The Path of Exile universe has always been defined by its ever-expanding arsenal of skills, gems, and modifiers that allow players to customize their builds in truly unique ways. With the release of Path of Exile 2, one of the most exciting additions is the introduction of new support gems, and among these, the Volcanic Eruption Support Gem stands out. This new support gem not only opens up new build possibilities but also introduces a powerful interaction with fire-based mechanics that is sure to delight players who love to watch the screen explode with fiery chaos.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into the mechanics of the Volcanic Eruption Support Gem, explore how it enhances gameplay, and discuss how players can best utilize this gem to craft devastating builds in PoE 2. Additionally, we’ll touch on the new POE2 Currency system and its role in boosting builds and supporting the economy in the game.

What Is the Volcanic Eruption Support Gem?

The Volcanic Eruption support gem is a fire-based support gem introduced in the PoE 2 0.2.0 patch. It supports melee strike skills and provides an exciting new synergy between strikes and fire damage. When you strike an enemy that is ignited, the gem triggers a volcanic eruption, dealing additional fire damage in an area around the target.

The support gem has a few key characteristics:

Tags: Attack, AoE, Melee, Strike, Projectile, Trigger, Fire.

Cost Multiplier: 120%.

Support Requirements: +5 Strength (for level 1 of the gem).

Mechanics: Supported melee strikes trigger a volcanic eruption on hitting ignited enemies, dealing significant fire damage.

The idea behind the Volcanic Eruption gem is simple: enhance melee strike skills by linking them to a powerful fire-based effect that triggers whenever you hit an ignited enemy. This synergy with fire damage means that builds which focus on igniting enemies, like Fire Strike, Elemental Damage, or Ignite-focused melee builds, can use this gem to add significant AoE damage in the form of fiery eruptions.

How Does It Work?

To better understand how the Volcanic Eruption Support Gem works, let’s break down its functionality into key components.

Ignition: The Volcanic Eruption Support Gem relies on the condition that the target is ignited. Ignition is a status effect caused by fire damage, and once an enemy is ignited, they continue to burn for a period of time, taking fire damage. There are numerous ways to ignite enemies in PoE, such as using fire-based skills, elemental conversion, or specific items that cause fire damage over time.

Triggering the Eruption: Once the enemy is ignited, supported melee strike skills will trigger the volcanic eruption. This eruption causes a burst of fire damage in an area around the target. This makes it highly effective in clearing packs of enemies or dealing extra damage to bosses with multiple ignited adds. The eruption does not need to directly hit the ignited enemy—it occurs in an area, dealing splash damage to all nearby targets.

Area of Effect (AoE): The eruption’s AoE is another powerful feature. It allows the player to affect multiple enemies at once, especially in melee-heavy scenarios where you are often surrounded by mobs. This synergizes well with melee skills that already focus on area damage, such as Cleave, Cyclone, or Earthquake.

Scaling with Fire Damage: As with any fire-based mechanic, the Volcanic Eruption's effectiveness can be boosted by scaling your fire damage stats. Items, passive tree nodes, and flasks that increase fire damage or ignite damage will further enhance the eruptions, making them not only a fun spectacle but also a core part of your damage output.

PoE 2 Currency and Volcanic Eruption: As PoE 2 introduces new currency items, it will be essential to consider how PoE 2 currency can aid in crafting your perfect volcanic eruption build. New crafting tools allow players to enhance their gear with specific affixes or modifiers that boost fire damage, ignite effects, or even increase the likelihood of triggering volcanic eruptions. The currency system plays an important role in upgrading gear and ensuring that your Volcanic Eruption setup reaches its full potential.

Synergies with Existing Mechanics and Skills

The Volcanic Eruption Support Gem thrives in builds that focus on fire and ignite mechanics. Let’s take a look at a few key synergies:

Ignite Builds: As previously mentioned, any build that revolves around igniting enemies can leverage the power of the Volcanic Eruption gem. Consider combining this gem with Fireball, Flameblast, or Scorching Ray, all of which can easily ignite enemies. Once you hit an ignited enemy with a melee strike, the eruption will trigger, adding a powerful secondary fire damage source.

Elemental Conversion: Some builds convert physical damage into elemental damage, which can help enable the ignition mechanic for Volcanic Eruption. For example, Elemental Hit with a focus on fire damage or using Avatar of the Fire passive to convert all your damage into fire will synergize well with the gem.

Fire-based Auras: Utilizing fire-based auras such as Anger or Flammability will increase your overall fire damage, making both your strikes and the volcanic eruptions far more potent. These auras can increase the rate at which enemies are ignited and ensure that the volcanic eruptions trigger more frequently.

Melee Strike Skills: Since Volcanic Eruption supports melee strike skills, you’ll want to pair it with powerful melee abilities that can deal consistent hits to ignited enemies. Skills like Cyclone, Vaal Ground Slam, Cleave, and Reave all offer fast and consistent melee damage that can trigger the volcanic eruptions while simultaneously taking advantage of the area of effect damage.

How to Maximize Your Volcanic Eruption Build

When crafting a Volcanic Eruption build, there are several factors to consider:

Fire Damage Scaling: Since the eruptions deal fire damage, it’s crucial to scale your fire damage output. Look for passive tree nodes that boost fire damage, ignite damage, and elemental damage. Items like Fire Damage Over Time Multiplier can significantly improve the eruptions’ damage.

Increased Ignite Chance: Increasing the chance to ignite enemies can be important to ensure that your strikes reliably trigger volcanic eruptions. Look for Chance to Ignite modifiers or use items that enhance ignite chances.

Attack Speed: Increasing your attack speed will not only improve the damage of your melee strikes but also trigger volcanic eruptions more frequently. Fast melee skills like Cyclone or Whirling Blades that hit quickly are particularly effective.

Area of Effect (AoE) Scaling: Since Volcanic Eruption’s damage has an AoE component, investing in AoE damage can increase the reach and effectiveness of the eruption. This is especially useful when clearing large packs of enemies.

Flasks and Buffs: Use flasks that increase your fire damage or ignite damage, and consider utilizing buffs like Anger or Concentrated Effect for added fire damage.

Conclusion

The Volcanic Eruption Support Gem represents an exciting new direction for fire-focused builds in Path of Exile 2. By supporting melee strikes with explosive volcanic eruptions, this gem brings a unique synergy to builds that focus on igniting enemies. Whether you’re playing a traditional fire damage build, an ignite-centric melee character, or even a hybrid of both, the Volcanic Eruption Support Gem offers explosive potential.

With the new Path of Exile 2 Currency system enriching crafting and trading opportunities, players can fine-tune their Volcanic Eruption builds to unlock their full potential. As PoE 2 continues to evolve, this gem will undoubtedly become a staple in many fiery, explosive builds that players will use to lay waste to the denizens of Wraeclast.

If you’re looking to craft the ultimate fire-based melee character in PoE 2, the Volcanic Eruption Support Gem is an essential addition to your arsenal. Get ready to watch your enemies burn as volcanic eruptions transform your playstyle into something truly spectacular!