The term “onslaught” refers to a temporary buff in Path of Exile 2 that significantly increases attack, cast, and movement speed. This effect provides a noticeable boost to character efficiency, allowing for faster clearing of enemies and quicker traversal of maps. For example, achieving a sustained period of accelerated movement and attack speed can dramatically improve the rate at which in-game content is completed.
Acquiring the ability to trigger this enhancement can be a substantial advantage. It allows for a more fluid and responsive gameplay experience, increasing player satisfaction and overall power. Historically, similar speed-enhancing mechanics have been highly sought after within the genre, as they directly translate to greater efficiency in acquiring resources and progressing through the game’s challenges.
There are various methods to obtain this beneficial effect within the game. These include specific skill tree choices, unique item affixes, and support gem configurations. Understanding these different approaches is crucial for optimizing character builds and maximizing the potential benefits derived from this particular game mechanic.
1. Skill Tree Passives
Skill tree passives represent a direct avenue for characters to acquire the onslaught buff. Specific nodes within the tree are designed to grant this effect under defined circumstances, linking character actions directly to the onset of increased speed. For example, a notable passive may grant onslaught upon scoring a critical strike, thereby tying the buff’s activation to a character’s critical hit chance and frequency. The strategic placement of points into these passives allows for a tailored integration of onslaught into a character’s core combat loop.
The importance of skill tree passives in acquiring onslaught lies in their persistent nature. Unlike temporary effects granted by flasks or conditional procs from gear, passives offer a more consistent source of the buff. This consistency is particularly valuable for builds that rely on maintaining a high uptime of onslaught to maximize damage output and mobility. Furthermore, the skill tree often allows for customization in the trigger conditions, enabling players to fine-tune the onslaught acquisition to match their specific playstyle and build mechanics. For instance, a passive might grant a shorter duration, but more easily triggerable version of onslaught, or a longer duration, but more challenging one.
Therefore, careful consideration of skill tree passives is essential for any character seeking to incorporate onslaught into their build. While other sources may provide burst applications or conditional bonuses, the skill tree provides a reliable and customizable foundation for consistently triggering and maintaining this powerful buff. Understanding the available passives and their trigger conditions allows players to optimize their character’s performance and enhance their overall gameplay experience. Ignoring these passives means potentially missing out on a significant and easily accessible boost to character speed and efficiency.
2. Unique Item Affixes
Unique items represent a significant avenue through which the onslaught buff can be acquired. Affixes, which are inherent properties of these items, can directly grant onslaught under specific conditions or permanently enable the buff. The importance of unique item affixes as a component of acquiring onslaught stems from their potential to offer powerful and build-defining effects not readily available elsewhere. For instance, a unique pair of boots might grant onslaught upon using a movement skill, immediately enhancing the character’s mobility following a repositioning maneuver. Another unique item might provide a chance to gain onslaught upon dealing a critical strike, synergizing well with builds that focus on critical damage.
The application of unique item affixes for acquiring onslaught requires careful consideration during character building. Integrating these items into a build involves understanding their specific triggers and durations, ensuring they complement the character’s skills and playstyle. For example, an item that grants onslaught on kill may be highly effective in areas with dense monster packs but less useful against single, high-health bosses. Conversely, an item that grants onslaught when hit could provide a valuable defensive and offensive boost in challenging encounters. The selection process should also consider the item’s other affixes, ensuring they synergize with the overall build strategy and do not compromise other essential character attributes.
In summary, unique item affixes offer a diverse and potentially potent method for acquiring onslaught. The strategic incorporation of these items into character builds allows for specialized and enhanced gameplay experiences. The challenges in utilizing these affixes lie in understanding their trigger conditions, duration, and potential conflicts with other build requirements. A thorough evaluation of available unique items and their associated affixes is crucial for optimizing character performance and maximizing the benefits derived from the onslaught buff.
3. Support Gem Linkages
Support gem linkages represent a significant mechanic through which the onslaught buff can be obtained and enhanced. By modifying the behavior of active skill gems, support gems introduce conditional triggers and effects that can enable the acquisition of onslaught within a character’s build. This system allows for a high degree of customization and synergy, tailoring the onslaught buff to specific playstyles and skill combinations.
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Conditional Triggering of Onslaught
Certain support gems add conditions to active skills, granting onslaught only when these conditions are met. For example, a support gem might grant onslaught after a skill chains a certain number of times or upon hitting a rare or unique enemy. This transforms an active skill into a source of onslaught, contingent on specific in-game events. The implication is that the character’s skill rotation and target prioritization directly influence the availability of the speed buff.
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Onslaught Duration and Potency Modification
Support gems can modify the duration and potency of the onslaught buff. A support gem might increase the duration of onslaught granted by an active skill, or it might increase the movement speed bonus provided by onslaught. This functionality allows players to fine-tune the onslaught buff to their needs, optimizing its duration for sustained combat or maximizing its speed bonus for rapid traversal. The result is a more flexible and adaptable approach to managing the buff.
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Synergistic Interactions with Skill Mechanics
Support gems that grant onslaught often have synergistic interactions with the base mechanics of the active skill they support. For instance, a support gem might grant onslaught only when a skill deals critical damage, encouraging players to invest in critical strike chance and multiplier. This creates a feedback loop where successful execution of a specific skill mechanic directly leads to the acquisition of the onslaught buff. The benefits are integrated performance enhancements.
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Resource Management Considerations
While support gems can enable access to onslaught, they often come with trade-offs in resource management, such as increased mana cost or reduced damage output. A support gem that grants onslaught on hit might significantly increase the mana cost of an active skill, requiring players to invest in mana regeneration or mana leech. Balancing the benefits of onslaught with the resource costs of support gems is a crucial aspect of character building. It creates strategic resource allocation choices.
In conclusion, support gem linkages provide a powerful and versatile method for integrating onslaught into character builds. The benefits and drawbacks of the gems need to be weighed. By understanding the conditional triggers, duration modifiers, and synergistic interactions of these linkages, players can optimize their character’s performance and tailor the onslaught buff to their specific playstyle. The strategic use of support gems transforms active skills into dynamic sources of onslaught, enhancing both offensive and defensive capabilities.
4. Flask Effects
Flask effects represent a temporary but readily accessible avenue for acquiring onslaught. Consumable items grant the buff upon activation, providing a burst of increased attack, cast, and movement speed. The dependence on flask charges necessitates strategic flask management, making this method both powerful and demanding. A typical quicksilver flask with an added mod grants onslaught during its effect. This grants high mobility and speed.
The strategic importance of flask effects lies in their on-demand nature. A character can activate a flask to gain onslaught in anticipation of a difficult encounter or to quickly traverse a map. This contrasts with passive sources of onslaught, which may be less reliable or require specific conditions to be met. The need to replenish flask charges introduces a layer of resource management, requiring characters to defeat enemies or utilize specific skills to maintain a consistent supply. Certain unique flasks offer stronger onslaught effect, such as increased duration and potency, but are harder to obtain.
In summary, flask effects offer a flexible and controllable method for acquiring onslaught. The strategic use of flasks requires careful consideration of timing, duration, and resource management. While the temporary nature of flask-granted onslaught necessitates constant replenishment, the on-demand availability of the buff makes it a valuable tool for enhancing character performance and managing challenging encounters. The method also adds a skill ceiling to high level game play due to the increased player input.
5. On Kill Effects
Acquiring the onslaught buff through on-kill effects provides a dynamic and efficient means of enhancing character speed and combat effectiveness. This method ties the activation of onslaught directly to the successful elimination of enemies, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of increased speed and combat prowess. Its effectiveness is particularly pronounced in scenarios involving high enemy density, where each kill contributes to a sustained period of accelerated performance.
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Area Clear Efficiency
The principal benefit of on-kill onslaught lies in its ability to significantly enhance the efficiency of clearing areas populated with numerous enemies. As each enemy is defeated, the subsequent onslaught buff facilitates faster movement and attack speed, enabling quicker elimination of remaining threats. This creates a cascading effect where the character accelerates through the environment, eliminating enemies with increasing rapidity. An example would be a skill linked to a support gem grants onslaught upon kill. The implication is a more fluid and less interrupted gameplay experience, particularly during mapping or similar activities.
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Sustainment Challenges
The primary challenge associated with relying on on-kill effects for onslaught acquisition lies in the inherent dependence on a continuous supply of enemies. In scenarios with low enemy density or during single-target encounters, the effectiveness of this method diminishes significantly. This creates a situation where the character’s performance fluctuates depending on the surrounding environment. A character fighting a single, powerful boss, where no additional enemies are present, will not gain onslaught. The implication is that builds relying solely on on-kill effects may need to incorporate alternative methods for sustaining onslaught during challenging encounters.
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Synergy with AoE Skills
On-kill effects synergize exceptionally well with skills that possess a wide area of effect (AoE). Skills capable of eliminating multiple enemies simultaneously maximize the frequency of onslaught acquisition, creating a more consistent and sustained period of accelerated performance. Examples include explosive skills or skills with inherent chaining mechanics. The implication is that characters utilizing AoE skills can effectively leverage on-kill effects to maintain a near-permanent uptime of onslaught, enhancing both their clear speed and survivability.
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Gear and Passive Dependencies
Achieving reliable on-kill onslaught often requires specific gear affixes or passive skill allocations that augment the duration or chance of triggering the buff. Unique items may grant increased onslaught duration per kill or provide a baseline chance to gain onslaught on each enemy defeated. Similarly, passive skills may increase the duration or effectiveness of on-kill effects. The implication is that characters seeking to maximize the benefits of on-kill onslaught will need to invest in specific gear and passive choices to optimize the performance of this mechanic.
In conclusion, on-kill effects represent a powerful and efficient method for acquiring onslaught. However, its effectiveness is contingent on a continuous supply of enemies and requires careful consideration of skill selection, gear affixes, and passive skill allocations. This gameplay element adds another layer of strategy to character building. Characters that can effectively leverage on-kill effects can achieve exceptional clear speed and maintain a sustained period of accelerated performance.
6. Conditional Triggers
Conditional triggers represent a multifaceted approach to acquiring the onslaught buff, tying its activation to the fulfillment of specific in-game criteria. This mechanism allows for a highly customized and strategic application of onslaught, requiring players to carefully manage their actions and build their characters to meet the necessary conditions. The diversity of potential triggers provides numerous opportunities for character optimization, but also necessitates a thorough understanding of game mechanics.
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Health Thresholds
Onslaught may be granted when a character’s health falls below a certain threshold, creating a defensive mechanism for escaping dangerous situations or retaliating against incoming damage. For example, a passive skill might grant onslaught upon reaching low life, providing a temporary boost to movement and attack speed to aid in survival. This offers a risk-reward dynamic, where the benefit of onslaught is tied to a vulnerable state. The strategic implication is that characters can use conditional triggers to compensate for defensive weaknesses or to capitalize on near-death experiences.
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Skill Usage Patterns
Onslaught may be linked to specific skill usage patterns, incentivizing players to employ certain skills or skill combinations. For instance, a support gem might grant onslaught after using a movement skill, encouraging greater mobility and repositioning during combat. This method rewards active and deliberate gameplay, transforming the skill usage into a trigger for the speed enhancement. The implication is a deeper integration of onslaught into the character’s combat rotation, promoting both offensive and defensive benefits.
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Enemy Status Effects
Onslaught can be triggered by inflicting specific status effects on enemies, such as shock, chill, or ignite. For example, a weapon affix might grant onslaught upon igniting an enemy, rewarding characters that focus on fire damage and ailment application. This promotes synergy between different damage types and crowd control strategies. The strategic implication is that characters can use conditional triggers to bolster their damage output or control enemy behavior, enhancing both their offensive and defensive capabilities.
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Resource Depletion
The depletion of resources such as mana or energy shield can also serve as a conditional trigger for onslaught. For example, a unique item might grant onslaught when mana is fully depleted, providing a temporary boost to compensate for the inability to use skills. This method creates a strategic decision point, forcing players to balance resource consumption with the potential benefit of increased speed. The implication is that characters can use conditional triggers to convert resource limitations into an offensive advantage, providing a burst of speed when resources are low.
The effectiveness of conditional triggers hinges on the player’s ability to consistently meet the required conditions while navigating the challenges of combat. These triggers offer a tailored approach to acquiring the onslaught buff, allowing for highly specialized character builds that capitalize on specific gameplay mechanics. Understanding these triggers and their potential synergies is crucial for optimizing character performance and maximizing the benefits derived from this valuable speed enhancement.
7. Ailment Application
The strategic application of ailments constitutes a crucial component in acquiring and sustaining the onslaught buff. This method intertwines offensive capabilities with mobility enhancements, creating a synergistic relationship that enhances character performance. The link between ailment application and onslaught acquisition depends on specific skills, support gems, or item affixes that grant onslaught upon inflicting particular ailments.
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Shock Application and Onslaught
Shock, an ailment that increases damage taken by the afflicted target, can be a conditional trigger for onslaught. Certain passive skills or gear affixes may grant onslaught upon successfully shocking an enemy. This synergy is particularly effective for builds focused on lightning damage, as it provides a burst of speed following a successful shock application. The implication is an enhancement of both offensive and defensive capabilities, as the increased speed allows for quicker enemy elimination and improved maneuverability.
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Ignite Application and Onslaught
Ignite, an ailment that inflicts burning damage over time, can also be tied to onslaught acquisition. Similar to shock, specific skills or items may grant onslaught upon igniting an enemy. This pairing works effectively for builds centered around fire damage, as it provides a temporary speed boost following a successful ignite application. This creates a strategic advantage, enabling the character to quickly reposition or unleash further attacks while the ignited enemy suffers damage over time.
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Chill/Freeze Application and Onslaught
The application of chill or freeze, ailments that slow or completely immobilize enemies respectively, can also serve as a trigger for onslaught. A passive skill or gear affix may grant onslaught upon chilling or freezing an enemy, providing a defensive advantage by facilitating escape or allowing for easier targeting of other threats. This strategy is useful for builds that focus on cold damage and crowd control, as it provides both a means of slowing enemies and a subsequent boost to character speed.
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Poison Application and Onslaught
Poison, an ailment that deals chaos damage over time, can indirectly facilitate the acquisition of onslaught. While less common as a direct trigger, specific support gems or unique items might grant benefits based on the number of poisoned enemies. This, combined with other effects, may trigger onslaught. This strategy works well with builds focused on chaos damage and damage over time, as it provides a consistent source of speed enhancement that complements their playstyle.
The integration of ailment application into onslaught acquisition highlights the strategic depth achievable through character customization. These mechanics are interconnected and can be modified with different gear or supports. By linking offensive actions with mobility enhancements, the character achieves a more fluid, efficient, and adaptable style of gameplay. Builds tailored for this approach require specific skills, passive allocations, and item choices, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of game mechanics and the interplay of character attributes.
8. Gear Modifiers
Gear modifiers represent a pivotal mechanism for acquiring the onslaught buff, offering varied avenues to enhance character speed and combat efficiency. These modifiers, found on different types of equipment, can directly grant onslaught or augment its acquisition through other means. Understanding gear modifiers is crucial for optimizing character builds focused on maximizing the benefits of onslaught.
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Direct Onslaught Grant
Certain gear modifiers directly grant onslaught under specific conditions. For example, a modifier on a pair of boots might state “30% chance to gain Onslaught for 4 seconds on Kill.” This modifier offers a chance to gain the onslaught buff upon defeating an enemy, providing a sustained speed boost in areas with high enemy density. The implication is that this type of modifier excels in scenarios where constant engagement with enemies is expected, such as mapping or delving.
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Onslaught Duration Enhancement
Other gear modifiers may focus on extending the duration of the onslaught buff, regardless of its source. For instance, a modifier on a belt could state “+2 seconds to Onslaught duration.” This enhancement increases the duration of onslaught granted by other sources, such as skill tree passives or flask effects, allowing for a more consistent uptime of the buff. The implication is improved sustainment of the speed enhancement during extended combat encounters.
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Conditional Onslaught Triggering
Gear modifiers can introduce conditional triggers for onslaught acquisition, tying the activation of the buff to specific character actions or enemy states. For instance, a modifier on a weapon might state “Gain Onslaught for 3 seconds on Critical Strike.” This conditional trigger links the acquisition of onslaught to the character’s critical strike chance and frequency, rewarding builds focused on dealing critical damage. The strategic value lies in the fact that onslaught is tied to a play style decision and character building.
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Synergistic Stat Amplification
Some gear modifiers may indirectly influence the acquisition or effectiveness of onslaught by enhancing other relevant character stats. For example, a modifier that increases movement speed directly synergizes with the speed boost provided by onslaught, further amplifying the character’s mobility. Similarly, modifiers that increase attack or cast speed indirectly enhance the benefit of onslaught by allowing for quicker execution of attacks and spells. The result is a more holistic impact on the character’s overall effectiveness.
In conclusion, gear modifiers provide a diverse set of options for acquiring and enhancing the onslaught buff, making them a critical consideration for character building. The integration of these modifiers into a build requires careful evaluation of their effects, synergies, and trigger conditions, enabling players to optimize their character’s performance and maximize the benefits derived from the onslaught mechanic. The importance of gear modifiers in reaching peak build output is very impactful.
Frequently Asked Questions
This section addresses common inquiries regarding the methods and strategies for obtaining the Onslaught buff in Path of Exile 2. These answers aim to clarify misconceptions and provide accurate information for optimizing character builds.
Question 1: Is Onslaught a permanent buff in Path of Exile 2?
No, Onslaught is not a permanent buff. It is a temporary effect that grants increased attack, cast, and movement speed for a limited duration. The duration can vary depending on the source of the Onslaught and any duration-enhancing modifiers.
Question 2: Can multiple sources of Onslaught stack with each other?
No, multiple instances of the Onslaught buff do not stack additively. Typically, the most potent or longest-lasting instance of Onslaught will override any weaker or shorter-duration instances. This prevents exponential speed increases from multiple sources.
Question 3: Are there specific character classes that are better suited for acquiring Onslaught?
No specific character classes are inherently better suited for acquiring Onslaught. The methods for obtaining Onslaught are available to all classes through skill tree passives, gear modifiers, and support gem linkages. Build-specific synergies are more important than class selection.
Question 4: Does increased item rarity or quantity affect the chance of finding gear with Onslaught-related modifiers?
While increased item rarity or quantity can increase the overall chance of finding valuable gear, it does not directly affect the probability of finding gear with specific Onslaught-related modifiers. Those modifiers are subject to randomness and item base type restrictions.
Question 5: Is it possible to reliably sustain Onslaught during boss encounters?
Sustaining Onslaught during boss encounters can be challenging, as many methods rely on defeating enemies. However, specific builds utilizing conditional triggers, flask effects, or unique item affixes can maintain Onslaught uptime even during single-target engagements. Requires build planning and itemization.
Question 6: Are there any diminishing returns on the movement speed provided by Onslaught?
While Path of Exile 2 does not explicitly state diminishing returns on movement speed, stacking excessive amounts of movement speed can lead to practical limitations due to character animation constraints and the game’s physics engine. Careful gear selection and skill optimization are advised.
In summary, acquiring and sustaining Onslaught is a multifaceted process that requires careful consideration of character build, gear selection, and gameplay strategy. Understanding the mechanics and limitations of various Onslaught sources is essential for optimizing character performance.
The following section will provide concluding remarks to reinforce understanding.
Expert Tips for Optimal Onslaught Acquisition
These insights are designed to aid in maximizing the benefits derived from the Onslaught buff, focusing on efficiency and strategic integration into character builds.
Tip 1: Prioritize Reliable Triggers: Reliance on consistent activation methods, such as specific skill tree passives or gear affixes with guaranteed triggers, is preferable to relying on chance-based effects. A skill granting Onslaught on critical strike is more consistent than a low-chance on-kill effect in boss encounters.
Tip 2: Leverage Flask Synergies: Quicksilver Flasks can be augmented with affixes that grant Onslaught during their effect. Optimizing flask affixes and charges allows for strategically timed speed boosts, particularly for navigation and escaping dangerous situations.
Tip 3: Consider Build Archetype: The method of acquiring Onslaught should align with the character’s core build archetype. A melee build might benefit from Onslaught granted on hit, while a caster build could utilize Onslaught triggered by spell usage.
Tip 4: Balance Duration and Trigger Frequency: An optimal Onslaught strategy balances the duration of the buff with the frequency of its trigger. A shorter duration with frequent triggers is preferable to a long duration with infrequent triggers, especially during dynamic combat scenarios.
Tip 5: Analyze Enemy Density: Builds focused on Onslaught acquisition should consider the typical enemy density of the content being engaged. On-kill effects are highly effective in densely populated areas, but less useful against single, high-health targets.
Tip 6: Evaluate Resource Management: Some Onslaught acquisition methods may introduce resource management challenges, such as increased mana cost. It is important to evaluate the trade-off between the benefits of Onslaught and the potential strain on resources.
Tip 7: Utilize Unique Item Synergies: Unique items that grant or enhance Onslaught often provide additional benefits or synergies. A unique pair of boots that grant Onslaught upon using a movement skill can significantly enhance mobility and efficiency.
Strategic Onslaught acquisition significantly improves clear speed and survivability. Implementing these tips enhances builds and maximizes the potential.
The subsequent section consolidates the information. It provides closing remarks that summarize key takeaways.
Conclusion
This exploration of “poe2 how to get onslaught” has detailed the multifaceted strategies for acquiring and sustaining this beneficial buff. Skill tree passives, unique item affixes, support gem linkages, flask effects, on-kill triggers, conditional activations, ailment application, and gear modifiers all present distinct pathways to achieving increased character speed and combat efficiency. The selection of an optimal approach hinges on a comprehensive understanding of these options, tailored to individual build archetypes and gameplay preferences.
Effective utilization of Onslaught requires a commitment to strategic decision-making and careful optimization. The information presented herein serves as a foundational resource for navigating the complexities of character building in Path of Exile 2. Continued experimentation and adaptation are essential for maximizing the benefits of Onslaught and achieving mastery within the game.
