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PoE 2 Build

[0.5] Witch EDC Levelling

Witch

Starter

0.5 RotA

Creator

By GuyThatDies

Updated on May 29, 2026

May 29, 2026

Build Overview

This is a build guide for purely progressing through campaign and running early maps. The idea is that you swap to another endgame build at that point.

This is one of the best known leveling builds for Infernalist, Blood Mage, and Lich. Top players have been able to complete campaign + interludes in under 4 hours, and reach T15s in under 5 hours using this build.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Great Trash Clear
Great Single Target

Requires Managing 2 Weapon Sets

Build Variants

Level 1-5

Level 6-13

Level 14-57

Level 58+

This is the setup before we get Essence Drain. It can be a bit of a struggle until you reach level 6, but once you do, it's smooth sailing.

Equipment

Level 1-5

Level 6-13

Level 14-57

Level 58+

Set 1

Set 2

Equipment Priority

Vendor Regex:

"(cal|aos|all) spell skills|ile skills|movement"

Weapon: +# Skills > % Inc Damage > Cast Speed > Crit. Make sure you have your weapon/focus on the correct weapon set (Chaos on weapon set 1, Phys on weapon set 2 from level 14 onwards). You can also use a Crossbow with +2 to Projectile Skills if you happen to find one.

Focus: Same as your weapon.

Boots: Movement Speed > Resists / Life / Armour

Rings: Resists / Life

Gloves/Helmet/Body Armour: Resists / Life / Armour

Amulet: +# Skills > Life / Resists

Belt: Rawhide Belt with Resists / Life / Armour

NOTE: If you have a weapon or focus with +# to generic spell skills, make sure to use it for both weapon sets!

Skill Gems

Level 1-5

Level 6-13

Level 14-57

Level 58+

Support Gem Requirements:

Str 0

Dex 0

Int 10

Chaos Bolt

Unearth

Contagion

Entangle

Gem Priority

Your first gem from Renly will be Contagion. With Clearfell's gem, cut Entangle.

Get your first support gem from Areagne in The Grelwood, and cut Unleash. You'll swap this between Entangle and Chaos Bolt for clear / single target respectively.

If you have a strong staff, you can use Lightning Bolt, Firebolt, or Freezing Shards in place of Chaos Bolt.

Tier 1 Support Gem Order:

Unleash for Contagion (or Chaos Bolt for bosses)
Zenith I for Essence Drain
Chain I for Essence Drain
Rapid Casting I for Bonestorm (At level 14)
Corrosion for Ravenous Swarm

Passive Tree

Level 1-5

Level 6-13

Level 14-57

Level 58+

main:

123

set 1:

set 2:

Quest Rewards

Check which quests you’ve completed on your character

Clearfell — Beira of the Rotten Pack

+10% to Cold Resistance

Hunting Grounds — The Crowbell

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Freythorn — The King in the Mists

+30 to Spirit

Ogham Farmlands — Una's Hut

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Ogham Manor — Candlemass, the Living Rite

+20 to maximum Life

Keth — Kabala, Constrictor Queen

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Valley of the Titans — Medallion

30% increased Charm Charges gained

+1 Charm Slot

Deshar — Final Letter

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

The Spires of Deshar — Sisters of Garukhan

+10% to Lightning Resistance

Jungle Ruins — Mighty Silverfist

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

The Venom Crypts — Venom Draught

25% increased Stun Threshold

Jiquani's Machinarium — Blackjaw, the Remnant

+10% to Fire Resistance

The Azak Bog — Ignagduk, the Bog Witch

+30 to Spirit

The Molten Vault — The Molten Vault

Reforging Bench

Aggorat — Blood Sacrifice

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Journey's End — Captain Hartlin

Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Skill Gem(Lv 13)

Delirium Drop

Eye of Hinekora — Navali's Rest

5% increased Maximum Mana

Halls of the Dead — Yama The White

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Halls of the Dead — Tawhoa's Test

+5% to Lightning Resistance

Abandoned Prison — Goddess of Justice

30% increased Life Recovery from Flasks

Halls of the Dead — Tasalio's Test

+5% to Cold Resistance

Halls of the Dead — Ngamahu's Test

+5% to Fire Resistance

Wolvenhold — Oswin, the Dread Warden

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

The Khari Crossing — Akthi and Anundr

Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

The Khari Crossing — Molten Shrine

5% increased Maximum Life

Qimah — Tabana's Pillar

+5% to all Elemental Resistances

Kriar Village — Lythara, the Wayward Spear

+40 to Spirit

Howling Caves — The Abominable Yeti

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

How it Plays

Level 1 to 5:

Cast Contagion on mobs and then kill with Entangle to spread it. For bosses, start with Entangle, attack with Chaos Bolt and recast Entangle when the vine duration expires.

Level 6 to 13:

With Unleash on Contagion, cast Contagion and then kill the contagioned mob with Essence Drain.

For bosses, your rotation is:

Orb of Storms (to shock the boss)
Essence Drain
Chaos Bolt (or the skill of the weapon you're using), until Essence Drain runs out (2-3 casts)

Level 14+:

Trash clear remains the same.

Your boss rotation simplifies to simply casting Bonestorm.

How it Works

Ascendancy:

Go for Demon Form as an Infernalist. If you're playing Blood Mage or Lich in the endgame, I recommend starting out with Demon Form and then respeccing.