Elemental Proliferation: Spreads freeze effects for additional control.

Elemental Proliferation: Spreads freeze effects for additional control.

Elemental Proliferation: Spreads freeze effects for additional control.
    Trigger Mechanics: Complements skills like Cast on Crit and Corpse-based detonations.

Herald of Thunder

Herald of Thunder adds flat lightning damage to POE2 Trade attacks and spells but truly shines with its on-kill effect, which causes lightning bolts to strike enemies continuously. This makes it one of the most efficient ways to apply shock and sustain damage passively. It works exceptionally well with:

    • Lightning Conduit and Shock-based builds: Herald of Thunder constantly reapplies shock.
    • Triggering on-kill: Ensures seamless uptime in dense monster packs.
    • Chain Mechanics: Allows damage to bounce between enemies efficiently.

Why Are They Likely to Be Nerfed?

1. Overpowered Synergy Between Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder

One of the biggest reasons these Heralds might be nerfed is their ability to trigger each other in a cascading effect. Since both effects activate on-kill, they complement each other perfectly.

For example, in a typical build:

    Herald of Ice’s explosions kill nearby enemies, triggering Herald of Thunder.
    Herald of Thunder’s lightning strikes kill additional enemies, triggering more Herald of Ice explosions.

This loop of auto-triggering allows players to POE2 Currency for sale clear screens effortlessly, requiring little direct skill usage. The ease of this synergy makes it significantly stronger than other skills that demand manual activation.
2. The "Auto-Bomber" Playstyle Is Too Efficient

The Herald auto-bomber build is one of the smoothest and fastest map-clearing playstyles in the game. With just a few passive investment points and the right gear, it enables near-instant clearspeed without needing to cast a single spell actively.

    Minimal button presses: Players simply walk into packs, and enemies explode around them.
    Scaling potential: Works with investment into Increased Effect of Heralds, Elemental Damage Scaling, and Trigger Effects.
    Consistency: Unlike some trigger builds that rely on cooldowns, Herald effects remain active almost permanently in high-density areas.

This playstyle goes against Path of Exile’s traditional design philosophy of risk vs. reward, as it allows players to deal massive damage without engaging enemies directly.

3. Effectiveness in Both Early and Late Game

Most skills in Path of Exile require heavy investment to remain viable in late-game content. However, Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder scale exceptionally well from early to late game.

In early maps, they provide consistent damage without heavy investment.

    With high-end gear, they become monstrous, trivializing even high-tier maps and juiced content.

Because of this scaling efficiency, players can invest into Herald builds earlier and continue benefiting from them well into the endgame without needing costly gear upgrades.

4. Balance Changes in PoE 2 Are Likely to Target Passive Damage Sources

One of the biggest changes in Path of Exile 2 is the emphasis on player engagement. The game aims to reduce passive damage sources that allow players to clear screens without actively using skills.

This puts Herald builds at direct risk of nerfs, as they enable a hands-free playstyle where enemies explode with minimal player input. Grinding Gear Games (GGG) has already nerfed similar mechanics in the past, including trigger builds, cooldown bypasses, and certain overpowered support gems.

If PoE 2 maintains this philosophy, Herald builds could see substantial nerfs to bring them in line with other active-play builds.

How Might They Be Nerfed?

There are several potential nerfs that GGG could implement to balance Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder without completely destroying them.

1. Increasing Reservation Costs

One straightforward way to tone down Herald builds is to increase their mana reservation cost. If Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder go from 25% to 35% reservation, players will have to sacrifice an additional aura or make significant mana investment choices.
2. Reducing Trigger Consistency

GGG might introduce a cooldown or proc limit for Herald explosions and lightning strikes. For instance:

Herald of Ice's explosions could be capped at a certain number per second.

    Herald of Thunder's lightning strikes could have an internal cooldown between activations.

This would reduce the effectiveness of auto-trigger chains without gutting the skills completely.

3. Limiting Scaling Potential

Another approach could be reducing the effect of increased Herald damage nodes or nerfing Herald-specific uniques like Ring of Blades or Storm Secret. This would make late-game scaling harder while keeping early-game viability intact.

4. Removing Synergy Between the Two Heralds

A drastic approach could be to modify the on-kill mechanics so that Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder no longer trigger each other directly. This would break the auto-bomber playstyle while still allowing each Herald to be powerful on its own.

Conclusion: The Future of Heralds in PoE 2

While Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder remain fan favorites, their current power level and synergy make them prime candidates for nerfs in upcoming patches or PoE 2. The auto-bomber playstyle, passive damage scaling, and on-kill synergy create an incredibly effective yet low-engagement gameplay loop—something GGG has historically moved away from.

If Heralds do get nerfed, players may need to rethink their build choices, but these changes could ultimately lead to a more balanced game experience. Whether through higher reservation costs, trigger limits, or synergy reductions, adjustments to Herald mechanics seem inevitable.

For now, if you're a fan of Herald builds, enjoy them while you can—because they may not stay this powerful for long.
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