PoE Eldritch Battery — Path of Exile

Eldritch Battery (commonly abbreviated as EB) is a keystone passive skill in Path of Exile that alters how energy shield is used, making it protect mana instead of life and allowing energy shield to be spent before mana for skill costs. This keystone can significantly change the way characters manage their resources and handle incoming damage.

PoE Eldritch Battery

Mechanics

Spend Energy Shield before Mana for Skill Mana Costs: When Eldritch Battery is allocated, energy shield is used to pay for the mana costs of skills before mana is spent. This does not convert mana costs into energy shield costs; rather, it allows energy shield to be used as a buffer for mana. The actual mana cost remains the same and is still subject to mana cost modifiers.

• Energy Shield Recharge: Energy shield recharge is not interrupted by spending energy shield to pay for skill costs. It will continue to recharge unless interrupted by damage to either energy shield or mana. This mechanic allows for a smooth flow of energy shield use and recharge, making it an efficient resource for skill-heavy builds.
• Skill and Item Interactions: Certain skills and items that usually interact with mana, such as Arcane Cloak or Apep’s Rage, will continue to affect mana directly and do not interact with energy shield even with Eldritch Battery. Only skill costs are affected by this keystone.

Energy Shield Protects Mana Instead of Life: Eldritch Battery makes energy shield protect mana from damage rather than life. This can be particularly useful for characters that have skills or items which cause damage to mana or for those using mana-intensive builds.

• Damage Mitigation: Any damage that would normally reduce life is instead taken from energy shield until it is depleted. If the character has modifiers such as “% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life” or is using unique items like The Ivory Tower, damage is applied to energy shield protecting mana first. However, chaos damage, which bypasses energy shield, will still bypass energy shield and directly affect life.
• Energy Shield Recharge: While Eldritch Battery allows energy shield to protect mana, any damage that is applied to energy shield or mana will interrupt the energy shield recharge. This means that managing damage intake is crucial for maintaining energy shield levels.

50% Less Energy Shield Recharge Rate: Eldritch Battery reduces the energy shield recharge rate by 50%. This means that it takes longer for energy shield to begin recharging after it has been depleted or interrupted. This drawback requires careful management of energy shield and mana to ensure that the character doesn’t run out of resources during critical moments.

Stun Mechanics: Normally, having energy shield provides a 50% chance to avoid being stunned. Eldritch Battery removes this inherent stun avoidance, even when energy shield is still protecting mana. Characters using Eldritch Battery will need to find alternative ways to mitigate or avoid stuns, such as through the Unwavering Stance keystone or stun avoidance modifiers on gear.

Build Considerations

Eldritch Battery is particularly useful for builds that rely heavily on mana for casting spells or using skills, especially those that use a large number of auras or reserve significant amounts of mana. By utilizing energy shield as an additional resource for skill costs, players can sustain high mana usage without depleting their mana pool.

This keystone pairs well with builds that have high energy shield recovery or regeneration, as it allows for continuous skill usage without needing to worry about running out of mana. However, the reduced energy shield recharge rate and loss of stun avoidance mean that players need to carefully consider their defensive strategies.

Eldritch Battery can also be combined with keystones like Mind over Matter to create a hybrid defense system where damage is taken from mana and energy shield before affecting life. This can create a resilient character that can absorb large amounts of damage while maintaining the ability to cast spells and use skills effectively.

PoE Eldritch Battery Build

Classes:

• Necromancer: 21%
• Occultist: 20%
• Pathfinder: 20%
• Assassin: 11%
• Elementalist: 8%
• Inquisitor: 5%
• Hierophant: 5%
• Saboteur: 2%
• Slayer: 2%
• Trickster: 1%
• Guardian: 0.9%
• Juggernaut: 0.7%
• Chieftain: 0.7%
• Warden: 0.7%
• Champion: 0.6%
• Deadeye: 0.5%
• Ascendant: 0.4%
• Gladiator: 0.4%
• Berserker: 0.1%
• Shadow: 0.0%

Main Skills:

• Hexblast: 21%
• Penance Brand of Dissipation: 11%
• Raise Spectre: 9%
• Summon Raging Spirit: 7%
• Mirror Arrow of Bombarding Clones: 6%
• Animate Guardian: 6%
• Unhinge: 5%
• Caustic Arrow: 5%
• Blade Vortex: 4%
• Shockwave Totem: 4%
• Vaal Blade Vortex: 4%
• Vaal Caustic Arrow: 3%
• Poisonous Concoction of Bouncing: 3%

Masteries:

• 12% increased Mana Reservation Efficiency of Skills: 57%
• Auras from your Skills have 10% increased Effect on you: 40%
• 3% increased Damage per Endurance, Frenzy or Power Charge: 38%
• +25% to Critical Strike Multiplier against Unique Enemies: 36%
• 8% increased Damage for each of your Aura or Herald Skills affecting you: 28%
• +30 to maximum Life: 25%
• Each Mine applies 2% increased Damage taken to Enemies near it, up to 10%: 18%
• 20% increased Life Reservation Efficiency of Skills: 18%
• 15% increased maximum Life if there are no Life Modifiers on Equipped Body Armour: 17%
• 20% increased effect of Offerings: 17%
• 30% increased Effect of Auras from Mines: 14%
• Chance to Suppress Spell Damage is Lucky: 13%
• 50% increased Effect of non-Damaging Ailments you inflict with Critical Strikes: 12%

Summary

• Skill Cost Management: Eldritch Battery allows energy shield to be used for skill costs, making it a valuable resource for mana-intensive builds.
• Mana Protection: Energy shield protects mana from damage, allowing characters to absorb damage to mana without depleting their life.
• Energy Shield Recharge: Reduced energy shield recharge rate and the removal of stun avoidance require careful management of resources and defensive layers.

Eldritch Battery is a versatile keystone that offers unique resource management options, making it a powerful choice for spellcasters and mana-focused builds looking to enhance their survivability and maintain continuous skill usage.

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