Lifetap Support: What Does It Mean for Your Build?
The Lifetap Support gem in Path of Exile 2 is a versatile support gem that modifies the way skills cost resources, allowing players to utilize their Health pool for casting spells or using abilities instead of Mana. This can significantly impact gameplay strategies and character builds.
Mechanics
When linked to an active skill gem, Lifetap Support changes the cost of that skill from Mana to Life. This can be a strategic advantage for characters with high Life regeneration or Life Leech capabilities, enabling them to maintain skill usage even when Mana is depleted.
- Cost Conversion: Skills supported by Lifetap will cost a percentage of Life instead of Mana.
- Increased Life Cost: The Life cost is generally higher than the Mana cost, balancing the advantage of bypassing Mana constraints.
- Lifetap Buff: Upon expending Life to use a skill, characters gain the Lifetap Buff, which grants increased Life Recovery from Flask effects.
Strategies and Synergies
Incorporating Lifetap Support into your build can open up a variety of strategic options. Here are some common strategies:
- High Life Builds: Characters with a large Life pool or significant Life recovery can benefit from using Lifetap Support, ensuring they can sustain skill usage during prolonged fights.
- Life Leech and Regeneration: Combining Lifetap with skills or items that provide Life Leech or regeneration helps mitigate the cost of using health for skills.
- Mana Intensive Builds: For characters who struggle with Mana sustain, Lifetap allows them to bypass this limitation and focus on enhancing their Life pool and recovery.
Considerations
While Lifetap Support can be a powerful tool, there are important considerations to keep in mind:
- Increased Vulnerability: Using Life for skills can make characters more vulnerable to incoming damage, necessitating careful management of health resources.
- Gear and Passives: Prioritizing gear and passive skills that enhance Life, Life recovery, and defensive capabilities is crucial when relying on Lifetap.
For more details on Lifetap Support and its integration into your build, you can explore additional resources and community discussions on Path of Exile's official forums.