Definitive Path of Exile 2 Mana Guide – Mana Scaling, Archmage, Mana Recovery, & More
Mana is a spell-casting resource in almost every action RPG game out there, but in PoE 2, it’s so much more than that. You can use it as an incredible scaling tool around which you can create OP builds. Find everything you need to develop and improve a Mana-scaling build in our completePath of Exile 2 Mana guidebelow.
Table of Contents
Author’s note:The following guide is made oftwo larger sections, with the purpose of it being whole in one place. The first part covers basic concepts and some theory crafting related to Mana stacking inPath of Exile 2(for beginners mostly). The second part is a complete list of all Gems, Items, Passives, and Item modifiers that increase your Mana and help you sustain it.
What is Mana in Path of Exile 2?
Mana is a resource you spend to use Skills in Path of Exile 2. However, Mana can also serve as a powerful offensive and defensive scaling tool. You can see your current Maximum Mana in the Character menu (C key) or by hovering over the Orb in the lower-right corner of your screen. You can see your Mana status at all times by enabling that option in Interface Settings.
In PoE 1,Mana-stacking Archmage builds have been absolute meta for a few Leagues now. With their insane DPS and survivability, they can consistently clear possibly the hardest content in the game, deep Delve.
Full Mana and Low Mana Statuses
Some bonuses areactive onlywhen you are eitherfullorlowon Mana. Full Mana bonuses only apply while you are at100%of your Mana, while Low Mana bonuses apply while you arebelow 50%of your Mana. Certain Unique Items can modify both of these thresholds.
Scaling Damage and Defenses With Mana in PoE 2
Certain Gems, Unique Items, and Passives scale based on your Maximum Mana, offering you more Damage and survivability. Out of the many listed further below, these select few stand out:
Difference Between Increased and More Modifiers
At low levels, they work the same. However,“More” modifiersbecome much stronger the more you upgrade your build, as theyapply after the “Increased” modifiers. For example:
Ascendencies That Can Scale The Most with Mana
Stormweaver has the highest Mana scaling potential in Path of Exile 2. It buffs the effect of Arcane Surge, increases your Lightning Damage, and even allows you to apply double Shocks. Other Ascendencies that can benefit from stacking Mana are:
Skill, Spirit, and Support Gems That Scale With Mana
The following Gems can be combined to increase your Damage exponentially. While some, like Sigil of Power, do it at basically no cost, others can drain your whole mana very quickly. To permanently sustain them, increase your Mana recovery and reduce their Costs. Both of these mechanics are covered further in the guide.
Unique Item Modifiers That Scale With Mana
Items below have unique modifiers that scale off of your Mana in some way. They can easily become an essential part of your build, as some of them offer a lot of DPS and survivability to it.
Passives That Scale With Mana
Some of the following Ascendancy Passives are a must-have if you decide to stack Mana on your build. You can even make builds around Passives like the Pyromantic Pact. The Notables below are always worth going for as they offer a huge DPS increase, so try to path towards them if you can.
Mind over Matter, Eldritch Battery, and Chaos Inoculation
Mind Over Matter, Eldritch Battery, and Chaos Inoculation are three passives with an insane synergy. They are all allocated on the top side of the Skill Tree, which makes them easy to path toward. With all three, your Maximum Life becomes 1, and you have no Energy Shield, but you get immunity to Chaos Damage and a huge pool of Mana that can keep you alive.
There is a unique interaction at the moment that might be unintentional. It has to do with the “Gain (#–#)% of Maximum Life as Extra Maximum Energy Shield” modifier found on certain Unique Items.If you have Eldritch Battery allocated and this modifieron one of your Items,you will get a huge pool of Energy Shield back. This can basically double your survivability.
Important things to note:
Stacking and Sustaining Mana in Path of Exile 2
At the moment, you are very limited with how much you can increase your Mana from the Passive Skill Tree. So, take only the nodes that are close to other passives you are going toward.Most of your Mana will come from Rare itemsthat you find, craft, or buy.Look for high-tier normal and hybrid modifiers that give you Mana, Intelligence, and Energy Shield(If you allocated Eldritch Battery).
How you decide to sustain your Mana consumption will largely depend on the type of your build. Each Mana recovery mechanic is explained further in the guide under its relevant section.
Intelligence Stacking
Each point of Intelligence gives you +2 to Maximum Mana, which piles up if you get enough of it from the Skill Tree and your Items. Also, you’re able to use Intelligence to scale your DPS through thePure PowerPassive, which is located at the top of the Skill Tree. Itincreases your Lightning Damage by 2% per 10 Intelligence.
Maximizing Mana Through Gear in Path of Exile 2
Flat Mana and % increased Mana modifierscan be found as Prefixes on most Rare Items. Combine them withHybrid modsthat give you a bit more, and you are golden. If you allocated Eldritch Battery, try to get as much Energy Shield as you can.
ES and Mana will fill out Prefixes on most of your items. So, try and look for some Resistances and Intelligence as Suffixes to round out your build. If you can fit them, look for other modifiers that increase your Cast/Attack Speed, Spell/Attack Damage, Critical Chance, Critical Damage, and Elemental Damage. Any other modifier that increased the DPS and survivability of your build works as well.
Navigating The Second Part of The Guide
Below are listed all sources of Mana, Mana recovery, and ways to reduce the Mana Costs of your Skills. They are split up depending on whether they can be found on:
Complete List of All Mana Sources in PoE 2
Most Unique Items offer too little Mana to justify putting them into your build. So,focus on stacking Mana through Rare Items and Passives on the Skill Tree. The exceptions are Dream Fragments and Morior Invictus because of their % increased Mana mods. Some Uniques are useful because of other modifiers they have, like the Midnight Braid, which gives you a huge amount of Mana Recoup.
Items With Flat Mana Modifiers
Items With Increased Mana Modifiers
Passives That Increase Mana
Affixes That Increase Mana
Hybrid Mods That Increase Mana
Mana Recovery in Path of Exile 2
There are several ways to recover Mana in Path of Exile 2. The most obvious one is by using Mana Flasks, whose effects and uptime can be increased in many ways. You can also reduce or increase the Mana Cost of your Skills so that you have more sustain or trigger specific effects more often. Other options for recovering Mana are viable based on the type of build you are playing.
Mana Recovery Modifier
Increased Mana Recovery as a modifier is extremely rare. It works like a “More” modifier, and it increases the effectiveness of all other Mana sustain mechanics.
Mana Flasks
Mana Flasks are self-explanatory. You can use them multiple times in quick succession to restore a lot of Mana at once. To maximize their use, get the relevant Mana Recovery from Flasks modifiers. To increase their uptime, get mods that generate Flask Charges or help you get more of them.
Items With Mana Flask Affixes
Mana Flask Passives
Mana Flask Affixes
Mana Flask Gems
Mana Regeneration
Mana Regeneration is a passive way of recovering Mana. You will probably increase it by a lot if you go for other Items and Passives that boost your Mana. If you are playing a Stormweaver and utilizing the effects of Arcane Surge, you’re able to potentially sustain your Mana with Regeneration alone.
Mana Regeneration Gems
Mana Regeneration Items
Mana Regeneration Passives
Mana Regeneration Affixes
Mana Regeneration Hybrid Mods
Mana Leech
Mana Leech lets you recover a percentage of the Damage you deal as Mana. The Leech effect stops once you reach Full Mana. you’re able to queue the Leech effect with modifiers similar to the one on the Fast Metabolism Passive.
Mana Drain skill is exclusive to Attuned Wands, and it stops you from dealing Damage while you recover Mana through it, so I don’t recommend it. If you are using Attack Skills, then Mana Leech is a viable option for Mana recovery.
Mana Leech Gems
Mana Leech Passives
Mana Leech Affixes
Mana on Hit, on Kill, and Other Interactions
With these mechanics, you regain Mana when you Hit, Kill, Block, use a Warcry, etc. Gaining Mana on Kill can be useful, but you can’t rely on it for Bosses. So, focus on Mana on Hit modifiers instead. Other interactions, such as regaining Mana when you Cull enemies, are situational. Use them only if they work on your specific build.
Mana Recoup
Mana Recoup occurs over 8 seconds. If you allocate The Rapid River as a Chronomancer, it’s sped up to 4 seconds, and if you get Pliable Flesh on the Skill Tree, you can get it to occur over 3 seconds. Unless you are playing a Chronomancer, it’s not worth investing in.
Mana Recoup Items
Mana Recoup Passives
Mana Recoup Affixes
Reducing And Increasing Mana Cost of Skills
You can reduce or increase the overall cost of your Skills through some Items and Passives. These modifiers are additive, unlike the Advanced Thaumaturgy from the Gemling Legionnaire, which gives you 30% Less Cost of Skills. Still, they can help reduce your Mana consumption.
Mana Cost Items
Mana Cost Passives
Converting Mana Costs to Life Costs
This mechanic lets you spend your Life instead of your Mana when using Skills. It can help reduce your overall Mana consumption if you have enough Life Recovery to spare.
Mana to Life Cost Gems
Mana to Life Cost Items
Mana to Life Cost Passives
Mana to Life Cost Affixes
And this finally marks the end of this Path of Exile 2 Mana guide. If you want to read more about PoE 2, feel free to check out ourPath of Exile 2 SpiritandPoE 2 Tradingguides here on Twinfinite.
