PoE2 Patch 0.4.0 Bear Druid Shaman Leveling Guide

Path of Exile 2's 0.4.0 patch, The Last of the Druids, introduces the Fate of the Vaal League with powerful new options for league starters. The Bear-focused Shaman ascendancy stands out for its smooth progression through the campaign, blending rage-fueled slams, explosive area denial, and swift mobility. This build excels early on, scaling effortlessly without heavy investment.

Bookmark this page for quick reference during your campaign runs, and swing by our Path of Exile 2 Item Shop to grab Divine Orbs, Exalted Orbs, crafting currency, rares, uniques, and more to accelerate your gearing.

Starting Skill Rotations for Acts 1-3

Kick off by equipping the Bear Talisman to unlock your core attack: Maul. This delivers consistent hits that build five stacks of rage per enemy struck, fueling your damage output right from the outset.

Pair it with Furious Slam as your primary area-of-effect clearer. This skill devastates packs around you, and reaching ten rage triggers an empowered version for extra punch. To amplify clears, drop Volcano—ideally twice via Overabundance support—then circle back with Furious Slam. The slams trigger volcanic eruptions, spraying projectiles across screens for chain reactions.

In Act 2 onward, slot in Shockwave Totem. Position Volcanoes and the totem, then Furious Slam to proc Jagged Ground from enraged slams—totems detonate it for amplified coverage. This rotation carries you fluidly through early acts.

Enhancing Mobility Through Form Shifts

Even with a Bear Talisman equipped, access Wolf form skills for traversal. Pounce leaps forward, temporarily shifting you to Wolf for rapid dashes without locking out Bear attacks. Spam it between fights to shave minutes off campaign pacing—shift back to Bear mid-leap if needed for instant damage.

This hybrid approach keeps momentum high, especially pre-Rampage. Always weave Pounce for gap-closing and escapes.

Level 14 Upgrade to Fissure Generation

At level 14, swap Maul for Fury of the Mountain. This generates fissures on use, replacing raw rage gen with terrain-based explosions. Drop Volcano or activate your totem, strike Fury of the Mountain, then follow with Furious Slam (or later Rampage) to chain fissure procs.

Fine-Tuning Supports for Sustain and Damage

Prioritize Aftershock on Furious Slam for a 25% chance at follow-up quakes, stacking seamlessly with its base effects. For rage without dedicated generators, link Rage support directly—three slams yield nine stacks, four hit twelve for auto-enraged procs. This "lazy" setup lets you spam Furious Slam endlessly.

Volcano thrives with Overabundance for the double cast, plus Concentrated Effect (tier 2) once available for tighter, deadlier bursts. Shockwave Totem pairs with Overabundance too, erupting Jagged Ground reliably.

Fury of the Mountain uses basic links: Rage, Upheaval, and Rapid Attacks (or Multistrike equivalent) for speed and uptime. Maul, if lingering, gets Rapid Attacks + Rage. Pounce benefits from Mark for Death (tier 2) and Rapid Attacks to leap faster and mark for single-target bursts.

Spirit Gem Sequence for Early Sustain

Begin with Herald of Ash—simple to maintain, boosting fire trails for passive clear speed. Skip heavy investment; it's disposable early.

Transition to Clarity for spirit reservation and Cannibalism for life recovery. Unlock Time of Need higher up: it pulses blessings for regeneration and ailment/curse immunity, shining in boss phases.

Passive Tree Path for Balanced Growth

Druid's starting position in PoE2 0.4 offers robust early clusters tailored for Bear Shaman. Begin leftward for essential area damage, area effect amplification, and life regeneration nodes—these provide immediate clear speed and sustain without detours.

Briefly pivot right for mana management if costs spike, securing Blood Rush and Price of Freedom. Core progression targets Warrior-adjacent Smash for melee prowess against stunned heavies, then descends to Singular Purpose—vital for two-handed Talisman scaling—and Crushing Verdict for overwhelming physical output.

Exploit new 0.4 nodes leftward: Impact Force into Feral Force and Battle Trance to cap maximum rage efficiently. Endgame veers right for Momentum and Light on Your Feet (attack/movement speed), Adrenaline Rush, and Gem Enthusiast for skill level boosts. Constricting Command enhances surrounded damage, even post-nerf (now 1-enemy minimum).

Prioritize Sigil of Fire early (Volcano synergy), transitioning to Sigil of Ice for Herald setups. Physical leech as mana on rings negates blood magic needs; Vaal Pact viable with life leech for burst.

Refund expected post-0.4 tree overhaul—monitor top ladders on poe.ninja for adaptations.

Gear Priorities for Campaign Efficiency

Simplicity defines Bear Shaman gearing: chase raw physical DPS on Talismans, upgrading every notable bump—Cold-converting bases shine for Herald of Ice clears via Polcirkeln ring. Stack +1 melee skill levels on gloves and amulet (non-negotiable for scaling), physical damage to attacks on rings, and high armor/life belts.

Body armor prioritizes bases converting to elemental mitigation; boots lock movement speed. Helmet: Constricting Command for surround bonuses (test 1-enemy limit). Rings: one Polcirkeln early, other for phys/ele flats, leech (life/mana), resistances. Amulet: +melee levels. Vendor search: \d+% i.+mov|^+.*ills$|ck spe for MS boots, skill levels, attack speed.

Ngamahu's Chosen accelerates rage cap. Berserk demands leech rings to counter drain.

Ascendancy Order for Rage Mastery

Shaman ascendancy unlocks post-Lab 1 (Act 3 trials). Lock in this sequence for seamless rage uptime and elemental hybrid power.

• Druidic Champion: Rage-to-spell damage conversion juices Volcano early, bridging melee-spell gap.

• Furious Wellspring: Max rage pool, regen, starting rage on skills—tag Rage supports on mains to nullify costs. Essential for Rampage sustain.

• Wisdom of the Manji: Rune/idol buffs explode DPS; superior to alternatives for consistent output.

• Reactive Growth: 10% less ele damage, stackable Adaptations (3x, durationless) for god-tier defenses. Flex to Sacred Flow only if spirit-starved (rare with Clarity).

Test post-patch; ladders favor this for league start viability.

Mid-to-Late Campaign Movement Shift

As you push through Acts 3-6, Rampage becomes your go-to for blazing through packs and maps, unlocking around level 11. This channeled dash propels you forward at near-sprint speeds while repeatedly slamming the ground, devouring rage but auto-clearing enemies in your path—perfect for maintaining momentum without stopping. Sustain it effortlessly as a Shaman thanks to Furious Wellspring's regeneration (up to 6% max rage per second, scaling with mana mods), letting you chain it indefinitely post-ascendancy. Layer in Volcano setups beforehand for bonus eruptions during the rampage, or activate Walking Calamity (unlocks ~level 13-52) for a 10-second meteor barrage that overlaps with your slams, converting phys to fire and leaving ignited trails.

Pounce remains essential for initial engages or skips, temporarily borrowing Wolf form without disrupting your Bear talisman. Pop Ferocious Roar to instantly refill rage near foes and empower attacks against armored bosses. For bosses, toggle Berserk at 55-60 rage (90%+ more damage, offset by built-in leech) but deactivate during clears to avoid life drain—pair with phys leech on rings. Link Momentum and Heft (Fist of War II) to Rampage for permanent 40% more damage after short travel and 35% melee phys boost.

This setup dominates the campaign's end, blending speed, clear, and single-target without gear chases.

FAQs on PoE 2 Druild and Shaman Leveling

Why is Bear Shaman such a solid league starter for 0.4 Fate of the Vaal?

Bear Shaman ramps up fast with zero rare dependencies, leveraging rage for explosive AoE clears via Furious Slam and Volcano triggers, while Rampage delivers non-stop pack melting and boss pressure. Its tankiness shines through armor stacking, Reactive Growth adaptations (up to 4% less ele dmg per type), and self-sustaining rage regen from Furious Wellspring—no mana issues thanks to mana-to-rage scaling on rings. You'll blast through the campaign in under 8 hours, hit maps smoothly, and scale to T16s on 5-10 divines, making it ideal for new leagues without currency sinks.

When exactly should I swap Maul for Fury of the Mountain, and what's the big upgrade?

Switch precisely at level 14 when Fury unlocks—Maul's direct 4-5 rage per hit gets outclassed by Fury's fissure generation, which procs explosions on your slams and Rampage for better AoE coverage without losing gen speed. Link Fury to Rage I, Upheaval I, and Rapid Attacks I for seamless uptime, transitioning your combo from Maul → Furious Slam to Fury → Rampage/Slam. This shift supercharges mid-acts, especially over Volcanoes, and frees sockets for totems or Pounce.

How can I keep rage flowing without spamming a dedicated generator every time?

Link Rage support (I or II) directly to Furious Slam—every 3-4 slams nets 9-12 stacks passively, auto-enraged at 10+ for Jagged Ground procs that totems detonate. Post-Druidic Champion, Furious Slam self-generates via spell synergies, while Furious Wellspring halts decay and adds 6%+ regen/sec (boosted by mana on gear). Top off with Ferocious Roar near packs or Ngamahu's Chosen unique for instant max—lets you Rampage endlessly without Maul/Fury interruptions.

Can I still use Pounce for mobility even if my talisman is Bear-focused?

Absolutely—Pounce pulls from Wolf skills seamlessly, no form lockout; just cast to leap forward (5s CD, marks for bonus dmg via wolf summons), then revert to Bear mid-air for instant slams. It's your Acts 3-6 gap-closer and skip tool, linking Rapid Attacks I + Marked for Death for snappier casts and single-target bursts. Hybrid access keeps you faster than pure Bear without respec, shining pre-Rampage and for chaff-skipping in dense maps.

What's the top spirit gem pick for early leveling in this build?

Kick off with Herald of Ash (or Ice with Polcirkeln ring for shatter chains)—low investment, effortless fire/ice trails boost clears without leveling grind. Mid-campaign, slot Clarity + Cannibalism for spirit/life sustain, then Time of Need for boss-healing pulses, ailment immunity, and curse clears. Attrition (30 spirit) is a damage flex if skipping Berserk, offering 20-60% more DPS and cull—swap based on phases, prioritizing Herald early for speed.

Which passive clusters do I rush first on the Druid tree?

From Druid start, grab left-side area damage/effect + life regen for dual offense/defense, then dip right for mana (Blood Rush/Price of Freedom if pinched). Push Warrior for Smash (melee vs stunned), Singular Purpose/Crushing Verdict (2H talisman powerhouses), and new 0.4 rage wheels like Vengeful Fury (+11 on-hit). Late: Momentum/Light on Your Feet/Adrenaline Rush for Rampage speed—250+ new NW nodes make it flexible; import from PoB post-patch.

Is the Shaman ascendancy order super strict, or can I tweak it?

Lock the core: 1. Druidic Champion (Volcano spell amp via rage), 2. Furious Wellspring (no decay, regen, max rage—Rampage enabler), 3. Reactive Growth (stackable ele mitigation). Fourth flexes: Wisdom of the Manji for rune/idol DPS ramps, or Sacred Flow if spirit-starved (empty charm slot). Avoid early Avatar of Evolution due to durations; test post-league start, but first three are non-negotiable for leveling flow.

How often do I need to upgrade my talisman weapon while leveling?

Every single DPS bump—talismans are your damage core (phys/cold flats, +melee levels), so vendor/shop relentlessly for higher rolls; aim 20-30% gains per swap. Prioritize two-handers with phys > ele > skill levels; upgrade 5-10x per act to steamroll bosses. Late-campaign, chase Ngamahu's Chosen for max rage pops—keeps you ahead without sidegrades.

Thanks for Reading

Stay tuned to MMOJUGG for ongoing Fate of the Vaal League updates.

Path of Exile 2 Boss Mastery Guides

To assist Exiles in successfully advancing across the new continent of Wraeclast, we have compiled essential Boss Mastery Guides for every Act and Interlude in Path of Exile 2. Below is the complete list of Boss Mastery Guides:

Act 1 Boss | Act 2 Boss | Act 3 Boss | Act 4 Boss | Ogham Interlude | Kriar Interlude | Vastiri Interlude