Best Witch build in Path of Exile 2

Sam Smith
witch path of exile

The Witch is a minion-summoning, fire-spell-casting powerhouse in Path of Exile 2. Here’s the best Witch build you can assemble right now.

Every ARRG needs a character class that leans into the forces of darkness to aid the forces of light and the Witch is that character in Path of Exile 2. Like the Necromancer from Diablo, the Witch uses infernal magic and the ability to summon undead minions to aid her in battle.

Below, we’ll detail the best Witch build so far in Path of Exile 2’s early access and explain how to craft it. This includes the Ascendancy you’ll need to assign, the skills needed and the gear you’ll need to hunt down to make the best version of the build.

witch Path of Exile
The Witch is the game’s summoner class.

Best Witch build

The best Witch build we’ve used so far in Path of Exile 2 is the Summoner Infernalist. A build that takes advantage of the Witch’s Infernalist Ascendancy along with skills that focus on summoning minions to do her dirty work while you sit back casting spells into combat.

Like most Witch setups, this build is a glass canon, so be aware that you’ll be vulnerable in close combat, but we’re going to ensure your minions keep you safe while you pull their strings from a distance.

Best Ascendancy

The Witch has 2 Ascendancy sub-classes to select during early access. For this build, we’re going to select the Infernalist Ascendancy.

Be aware, that while you’ll be able to respec your skills, you’ll be unable to change Ascendancies once you’ve committed to the Infernalist. You’ll also need to complete the Trial of the Sekhemas or Trial of Chaos before you can Ascend.

After selecting the Infernalist Ascendancy, select the following abilities from it to assemble this build:

Loyal Hellhound – This gives you an additional Minion that ignites enemies and reduces the damage you take by 20%.
Altered Flesh – This converts 20% of Cold and Lightning damage to Fire while also converting 20% of physical damage to chaos so make sure to have chaos resistance when you take this node.
Beidat’s Will – This boosts your spirit at the cost of reserving 25% of your life
Beidat’s Hand – Reserves life for energy shield

witch build
The Witch loves to use minions to do her dirty work.

Best skills

Builds in Path of Exile 2 are all about the skills you select, so when you start the game and begin your leveling path toward endgame, select the following skills and support skills:

SkillSupport Skill 1Support Skill 2Support Skill 3Support Skill 4Support Skill 5
Summon Infernal HoundMeat ShieldFire ExposureStrip AwayMaimBlind
Detonate DeadArcane TempoSpell EchoUnleashConsidered Casting
FlammabilityHeightened CurseSpell CascadePersistence InspirationHex Bloom
Skeletal ArsonistMartial TempoScattershotHeftLast GraspFire Infusion
Flame WallFortressMobilityArcane Surge
Skeletal WarriorBrutalitySplinterCulling StrikeOverpowerHeavy Swing
Raging SpiritsFeeding FrenzyMinion InstabilityElemental FocusImmolateFire Penetration
Pain OfferingMagnified EffectFont of RageFont of BloodAblationFont of Mana
Skeletal Storm MageConductionStorm FireOverchargeLightning Penetration Controlled Destruction
BlinkSecond WindIngenuity

Selecting skills in Path of Exile 2 involves assigning them to Uncut Skill Gems, by “Cutting Gems” to a skill, you increase your abilities by adding Support Skills.

The above table is what your build should look like by the time you reach endgame, but it’ll take some time to craft. You’re also under no obligation to follow any particular order. As some skills take some time before they can be cut, you may choose to temporarily use other skills in the meantime.

For example, while leveling through the early Acts, we used skills like Chaos Bolt, Contagion, Unearth, and Skeletal Sniper. However, as we became more powerful, we abandoned those skills in favor of the ones listed above.

So, don’t be afraid to deviate from the path and create your own custom build. However, if you want to stick to this build, this is where your skills should be by the time you’ve completed the main quest.

Passive skills

When it comes to the best Passive skills to select, there are far too many to name. These skills are general buffs you can add, not unlike Diablo 4’s Paragon Board in how they work.

Therefore, we’d recommend selecting the following nodes:

witch passives
There are lots of Passive Skills, but target these for best results.

This way, you’ll always be selecting Passives that support your build rather than wasting points on things you don’t need.

Best Armor, Weapons & Charms

When you first start playing Path of Exile, you’ll likely want to equip yourself with the first gear you find, but in time you’ll become a connoisseur for loot and will know what suits your Witch best.

Rather than hunting down specific items – only to constantly change them – you’ll be better off targeting items that provide the best buffs for your build. The below table will explain the best items to seek out for this build.

Item TypeBase typeBenefitHow to obtain
WeaponRattling ScepterDecent Spirit roll and + level of minion skillsRandom drop / Vendor
Off HandFocusDecent energy shield roll and cast speedRandom drop / Vendor
HelmEnergy shield base+ Level to all Minion SkillsRandom drop / Vendor
ArmorEnergy shield baseBoosts Spirt with a good energy roll Random drop / Vendor
GlovesEnergy shield baseGood energy shield and Life Random drop / Vendor
BootsEnergy shield baseBoosts Movement Speed and Energy ShieldRandom drop / Vendor
BeltUtility BeltLife and ResRandom drop / Vendor
Ring 1Resistance RingSolve resistancesRandom drop / Vendor
Ring 2Resistance RingSolve resistancesRandom drop / Vendor
AmuletSpirit AmuletSpirit boostRandom drop / Vendor
Charm 1Amethyst Charm+ 18 to Chaos Resistance Random drop / Vendor
Charm 2Thawing CharmImmune to FreezeRandom drop / Vendor
Charm 3

Check back soon for full guides for the other classes in Path of Exile, including the Warrior, Monk, Ranger, and Mercenary. Until then, here’s how to respec your character to this build.