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THE STRONGEST Minion Summoner Class in 0.5! - Chayula Monk Build Guide PoE 2

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Summary

  • Core Concept: A Monk-based minion build (“CHONK”) utilizing the Acolyte of Chayula ascendancy and the Selfless Remnant support gem to scale chaos damage for minions.
  • Mechanics: Stacking Remnant effects (increased effect from tree and ascendancy) to provide up to 182% of damage as extra chaos damage.
  • Leveling Strategy: Uses a pseudo-Flicker Strike approach with Staggering Palm for clearing, transitioning to minions in Act 3.
  • Endgame Scaling: Options include Volgards, Cultist Archers, or Skeletal Snipers, with heavy reliance on evasion and energy shield as defensive layers.

Build Overview

The Chayula Monk utilizes the Selfless Remnant support gem (recently fixed) to apply powerful “remnant” buffs to minions. By pairing this with the Lucid Dreaming node and Choosing Choice of Power, the build generates up to 10 stacks of extra chaos damage. With 100% increased effect of Remnants from the ascendancy tree, 20% from the skill tree, and 40% from the support gem, the build reaches significant damage scaling.

The build currently lacks a fourth functional ascendancy node, but upcoming changes (hinted at by the “Communing with the Dreamer” concept and unnamed JSON nodes) are expected to address this in the 0.5 update.

Leveling Guide (Act 1–3)

The leveling process focuses on efficiency rather than traditional minion play until the transition point.

Early Act 1

  • Main Skills:
    1. Killing Palm: Used to cull enemies and generate Power Charges.
    2. Falling Thunder: Used only when Power Charges are active to deal AoE damage.
    3. Entangle: Used to maintain distance and keep the character safe.
    4. Quarterstaff Strike: Used for basic attacks and single-target damage.
  • Strategy: Maintain distance with Entangle, cull with Killing Palm to gain charges, then unleash Falling Thunder. For boss fights, stay close to shotgun enemies with Falling Thunder.

Staggering Palm (Pseudo-Flicker Strike)

Once the level 3 skill gem is acquired, switch to Staggering Palm:

  1. Usage: Acts as a mobility and damage tool; dashing to enemies and stunning them allows the character to chain dashes to additional targets.
  2. Single Target: Use Quarterstaff basic attacks to prime bosses for stun, then follow with Staggering Palm to apply a buff that enables projectile attacks.
  3. Support Skills:
    • Wind Blast: Used for safe-distance attacks or to prime enemies for easier stunning.
    • Tempest Bell & War Banner: Deployed during boss fights to assist with armor breaking and additional damage.
  4. Hollow Palm: Transition to this technique by removing weapons to simplify gearing, focusing on added flat damage on gloves, amulets, and rings.

Transition to Minions

In Act 3, after defeating Ignak Dug, transition to the minion setup:

  • Switch to Spectre leveling using Volgards from the Utsal area.
  • Respec nodes as necessary to focus on the minion-specific skill tree.

Endgame Transition and Minion Versions

The endgame build focuses on minion survivability and efficiency.

Minion Variations

  • Volgards/Cultist Archers: Utilize the Growing Swarm node for cooldown recovery. If using Cultist Archers, Catal’s Rejuvenation is essential to grant extra cooldown recovery to remnants.
  • Skeletal Snipers: A chaos-tagged alternative that does not require Growing Swarm. Utilize the From Nothing jewel to reach the Dark Entries node for increased chaos skill levels.

Defensive Layers

  • Ghost Dance: This node has been reworked to regenerate energy shield based on evasion.
  • Gear Focus: Transition to pure evasion helmets and high-evasion body armor. Utilize Spectral Ward to scale maximum energy shield based on body armor evasion.
  • Resistances: Use the From Nothing jewel to reach Whispers of Doom to provide resistance mitigation for minions before transitioning to permanent gear solutions.

Key References