Herald of Ice is a powerful buff skill in Path of Exile 2, which has its utility and synergetic potential in builds with a focus on elemental damage. As a persistent Spirit Gem, it triggers icy explosions on activation every time you shatter an enemy to deal AoE cold damage in a small radius. This guide explains its mechanics, how to unlock the Herald of Ice skill and use it, and its synergy with other skills for powerful effects.
How to Unlock and Use Herald of Ice in Path of Exile (PoE) 2
First, you’ll need to hit level 10 and have at least 15 Intelligence and 15 Dexterity. Then, you can craft Herald of Ice by engraving it onto a Level 4 or higher Uncut Spirit Gem. It’s simple enough but still packs a lot of punch.
Once used, it reserves 30 Spirit, so make sure you’ve got enough to spare in your build. You’ll trigger an icy explosion every time you shatter an enemy, which happens when they’re frozen and take a final hit. The resulting explosion deals around 92-93% attack damage and converts 100% of its physical damage to cold. Keep in mind that its explosion’s range is only 1.8 meters. It is not big, but enough to clear tightly packed groups of enemies.
Double Herald Setup
The Double Herald setup, which combines the Herald of Ice and the Herald of Thunder, is one of the most powerful techniques in Path of Exile 2. It allows the two skills to proc off each other, resulting in a chain reaction of damage that can wipe out everyone in a single attack. Herald of Ice shatters an enemy, triggering its explosion to shock nearby enemies. Those shocked creatures then proc Herald of Thunder, which sends lightning bolts across the battlefield.
- Shatter with Herald of Ice: When an enemy is shattered, it sets off an explosion.
- Shock with Herald of Thunder: Enemies affected by the explosion are stunned, triggering lightning bolts from Herald of Thunder.
- Chain Reaction: The shock from Herald of Thunder results in more Herald of Ice procs.
The combo works best in situations to deal with a lot of mobs, like Breaches, where enemy groups spawn in quick succession. In these dense encounters, the chain reaction has more targets to bounce between.
Herald of Ice: Advanced Mechanics and Strategies
One of the best things about Herald of Ice is how well it works with cold-based builds. It’s great with other Spirit Gems or skills that level up cold damage. For example, with Arctic Armour, you get extra defensive benefits and more overall icy power. With Elemental Conflux you further spread the elemental effects.
Regarding gear, you must find the right balance. Items with cold damage or AoE can make a big difference. Rings, gloves, and even your weapon can amplify Herald of Ice’s icy effects. But be careful not to overdo it on one element – if you stack too much of one element (like fire or lightning), you might accidentally gimp your ability to freeze and shatter enemies.
Gems such as Cold Infusion increase cold damage and Lightning Infusion converts some of your cold damage to lightning, enabling Herald of Ice to shock enemies. By swapping them between your Heralds, you can build skill combinations where one skill triggers the other and witness a chain reaction of icy explosions and lightning bolts.
Moreover, pay attention to how ailments. Longer freeze durations give you more opportunities to shatter enemies, and stronger shocks mean your lightning-based follow-ups hit harder. Finally, don’t overlook your passive skill tree. The game has so many nodes to increase elemental damage and upgrade other abilities. To use Herald of Ice, these passive bonuses will be great equipment in your overall build’s power in Path of Exile 2.
