. Strategy for Endgame Content
In endgame content like Delirium Orbs, Simulacrum, or Maven, your strategy should focus on managing your resources and abilities effectively. Ensuring you have sufficient recovery tools like flasks can be crucial to maintaining your defensive capabilities over prolonged battles.
By following these steps and ensuring your character has the necessary defensive layers, you can confidently tackle the challenging endgame content that PoE 2 has to offer. Efficient use of characters' abilities and management of resources like PoE 2 currency will be essential in optimizing your build for success.