menu
MobalyticsUse your favourite features in-game with our Desktop App
PoE 2 Guide

PoE 2 Guide: Persistent Buffs & Auras

Beginner
Mechanics
Updated on Dec 12, 2024
Dec 12, 2024

Overview

A Persistent Buff is a type of Skill that provides a constant effect, such as Herald of Ice. These effects are primarily character power buffs, but can also be buffs that only affect your allies or debuffs that only affect nearby enemies.

Skill Gems & Item Modifiers

Engraving

Right-clicking on an Uncut Spirit Gem will open a new panel, allowing you to select and engrave a new Persistent Buff Gem. You can choose to view all of the options by selecting the drop down menu on the left. If you do not meet the requirements of a selectable Skill Gem, such as Attributes or Level, it will be greyed out.

Skill Panel

Auras

However, some Persistent Buffs are granted by items such as Sceptres. One example is Malice, a Persistent Buff which emits an Aura around your character, constantly applying Critical Weakness to enemies in your Presence.

Malice

Meta Gems

Some Meta Gems are Persistent Buffs that Trigger socketed Skills when a certain condition is met.

For example, Cast on Minion Death is a Persistent Buff Meta Gem that gains Energy when one of your Minions dies and Triggers all socketed Spells on reaching maximum Energy. Tip: check out our guide on Meta Gems to learn about the Energy mechanic!

Spirit Reservation

Persistent Buff Skill Gems reserve an amount of Spirit based on the Gem, such as Herald of Ash which reserves 30 Spirit. Importantly, Persistent Buffs granted by items such as the Malice Skill shown above, do not require a Spirit reservation. Note: Support Gems with a Cost Multiplier do not increase Spirit reservation.

Herald of Ash


How to Activate a Persistent Buff

Unlike in Path of Exile 1, persistent abilities are not enabled via the Skill UI at the bottom right of the screen. Instead, you'll need to activate the Persistent Buff by opening the Skill Panel (default: G) and right-clicking the icon above the socketed Persistent Buff Gem. Persistent Buffs granted by items are automatically active. Note: you must have enough unreserved Spirit to be able to activate it.

Activation


Persistent Buff Support Gems

There are also Support Gems that provide a Persistent Buff. These Support Gems can socketed into a Persistent Buff Skill to provide an additional Persistent Buff at the cost of an additional Spirit reservation.

For example, Vitality is a Persistent Buff Support that makes your character Regenerate 1% of Life per second while the supported Persistent Buff Skill is active, but it does so at the cost of an additional 20 Spirit reserved. Note: the Supported Skill does not need to reserve any Spirit to allow the use of Support Gems which provide Persistent Buffs.

Vitality


Table of Content

Latest Guides

PoE 2 Currency Guide
By Lolcohol Updated on Dec 21, 2024
Currency
Currency
PoE 2: Crafting for Beginners - Part 1: Item Modifiers
By Lolcohol Updated on Dec 20, 2024
Crafting
Beginner
Mechanics
Crafting
Beginner
Mechanics
PoE 2 Guide: Runes, Sockets, & Soul Cores
By Mobalytics Updated on Dec 19, 2024
Crafting
Crafting
Chase Unique: Temporalis
By Dreamcore Updated on Dec 19, 2024
Mechanics
Mechanics