It is a Support Gem.
Support
Chaos, Curse
Tier: 1
Cost Multiplier: 150%
Requires: Level 1
Support Reqirements: +5 Int
Supports Curse skills, Cursed enemies’ bodies decay, taking Chaos damage over time.
Place into a Skill’s Support Gem socket in the Skills menu to apply its effects to that Skill. You cannot have multiple copies of the same Support Gem socketed at the same time.
The Decaying Hex Support Gem is a Tier 1 support gem in Path of Exile 2, focusing on Curse-based skills and adding a Chaos damage over time effect to cursed enemies. This gem enables the application of the Decay debuff, which deals a substantial amount of Chaos damage over time based on the caster’s Intelligence. The gem provides a unique and powerful mechanic for Curse builds, turning Cursed enemies into ticking time bombs that suffer from damage over time as their bodies decay.
The Decaying Hex Support Gem introduces an additional layer of damage over time to Curse skills. When you use a Curse skill that is supported by this gem, it causes enemies to suffer from a Decay effect, which deals Chaos damage over time. The damage is based on 30% of the caster’s Intelligence, which means that the higher your Intelligence, the more powerful the Decay effect becomes. This is ideal for builds that focus on scaling Intelligence and Curse-based mechanics, adding a substantial amount of damage over time to your overall DPS.
Decay Damage:
Supported skills will inflict Decay on cursed enemies, dealing 30% of your Intelligence as Chaos damage per second for 8 seconds. This makes the gem extremely valuable for intelligence-scaling builds, especially those that focus on Chaos damage and Curse effects. The Decay damage occurs over a sustained duration, giving you time to apply other damage over time effects as well, such as Poison or Chaos DoTs.
Duration:
The Decay effect lasts for 8 seconds, which is a significant duration, allowing you to stack other damage over time effects or Curse effects on the target, effectively ramping up your DPS.
Intelligence Scaling:
The Decay damage scales off your Intelligence, making it particularly effective for builds that focus on high Intelligence. This scaling makes it an excellent option for CI (Chaos Inoculation) or other Intelligence-based builds, where you want to maximize Chaos damage while maintaining a solid defensive layer.
Curse-based Chaos Builds:
The Decaying Hex gem is especially effective in Curse-based builds, such as Bane or Despair curses, where you are relying on Curse skills to weaken enemies. This gem synergizes well with builds that already focus on Chaos damage or damage over time effects. For example, pairing it with Bane or Temporal Chains creates a strong damage over time effect, both from Decay and the Cursed state.
Chaos Damage Over Time Builds:
If your character is built to apply Chaos damage over time, such as with Contagion or Essence Drain, the Decay effect added by Decaying Hex further enhances your Poison or Chaos DoT output. The Decay works well as a supplemental damage-over-time source alongside other Poison or Chaos damage debuffs.
Intelligence Scaling Builds:
Builds that scale Intelligence—such as Occultist or Necromancer with a focus on Chaos damage—will find Decaying Hex incredibly useful. As your Intelligence increases, so does the Decay damage, turning it into a very powerful effect that works alongside other Chaos-based scaling.
Defensive Curse Builds:
For builds that focus on applying defensive Curse debuffs, such as Despair or Elemental Weakness, the Decaying Hex gem can add extra Chaos damage that slowly chips away at enemies’ health over time. This is particularly effective against enemies with high health pools that need to be worn down with sustained damage.
Added Chaos Damage Over Time:
The primary advantage of Decaying Hex is the additional Chaos damage over time that it applies to cursed enemies. This is especially useful in builds focused on Chaos damage or damage over time mechanics, providing a reliable source of continuous damage.
Scaling with Intelligence:
Since the Decay effect scales off your Intelligence, it synergizes well with builds that prioritize Intelligence as a primary stat, such as Occultist or Elementalist. The higher your Intelligence, the more Decay damage you deal, allowing you to optimize the damage output of this gem.
Synergy with Other Curse Mechanics:
Decaying Hex works incredibly well with other Curse skills. If you’re already cursing enemies with skills like Despair or Temporal Chains, Decaying Hex will provide additional damage while enemies are affected by your Curse effects, further weakening them.
Sustained Damage:
The Decay effect lasts for 8 seconds, meaning that enemies will continuously take damage as long as they remain cursed. This is particularly useful against bosses or high-health enemies that need to be worn down over time.
150% Cost Multiplier:
One notable downside of the Decaying Hex Support Gem is its 150% cost multiplier, which increases the mana cost of the supported skill. This can make mana management more challenging, particularly for builds that already have high mana costs. You may need to invest in mana regeneration or mana leech to compensate.
Requires Cursed Enemies:
The Decay effect only applies to Cursed enemies, so this gem requires you to consistently apply Curse effects. If you’re not already running a Curse-based build, this gem may not offer the most value, as it is highly dependent on the Curse mechanic.
No Direct Damage from Hits:
Since the gem applies damage over time, it doesn’t provide instant damage from hits, which may not be ideal for players who prefer burst-style damage. This makes the gem less suited for high burst damage builds that rely on immediate hits rather than damage over time.
Pair with High Intelligence:
Maximize the potential of Decaying Hex by scaling your Intelligence through passive skill tree nodes or gear. The more Intelligence you have, the more Decay damage you will deal.
Combine with Other Chaos Damage Over Time Effects:
Decaying Hex works well with Poison or Chaos DoT builds. Combine it with other Chaos damage scaling gems like Essence Drain or Contagion for devastating Poison and Chaos DoT effects.
Use with Curse Skills:
Since the gem specifically supports Curse skills, make sure you’re running a Curse-based build. Despair or Enfeeble are great Curse options that can further enhance your Decay damage.
The Decaying Hex Support Gem is a powerful tool for Curse-based builds, adding a damage over time mechanic that inflicts significant Chaos damage to Cursed enemies. It scales with your Intelligence, making it ideal for Chaos or Poison builds that focus on damage over time mechanics. While it comes with a 150% cost multiplier, this gem offers substantial damage over time potential, especially in builds designed to apply Chaos damage through Curses. If you’re building a Curse-based or Chaos DoT-focused character, Decaying Hex can be a valuable addition to your arsenal, allowing you to deal consistent damage while enemies suffer from the Decay effect.