PoE Wicked Ward — Path of Exile

Wicked Ward is a keystone passive skill in Path of Exile that enhances energy shield recharge mechanics, making it more reliable in the face of incoming damage. However, it comes with the drawback of reducing the overall recharge rate.

PoE Wicked Ward

Mechanics

Energy Shield Recharge is not interrupted by Damage if Recharge began Recently:

• Normally, taking damage interrupts energy shield recharge, which can make it difficult to maintain a steady shield recovery in combat. Wicked Ward changes this by ensuring that once energy shield recharge starts, it will not be interrupted by damage for a short period. This period is defined as “Recently,” which typically means within the last four seconds in Path of Exile. This allows your energy shield to regenerate even while under attack, significantly enhancing your survivability in situations where you are taking continuous damage.

40% less Energy Shield Recharge Rate:

• The downside of Wicked Ward is that it reduces your energy shield recharge rate by 40%. Under normal circumstances, energy shield recharge rate is 33% of your total energy shield per second. With Wicked Ward, this is reduced to 20% per second. This means it will take longer for your energy shield to fully recharge, though the benefit of uninterrupted recharge can make up for this in many situations.

Strategic Considerations

Improving Survivability:

• Wicked Ward is particularly effective in builds that rely heavily on energy shield as their primary form of defense. By preventing recharge from being interrupted, you can maintain a more consistent shield pool even in the midst of battle, making it easier to recover between hits. This is especially valuable in high-damage scenarios where taking a few hits in quick succession would normally prevent your energy shield from recovering.

Balancing Recharge Rate and Uninterrupted Recovery:

• The trade-off between recharge rate and uninterrupted recovery requires careful consideration. While the reduced recharge rate means your shield takes longer to fully recover, the ability to maintain recharge in combat can be more beneficial in the long run. Builds that can compensate for the slower recharge rate through other means, such as high energy shield regeneration or leech, can make excellent use of Wicked Ward.

Synergies with Energy Shield-focused Builds:

• Wicked Ward is a natural fit for builds that stack energy shield and focus on maximizing its effectiveness. It pairs well with skills, passives, and items that boost energy shield recharge, recovery, and regeneration. For example, combining Wicked Ward with the Zealot’s Oath keystone (which converts life regeneration into energy shield regeneration) can provide steady shield recovery that is difficult to interrupt.

Considerations for High-Damage Encounters:

• In encounters where you expect to take frequent damage, such as boss fights or areas with large packs of enemies, Wicked Ward can greatly enhance your ability to sustain through the onslaught. The uninterrupted recharge can provide a crucial buffer that allows you to avoid being overwhelmed, especially when combined with other defensive layers like evasion, block, or resistances.

PoE Wicked Ward Build

Classes:

• Trickster: 95%
• Occultist: 2%
• Elementalist: 0.8%
• Hierophant: 0.5%
• Necromancer: 0.5%
• Ascendant: 0.3%
• Assassin: 0.2%
• Guardian: 0.1%
• Shadow: 0.1%
• Pathfinder: 0.1%
• Deadeye: 0.1%
• Warden: 0.0%
• Champion: 0.0%
• Juggernaut: 0%
• Slayer: 0%
• Inquisitor: 0%
• Berserker: 0%
• Gladiator: 0%
• Chieftain: 0%
• Saboteur: 0%

Main Skills:

• Power Siphon: 36%
• Hexblast: 22%
• Splitting Steel: 17%
• Lightning Strike: 6%
• Vaal Lightning Strike: 5%
• Vaal Power Siphon: 3%
• Molten Strike: 2%
• Smite: 2%
• Viper Strike of the Mamba: 2%
• Tornado Shot: 2%
• Vaal Smite: 1%
• Storm Rain: 1%
• Toxic Rain of Sporeburst: 1%

Masteries:

• 12% increased Mana Reservation Efficiency of Skills: 86%
• 100% increased Energy Shield from Equipped Helmet: 70%
• Auras from your Skills have 10% increased Effect on you: 57%
• 3% increased Damage per Endurance, Frenzy or Power Charge: 52%
• Each Mine applies 2% increased Damage taken to Enemies near it, up to 10%: 47%
• 1% increased Evasion Rating per 5 Intelligence, Dexterity provides no inherent bonus to Evasion Rating: 46%
• 8% increased Damage for each of your Aura or Herald Skills affecting you: 43%
• Hits have 25% chance to treat Enemy Monster Elemental Resistance values as inverted: 43%
• Chance to Suppress Spell Damage is Lucky: 40%
• Prevent +3% of Suppressed Spell Damage: 35%
• Intelligence is added to Accuracy Rating with Wands: 34%
• +5 to Intelligence per Allocated Mastery Passive Skill: 33%
• 10% of Leech is Instant: 28%

Conclusion

Wicked Ward is a powerful keystone passive skill for energy shield-based builds in Path of Exile, offering a significant boost to survivability by preventing energy shield recharge from being interrupted by damage. While the reduction in recharge rate requires careful consideration, the benefits of maintaining consistent energy shield recovery can outweigh this drawback, particularly in high-damage situations. Wicked Ward is best suited for builds that prioritize energy shield as their primary defense and can compensate for the slower recharge rate through other means.

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