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PoE 2 Build

[0.5] ED Contagion Lich League Starter (Level 1 to Endgame)

presentationWitch
presentationLich
Verified
End Game
Starter
Speed Leveling
0.5 RotA
By DEADRABB1T
LIVE
Updated on Jun 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026

Build Overview

This Build is an Endgame Setup for the Lich Ascendancy and one of the best League Starters due to its extremely good defensive layers, overall tankyness and simple and satisfying Gameplay while still being able to deal high amounts of sustained Damage even on a lower investment Level.

Although it is mostly suited and optimized for the Witch Class and Lich Ascendancy, it can absolutely be played by any other Class or Ascendancy to easily get through Campaign and into early Endgame as fast and smooth as possible.

Soulless Form, Atziri's Disdain and Heavy Buffer give this Build an out of the gate damage mitigation of 25% with the use of the core Ascendancy Node of Eternal Life. With a big focus on Energy Shield with high ES Bases as our Gear and basically picking up every % increased maximum Energy Shield Node on the Passive Tree, we can easily reach up to and above 10K Energy Shield while also maintaining high Energy Shield recharge rate and a fast start to Energy Shield recharge.

Our main Damage Abilities are Essence Drain with Contagion to spread the Debuff, with also utilizing Dark Effigy paired with Despair for even more clear and good single target DPS.

This Build excels at High Tier Maps, especially with high monster density. With its very simple and efficient rotation of applying Contagion and Essence Drain the Build has amazing clearing capabilities while being extremely tanky and incredibly hard to kill.

Included in this Build Guide are a leveling Setup for using Essence Drain and Contagion through the Campaign and into Endgame, an early Endgame Mapping Setup to get from T1 into T15 Maps and two different high investment Endgame Setups, one using the Low Life Trick to get some advantages from some of the Low Life Bonuses from Execute III, Tecrod's Gaze and Final Barrage and one regular Full Life Setup without the use of that Trick but still going with very high Cast Speed and Energy Shield Recharge.

If you have any Questions or Suggestions about the Build, feel free to tune into my Stream at twitch.tv/DEADRABB1T where I stream every day.

I am always happy to answer any questions that may arise.

Strengths and Weaknesses

  • Simplicity
  • Clearing
  • Survivability
  • Mana Hungry

Build Variants

In Act 1 we start off by using Contagion for Clear and Volcano for Single Target up until we get Essence Drain and later Bonestorm.

Equipment

item
11
item
7
item
5
item
2
item
6
item
8
item
1
item
3
item
9
item
4
item
item
item
Equipment Priority
+11

The biggest Priority in your choice of Weapon (and Focus) should always be the Affixes. Getting as high level of Spell Chaos Skill Levels and Spell Damage as possible is absolutely crucial to make your Campaign Playthrough as smooth as possible.

Getting some Cast Speed on Wand, Focus, Amulet or Rings is also a nice Bonus !

Stat Priority on Gear during Act 1:

  • +Chaos Spell Skills
  • Spell/Chaos Damage
  • Maximum Life
  • Cold Resistance

Check Vendors as often as you can to look for +Chaos Level Wands, Movement Speed for Boots or any other Upgrades you can get (High ES/Armour Gear, Resistances, Maximum Life).

Vendor Regex: "\d.+life|\d+% i.+mov|d Spell D|os D|ell s|m En"

You can copy this RegEx to paste it into the Vendor Search Bar to highlight Gear that you might want. This RegEx will highlight Items with Life, Movement Speed and Spell Levels.

Skill Gems

Support Gem Requirements:

Str 0

Dex 10

Int 30

1

Unearth

2

Contagion

supportunleashplayer
supportmagnifiedareaplayer
3

Volcano

supportburgeonplayer
4

Essence Drain

supportswiftafflictionplayer
supportzenithplayer
5

Ravenous Swarm

supportcorrosionplayer
6

Bonestorm

supportburgeonplayer
supportzenithplayer
Gem Priority
+8

Skill Gem Order:

  • Unearth (Beach)
  • Contagion (Renley Quest)
  • Volcano (LVL 1 Skill Gem from Mysterious Campsite in Clearfell)
  • Essence Drain (LVL 3 Skill Gem from the Rust King in Red Vale)
  • Ravenous Swarm or Withering Presence (Spirit Gem from Freythorn)
  • Bonestorm (LVL 5 Skill Gem from Leitis Quest)

In Act 1 you start off using Contagion to clear with our main Single Target DPS Spell being Volcano up until we get Essence Drain and later Bonestorm.

Support Gem Order:

  • Unleash -> Contagion
  • Swift Affliction I -> Essence Drain
  • Zenith I -> Essence Drain
  • Magnified Area I -> Contagion
  • Corrosion -> Ravenous Swarm or Prolonged Duration I -> Withering Presence
  • Burgeon I -> Bonestorm
  • Zenith I -> Bonestorm

Skill Gem Level Priority:

  • Essence Drain
  • Contagion
  • Bonestorm

Remember to always use your Chaos Bolt if you have a Withered Wand to apply Stacks of Wither to Bosses. You can use Withering Touch and Rapid Casting I on it as well !

Passive Tree

main:
123
123
set 1:
20
20
set 2:
20
20

While Leveling prioritize the Damage Nodes like Potent Incantation, Lingering Horror, Void and Dark Entries. After we get a few of our Items with Energy Shield on it, we can start to also allocate the Energy Shield increasing Nodes like Melding and Heavy Buffer.

Go for Damage first and then slowly start to scale the Energy Shield we are getting throughout the progression of the Campaign.


Ascendancy Order:

  • Soulless Form
  • Eternal Life (even better if we get Atziri's Disdain early and Heavy Buffer)
  • Whispers of Doom)
  • Eldritch Empowerment (only take this when you can actually sustain the ES cost)
  • Crystalline Phylactery

Atlas Tree

For an Atlas Setup once we reach early Endgame and complete the first few Atlas Points, check the T1-T15 Maps Build Variant.

Quest Rewards

Check which quests you’ve completed on your character
Clearfell — Beira of the Rotten Pack
Not Specified1 choice
Hunting Grounds — The Crowbell
Not Specified1 choice
Freythorn — The King in the Mists
Not Specified1 choice
Ogham Farmlands — Una's Hut
Not Specified1 choice
Ogham Manor — Candlemass, the Living Rite
Not Specified1 choice
Keth — Kabala, Constrictor Queen
Not Specified1 choice
Valley of the Titans — Medallion
30% increased Charm Charges gained
+1 Charm Slot
Deshar — Final Letter
Not Specified1 choice
The Spires of Deshar — Sisters of Garukhan
Not Specified1 choice
Jungle Ruins — Mighty Silverfist
Not Specified1 choice
The Venom Crypts — Venom Draught
25% increased Stun Threshold
Jiquani's Machinarium — Blackjaw, the Remnant
Not Specified1 choice
The Azak Bog — Ignagduk, the Bog Witch
Not Specified1 choice
The Molten Vault — The Molten Vault
Not Specified1 choice
Aggorat — Blood Sacrifice
Not Specified1 choice
Journey's End — Captain Hartlin
Not Specified1 choice
Eye of Hinekora — Navali's Rest
Not Specified1 choice
Halls of the Dead — Yama The White
Not Specified1 choice
Halls of the Dead — Tawhoa's Test
+5% to Lightning Resistance
Abandoned Prison — Goddess of Justice
30% increased Mana 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
Not Specified1 choice
The Khari Crossing — Akthi and Anundr
Not Specified1 choice
The Khari Crossing — Molten Shrine
Not Specified1 choice
Qimah — Tabana's Pillar
+5% to all Elemental Resistances
Kriar Village — Lythara, the Wayward Spear
Not Specified1 choice
Howling Caves — The Abominable Yeti
Not Specified1 choice

How it Plays

Campaign Quest Rewards:

  • Act 2: Increased Charm Charges Gained
  • Act3: Stun Threshold
  • Act4: Resistances

Both the Act 4 and Interludes Rewards can be changed at any Time.
Take Life Flask Recovery at first and then change to Mana in the Endgame.

In the Interludes you can take Resistances at first and swap to Movement Speed later on.

Most Important League Mechanic Rewards during Campaign:

  • Act 1: Cemetery of the Forsaken - Regal Orb
  • Act 1: Tomb of the Consort - Amulet
  • Act 1: Manor Ramparts - LVL 5 Skill Gem
  • Act 1: Ogham Manor - Alchemy Orb
  • Act 2: Buried Shrines - Lesser Jeweller's Orb
  • Act 2: Valley of the Titans - Random Unique
  • Act 4: Ngakanu - Greater Jeweller's Orb

Video Guide

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Table of Contents

1. Build Overview2. Strengths and Weaknesses3. Build Variants4. Equipment5. Skill Gems6. Passive Tree7. Atlas Tree8. Quest Rewards9. How it Plays Campaign Quest Rewards: Most Important League Mechanic Rewards during Campaign:

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