Path of Exile 2: Essential Early Game Tips for the Witch Class – Don’t Make These Mistakes!

In Path of Exile 2, the Witch class offers a fascinating playstyle with a wide variety of abilities, from powerful summoning skills to devastating spells. However, new players often make the mistake of focusing too heavily on summoning minions early in the game, which can be frustrating, especially when facing challenging bosses or large groups of enemies. In this article, we’ll dive into why focusing on minions may not be the best choice for the Witch in the early stages of Path of Exile 2, and what strategies you should prioritize instead.

Why Minions Are Not the Best Early Game Choice

Minions are a central aspect of the Witch class, particularly for players looking to summon powerful skeleton warriors or snipers. However, the reality is that these early minions are not nearly as effective as you might hope. While they become more powerful as the game progresses, they tend to fall short in early-game boss fights and against large groups of enemies. Minions struggle with survivability and damage output during these early stages, leaving you to handle the majority of the heavy lifting.

For many players, this can result in frustration, as their summoned minions may quickly be overwhelmed or fail to deal significant damage. In fact, for early game progression, relying on your minions is often inefficient and doesn’t provide the support needed for survival.

Focus on Spells for Better Progression

Instead of focusing on minions, consider shifting your Witch’s abilities to spellcasting. Early in the game, spells offer a far more reliable and effective way to deal with enemies and bosses. Fortunately, the Witch’s passive skill tree makes this transition relatively easy, as nodes that increase minion damage often also boost spell damage. This means you can adapt your build to focus on spells without having to worry about completely redesigning your character.

Several spells are particularly useful in the early game:

• Lightning Bolt (via the Staff of Sparks): This spell allows you to deal consistent damage from a safe distance, making it invaluable for boss fights. Its long range and ability to hit multiple enemies make it especially effective, even in tougher encounters.
• Orb of Storms: This spell is perfect for controlling crowds of enemies. When placed strategically, it creates a shock zone that damages everything within its radius. This is particularly effective against groups of enemies, especially if you can predict their movements and position yourself accordingly.
• Contagion + Essence Drain: This combination is particularly potent when surrounded by enemies. Contagion spreads a debuff to a single enemy, and when that enemy is killed, the debuff transfers to nearby foes. Pair this with Essence Drain, which drains life from the target and spreads it, to take out multiple enemies in quick succession. This is a game-changing strategy when swarmed by large groups.

Enhancing Your Build with Items and Armor

While focusing on spells, it’s important to equip your Witch with the right gear to complement your chosen abilities. The Staff of Sparks should be your go-to weapon in the early game, as it pairs perfectly with the Lightning Bolt skill, allowing you to deal damage from a safe distance. Additionally, Orb of Storms benefits from controlled destruction modifiers, which can enhance your damage output and effectiveness.

When it comes to armor, prioritize survivability. Early on, you’ll want gear that boosts your health and defenses, ensuring you can withstand the onslaught of enemies. At this stage, your armor should be chosen with a focus on survival rather than additional offensive bonuses. As you progress through the game, you can then start to fine-tune your gear for more offensive capabilities.

Don’t Overlook Minions – Just Adjust Your Expectations

While minions are not the best focus for your Witch early on, it’s important not to completely disregard them. For instance, Unearth summons bone minions from corpses, and these minions can actually be quite helpful compared to the standard skeletal warriors. However, minions should be seen as a secondary feature in your build during the early stages.

Minions can still play a role in your build, particularly for crowd control or as a distraction during tough battles. You can use skills like Skeletal Warrior when you switch to your wand, but these should be considered as a supplement to your primary spells, not the core of your strategy.

In the early stages of Path of Exile 2, focusing on spells will give you the best chance at success. Minions, while a fun and iconic aspect of the Witch class, are simply not effective enough early on to warrant a heavy focus. Instead, prioritize skills like Lightning Bolt, Orb of Storms, and the Contagion + Essence Drain combo to deal with large groups of enemies and bosses. Once you’ve gotten through the early game, you can then experiment with minions and build a more balanced Witch character.

Remember, early game success in Path of Exile 2 is about adaptability. Make the right choices now, and you’ll pave the way for a more powerful Witch as you progress. Stay focused on spells, optimize your gear, and you’ll be well-equipped to handle whatever challenges come your way.