In the immersive realm of Path of Exile 2, players have a plethora of options to inflict damage. The complex Skill Tree resembles a vast forest of possibilities, especially within the Warrior archetype, where the Aftershock effect frequently enters the conversation.
This guide delves into the mechanics of Aftershocks, revealing how they function and the various triggers that can activate them.
Understanding Aftershock Effects
The Aftershock effect is predominantly associated with skills marked by the Slam tag, albeit with some exceptions. Essentially, this effect enables certain abilities to hit multiple times. Slams entail skills that deliver Area of Effect (AoE) damage through a weapon strike on the ground, examples being Rolling Slam and Sunder in the Mace skill tree or Vaulting Leap associated with Quarterstaff.
When an Aftershock triggers, the ground where the initial Slam struck shudders after a brief delay, damaging any enemies standing on that location. This mechanic proves invaluable for enhancing damage output, particularly as players progress into Cruel difficulty and beyond.
Notably, the damage inflicted by an Aftershock mirrors the damage of the initial attack unless modified by specific Support Gems or passive skills that instigated the Aftershock. With the Sunder skill, for example, Aftershocks can unleash an additional wave of jagged spikes, effectively allowing the skill to cast multiple times.
Causes of Aftershock Effects
To activate Aftershocks, players can unlock a variety of passive skills or utilize specific Support Gems within PoE 2. Certain skills guarantee Aftershock triggers. Below is a helpful list of key Aftershock triggers:
| Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Impact Shockwave (Tier 1 Support Gem) | Melee skills can trigger Aftershocks after Heavy Stunning an enemy. |
| Aftershock (Tier 2 Support Gem) | Supported Slam skills have a 25% chance to trigger Aftershocks. |
| Tremors (Tier 3 Support Gem) | Supported Slam skills suffer 35% reduced damage but have the potential to trigger multiple Aftershocks. |
| Earthbreaker (Titan Ascendancy Passive) | Slams you perform have a 20% chance to trigger Aftershocks. |
| Split The Earth (Mace Passive) | Slam and Strike skills using Maces have a 10% chance to cause Aftershocks. |
| Mace Aftershock Chance (Mace Passive) | All Slam skills with Maces carry a 10% chance to trigger Aftershocks. |
| Seismic Cry (Mace Skill) | A War Cry that guarantees an Aftershock on your next Slam if it hits a Heavy Stunned enemy. |
| Supercharged Slam (Mace Skill) | Fully charged slams can guarantee up to four Aftershocks. |
It’s essential to understand that different effects enhancing the likelihood of triggering Aftershocks can work in tandem, although they do not stack cumulatively. For instance, employing the Aftershock Support Gem alongside the Titan’s Earthbreaker passive grants an overall 45% trigger chance for relevant skills, according to in-game tooltips. However, this percentage does not combine with the Split The Earth and Mace Aftershock Chance passives, which appear to function independently from the established 45% figure.
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