Hello, Path of Exile 2 adventurers! If you’re here, you’re likely either deciding whether the Sorceress class is worth playing or seeking tips to stay alive and thrive. You’ve come to the right place! After spending significant time with the Sorceress in the Path of Exile 2 demo, I’ve learned a few tips that can help you make the most of this class. Let’s dive in!
Stick to Firebolt for Single Targets
While Path of Exile 2 offers a variety of spells, when it comes to dealing with single targets, Firebolt should remain your go-to spell. It’s the first spell you’ll acquire and consistently delivers the highest damage output against individual enemies early in the game.
The only exception is when you need to use a frost spell to slow or freeze enemies for tactical advantage. Outside of that, no other early-game spell matches the raw damage potential of Firebolt for single-target situations.
Pick Up The Firewall Spell ASAP
One of the first spells you should acquire as a Sorceress is Firewall. This spell can be aimed in any direction and remains on the ground for three seconds, making it perfect for kiting enemies. Better yet, you can cast it repeatedly as long as your mana holds out. When upgraded, it does a nice chunk of damage when enemies are kitted or stuck within the spell. And if you use a support gem on it, the spell be cast as a circle of flame, allowing even more coverage, though it does reduce the amount of damage it does.
Make Use of Firewall Attack Combos
Firewall isn’t just great for controlling the battlefield—it also synergizes with other spells for devastating effects. Casting a fireball or using a staff attack through the firewall creates empowered fireballs. Similarly, channeling Firebolt or Spark through the firewall transforms it into a fire-empowered version, dealing bonus damage. These combos are invaluable for taking down mobs and single-target enemies alike.
Swap out Spark for Arc When You Can
While Spark is a useful spell for dealing with packs of enemies, its damage output is relatively low, requiring you to spam it excessively to make an impact. As you progress, consider upgrading to the Arc spell—a higher-level skill that offers superior performance. Arc not only deals more damage but also chains between multiple enemies, making it highly effective for clearing groups. Upgrading Arc also lets it chain between 1 to 2 more enemies.
To enhance Arc further, equip it with a suitable support gem, which can amplify its power significantly. However, keep in mind that, unlike Spark, Arc cannot synergize with the Firewall spell. Despite this limitation, the trade-off in damage output and the ability to chain attacks across enemies makes Arc a worthwhile upgrade for your arsenal.
Prioritize Your Passives Accordingly
The massive passive skill tree in Path of Exile 2 offers endless customization, but as a Sorceress, your early focus should be on:
- Energy Shield – This is your primary defense and essential for survival. A dead Sorceress can’t cast spells!
- Spell Power – Boosts your damage output, but it’s only effective if you can survive long enough to use it. This applies to spells granted by staves or your spells granted by skills.
- Intelligence – Increases your mana pool and improves mana efficiency, letting you cast spells more frequently.
While you can prioritize between spell power and intelligence, I would not skimp out on the energy shield passives. When in doubt, pick up energy shield passives. It’s not like you can’t refund your passives easily this time around.
Building your character with these priorities will create a balance of survivability and offense.
Leverage Multiple Staves
The Sorceress, like many classes, can equip two weapon sets. Take advantage of this by preparing a primary staff for your core abilities and a secondary staff for situational needs, like crowd control or specific damage types. Each staff will provide a free skill, and you’ll want to take advantage of using multiple staves to take advantage of this.
For example, I use a fire-damage staff for basic attacks, a slower, high-damage lightning staff for tough enemies, and one that dishes out frost damage that quickly puts enemies into a frozen state. Experiment with what works best for your playstyle, but don’t limit yourself to a single staff.
With these tips in hand, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the Sorceress in Path of Exile 2. Happy adventuring, and may your fireballs burn brightly!
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