PoE 2: Marks Explained

Marks Skills are Spells that apply a Debuff to a single Monster in Path of Exile 2.

A Note for Path of Exile 1 players:

Marks are not Curses in Path of Exile 2. They do not count toward the Curse limit.

What are Marks?

Marks are Spells that apply a Debuff to a single target. Each target can be affected by a maximum of one Mark by default, but you can apply Marks to several different targets at the same time.

Note: Marks are not Curses and do not count toward the Curse limit.

Mark Skills usually have multiple components, including a Debuff that persists while the Mark is affecting the target, and an effect that's caused when the Mark is Activated. For example Freezing Mark will make a target more susceptible to Freeze because the Debuff causes Hits against them to cause more Freeze buildup. However, the Mark is Activated when the target becomes Frozen, granting you an Extra Cold Damage Buff for a Duration and Consuming the Mark, removing it prematurely.

Mark Effect

You can scale the Debuff imposed by a Mark, or the Activation effect it causes, by utilising modifiers to Mark Effect, such as the one on Hand of Chayula.

Mark Debuffs and Duration

Many Mark Skills will apply a Debuff to the target whilst they are active. The Debuff will persist until the Mark expires or until it's Activated.

The Duration of a Mark Skill Debuff can be increased with modifiers to Skill Effect Duration, such as the one on Prolonged Assault.

Activating Mark Skills

Marks can be Activated to Consume the Mark and cause an effect. Activating a Mark requires a specific condition to be met based on the Skill. For example Sniper's Mark is Activated when the target receives a Critical Hit, Consuming the Mark and causing that Critical Hit to deal additional Critical Damage Bonus.

Cross Slash is a Werewolf Shapeshift Attack Skill that has the rare property of being able to Activate Mark Skills without meeting the normal requirements. This Skill Attacks with both claws and can Hit targets separately with each. However, if both claw Attacks Hit the same target, the Skill will cause any active Marks on struck targets to Activate. This provides the potential to benefit from Activating Mark Skills without meeting their normal Activation requirements.

Called Shots

The Deadeye has exclusive access to the Called Shots Meta Skill via the Called Shots Ascendancy Notable. This Skill will apply socketed Mark Skills to unmarked enemies once per interval, and additionally apply a socketed Mark to a nearby enemy within 3 metres when you Consume a Mark.

Eternal Mark

The Eternal Mark Support Gem prevents a Mark from being Consumed the first time it's Activated. This allows you to essentially benefit from the Activation effect twice per cast.

Pounce

Pounce is another Werewolf Shapeshift Attack Skill that has a special interaction for Mark Skills. This Skill will apply its own unique Mark to the highest rarity target Hit by the Skill. Predator's Mark causes the target to take increased Damage, and if the target dies, the Mark will activate summoning some Wolf minions. However, Pounce is also a Meta Skill that you can socket a different Mark Skill into, causing it to apply that Mark instead, somewhat similar to Hand of Chayula.