Introduction The excitement surrounding Path of Exile 2 is palpable, and one of the most intriguing new mechanics that has fans buzzing is Jagged Ground. Featured as a new ground effect, Jagged Ground brings with it a whole range of possibilities for powerful build combinations, especially when you factor in the potential for stacking multiple instances of it. Let's explore why Jagged Ground might just be a game-changer for melee builds and how stacking multiple instances could lead to insane damage output in Path of Exile 2.
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What is Jagged Ground?
Jagged Ground is a new ground effect introduced in Path of Exile 2 that didn't exist in Path of Exile 1. This effect primarily serves to slow enemy movement speed, but its potential goes much deeper than that. Jagged Ground is an effect that can trigger damage when other skills interact with it, making it a powerful tool in creating explosive damage setups.
While the ground effect itself slows down enemies, the true power of Jagged Ground lies in its ability to explode when triggered by specific skills, dealing damage based on the skill that caused the explosion. The Earthquake skill, for example, has already shown some fascinating interactions with Jagged Ground.
How Does Jagged Ground Interact with Skills?
1. Earthquake + Jagged Ground
In Path of Exile 2, the Earthquake skill has undergone some changes. The aftershock damage that Earthquake deals after the initial hit is now governed by Jagged Ground, which enhances its interactions with other skills.
In Earthquake's new setup:
Jagged Ground's increased effect not only boosts the slow effect on enemies caught in it but also increases the damage output of the delayed aftershock explosion.
With this in mind, Earthquake's aftershocks become even more potent when Jagged Ground is stacked or increased, making this a powerful synergy.
2. Shockwave Totem + Jagged Ground
Another exciting combo is the Shockwave Totem, which is an attack-based skill rather than a spell. Shockwave Totem can trigger the Jagged Ground explosions when positioned on top of it. This creates a dual-hit effect where the Shockwave Totem slam hits twice, once dealing area-of-effect (AoE) damage from the Slam itself, and again triggering Jagged Ground's explosive damage.
By timing your Earthquake properly and having it create Jagged Ground before the Shockwave Totem slams, you can trigger an immediate explosion, causing a devastating one-two punch. This method not only speeds up the aftershock but also amplifies the damage with the help of Jagged Ground.
Stacking Jagged Ground: The True Power
The most intriguing aspect of Jagged Ground is its potential to stack. Unlike in previous Path of Exile iterations, multiple instances of Jagged Ground can potentially overlap and interact with one another. This stacking mechanic opens up huge possibilities for damage boosts and crowd control. Here's how it works:
1. Stacking Jagged Ground with Slam Skills
Jagged Ground can be linked to any slam skill, which means every slam creates a new patch of Jagged Ground. This leads to the possibility of creating multiple patches of Jagged Ground that can stack and increase in size and effect. For example, Stampede, a slam skill, not only generates more Jagged Ground patches as it moves forward but also explodes all patches at the end of the slam.
When multiple instances of Jagged Ground stack together, they can potentially cause massive AoE explosions. If multiple slam attacks trigger Jagged Ground in the same area, they could lead to increased damage and slower movement for enemies across a large area, essentially trapping enemies in an explosive death zone.
2. Ancestral Warrior Totem + Jagged Ground
The Ancestral Warrior Totem is another powerful tool in the Jagged Ground arsenal. This totem uses a slam skill (similar to Earthbreaker from Path of Exile 1) that can either generate Jagged Ground or trigger it if already created by another skill. Using multiple totems that trigger Earthquake can lead to an endless cycle of Jagged Ground explosions.
By having two Ancestral Warrior Totems, each using Earthquake, you can bypass the normal cooldown limit that restricts the number of aftershocks a player can trigger. With two totems, each will create its own instance of Earthquake, which will then explode Jagged Ground multiple times.
Furthermore, you can stack additional sources of Jagged Ground through Stampede or other slam skills, causing the explosions to ramp up in intensity and frequency. This setup creates constant explosions and AoE damage that can overwhelm both bosses and large groups of enemies.
The Potential Strength of Stacked Jagged Grounds
Given how Jagged Ground can stack, the power of this mechanic can be considered potentially broken (or "bonkers"). Here's why:
Explosive Damage: With the right skills, you could easily set up a constant barrage of explosions that deal massive AoE damage. The more patches of Jagged Ground you create, the larger the damage potential.
Crowd Control: In addition to the damage, Jagged Ground also slows enemies significantly. This means you can trap enemies in a zone where they not only take constant damage but also struggle to move, making it easier to handle large groups.
Synergies with Multiple Skills: The fact that Jagged Ground can interact with multiple skills like Earthquake, Stampede, Shockwave Totem, and Ancestral Warrior Totem allows for endless possibilities. These synergies create powerful combos that can be tailored to fit different playstyles.
FAQs
1. What is Jagged Ground in Path of Exile 2?
Jagged Ground is a new ground effect mechanic introduced in Path of Exile 2. It primarily serves to slow down enemy movement and can also explode when triggered by other skills, dealing damage in the process. This effect adds an extra layer of complexity to gameplay, especially for builds focused on slam skills and area-of-effect damage.
2. How does Jagged Ground trigger damage?
Jagged Ground's damage is triggered by skills that interact with it. For example, skills like Earthquake or Shockwave Totem can create or explode Jagged Ground, dealing damage to enemies within its area of effect. The damage output can be affected by the skill that created the Jagged Ground or the skill that caused it to explode.
3. Can Jagged Ground stack?
Yes, Jagged Ground can stack in Path of Exile 2. Multiple instances of Jagged Ground can overlap, creating more patches of the effect on the ground. These stacked patches increase the area of effect and can potentially trigger multiple explosions, which results in higher damage and more effective crowd control.
4. What skills work well with Jagged Ground?
Several slam-based skills and totems synergize well with Jagged Ground:
Earthquake: The aftershock damage is tied to Jagged Ground, making it stronger when stacked or enhanced.
Shockwave Totem: This skill can trigger Jagged Ground explosions when placed on top of it, creating a double-hit effect—one from the slam and another from the Jagged Ground explosion.
Stampede: A slam skill that creates multiple patches of Jagged Ground and causes them to explode at the end of the slam animation.
Ancestral Warrior Totem: These totems can use a slam skill to create or trigger Jagged Ground, allowing for consistent explosions from Earthquake or other skills.
5. Is Jagged Ground only for melee builds?
While Jagged Ground is most effective with slam-based skills and melee builds, its potential can extend to any build that uses skills capable of creating or interacting with the effect. Players focusing on slam attacks, totems, or AoE damage can use Jagged Ground well, especially in melee-focused builds like the warrior or berserker.
6. Can I use multiple totems to trigger Jagged Ground?
You can use multiple Ancestral Warrior Totems to trigger Jagged Ground explosions. Each totem can create its own instance of Earthquake or another slam skill, which allows you to bypass the usual cooldown between aftershocks and create a constant barrage of explosions. This setup is especially effective if you want to maintain high damage output and control over the battlefield.
7. How does the stacking mechanic affect gameplay?
Stacking Jagged Ground allows you to create large explosions that deal massive AoE damage. This stacking effect can also slow down enemies within its area, making it a powerful tool for controlling crowds. You can design devastating combos that overwhelm enemies and bosses alike by combining skills that create Jagged Ground and those that trigger it.
8. Is Jagged Ground overpowered?
The ability to stack Jagged Ground and trigger multiple explosions certainly seems extremely powerful, especially when used in combination with other skills like Earthquake, Stampede, and Shockwave Totem. While it's hard to say for sure if the mechanic will be overpowered at launch, the potential for high AoE damage and crowd control makes it a strong contender for being one of the most powerful mechanics in Path of Exile 2, especially for melee and slam-based builds.
9. Will Jagged Ground work on bosses?
Yes, Jagged Ground's explosive potential can be extremely useful when facing bosses, as stacked patches can trigger constant damage explosions. Furthermore, the slow effect on enemies trapped within Jagged Ground can make it easier to control boss movements, giving you a tactical advantage. Bosses that spawn adds or have multiple phases may also be especially susceptible to this mechanic.
10. Will there be more ways to enhance Jagged Ground in the game?
While we've seen some initial synergies with Jagged Ground, such as with Earthquake, Shockwave Totem, and Ancestral Warrior Totem, there are likely more ways to enhance or interact with Jagged Ground as the game evolves. Ascendencies, passive skill tree nodes, and future skill gems may further expand the potential of Jagged Ground, making it a flexible and dynamic mechanic in Path of Exile 2.
Based on what we've seen in the early footage and descriptions, stacking Jagged Ground looks like a very strong strategy in Path of Exile 2. The mechanics seem to be designed in such a way that slamming multiple Jagged Ground effects together could lead to devastating explosions, massive AoE damage, and excellent crowd control. If the numbers remain as strong as they appear, this mechanic could be one of the most powerful in the game.
While we'll have to wait for Early Access and the full launch to see how these interactions play out, it's clear that players looking to focus on melee builds or slam-based gameplay should seriously consider incorporating Jagged Ground into their setup. If you're excited for Path of Exile 2's launch, it might be time to start planning your next powerful build around this incredibly versatile mechanic.
Stay tuned, as more information on Jagged Ground and other mechanics will likely emerge soon. With just a few weeks to go before Early Access, players will soon have the chance to experiment with this mechanic firsthand.
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