Use your favourite features in-game with our Desktop App

PoE 2 Build

[0.4] DEMON Infernalist - League Starter to Endgame Witch

Verified

Starter

Speed Leveling

End Game

Witch

Infernalist

0.4 TLotD

By Ronarray

Updated on Jan 8, 2026

Jan 8, 2026

Build Overview

This is guide for my League Starter Build - Demon Form Infernalist for 0.4

This guide will help you pick the gear and gems and will help you out while progressing. It will also explain how the mechanics work and how to teleport through maps while being a Cool Demon.

==========================================================

After 0.4 Changes RECOUP Became more viable than Tecrod regeneration, the single target damage was reduced, but the clear is still alright, although the skill can feel a bit clunky still.

Also because of the changed behaviour, Lightning Warp is now MUCH MORE clunky to play because it's harder to target balls. Before you invest into it, try to play a little with basic Ball Lightning and Lightning Warp.

==========================================================

In this guide we are League Starting Unearth + Contagion and playing with Essence Drain + Contagion through the campaign / early maps.

After that we will be swapping to a combo of Lightning Warp and Ball Lightning to teleport through maps and explode everything!

If you have questions - hit me on Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ronarray), I will help!

Strengths and Weaknesses

Demon form looks cool
Fast Movement
You leap around
Good clear

Can feel clunky
Jumping into monsters

Build Variants

90+ Endgame (Recoup)

Lvl 1 to 15

15-75 Essence Drain (No Swap)

75+ Lightning SWAP

Equipment

90+ Endgame (Recoup)

Lvl 1 to 15

15-75 Essence Drain (No Swap)

75+ Lightning SWAP

Set 1

Set 2

Equipment Priority

+11

▸ Main Stats

Offense

When picking between different damage stats, focus on:

+ Levels to Spells
Crit Chance + Crit Damage
Spell Damage

Defense

On all items that can roll Recoup, we're rolling recoup. It should be almost maximum to feel comfortable.
The main thing you're looking out for is Energy Shield.
Make sure to get your Chaos Resistanse to 70+, since it deals extra damage against Energy Shield.

Utility

Cast Speed makes gameplay MUCH smoother, you will hate yourself if you will not stack it.

Get Cast Speed in as many places as you can.

=========================================================

▸ Wand & Focus

+ Levels to Lightning (Spells) is mandatory. It's a huge dps boost
Crit Chance / Crit Multi Should be there too.
% Spell damage get it AS HIGH as you can.
% Damage as Extra Lightning is best, but Fire/Cold works.
Cast speed is good to have, we're aiming for higher CS to improve QoL
Energy Shield on Focus is nice to have, but not too important.

❗ALSO the Level of your Wand determines how many support gem slots you get for Spellslinger. Aim for 80+

▸ Amulet

Mandatory +3 to level of Spells
Mandatory Damage taker Recouped as life
~50-65 Spirit is needed to fit in all Auras
Cast Speed is very preferable to get
Crit Damage Bonus is harder to get but great too
Instill Barbaric Strength.

▸ Gloves

Highest Maximum Life you can afford
2 Rune slots + Effect of Socketed
Life gained on hit - very good to have in maps
Crit Damage Multiplier for more damage

▸ Helmet

Elemental Damage recouped as Energy Shield is VERY important for maintaining Pyromantic Pact. Get as high as you can find.
Get as high Maximum Life as you can
Energy shield comes after
The rest should be Any Resistances

▸ Rings

We're using Seed of Cataclysm to boost Crit Chance and Crit Damage. Mana cost increase doesn't affect us much.
Aim for high Crit Chance / Dmg and don't forget to click with Crit Catalysts.
You can replace one of the Rings to a Rare ring with Life, Life regen and Resistances if you don't have enough Resistances from other items.

▸ Boots

Maximum Life as always is #1 priority
Movement Speed for smoother gameplay
Resistances to reach the cap

▸ Belt

The most important stat on the belt is "Recoup Fire damage as Life". It will help your sustain Pyromantic Pact and you will also be able to mitigate the Ignite damage that you're taking from Grinning Immolation.

=========================================================

▸ Jewels

Rare Jewels should have Crit Dmg / Chance + Energy Shield

Skill Gems

90+ Endgame (Recoup)

Lvl 1 to 15

15-75 Essence Drain (No Swap)

75+ Lightning SWAP

Support Gem Requirements:

Str 20

Dex 60

Int 45

Expand all

Demon Form

Spellslinger

Sigil of Power

Cast on Critical

Arctic Armour

Lightning Warp

Ball Lightning

Demon Form

Sigil of Power

Gem Priority

+23

▸ Rotation

At the start of any area we need to ramp up our regeneration.

For that click Ball Lightning → Lightning Warp on it, pop the Life Flask to get you Life high enough (it's not mandatory, but makes it faster), then do it again and you're good to jump into monsters.

❗To jump on balls consistantly, rapidly click the Lightning Warp button trying to hover over the balls.

Use Spellslinger when you have more than 2+ charges on it. It's VERY satisfying!

On Bosses

1. Put the Sigil of Power on the ground (mandatory) + Temporal Chains (optional)

2. Ball Lightning + Lightning Warp till the boss is dead.

You can also use Spellslinger if you have 2+ Charges on it by the moment you start attacking.

▸ Alternative Gems for Lightning Warp

For bossing, I enjoy using Unleash.

However you can also swap it to Deliberation

Another fun support that you could use when clearing maps is Fiery Death. - monsters will explode when killed. It helps when clearing spread out maps and it's generally fun popping monsters.

Note that there's a delay before the corpse explodes.

▸ Cast on Critical

Gems in Cast on Critical are SUPPORTIVE. Do not use the maximum level for them, otherwise you will overdo your mana costs and Pyromantic Pact can hit you very hard. Use the gem levels that feel the most comfortable for you at the moment, don't worry about the damage loss.

▸ If you can't afford Rakiata's Flow

Replace it with Lightning Penetration, but focus on getting it - it's a TREMENDOUS damage boost.

▸ If you don't have enough Spirit

The first thing that should go is Arctic Armour and everything inside it.

Passive Tree

90+ Endgame (Recoup)

Lvl 1 to 15

15-75 Essence Drain (No Swap)

75+ Lightning SWAP

main:

123

set 1:

set 2:

Now we're completely focusing on Crit Chance and Damage and dropping most Lightning-specific things in the tree.

To sustain damage from Pyromantic Pact and Grinning Immolation we're rolling Recoup everywhere we can find. It's VERY important to get the recoup stat with high numbers, otherwise you won't be able to sustain.

How it Plays

Map Modifiers

Overall, there are no modifiers that brick the build, however Reduced Life Recovery Rate doesn't really feel that great. Try to avoid it on maps as it can make maps slower to optimally farm.

Some Abyss monsters can turn off your recoup, and you will drop dead fast without recovery. Be very mindful when fighting Abyss.