It is a Skill Gem.
Spell
Lightning, AoE, Chaining, Orb
Tier: 3 (Sorceress)
Level: 5
Cost: 23 Mana
Cast Time: 0.80 sec
Critical Strike Chance: 10.00%
Requires: Level 14, 34 Int
Creates an Orb of electricity that fires Chaining Lightning bolts at nearby enemies
Skills can be managed in the Skills Panel.
In Path of Exile 2, Orb of Storms is a versatile spell skill that brings lightning damage and chaining mechanics to your arsenal. This AoE skill is perfect for Sorceress builds, allowing you to place an orb that repeatedly fires lightning bolts at nearby enemies, and chains between them. Whether you’re aiming to control crowds or increase your lightning damage output, Orb of Storms can electrify the battlefield.
Orb of Storms creates an orb of electricity that continuously fires chaining lightning bolts at enemies within range. Here’s how it works:
Orb Creation: Upon activation, Orb of Storms spawns an orb at your location that remains active for 10 seconds or until it has fired 14 lightning bolts. The orb chains lightning between up to 3 enemies, hitting each in turn.
Chaining Lightning: The orb’s bolts chain to up to 3 targets, allowing you to deal with multiple enemies at once. The bolts continue to chain and hit nearby enemies, providing extensive AoE coverage.
Lightning Skill Synergy: The orb fires a lightning bolt every 3.3 seconds. Additionally, when you use a lightning skill near the orb, it will fire an additional bolt, making it easier to trigger damage spikes when using other lightning-based abilities nearby.
Orb Limit: Only one Orb of Storms can exist at a time, meaning you cannot stack multiple orbs on the battlefield. However, its lightning chaining can cover significant areas when positioned strategically.
Chaining Synergy: The orb’s chaining mechanic allows you to easily hit multiple enemies in an area. By using AoE lightning skills near the orb, you can trigger even more chain reactions, increasing your damage output across multiple targets.
Lightning Skills: Pairing Orb of Storms with other lightning-based abilities like Arc, Lightning Ball, or Storm Call lets you quickly trigger the orb’s lightning bolts, maximizing the amount of damage dealt in a short period.
Critical Strikes: With a 10% critical strike chance, Orb of Storms can be a decent source of critical lightning damage in a crit-based build, especially when paired with Lightning Damage and Crit Chance modifiers.
Elemental Penetration: Orb of Storms benefits from elemental penetration effects, which can significantly boost its damage output against enemies with high lightning resistance.
To truly unlock the power of Orb of Storms, combining it with the right skillset is crucial. Here are some ways to synergize this skill:
Positioning: Since only one orb can exist at a time, place it in the center of a cluster of enemies to maximize the amount of targets it can chain to. Use the orb as part of your crowd control strategy.
Use Nearby Lightning Skills: To trigger additional bolts, use lightning skills close to the orb. This can significantly boost the damage of the orb and is key to using it effectively in high-damage builds.
Orb Placement: Keep an eye on the orb’s radius and duration to ensure it’s active when enemies enter its range. Time your other lightning skills for optimal damage.
Use with Area of Effect Mods: Area of Effect modifiers (such as increased AoE or radius) will allow you to increase the orb’s effectiveness, making it more likely to chain to multiple targets.
Orb of Storms is a powerful, lightning-based AoE skill in Path of Exile 2 that excels in crowd control and multi-target damage. The ability to chain lightning bolts between enemies makes it a key tool for Sorceress builds focused on lightning damage, critical strikes, and AoE clearing. While limited by the ability to only have one orb active at a time, its damage potential is immense when paired with the right lightning skill synergies and mana management. With careful positioning and timing, Orb of Storms can become an indispensable part of your lightning arsenal, clearing enemies and delivering massive damage to your foes.