PoE 2 Lich Ascendancy Skills: Unholy Might, Curse, Non-Channeling Spells

The Lich Ascendancy is a powerful class for the Witch in Path of Exile 2, focused on harnessing the forces of death to enhance both personal and ally strength. With abilities that offer potent curses, enhanced damage, and unique mechanics like sacrificing life or energy shield for greater power, the Lich is a force to be reckoned with. This guide breaks down the key skills and effects of the Lich Ascendancy, providing you with the details needed to master this class and dominate your enemies.

List of PoE 2 Lich Ascendancy Skills

The Lich is a class that has merged with death, unlocking immense power at a cost. She can apply multiple curses that ignore Hexproof and cause enemies to explode upon death, consume power charges to boost her damage, and grant herself and her allies Unholy Might, as long as she manages her Mana. She can also transform a jewel into a Crystalline Phylactery, boosting its modifiers at the expense of not having an energy shield, and use Energy Shield to amplify her spells. Soulless Form introduces a new way for Life/ES hybrid builds to scale Mana regeneration, while Eternal Life locks her Life value when Energy Shield is active.

Mastering the Lich Ascendancy in Path of Exile 2 offers exciting opportunities for players to dominate the battlefield through powerful curses, enhanced damage, and unique synergies. Whether you're focusing on maximizing your energy shield, utilizing unholy might, or experimenting with different power combinations, the Lich provides numerous ways to customize your playstyle. As you build and refine your Lich character, don’t forget that acquiring the right PoE 2 Currency can be essential in obtaining the necessary items and upgrades to fully realize the potential of your build.

Unholy Might

Unholy Might is a Buff that grants 30% of all damage as extra Chaos Damage.

The following Ascendancy passive skills are related to Unholy Might:

• Necromantic Conduit: You and Allies in your Presence have Unholy Might while you are not on Low Mana. Lose 5% of Mana per Second.
• Blackened Heart: 4% increased Magnitude of Unholy Might buffs you grant per 100 maximum Mana.

Curse

Curses are debuffs that impose a negative effect on the target, weakening them. By default, the player can apply a maximum of one Curse at a time.

Hexproof

Hexproof grants Unaffected by Curses.

Non-Channeling Spells

Non-Channeling Spells are a category of skills that do not require players to hold down the skill to maintain its effect. Unlike Channeling skills, which involve holding the key to continue casting or powering up the skill, Non-Channeling Spells are used instantly with a single activation. These skills usually have a fixed cast time or duration and do not require any ongoing input once activated, making them more straightforward to use.

In Path of Exile, the distinction between Channeling and Non-Channeling spells is important for optimizing gameplay, as each type has its own advantages. Non-Channeling Spells can be cast rapidly in quick succession, allowing for more reactive play. This can be beneficial in situations where speed is critical, and players need to unleash a burst of power without having to maintain constant focus on holding down a key.

On the other hand, Channeling Spells require the player to actively manage the duration of the skill by holding the button down. This can result in stronger or longer-lasting effects, but it also limits flexibility, as the player cannot perform other actions while channeling. Non-Channeling Spells are more versatile in this regard, as they allow players to maintain their mobility and defense while still casting powerful abilities.

Furthermore, Non-Channeling Spells are less demanding on the player's concentration, as they don’t require precise timing for power accumulation or release. This makes them easier to use for players who prefer a more straightforward, less complex approach to combat. However, some Non-Channeling Spells might require more strategic positioning or careful timing for optimal impact, especially when targeting multiple enemies or applying debuffs.

Energy Shield

Energy Shield (ES) is one of the three primary defensive layers available to characters in Path of Exile, alongside Life and Armor. It serves as an additional buffer of protection, providing extra "hit points" that must be depleted before any damage can affect the player's Life. The core benefit of Energy Shield is that it recharges over time, provided the player has not taken any damage to their Energy Shield or Life for a short period. This makes it a dynamic form of defense, offering a means of recovery in between engagements if the player can avoid taking continuous hits.

One of the defining characteristics of Energy Shield is that it acts as a buffer against damage, absorbing the first hits that would normally affect the player's Life. However, unlike Life, Energy Shield has the ability to regenerate automatically after a brief delay if no damage is taken. This makes it particularly useful for builds that rely on energy shield as a defensive layer, allowing for effective recovery and sustainability during prolonged combat.

Despite its benefits, Energy Shield does have its vulnerabilities. Certain types of damage bypass Energy Shield altogether. For example, Bleeding and Poison damage do not interact with Energy Shield and instead affect Life directly, meaning players relying heavily on ES will need to be cautious of these damage-over-time effects. Furthermore, Chaos damage is especially dangerous for Energy Shield users, as it deals double damage to Energy Shield, potentially bypassing the defense much faster than other damage types.

Energy Shield provides a flexible defense option but also requires careful management. For builds that focus on Energy Shield, it's crucial to balance the acquisition of high Energy Shield values with the ability to recharge it quickly, as losing Energy Shield without proper regeneration can leave the player exposed to more direct threats. Combining Energy Shield with Life, Armor, or other forms of defense can provide a robust and resilient character, but players must also be mindful of specific damage types that can exploit the weaknesses of Energy Shield.