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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.

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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.

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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

Finally we can start teleporting and blasting maps with Ball Lightning and Lightning Conduit!

Equipment

90+ Endgame (Recoup)

Lvl 1 to 15

15-75 Essence Drain (No Swap)

75+ Lightning SWAP

Set 1

Set 2

Jewels

Equipment Priority

▸Offense

Your biggest source of damage is weapon, so focus on getting a good weapon first. You can use Staff or Wand + Focus.

Weapon Stat Priority:

+ Level to Skills (+6 is the maximum)
% Increase Lightning / Spell Damage
Damage as Extra Lightning damage / Critical Hit Chance
Cast Speed / Mana Regen are nice bonuses on top

Apart from that make sure to get Level to Spell Skills on Amulet.

▸Defense

The mandatory stat that should be on almost all the items is Life Regeneration. It helps us sustain Demon Form. You need to aim for 150-180 Life Regeneration per Second.

Other than that aim for Maximum Life and Maximum Energy Shield on items.

Since Maximum Life is also getting us Spirit and extra ES from our Ascendancy, aim for 2k+ Total Maximum Life to fit all the Auras and don't forget about +Spirit on Body Armour.

Life per Enemy Killed on any of Ring / Gloves is a nice buff that will help you sustain Demon Form while clearing if you haven't reached the required Life Regen Threshold.

❗❗❗ Chaos Resistance is very Important, since Chaos deals more damage to ES. Get it as high as you can.

▸Utility

Prioritize getting Maximum Mana and Increased Mana Regeneration to properly sustain your casts and get bonuses from Zenith II.

Getting extra ~50 Spirit is mandatory to fit all the Auras, get it either on the Amulet or Body Armour.

Cast Speed is for utility and to feel more comfortable with the casts.

▸Bleed

Bleed is passing through our Energy Shield, so you should be wary of it. The main way to avoid it is the Staunching Charm, but still try to avoid modifiers in maps or Trials that make monsters auto-apply Bleed (e.g. Monsters Bleed on hit).

▸Gloves

We use Leopold's Applause because we over-penetrate resistances as a result of using curse with good magnitude and penetration bonuses. With a proper setup these gloves can give you up to 50% MORE damage.

Buy CORRUPTED gloves with 2 rune sockets. You can put there resistance runes if you're not capped OR Fenumus' Rune of Spinning for extra cast speed.

Skill Gems

90+ Endgame (Recoup)

Lvl 1 to 15

15-75 Essence Drain (No Swap)

75+ Lightning SWAP

Support Gem Requirements:

Str 30

Dex 45

Int 55

Demon Form

Sigil of Power

Blasphemy

Cast on Critical

Ball Lightning

Convalescence

Lightning Warp

Orb of Storms

Gem Priority

+28

Order of Gem Supports is in the order of importance.

Your main damage dealer in packs is Lightning Warp, for bosses it's Cast on Critical with Lightning Conduit.

How to Play the Build?

Your Lightning Warp teleports on Ball Lightning and into enemies that can be culled, which leads to sweet blinking chains when clearing.

First you enter the map and activate Demon Form. 10 Stacks stack very fast so you don't have to wait.

The skill rotation starts with casting Ball Lightning → Lightning Warp on the balls that you create.

▸ On Bosses / Tough Enemies

1. Place Sigil of Power

2. Place x2 Orb of Storms

3. Cast Ball Lightning + Lightning Warp Combo

▸ If you don't have enough Spirit

Disable Blasphemy, focus on getting more Maximum Life and ~50 Spirit on body/Amulet.

▸ Demon Form

You should be permanently in Demon Form as long as you have enough regeneration / life sustain. Second Wind II is there ONLY to counteract bugs.

Passive Tree

90+ Endgame (Recoup)

Lvl 1 to 15

15-75 Essence Drain (No Swap)

75+ Lightning SWAP

main:

123

set 1:

set 2:

Generally, we're focusing on getting lots of Lightning Damage with nodes like Breath of Lightning, Pure Power and Electric Amplification.

Apart from it, we are also getting Crit Chance to stack Cast on Critical faster and get a bit of damage on top.

Archon of the Storm provides a very significant buff when the Archon is active, but makes us only deal Lightning Damage. Because of that, try to avoid getting other damage types on items.

In terms of Defenses, we focus on maximizing Energy Shield Recharge and Faster Start of Energy Shield Recharge to sustain ES. Combined with Convalescence it provides a very stable way of recharging our ES pool.

Ascendancy Order:

Altered Flesh
Demonic Possession
Beidat's Hand
Beidat's Will

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

Not Specified2 choices

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

Not Specified3 choices

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

Not Specified2 choices

Abandoned Prison — Goddess of Justice

Not Specified2 choices

Halls of the Dead — Tasalio's Test

Not Specified2 choices

Halls of the Dead — Ngamahu's Test

Not Specified2 choices

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

Not Specified7 choices

Kriar Village — Lythara, the Wayward Spear

Not Specified1 choice

Howling Caves — The Abominable Yeti

Not Specified1 choice

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.