War Banner in Path of Exile 2: What Does It Mean?
The War Banner in Path of Exile 2 is a powerful skill gem that enhances your capabilities in battle by offering both offensive and tactical advantages. It is an aura-type skill that bolsters your allies and weakens your foes, making it a strategic choice for players focusing on melee or physical damage builds.
Mechanics
The War Banner skill works by placing a banner on the ground, which creates an area of effect that benefits allies and hinders enemies. As you kill enemies, the banner gains stages, increasing its power. When you activate the banner, it provides significant bonuses based on the number of stages accumulated.
- Stage Accumulation: As you or your allies kill enemies, the War Banner gains stages, up to a maximum limit. Each stage enhances the effects provided by the banner.
- Banner Placement: You can place the banner on the ground to create an aura that increases the accuracy and damage of allies while reducing the accuracy of enemies.
- Banner Activation: Activating the banner consumes all accumulated stages, providing a burst of power that can turn the tide of battle, such as increased damage or improved defenses.
Strategies
Utilizing the War Banner effectively requires strategic planning and timing. Here are some strategies to maximize its potential:
- Timing the Placement: Place the banner when you anticipate a prolonged fight or during boss encounters to maximize the benefits to your party.
- Stage Management: Keep an eye on the number of stages to ensure you activate the banner at its peak potential for maximum effect.
- Synergize with Builds: The War Banner is particularly effective in builds that focus on physical damage and melee combat, enhancing both personal and party-wide performance.
Related Skills
The War Banner can be complemented with other skills to enhance its effectiveness:
- Dread Banner: Another banner skill that can be used in conjunction with the War Banner for additional area control and benefits.
- Herald of Purity: This skill provides additional physical damage and summons minions, making it a great pairing with War Banner for physical damage builds.