PoE War of Attrition Ascendancy – Path of Exile

PoE War of Attrition Ascendancy

The War of Attrition Ascendancy Passive Skill causes you to deal 1% more Damage with Hits and Ailments to Rare and Unique Enemies for each second they’ve been in your Presence, up to a maximum of 100%. The small Passive prior provides 10% increased Attack Damage and 5% Attack Speed.

• Deal 1% more Damage with Hits and Ailments to Rare and Unique Enemies for each second they've ever been in your Presence, up to a maximum of 100%

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In the treacherous and constantly evolving world of Wraeclast, the Gladiator Ascendancy class has long been revered for its resilience and ferocity. With the recent rework, Gladiators now have even more tools at their disposal, including the powerful War of Attrition Ascendancy Passive Skill. This article explores the mechanics, benefits, and strategic applications of War of Attrition, highlighting how it can turn the tide in prolonged battles against formidable foes.

Gladiator Ascendancy: An Overview

The Gladiator Ascendancy has always been a versatile choice, offering strong defensive capabilities through blocking and bleeding mechanics. With the rework, players can now explore new passive skills and branches, including the innovative Retaliation Skills. These skills allow Gladiators to unleash devastating damage under specific combat conditions, adding a fresh layer of strategy to their playstyle.

War of Attrition: Key Features

War of Attrition is a standout passive skill in the reworked Gladiator Ascendancy, designed to enhance your damage output against the toughest enemies over time. Here’s a detailed look at its features:

• Incremental Damage Boost: War of Attrition increases your damage with hits and ailments by 1% for each second a rare or unique enemy has been in your presence, up to a maximum of 100%. This mechanic rewards sustained encounters, making you progressively more dangerous as the battle drags on.
• Attack Damage and Speed Boost: The small passive skill leading up to War of Attrition provides a 10% increase in attack damage and a 5% increase in attack speed. These bonuses enhance your overall combat efficiency, making it easier to apply consistent pressure on enemies.

Strategic Applications of War of Attrition

The War of Attrition skill shines in scenarios where you face rare and unique enemies, turning extended fights into opportunities for overwhelming damage output. Here are some key strategies to maximize its potential:

1. Sustained Engagement:

   • Long Fights: The incremental damage boost is most effective in prolonged engagements. Focus on tactics that allow you to stay close to rare and unique enemies, maximizing the time they spend in your presence.
   • Kiting and Positioning: Use skills and movement strategies to keep enemies within range. This not only builds up your damage bonus but also ensures that you can continually apply pressure.

2. Synergy with Bleeding and Blocking:

   • Bleeding Builds: Combine War of Attrition with Gladiator’s bleeding-focused passives to create a build that deals significant damage over time. Skills like Lacerate or Puncture can be particularly effective.
   • Blocking Mechanics: Utilize Gladiator’s strong blocking capabilities to stay in the fight longer, allowing the War of Attrition damage bonus to build up. Skills like Riposte or Reckoning can complement this approach.

3. Retaliation Skills:

   • New Skills: The rework introduces Retaliation Skills, which unleash powerful effects when certain conditions are met. These skills can be synergized with War of Attrition to deliver massive bursts of damage at opportune moments.

4. Combining Damage Types:

   • Hits and Ailments: War of Attrition boosts both hits and ailments, providing versatility in how you approach damage. Whether through direct attacks or applying ailments like bleed and poison, you can leverage this skill to maximize overall damage output.

Maximizing War of Attrition

To fully harness the power of War of Attrition, consider the following build strategies:

• Gear and Passive Skills: Invest in gear that enhances attack damage, attack speed, and defensive capabilities. Passives that increase bleed damage, poison chance, and blocking efficiency will complement the War of Attrition skill.
• Skill Selection: Choose skills that maintain close proximity to enemies, ensuring that the damage bonus from War of Attrition builds up quickly. Skills with high hit frequency or sustained damage over time will be particularly effective.
• Defensive Layers: Enhance your survivability with defensive layers such as armor, evasion, and life regeneration. This will allow you to withstand prolonged encounters, fully capitalizing on the incremental damage boost.

Conclusion

The War of Attrition Ascendancy Passive Skill brings a powerful and strategic dimension to the Gladiator class in Path of Exile. By rewarding sustained combat and enhancing both hits and ailments, it allows players to dominate long battles against rare and unique enemies. Combined with the reworked Gladiator’s bleeding and blocking mechanics, as well as the innovative Retaliation Skills, War of Attrition provides a versatile and potent tool for any Gladiator looking to excel in Wraeclast. Embrace the rework, master the mechanics, and let your presence on the battlefield become an unstoppable force of destruction.