PoE Sanity

VERY Interesting Patch Notes for MINION Builds!

By GhazzyTVWatch videoDuration: PT12M31S

Summary

  • Energy Shield Overhaul: Massive nerfs to Energy Shield (ES) recharge rate and recharge start time across all sources, making it a specialized layer rather than a universal defense.
  • Ghost Dance Redesign: Transitioned from an instant heal to a regeneration effect based on evasion rating, now scaling with cooldown recovery.
  • Infernal Legion & Tamed Beasts: Despite general nerfs, Infernal Legion remains top-tier for Tamed Beast minions (like the Elephant) due to high level scaling past level 20.
  • Support Gem Updates: Melee Splash and Rage Support are now compatible with minion skills, opening new clearing options for attack-based summons.
  • Mechanic Fixes: “Popcorn” Minion Instability builds using Last Gasp or Tecrod’s Revenge to prevent minion death have been nerfed/fixed.
  • New Meta Contender: The Acolyte of Chayula (the “Chunk”) is positioned as a primary competitor to Infernal Legion builds due to high chaos damage scaling and cooldown recovery.
  • Passive Tree Buffs: Significant buffs to the Trusted Kinship keystone and the addition of 19 new companion-focused nodes on the Dexterity side of the tree.

Energy Shield Overhaul

Energy Shield has been significantly nerfed across almost every source in the game. Specifically, sources of “increased energy shield recharge rate” and “increased faster start of energy shield recharge” have been drastically reduced.

While ES is not inherently “bad” now, it is no longer a “plug-and-play” immortality layer. Achieving strong ES defenses now requires deliberate mechanical investment.

  • Investment Options: Utilizing items or passives like the Disciple of Arastzia (which lowers recharge delay by approximately one second) is now essential.
  • Shift in Meta: These changes heavily incentivize moving toward Life or Evasion-based defenses unless the build is fully committed to ES investment.

Ghost Dance Changes

Ghost Dance no longer functions as a duration-based buff.

  • New Mechanic: It now utilizes modifiers to cooldown recovery rate to determine how frequently Ghost Shrouds are gained.
  • Healing to Regeneration: When hit, you lose a Ghost Shroud. Instead of an instant Energy Shield heal based on Evasion, you now gain a regeneration effect: 2% of your Evasion Rating is regenerated as Energy Shield every second for four seconds.
  • Viability: While this is a nerf to burst damage mitigation, the general buffs to Evasion in this patch keep Ghost Dance viable as the “glue” for Evasion/ES hybrid builds.

Infernal Legion and Tamed Beast Scaling

Infernal Legion has undergone significant changes, including a bug fix that prevents the skill from critically striking. Level 3 of the gem has been removed, leaving only levels 1 and 2.

  • Non-Tamed Beasts: For standard minions, the gem is now significantly weaker and less viable for general clearing.
  • Tamed Beasts: For builds using Tamed Beasts (such as the Elephant), Infernal Legion remains extremely strong. Tamed Beasts receive a scaling “More Damage” modifier based on gem level. Since minion level scaling was not nerfed like other archetypes, reaching levels past 20 compensates for the base nerfs to Infernal Legion.
  • Teleport Tech: The ability to teleport minions to the player via weapon swapping remains unchanged, maintaining the efficiency of this playstyle.

New Support Gem Compatibility

Minion skills can now be supported by Melee Splash Support and Rage Support.

  • This allows attack-based minions to handle clear-speed requirements without relying on Infernal Legion.
  • Commanding Rage Nerf: Previously, this provided 1% minion attack speed per 1 Rage. It has been nerfed to 2% minion attack speed per 5 Rage.

Bug Fixes and Mechanic Adjustments

  • Living Lightning: A bug was fixed where Living Lightning did not scale its level from the gems it supported. This should result in a noticeable damage increase, potentially making it a viable secondary damage source.
  • Minion Instability: A fix was implemented regarding the interaction between Minion Instability, Last Gasp, and Tecrod’s Revenge. Previously, players could force minions to explode via Infernal Legion but keep them alive at low HP to explode repeatedly via weapon swapping. This “infinite popcorn” loop is no longer possible.
  • Popcorn Meta Shift: This change likely shifts the Minion Instability meta toward temporary summons or Raise Zombies.

The Acolyte of Chayula (“The Chunk”)

The Acolyte of Chayula is currently the strongest theoretical competitor to Infernal Legion builds.

  • Damage Scaling: Offers up to 180% of damage as extra Chaos damage.
  • Cooldown Recovery: Can achieve 40% cooldown recovery through Tecatl’s Rejuvenation, which is highly effective for minions like Cultist Archers.
  • Versatility: Supports various defensive setups, including pure ES, Evasion/ES, or Evasion/Life/Deflection.

Skill Tree and Keystone Updates

  • Level Scaling: Minions and Spells were exempt from the broad nerfs to “+ Level of Gems” modifiers on gear, meaning minion itemization remains focused on gem levels.
  • Dexterity Side Buffs: 19 new companion nodes have been added to the “green” (Dexterity) side of the skill tree.
  • Trusted Kinship Keystone: This has been “giga-buffed.”
    • Removed: The previous “less defense to companions” penalty.
    • Added: 30% more reservation efficiency for companion skills (at the cost of efficiency for non-companion skills).
  • Archetypes: These changes support the “Spirit Walker” or “Zoo-mancer” playstyles, though the Chayula Monk appears more competitive for high-end content.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Command Skills: The movement speed penalty while casting command skills has been slightly lowered.
  • Defenses: Both Evasion and Deflection received noticeable buffs, providing better defensive scaling for builds positioned on the right side of the passive tree.

Key References