PoE 2 0.2.0 New Witch Ascendancy Lich Guide

[DevinJ]

If you’re a Path of Exile 2 Witch main and haven’t tried the Lich Ascendancy yet, you’re missing out on the most unhinged, chaos-spamming playstyle this side of Wraeclast. This guide dives deep into the Lich’s soul-shattering mechanics, cursed synergies, and how to farm PoE2 Currency without losing your sanity. Buckle up—this isn’t your grandma’s summoner build.

Why the Lich Ascendancy?
The Lich is for players who want to break the game’s rules. Forget minions—this Ascendancy turns you into a walking apocalypse, leveraging chaos damage, curses, and a risky Energy Shield/Mana loop that rewards aggressive play. Think of it as a hybrid between a dark sorcerer and a glass cannon, where every spell cast could either nuke a boss or leave you scrambling for flask charges.

Key reasons to go Lich:

Chaos Damage Overload: Convert physical damage to chaos, bypassing armor.
Curse Domination: Stack multiple curses to debilitate enemies.
Energy Shield Gambles: Sacrifice defense for insane spell damage multipliers.
Lich Mechanics Decoded: Curses, Chaos, and Calculated Risks
1. Necromantic Conduit: Your Presence is a Death Sentence
The Lich’s signature node, Necromantic Conduit, turns your mere existence into a debuff zone. Allies (including minions) in your Presence (a 6m radius) gain Unholy Might, converting 100% of their physical damage to chaos and applying Withered on hit
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.

Pro tip: Pair with Summon Phantasm for minions that shred bosses with chaos damage.
Trade-off: Lose 5% mana per second. Manage this with Clarity auras or mana flasks.
2. Rupture the Soul: Explode Enemies Like Piñatas
Killing cursed enemies has a 33% chance to make them explode, dealing 25% of their max life as chaos damage
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. This synergizes perfectly with:

Temporal Chains: Slow enemies to cluster them for chain explosions.
Despair: Amplify chaos damage taken.
Playstyle note: Play like a pyromaniac—ignite one enemy and let the chain reactions clear entire packs.
3. Eldritch Empowerment: High Risk, Higher Rewards
This node turns Energy Shield (ES) into a resource for spellcasting:

Non-channeling spells cost 3% of max ES but deal 30% more damage.
Key trick: Use Wicked Ward to sustain ES recharge mid-combat.
Warning: Glass cannon alert! Stack ES recovery via Discipline or Zealot’s Oath.
Skill Setup: Curses, Chaos, and Controlled Carnage
Core Skills
Soulrend (Chaos DoT + Homing Projectile):

Links: Efficacy (DoT boost), Unleash (stack projectiles), Void Manipulation.
Why it works: Melts bosses while you focus on dodging.
Bane (Curse AoE Detonator):

Links: Despair, Temporal Chains, Increased Area of Effect.
Synergy: Applies curses for Rupture the Soul explosions
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Essence Drain (Sustain + Damage):

Links: Controlled Destruction, Swift Affliction, Energy Leech.
Lich secret: Use Energy Leech to offset ES costs from Eldritch Empowerment.
Defensive Skills
Withering Step: Dodge mechanics + applies Withered stacks.
Steelskin: Mitigates burst damage when ES drops.
Gearing Priorities: From Budget to Endgame
Weapons
Void Sceptre: Prioritize +% chaos damage and spell crit.
Cane of Unravelling (unique): Boosts chaos DoT and spell damage—worth farming PoE2 Currency for.
Armor
Incandescent Heart (unique chest): Converts 25% elemental damage to chaos and boosts ES.
Sin Trek (boots): Chaos resistance + movement speed.
Jewels & Flasks
Megalomaniac (medium cluster): Hunt for Unholy Grace (chaos damage leech) or Wicked Pall (curse effect).
Atziri’s Promise (unique flask): Chaos damage boost + leech.
No luck with drops? Check SSEGold for reliable poe 2 orbs trades—no scams, just pure chaos.

Playstyle Breakdown: Early Game to Uber Bosses
Leveling (Acts 1-5)
Start with Freezing Pulse: Transition to chaos skills once you unlock Necromantic Conduit.
Farm Tabula Rasa: Use Blood Aqueduct runs to get a 6-link early.
Mapping (T1-T16)
Layer curses first: Cast Bane to apply Despair/Temporal Chains, then Soulrend for clean-up.
Abuse Explosions: Let Rupture the Soul clear trash while you focus on rares.
Endgame (Pinnacle Bosses)
Maven Fight Strategy:
Pre-cast Withering Step to dodge initial beams.
Drop Bane on adds to trigger explosions.
Sustain ES with Energy Leech + Discipline.
Gear swap: Use Presence of Chayula amulet to avoid stun locks.
Currency Farming Tips for the Lich
Targeted Farming
Delirium Mirrors: Chaos clusters drop Chaos Orbs and Blessed Orbs like candy.
Blighted Maps: Stack Golden Oils for annointing Corruption (extra curse).
Crafting Priorities
ES + Chaos Damage Hybrid Gear: Use Dense Fossils on ES bases.
Curse Effect Helmets: Essence craft with Essence of Delirium.
Final Verdict: Is the Lich Ascendancy Worth It?
Yes—if you hate playing safe. The Lich demands aggressive positioning, curse management, and a love for chaos-themed explosions. It’s squishy but rewards skill with unmatched clear speed and boss-melting potential.

Who Should Play the Lich?
Veterans: Master the ES/Mana balancing act.
Chaos Enthusiasts: Bypass armor and watch tanks crumble.
Curse Stackers: Apply 3+ curses to turn bosses into piñatas.