PoE Elemental Equilibrium — Path of Exile

Elemental Equilibrium (commonly referred to as EE) is a keystone passive skill in Path of Exile that significantly influences how elemental damage interacts with enemies. When a player hits an enemy with elemental damage, Elemental Equilibrium applies a corresponding elemental exposure, reducing the enemy’s resistance to the other elements. This mechanic can be a powerful tool for optimizing damage output when used strategically.

PoE Elemental Equilibrium

Mechanics

• Elemental Exposure: When you hit an enemy with a specific element (fire, cold, or lightning), Elemental Equilibrium removes any existing exposure to that element and applies exposure to the other elements. This exposure reduces the enemy’s resistance to the other elements by 25%.

Application Rules:

• A hit that deals only one type of elemental damage will apply exposure to the other two elements and remove any exposure to the element of the hit.
• A hit that deals two types of elemental damage will apply exposure to the third element and remove exposure to the elements of the hit.
• A hit that deals all three types of elemental damage will not apply any exposure and will remove all existing exposures.

Triggering with Skills:

• Player Skills: Elemental Equilibrium is triggered by any skill that deals elemental damage with a hit. However, the effect is not triggered by damage over time effects or by blocked hits.
• Totems, Traps, and Mines: These entities use the player’s offensive stats and skills, meaning they will trigger Elemental Equilibrium as if the player had cast the skill directly.
• Minions: Minions do not trigger Elemental Equilibrium because they do not use the player’s skills or stats. However, minions can benefit from Elemental Equilibrium if it is applied through other means, such as using Malachai’s Artifice.

Strategic Considerations:

• Alternating Elements: To maximize damage, avoid hitting the same element twice in a row. By alternating between skills or attacks that deal different types of elemental damage, you can continuously apply the exposure that benefits your primary damage type.
• Skill Combinations: Use a primary damage skill with one element and a secondary skill with a different element to trigger Elemental Equilibrium. For example, using Righteous Fire (which deals fire damage over time) in conjunction with Ball Lightning (which deals lightning damage) can trigger EE to reduce enemy resistances to cold and lightning.
• Prismatic Skills: Skills like Elemental Hit or Wild Strike naturally cycle through different elements, which can help in applying Elemental Equilibrium more effectively. Elemental Hit is particularly effective because it blocks added damage of the elements it doesn’t choose, making it easier to control which exposures are applied.

Example Uses

1. Damage Over Time Builds: Use a skill that deals damage over time as your main damage source and a secondary skill to apply Elemental Equilibrium. For example, a Righteous Fire build could use a cold or lightning-based attack to trigger EE, reducing the enemy’s resistance to fire.
2. Minion Builds: While minions don’t trigger EE, you can socket a skill like Arc or Frostbolt into Malachai’s Artifice to apply EE for your minions to benefit from.
3. Prismatic Builds: For players using skills like Elemental Hit, Elemental Equilibrium can be a natural fit, as the skill alternates between elements, allowing you to take advantage of the exposure mechanics without needing to manually alternate skills.

PoE Elemental Equilibrium Build

Classes:

• Elementalist: 54%
• Champion: 16%
• Slayer: 8%
• Necromancer: 6%
• Warden: 6%
• Ascendant: 3%
• Gladiator: 2%
• Pathfinder: 1%
• Berserker: 1%
• Chieftain: 1%
• Deadeye: 0.9%
• Trickster: 0.9%
• Juggernaut: 0.6%
• Hierophant: 0.3%
• Inquisitor: 0%
• Occultist: 0%
• Assassin: 0%
• Saboteur: 0%
• Guardian: 0%
• Shadow: 0%

Main Skills:

• Explosive Arrow: 64%
• Flicker Strike: 8%
• Frenzy: 5%
• Elemental Hit: 3%
• Flammability: 2%
• Mirror Arrow of Bombarding Clones: 2%
• Vaal Summon Skeletons: 2%
• Summon Skeletons: 2%
• Signal Prey: 2%
• Summon Flame Golem of Hordes: 2%
• Summon Ice Golem of Hordes: 2%
• Raise Spectre: 1%
• Cyclone: 1%

Masteries:

• 15% increased Duration of Ailments on Enemies, 15% increased Skill Effect Duration: 40%
• 12% increased Mana Reservation Efficiency of Skills: 37%
• Auras from your Skills have 10% increased Effect on you: 31%
• +30 to maximum Life: 27%
• 5% of Damage from Hits is taken from your nearest Totem’s Life before you: 25%
• 15% increased maximum Life if there are no Life Modifiers on Equipped Body Armour: 24%
• Fire Exposure you inflict applies an extra -5% to Fire Resistance: 24%
• +15% chance to Suppress Spell Damage if Equipped Helmet, Body Armour, Gloves, and Boots all have Evasion Rating: 21%
• Totems Taunt Enemies around them for 1 second when Summoned: 19%
• Skills that would Summon a Totem have 30% chance to Summon two Totems instead: 19%
• 8% increased Damage for each of your Aura or Herald Skills affecting you: 15%
• 10% of Leech is Instant: 13%
• Non-Vaal Strike Skills target 1 additional nearby Enemy: 10%

Summary

• Elemental Exposure: Hits that deal elemental damage remove exposure to that element and apply exposure to the other elements, reducing resistances by 25%.
• Triggering EE: Works with hits from player skills, totems, traps, and mines, but not from minions or damage over time effects.
• Strategic Use: Alternating between elements or using prismatic skills can optimize the damage output by ensuring the right exposures are applied.

Elemental Equilibrium is a powerful tool in Path of Exile for those who can master its strategic application, providing significant damage boosts through careful planning and skill management.

Enhance your gameplay experience by purchasing PoE currency. Buy PoE Currency at U4GM with a 6% off coupon “z123”. Happy hunting, Exile!