PoE 2 Herald of Ash – Path of Exile 2

PoE 2 Herald of Ash

It is a Spirit Gem.

Spell
AoE, Fire, Herald, Duration
Tier: 4
Level: 5
Reservation: 30 Spirit
Cooldown Time: 1.00 sec
Cast Time: Instant
Requires: Level 16, 31 Str

While active, enemies you sufficiently overkill with attacks will cause an explosion that Ignites nearby enemies based on the overkill damage dealt.

  • Base duration is 4.00 seconds
  • Base radius is 1 metre
  • Base Burning Damage is 30.5% of Overkill Damage
  • Burn surrounding Enemies if Overkill Damage is at least 20% of Enemy’s Maximum Life
  • Buff causes Attacks to gain 15% of Damage as Extra Fire Damage

Skills can be managed in the Skills Panel.


Herald of Ash is a powerful Spirit Gem in Path of Exile 2 that offers an offensive buff, focusing on Fire damage and overkill mechanics. This gem is a Herald, AoE spell that causes enemies to explode in fire if they are overkilled by your attacks, creating a chain reaction that ignites nearby foes.

Herald of Ash is an excellent choice for players looking to enhance their fire damage, AoE clear, and explosive effects in combat. It pairs particularly well with high-damage, overkill-oriented builds, where the goal is to deal large amounts of excess damage to enemies, turning that overkill into devastating explosions.


Key Details of Herald of Ash

  • Gem Type: Spirit Gem
  • Skill Type: Spell, AoE, Fire, Herald, Duration
  • Tier: 4
  • Level: 5
  • Requires: Level 16, 31 Strength
  • Reservation: 30 Spirit
  • Cooldown: 1.00 sec
  • Cast Time: Instant
  • Base Duration: 4.00 seconds
  • Base Radius: 1 metre
  • Base Burning Damage: 30.5% of Overkill Damage
  • Buff Effect: Attacks gain 15% of Damage as Extra Fire Damage
  • Effect Trigger: Enemies overkilled by attacks cause explosions that Ignite nearby enemies.

How Does Herald of Ash Work?

  1. Overkill Damage and Explosion:

    • The core mechanic of Herald of Ash revolves around overkill. When you attack an enemy and deal more damage than their remaining health, the excess damage (overkill damage) triggers an explosion that ignites nearby enemies. The burning damage is based on 30.5% of the overkill damage, making it a potent tool for AoE damage and clearing large groups of enemies.
  2. Burning Damage:

    • If the overkill damage is at least 20% of an enemy’s maximum life, the explosion will cause the surrounding enemies to be ignited, taking burning damage over time. This makes Herald of Ash particularly effective when combined with skills that deal large burst damage, ensuring that enemies die with enough overkill to trigger the explosions.
  3. Buff for Extra Fire Damage:

    • While active, Herald of Ash also grants a buff to your attacks, adding 15% of your damage as extra fire damage. This synergizes with your overkill damage, making your attacks even more devastating, while also helping to trigger the explosions more frequently. This extra fire damage boosts both your single-target and AoE damage, making it useful in a variety of situations.
  4. Area of Effect:

    • The explosions caused by overkilled enemies have a base radius of 1 metre, affecting all enemies in the vicinity. While the explosion radius is modest, its power lies in the chain reaction of explosions, potentially setting off multiple ignitions as enemies die in rapid succession. The base duration of the skill is 4.00 seconds, during which the effects persist and continue to trigger explosions on overkilled enemies.
  5. Cooldown:

    • Herald of Ash has a 1-second cooldown, which means that while the explosions can trigger frequently, they are limited by this cooldown. This prevents the skill from being spammed endlessly but still offers a regular output of AoE fire damage as you continue to overkill enemies.

Requirements and Scaling

  • Level Requirements: To use Herald of Ash, you need to be Level 16.
  • Strength: The gem requires 31 Strength to equip, making it suitable for characters that have a decent amount of Strength scaling.
  • Spirit Reservation: The skill reserves 30 Spirit while active, so you’ll need to manage your Spirit pool carefully, especially if you’re using multiple skills that require Spirit.

Managing Herald of Ash

  • Active Buff: Once Herald of Ash is active, it continuously applies its effects as long as the reservation is sustained. The buff remains up for a duration of 4.00 seconds, but you may need to keep an eye on your Spirit pool to ensure it doesn’t run out during longer fights.
  • Cooldown: The 1-second cooldown between explosions makes the skill moderately paced, but it still delivers consistent damage output, especially in areas with multiple enemies. It’s crucial to time your attacks and overkill damage to maximize the explosion potential.

The Pros and Cons of Herald of Ash

Pros:

  • AoE Fire Damage: The explosive overkill mechanic creates a chain reaction of fire damage, which is highly effective for clearing large packs of enemies.
  • Extra Fire Damage: The added 15% extra fire damage from the buff increases the overall damage output of your attacks, making it a valuable addition to fire-based builds.
  • Synergy with High Damage: The skill works best with builds that can deal massive overkill damage, such as fireball, fire blast, or other burst-damage skills that leave a lot of excess damage behind.
  • Ignites Nearby Enemies: Enemies that die with overkill damage will cause nearby enemies to be ignited, ensuring a steady source of burning damage across a wide area.

Cons:

  • Cooldown: The 1-second cooldown limits the frequency of explosions, meaning that you’ll need to be careful with your attack timing to get the most out of each burst.
  • Requires Overkill: The overkill mechanic means the skill is more effective when you deal excessive damage, so it may not trigger explosions as often against tanky or high-health enemies unless your damage output is substantial.
  • Spirit Reservation: The 30 Spirit reservation could be limiting in builds that rely on multiple powerful abilities, requiring careful Spirit management to keep Herald of Ash active without draining your resources.

Conclusion

Herald of Ash is an excellent addition to any fire-based build that relies on burst damage and overkill mechanics. Its ability to cause explosive AoE fire damage from overkill attacks and provide extra fire damage makes it a potent tool for quickly clearing enemies and triggering devastating ignites. This skill shines in builds that deal high amounts of damage in a short time, turning every overkilled enemy into a firebomb that sets off a chain reaction of explosions.

While the cooldown and Spirit reservation require careful management, the extra fire damage buff and explosive AoE effects more than make up for these limitations. If you’re looking for a skill that synergizes with high-damage attacks and adds extra utility for fire damage builds, Herald of Ash is a must-have in your arsenal.

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