Corpsewade Pathfinder Build Boosted in PoE 2 Patch

This article revisits the intriguing Corpsewade build in Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2) after a period away from the game, focusing on a unique setup that uses the Corpsewade boots to enhance a Pathfinder minion build. Recent patch updates appear to have given this build a significant boost, particularly in terms of minion survivability and gameplay dynamics, making it an attractive choice for players looking for a distinctive play style.

Build Overview

Class: Level 92 Pathfinder, chosen for its synergy with poison and minion mechanics.

Defence:

Energy Shield: A robust 7,000 that provides a solid defensive base.

Mind: Currently at 306, with room for expansion to support more minions or improve existing ones.

Defensive Stats: Includes 21% armour, 50% evasion and a remarkable 46% block chance, providing a balanced defence.

Grim Feast: A powerful mechanic that can increase Energy Shield up to 14,000 upon the death of minions or enemies, turning the chaos of the battlefield into defensive strength.

Skills:

Decay: Central to the build, this skill creates clouds of corpses for area control and damage:

Linked Gems:

Corpse Conservation keeps corpses around for longer.

Deadly Poison increases poison effects.

Extraction maximises Chaos damage output.

Comorbidity stacks additional poison effects on foes.

Contagion: Acts as a utility skill for clearing paths or dealing with trapped minions.

Skeletal Clerics: With support gems such as

Flesh Shield for increased minion health.

Arcane Tempo for self-healing, although less optimal here due to the focus of the build.

Resurrection Skeleton: Enhanced by Ingenuity, reduces cooldown and speeds up resurrection, crucial for maintaining minion presence.

Spare: Uses curse mechanics alongside Eye of Winter to apply wither stacks, increasing damage over time.

Gear:

Chest: Provides +5 to minion skills, but lacks spirit, suggesting room for improvement.

Rings: Focus on improving chaos damage, item rarity and resistances, which are crucial for build sustainability.

Helmet: +2 to minion skills with self-corruption to boost Spirit, in line with the thematic focus of the build.

Gloves: A unique choice that adds an extra poison stack to increase the build's poison damage.

Belt: Primarily used to maximise Energy Shield, though considered underwhelming compared to potential upgrades.

Boots: Corpsewade boots are the heart of this build, providing corpse generation for both offence and defence.

Shield: Boosts Energy Shield and block chance, rounding out the defensive profile.

Passive Skill Tree

The tree is tailored to:

Poison mechanics: Maximises the number and size of poison stacks.

Minion Survivability: Ensuring minions can survive harder encounters.

Energy Shield: Key to defensive layers, complemented by Evasion and Chaos Inoculation for added resilience.

Jewels:

Generic jewels add to venom level and increase damage output.

Prism of Belite Diamond: A standout jewel that grants +3 levels to Skeletal Clerics, which translates to a significant increase in minion health.

Gameplay and Tips

Minion Management: Players can strategically control when and where minions are deployed to optimise their survival and effectiveness.

Patch Benefits: The patch has made Minions respawn instantly when out of range, greatly improving build fluidity and player experience.

Build Flexibility: Despite being anchored by the Corpsewade Boots, there's flexibility to adjust minion types or shift the focus of the build to suit different play styles or objectives.

Thank you for reading

This Corpsewade build offers a relaxed yet powerful gameplay experience, with the automation of the minion resurrection and corpse cloud mechanics allowing for efficient mapping with minimal effort. The author looks forward to further optimising the build with tools such as Path of Building for PoE 2, while acknowledging the possibility of future nerfs as this and similar builds gain popularity. For now, it stands as a compelling and enjoyable post-patch option.