PoE Sanity

Coached by POE2's FASTEST player

By ZizaranWatch videoDuration: PT45M9S

Summary

  • Efficiency First: Skip unnecessary monsters, specifically on the starting beach and early zones, to maintain momentum.
  • The “Logout” Tech: Logging out and back in resets skill cooldowns, removes heavy stuns, and cleanses ailments like freeze or bleed.
  • Checkpoint & Skip Mechanics: Use dodge rolls to bypass NPC “song” triggers or move through levers faster. Hugging specific walls can avoid triggering checkpoints, allowing for mid-fight healing.
  • Gear & Crafting: Focus on the Varnished Crossbow (Level 16 base) for Act 2. Prioritize Movement Speed boots and Evasion gear early. Use specific Regex like "normal" to quickly find vendor items.
  • Boss Strategies: Forcing a boss to move reduces their initial damage reduction. Use specific rotations with Frost Bomb and grenades to maximize exposure and damage.
  • Layout Navigation: Most PoE2 zones can be navigated by hugging the outer walls. Look for specific environmental cues like the “thick macaroni” paths to find boss arenas.

Early Game: The Beach and First Vendor

Avoid killing monsters on the beach to save time. On weaker classes without high strength, focus on dodging slams to avoid instant death. When reaching the first town:

  1. Sell starting gear to afford a crossbow.
  2. Use a RegEx search like "normal" at the vendor to quickly identify base items.
  3. Check for Movement Speed boots, though they may be unaffordable initially.
  4. Pick up full Evasion gear (like Rawhide Boots) early for better survivability.

First Boss Rotations and Exposure

Do not dump all grenades immediately. The optimal rotation for early bosses is:

  1. Fire one grenade.
  2. Drop a Frost Bomb.
  3. Fire the remaining grenades during the second round of Frost Bomb to maximize the recurring cooldown and exposure.

Avoid mini-bosses that do not offer quest progression. If you need a Transmutation Orb, you can kill specific packs, but generally, wait until you get a Tense Crossbow to use currency.

Checkpoint Manipulation and Wall Hugging

In Hardcore mode, checkpoints cannot be reset. To manage difficult fights:

  • Skip Checkpoints: Hug the wall opposite a checkpoint (e.g., near a hut) to enter a boss arena without triggering the save point. This allows you to heal mid-fight if your gear is poor.
  • Dodge Roll Skips: You can dodge roll into certain checkpoints to walk through NPC dialogue/song triggers (like Ariadne’s) before they finish, progressing the quest state faster.

The Logout Cooldown Tech

A controversial but effective speedrunner tactic involves logging out to the character selection screen and logging back in immediately.

  • Cooldown Reset: This resets all skill cooldowns, which is exceptionally powerful for grenade-based builds.
  • Ailment Cleanse: Logging out clears heavy stuns, freezes, and bleeds.
  • Body-Block Bypass: Use this in tight corridors (like the Mausoleum) to avoid being trapped by mobs when out of resources.

Cemetery and Tomb Navigation

When searching for Asinia or Draven’s tombs in the Cemetery:

  • Wall Hugging: This is the most reliable way to find entrances.
  • The “G-Spot” Layout: The Sisters of Geras-Thong typically spawn in a layout where four swamp pillars form a ‘G’ shape.
  • Boss Positioning: Stand in melee range of Asinia to ensure grenades land if she teleports. For Draven, kite him from across the tomb but be ready to dodge roll his swipe, which can double-hit and one-tap low-health characters.

Settings and UI Optimization

To speed up gem and gear management, adjust the following in Options > Game:

  • Disable Gem Cutting Restrictions.
  • Disable Equipping Restrictions.
  • Note: This allows you to slot gems and gear faster via Ctrl-click, though it removes the safety net for mistakes.

Act 2 Gear and Weapon Progression

The most important weapon breakpoint is the Varnished Crossbow (Level 16 base).

  • Affixes upgrade at levels 8, 16, and 33.
  • The Varnished base is the primary weapon for all of Act 2.
  • Invest currency (Alchemy, Augments, Exalted Orbs) into this base once you hit level 16.
  • Prioritize +2 or +3 Projectiles; this is a rare but powerful affix.

Boss Mechanics: Ginn and Jamanra

  • Damage Reduction: Bosses have inherent damage reduction when they first become targetable. This reduction scales down as the boss moves. Force bosses like Ginn to move by standing against a wall to clear this buff faster.
  • Lever Skip: When interacting with levers (e.g., near the Executioner), you can dodge roll out of the animation the instant you touch it.
  • Kiting: Kite bosses like Jamanra into the edges of the arena to prevent them from teleporting away or performing certain reset behaviors.

Advanced Combat and Tags

  • Crossbow Shot: This skill has an AoE tag, meaning it benefits from Concentrated Effect (30% more damage).
  • Rage: Maintaining Rage provides 30% more damage. Taking any damage refreshes the Rage duration, preventing the debuff from expiring.
  • Resolution/Aspect Ratio: Playing in 21:9 widescreen is considered overpowered as it allows you to see further than your light radius. Note that this is often banned in official races.

Experience and Leveling

  • Abyss Farming: Abysses (specifically Preserved Rifts) are excellent for experience.
  • Level Targets: Aim to be at least level 24 before entering the Shah encounter. You receive 100% experience in most Act 2 zones until level 27.
  • Loot Gold: Prioritize picking up belts; they offer the highest gold-per-inventory-slot ratio.

Key References