PoE Zealot’s Oath — Path of Exile

Zealot’s Oath is a keystone passive skill in Path of Exile that fundamentally alters how life regeneration functions by applying it to energy shield (ES) instead of life. This keystone is particularly valuable for characters who prioritize energy shield over life, allowing them to benefit from life regeneration effects that would otherwise be less useful in energy shield-based builds.

PoE Zealot’s Oath

Key Features

Life Regeneration is applied to Energy Shield instead: Zealot’s Oath changes the source of life regeneration, converting it into energy shield regeneration. This allows energy shield-focused characters to leverage life regeneration effects, enhancing their ES sustain.

Mechanics

Conversion of Life Regeneration: With Zealot’s Oath, any percentage-based life regeneration you would normally receive is instead applied to your energy shield. The amount of energy shield regenerated is based on your maximum energy shield, making this keystone especially powerful for builds with high ES pools.
Interaction with Energy Shield Recovery Rate: The regeneration rate gained through Zealot’s Oath is influenced by energy shield recovery rate modifiers but not by life recovery rate modifiers. This means that while Zealot’s Oath will cause life regeneration effects to restore energy shield, only energy shield-specific modifiers will enhance the speed or amount of this regeneration.
No Effect on Life Flasks: Zealot’s Oath does not cause life flasks to restore energy shield. Life flasks continue to recover life, as they provide life recovery, not life regeneration.
Compatibility with Eldritch Battery: If your character has both Zealot’s Oath and the Eldritch Battery keystone, life regeneration will continue to apply to energy shield. This combination allows you to use energy shield as a buffer for mana costs, while simultaneously regenerating your ES.
Incompatibility with Pious Path: Zealot’s Oath is incompatible with the Templar ascendancy passive Pious Path. Since Zealot’s Oath converts life regeneration to energy shield regeneration, it no longer counts as life regeneration, and therefore, Pious Path’s effects that specifically interact with life regeneration will have no effect.

Optimal Use Cases

Energy Shield-Based Builds: Zealot’s Oath is ideal for builds that rely heavily on energy shield instead of life. By converting life regeneration to energy shield regeneration, you can significantly improve your ES sustain, allowing you to better survive in tough encounters.
High Regeneration Builds: Builds that can stack significant amounts of life regeneration (from passive skills, auras like Vitality, or unique items like Shaper’s Touch) can convert this into powerful energy shield regeneration, making them exceptionally resilient.
Synergy with Eldritch Battery: Characters using Eldritch Battery can benefit from Zealot’s Oath by regenerating their energy shield, which protects their mana pool. This combination allows for a hybrid approach, where energy shield sustains both mana and serves as an additional buffer for survival.
Ascendant Builds: Ascendant characters, particularly those who pick elements from the Guardian or Occultist ascendancies, can benefit from Zealot’s Oath by gaining additional ES regeneration while maintaining other energy shield advantages.

Considerations

Limited to Energy Shield Recovery Rate: Since Zealot’s Oath applies life regeneration to energy shield, only modifiers that specifically increase energy shield recovery rate will amplify this effect. Life recovery rate modifiers will not influence the regeneration gained through Zealot’s Oath.
No Life Regeneration for Life: Once you take Zealot’s Oath, any life regeneration you have will no longer affect your life pool. This makes the keystone a poor choice for builds that still rely on a significant life pool for survival.
No Benefit from Pious Path: If you are using Pious Path from the Inquisitor ascendancy, Zealot’s Oath will render the life regeneration effects of Pious Path useless, as it will no longer be recognized as life regeneration.

PoE Zealot’s Oath Build

Classes:

Trickster: 29%
Inquisitor: 20%
Ascendant: 16%
Hierophant: 16%
Necromancer: 6%
Occultist: 4%
Guardian: 2%
Assassin: 2%
Elementalist: 1%
Slayer: 1.0%
Deadeye: 1.0%
Champion: 0.8%
Pathfinder: 0.3%
Juggernaut: 0.3%
Chieftain: 0.3%
Warden: 0.3%
Saboteur: 0.2%
Shadow: 0.1%
Gladiator: 0.0%
Berserker: 0%

Main Skills:

Hexblast: 22%
Hexblast of Contradiction: 12%
Cyclone: 12%
Lightning Warp: 6%
Power Siphon: 6%
Ice Spear of Splitting: 4%
Shock Nova: 3%
Raise Spectre: 3%
Penance Brand of Dissipation: 3%
Lancing Steel of Spraying: 3%
Molten Strike: 2%
Lightning Strike: 2%
Vaal Lightning Strike: 2%

Masteries:

12% increased Mana Reservation Efficiency of Skills: 53%
5% increased Attributes: 38%
Regenerate 2% of Energy Shield per second: 33%
Auras from your Skills have 10% increased Effect on you: 32%
3% increased Damage per Endurance, Frenzy or Power Charge: 31%
100% increased Energy Shield from Equipped Helmet: 30%
Chance to Suppress Spell Damage is Lucky: 26%
10% of Leech is Instant: 25%
Each Mine applies 2% increased Damage taken to Enemies near it, up to 10%: 23%
1% increased Evasion Rating per 5 Intelligence, Dexterity provides no inherent bonus to Evasion Rating: 23%
+25% to Critical Strike Multiplier against Unique Enemies: 21%
20% increased Life Reservation Efficiency of Skills: 21%
Recover 5% of Energy Shield over 1 second when you take Physical Damage from an Enemy Hit: 18%

Summary

Effect: Converts all life regeneration to energy shield regeneration.
Ideal For: Energy shield-focused builds, especially those that can stack life regeneration.
Playstyle Shift: Requires a focus on energy shield as the primary means of survival, with life regeneration being redirected to sustain ES.
Key Synergies: Works well with Eldritch Battery and builds that stack energy shield recovery rate.

Zealot’s Oath is a powerful keystone for players looking to maximize their energy shield sustain by converting life regeneration effects into energy shield regeneration. When used correctly, it can greatly enhance the durability and survivability of energy shield-based characters in Path of Exile.

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