It is a Support Gem.
Support
Melee, Attack
Requires: Level 1
Support Reqirements: +5 Str
Supports melee attack skills, making them more accurate at range.
Skills can be managed in the Skills Panel.
In Path of Exile 2, the Far Reach Support Gem provides a unique enhancement for melee attack skills, making them more effective at a distance. This gem reduces the accuracy penalty that typically affects melee attacks when they are used at range, allowing melee characters to deal damage more effectively without needing to close the gap between themselves and the enemy. It’s a powerful tool for players looking to enhance their melee builds, particularly those that rely on ranged engagement or attacks with longer reach.
In this article, we will dive into the mechanics of the Far Reach Support Gem, its ideal uses, and how it fits into a variety of build types in Path of Exile 2.
The Far Reach Support Gem is designed to improve the accuracy of melee attacks that are used at a distance. Typically, melee skills suffer from an accuracy penalty when used on enemies that are farther away, meaning your attacks are less likely to hit. However, Far Reach reduces this penalty by 80%, making it much easier to land hits on distant enemies.
Reduced Accuracy Penalty:
When you perform a melee attack at range, the game usually applies a penalty to your Accuracy Rating, making it harder for your attacks to hit. With Far Reach, that penalty is drastically reduced, allowing your attacks to land with greater consistency even when the target is not within immediate melee range.
Improved Melee at Range:
This gem doesn’t just help with accuracy; it makes melee skills viable for more ranged engagements. This means skills that require close-range attacks can be used effectively at a distance, broadening your combat strategies and making it easier to engage with enemies without having to get too close.
Ideal for Long Reach or Extended Melee Skills:
Far Reach is especially useful for melee attack skills that already have some form of range to them. Skills like Lancing, Sweep, Cyclone, or other melee reach abilities can greatly benefit from this support gem, as it reduces the effectiveness of distance penalties while retaining the melee combat style.
The Far Reach gem works well with a variety of builds that seek to enhance the range of their melee attacks. Below are a few build types where this gem can shine:
Melee Builds with Range-Based Attacks:
Builds that focus on melee attacks with extended range (e.g., Lancing, Sweep, or Cyclone) benefit immensely from the Far Reach Support Gem. These builds typically aim to hit enemies both at close range and at a distance, and Far Reach allows them to do so more effectively without suffering from the usual accuracy penalties.
Melee Hybrid Builds:
For players who want to combine melee and ranged abilities, the Far Reach Support Gem opens up a new realm of possibilities. With this gem, your character can wield melee abilities from a longer distance while retaining their melee characteristics, allowing you to adapt to multiple combat ranges.
Boss or Targeted Attack Builds:
If your build is focused on bossing or targeting certain high-priority enemies (such as ranged bosses or stationary enemies), Far Reach makes it easier to land your melee hits from farther away, enabling you to avoid the need to constantly reposition yourself. This is especially useful in long-range combat encounters, where staying close to your enemies may be dangerous.
Crit Melee Builds:
Critical hit-based melee builds can use Far Reach to ensure their attacks land more reliably at a distance. When critical strikes are a core part of your build, improving accuracy is essential, and Far Reach offers a reliable solution by reducing the penalty to your accuracy at range, allowing you to hit your targets more consistently for high damage.
Tanky Melee Builds:
For tanky melee builds that need to engage enemies at range without putting themselves in immediate danger, Far Reach can provide a significant benefit. It allows these builds to keep enemies at a distance while still being able to deal substantial damage through melee-based skills.
Improved Accuracy at Range:
The most significant advantage of Far Reach is its ability to reduce the accuracy penalty that melee attacks face when used at a distance. This is especially important for melee characters who often find themselves needing to engage enemies from a distance, whether it’s due to ranged combat encounters, boss mechanics, or simply positioning.
Enhanced Flexibility in Combat:
With Far Reach, melee attack skills become more versatile. Normally, melee skills struggle when used against enemies that are farther away, but this gem enhances their effectiveness in such situations. Whether you are kite-fighting, dodging mechanics, or simply avoiding incoming damage, this gem makes it easier to handle long-range combat scenarios.
Synergy with Extended Melee Skills:
Skills that already have some inherent range, like Cyclone or Lancing, benefit greatly from Far Reach. These skills will become far more reliable at hitting targets even if the enemy is not directly adjacent to the player, which increases the overall effectiveness of such skills.
Expanding Melee Builds’ Effectiveness:
Traditionally, melee builds have to get very close to enemies to be effective, which can be dangerous in certain fights. Far Reach alleviates this problem by allowing you to hit enemies at greater distances, giving you a safer approach to melee combat in some scenarios.
Limited to Melee Attacks:
Since Far Reach is a Melee, Attack support gem, it is not compatible with ranged attacks or spellcasting builds. If you’re running a ranged build or using spells, this gem will not provide any benefit.
Not Useful for Non-Range Melee Builds:
For melee builds that rely on short-range attacks (such as dual-wielding or whirlwind builds), the benefit of Far Reach may not be as significant. This gem is primarily intended for melee skills with inherent range or those that need to target enemies at a distance.
Requires Skill Synergy:
For the gem to be most effective, you need to pair it with melee attack skills that benefit from extended range. Skills that don’t have a significant range or aren’t designed for this kind of engagement will see less value from this support gem.
Maximize Range-Based Melee Skills:
When using Far Reach, focus on melee skills that have built-in range mechanics (like Lancing or Cyclone). These skills are perfect candidates to utilize Far Reach to their fullest potential, allowing you to land hits from farther away while dealing substantial damage.
Combine with Accuracy Buffs:
To maximize the effect of Far Reach, consider pairing it with accuracy boosting buffs like Precision or Accuracy Rating modifiers. This will further improve your chances of landing hits at range, especially against high-level bosses or rare enemies with high evasion.
Use with Critical Strike Builds:
Far Reach works well with critical strike builds. Since critical hits are all about landing the attack in the first place, reducing the accuracy penalty at range will ensure you are more likely to hit your target and trigger the high damage from critical strikes.
The Far Reach Support Gem is a game-changer for melee builds that require ranged engagement. By reducing the penalty to Accuracy Rating when attacking at range, it makes melee attacks much more effective and versatile in a variety of combat scenarios. Whether you’re a melee hybrid build, a tank needing to deal damage from a distance, or a critical strike-focused build wanting more consistent hits, Far Reach can significantly improve your melee skill performance.