It is a Support Gem.
Support
Spell, Lightning, Cold, Fire
Tier: 3
Requires: Level 1
Support Reqirements: +5 Int
Supports any Spell that Hits enemies, causing it to consume Elemental Ailments on hit to trigger an Elemental Discharge. Cannot support the skills of Minions.
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 Elemental Discharge Support Gem in Path of Exile 2 introduces an innovative mechanic for spellcasters who want to leverage the power of Elemental Ailments in their damage output. This gem allows spells to consume Freeze, Shock, and Ignite ailments that are applied to enemies, triggering a powerful Elemental Discharge as a result. This support gem is perfect for players who want to combine elemental damage types and status effects in a unique and devastating way, as the Elemental Discharge amplifies damage when certain ailments are present.
The Elemental Discharge Support Gem adds a unique mechanic to spellcasting builds by making your spells consume elemental ailments to trigger a discharge of energy. Here’s how it works:
Consumes Elemental Ailments: When you use a skill supported by this gem, it does not inflict Freeze, Shock, or Ignite directly. Instead, it consumes these ailments if they are already present on the enemy. For example, if an enemy is shocked by a different source, your spell will consume that Shock to trigger an Elemental Discharge.
Elemental Discharge Trigger: Once the ailments are consumed, they trigger the Elemental Discharge effect. This Discharge is a burst of elemental damage, which is typically a mix of fire, cold, and lightning damage. The more ailments you have applied to the target, the more powerful the resulting discharge can be.
Powerful Area Damage: Elemental Discharge is designed to deal substantial area damage to nearby enemies. This makes it an ideal choice for clearing groups of enemies while benefiting from the elemental ailments you’ve applied in earlier phases of combat.
Cannot Support Minions: Elemental Discharge cannot be used to support minion skills. It is strictly for player skills that hit enemies, meaning it won’t work with summon-based builds or skills that are dependent on minions.
Elemental Spellcasting Builds:
The Elemental Discharge Support Gem is perfect for spellcasting characters who focus on dealing elemental damage. If your build is based on Fire, Cold, or Lightning spells that can trigger ailments like Shock, Freeze, or Ignite, this gem will significantly increase your damage output by consuming those ailments and triggering a massive discharge.
Elemental Ailment Builds:
Builds that specifically focus on applying elemental ailments to enemies, such as Shock from lightning damage or Ignite from fire damage, can take full advantage of Elemental Discharge. You can apply these ailments through other sources and then use this support gem to trigger devastating bursts of elemental damage.
Hybrid Elemental/Status Ailment Builds:
Combining elemental damage and status ailments works well with Elemental Discharge. Fire, Cold, and Lightning damage can be applied to enemies to inflict ailments, while the Elemental Discharge Support Gem consumes these ailments for bonus damage. This synergistic approach benefits players who want to control multiple elements in combat.
High Burst Damage:
The Elemental Discharge provides significant burst damage to enemies. By consuming elemental ailments, it delivers massive elemental damage that can affect not only the target with the ailments but also enemies around it. This makes it an excellent tool for clearing packs of enemies quickly.
Synergy with Elemental Ailments:
For players focused on inflicting elemental ailments, Elemental Discharge works as an excellent way to capitalize on the damage of these ailments. Whether you’re applying Shock, Ignite, or Freeze, this support gem takes advantage of those status effects to deliver even more damage.
Area-of-Effect Damage:
Elemental Discharge typically deals area damage to enemies within a certain radius of the initial hit. This makes it a great tool for clearing groups of enemies in area-based content and maps. The more ailments you apply to enemies in a group, the more damage the Discharge will deal.
Versatility in Elemental Damage Types:
One of the standout features of this gem is its ability to leverage all three main elemental damage types (Fire, Cold, and Lightning) in one go. This allows spellcasters to mix and match elemental damage for greater versatility in dealing with enemies with varying resistances.
No Direct Ailment Application:
The major drawback of Elemental Discharge is that it cannot directly inflict Freeze, Shock, or Ignite. This means you need to have other methods of applying these ailments to enemies before triggering the Elemental Discharge. For some players, this might require additional setup or skill combination to make full use of the gem.
Limited to Non-Minion Skills:
Elemental Discharge cannot be used with minion-based skills, so players relying on summon builds or minion skills will not benefit from this gem. It is strictly for player skills that hit enemies directly, which limits its applicability for certain types of builds.
Reliant on Ailment Stacking:
The power of Elemental Discharge depends on stacking elemental ailments effectively. If you’re not able to apply these ailments consistently, the Elemental Discharge might not trigger as frequently or may not deal as much damage. This requires a degree of setup and synergy between your skills and gear.
Use Elemental Ailment Infliction Skills:
To make the most of Elemental Discharge, use skills that reliably apply elemental ailments such as Shock, Freeze, or Ignite. Skills like Flameblast, Spark, or Storm Call can work well when combined with this gem.
Stack Ailments for Maximum Effect:
Consider using multiple sources to stack elemental ailments on enemies. Using Shocking Ground, Ignite Proliferation, or Cold Damage over Time effects can help ensure that enemies have multiple ailments that can be consumed for the Elemental Discharge.
Synergy with Elemental Focus:
Combine this gem with Elemental Focus to further increase your elemental damage output. This synergy allows your Discharge to deal massive amounts of damage when combined with Elemental Ailments.
The Elemental Discharge Support Gem is a powerful addition to elemental spellcaster builds that focus on applying and utilizing elemental ailments. By consuming Freeze, Shock, and Ignite on hit, it triggers an Elemental Discharge that deals massive area elemental damage. This makes it an excellent choice for clearing packs of enemies and boss encounters where elemental ailments can be stacked for significant damage boosts.
Though it requires some careful setup to apply the necessary ailments before triggering the Discharge, Elemental Discharge provides a unique and rewarding gameplay experience for those focused on elemental damage. Whether you’re playing a spellcaster or a hybrid elemental build, this gem offers a potent tool to amplify your damage output and control over enemies.