PoE 2 Explosive Grenade – Path of Exile 2

PoE 2 Explosive Grenade

It is a Skill Gem.

Attack
AoE, Projectile, Duration
Tier: 1 (Mercenary)
Level: 5
Cost: 18 Mana
Cooldown Time: 3.00 sec (3 uses)
Attack Speed: 75% of base
Attack Damage: 285%
Requires: Level 14, 20 Str, 20 Dex
Requires: Crossbow

Fire a bouncing grenade that unleashes a devastating blast when its fuse expires.

  • Converts 20% of Physical Damage to Fire Damage
  • Fuse duration is 2.5 seconds
  • Explosion radius is 1.9 metres

Skills can be managed in the Skills Panel.

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Explosive Grenade is a potent Attack skill available to Mercenary characters in Path of Exile 2. This skill allows you to launch a bouncing grenade that deals significant AoE (Area of Effect) damage when it explodes. Its unique mechanics, which involve a fuse timer and bouncing projectile, make it a dynamic tool for clearing enemies and dealing heavy burst damage in both single-target and group situations.

Key Details of Explosive Grenade

  • Gem Type: Skill Gem
  • Skill Type: Attack, AoE, Projectile, Duration
  • Tier: 1 (Mercenary)
  • Level Requirement: 5
  • Cost: 18 Mana
  • Cooldown Time: 3.00 sec (3 uses)
  • Attack Speed: 75% of base
  • Attack Damage: 285%
  • Requires: Level 14, 20 Str, 20 Dex
  • Weapon Requirement: Crossbow
  • Effect: Fire a bouncing grenade that explodes on a timer, dealing AoE Fire damage.

How Explosive Grenade Works

Explosive Grenade is designed for area denial and burst damage. It has a cooldown mechanic and a fuse timer that require strategic timing and placement. Here’s a breakdown of its mechanics:

1. Projectile Attack:

  • Explosive Grenade is launched as a bouncing projectile. Upon release, it travels in a set direction, bouncing off terrain and enemies. This gives it high mobility and allows it to hit multiple targets before it detonates.

  • Bouncing Effect: The grenade will bounce multiple times before the fuse expires. This can be useful for hitting enemies at a distance, around corners, or for crowd control in tight spaces.

2. Fuse Timer:

  • The grenade has a fuse duration of 2.5 seconds, which is the time it takes before it explodes. This delay allows you to control when the grenade detonates, potentially hitting a large number of enemies that gather around the grenade before it detonates.

  • Strategic Timing: You can strategically fire the grenade into a group of enemies, knowing that it will explode at a set time, making it useful for group clearing and damage over time as enemies get closer to the grenade.

3. Explosion Radius:

  • When the grenade’s fuse expires, it explodes, dealing significant Fire damage to all enemies within a 1.9-meter radius. This AoE explosion ensures that not only the direct target but also any nearby enemies will take substantial damage.

4. Fire Damage Scaling:

  • Explosive Grenade converts 20% of Physical Damage to Fire Damage, making it a hybrid skill that benefits from Fire damage scaling. This opens up the skill to Fire-focused builds, where you can increase the damage of the explosion through Fire damage modifiers and related supports.

5. Cooldown Mechanic:

  • The skill has a cooldown time of 3 seconds, meaning you can only use it a limited number of times in quick succession. This is balanced by the fact that you can fire up to three grenades before the cooldown prevents you from using it again, allowing for bursts of damage at the cost of limited usage.

  • The cooldown encourages strategic timing and targeting, as you cannot spam grenades. It also requires you to maximize the effectiveness of each shot, as the cooldown prevents rapid follow-ups.

Synergies with Other Skills and Builds

Explosive Grenade is best used in builds that focus on AoE damage, projectile attacks, and Fire damage. Here are some potential synergies and build strategies to make the most of this skill:

1. Fire Damage Builds:

  • Since Explosive Grenade converts 20% of Physical Damage to Fire Damage, it fits perfectly in builds focused on increasing Fire damage. Fire damage modifiers, Fire penetration, and Ignite effects can all boost the damage of the grenade’s explosion.

  • Elemental Focus or Added Fire Damage support gems can further enhance the Fire damage dealt by the grenade, making it a strong option in Fire-focused attack builds.

2. Projectile-Based Builds:

  • As a projectile-based attack, Explosive Grenade synergizes well with other projectile-enhancing passives and gems. Support gems like Lesser Multiple Projectiles or Greater Multiple Projectiles can increase the number of grenades launched in a single cast, making it even more effective for clearing large packs of enemies.

  • Projectile Speed and Projectile Damage modifiers can also help improve both the range and damage of the grenades, making them more effective in long-range combat or for controlling space.

3. AoE Scaling:

  • While the explosion radius of Explosive Grenade is already decent, builds focused on AoE damage will benefit from increasing AoE modifiers. Support gems like Increased Area of Effect or Concentrated Effect can boost the explosion radius, allowing the grenade to deal damage to even more enemies.

  • Area of Effect scaling can be especially useful in crowd control or boss fights, where you want to hit as many enemies as possible with the fire explosion.

4. Cooldown Reduction:

  • Since Explosive Grenade has a cooldown, builds that focus on reducing cooldowns (such as those using the Path of Exile 2‘s new Cooldown Reduction mechanic) can make this skill more spammable and thus more effective in clearing content.

  • Cooldown reduction allows you to use the skill more frequently, making it an even more potent source of AoE Fire damage.

Pros and Cons of Explosive Grenade

Pros:

  • High AoE Damage: The explosion deals massive AoE Fire damage, especially useful for clearing large groups of enemies.
  • Projectile Flexibility: The bouncing grenade mechanic allows you to hit enemies from unusual angles or around obstacles, providing great utility and flexibility.
  • Fire Conversion: 20% of Physical Damage converted to Fire Damage allows you to utilize Fire-focused gear and passives, making it easy to integrate into Fire-based builds.
  • Moderate Cooldown with Multiple Uses: The 3-second cooldown is relatively short, allowing you to use the grenade multiple times in quick succession, but still requires some timing and strategy.

Cons:

  • Cooldown Limitation: While the cooldown is short, you can only use the skill three times before needing to wait. This limits its burst potential and forces players to plan out their grenade usage.
  • Moderate Explosion Radius: The 1.9-meter explosion radius isn’t particularly large, meaning that the grenade may not hit as many enemies unless they are grouped together.
  • Mana Cost: The 18 Mana cost per use can add up, especially if you are spamming the skill frequently. Mana regeneration or leeching from kills may be necessary to sustain its usage in prolonged fights.

Tips for Using Explosive Grenade

  • Strategic Placement: Since the grenade bounces, try to fire it into areas where it can bounce into enemy groups or into narrow spaces, maximizing its damage and explosion radius.
  • Focus on Timing: Use the fuse timer to your advantage, aiming for dense clusters of enemies and waiting for the grenade to explode when the enemies are in optimal range.
  • Support with AoE Modifiers: Enhance the skill’s effectiveness with AoE scaling passives and support gems. This will ensure that the explosion radius hits as many enemies as possible.
  • Use with Fire Mods: Given the Fire damage conversion, complement the grenade with Fire penetration, Added Fire Damage, or Burning damage mods to further boost its potential.

Conclusion

Explosive Grenade is a dynamic and devastating AoE Fire damage skill that offers high burst potential, strategic gameplay, and excellent crowd control capabilities. With its bouncing projectile, short fuse timer, and Fire damage conversion, it’s a fantastic skill for players who want to clear enemies quickly and deal high AoE damage in both single-target and group fights.

By strategically managing the cooldown and fuse timer, Explosive Grenade can fit perfectly into Fire-focused builds that prioritize projectile-based attacks and explosive AoE damage. It is a must-try for Mercenaries looking for an area-denial tool that brings burst damage and crowd control in a single package.

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