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[Uriah]

Summoner builds have always been a fan favorite in Path of Exile, and Path of Exile 2 brings a host of updates that make minion play more strategic, powerful, and engaging. From new minion types to revamped AI and buff mechanics, understanding these changes is key to building an effective summoner character and maximizing damage output in both solo and group play.

Revamped Minion Behavior

One of the biggest changes in PoE 2 is how minions behave in combat. They now have more dynamic AI, allowing them to prioritize threats, maintain optimal positioning, and synergize better with player skills. This reduces the micromanagement required in the past and allows summoners to focus on strategy and skill timing rather than constantly commanding their minions.

New Minion Types and Skills

PoE 2 introduces several new minion varieties, each with unique abilities and roles:

Elemental Minions: Focused on area-of-effect damage and elemental debuffs.

Tank Minions: Absorb damage and draw enemy attention, allowing summoners to stay at a safe distance.

Support Minions: Provide buffs or debuffs, enhancing both your minions and allies’ effectiveness.

Many existing summoner skills have also been adjusted to scale better with new minion mechanics, offering smoother progression and stronger late-game viability.

Minion Buffs and Scaling

Minion damage, survivability, and speed now scale more predictably with player stats, gem levels, and passives. This change makes minion-focused gear and skill tree allocation more meaningful. For example, increased minion attack speed or health bonuses now translate directly into tangible performance improvements in combat, making every investment in minion enhancement more rewarding.

Additionally, some support gems now provide multiplicative bonuses to specific minion types, creating opportunities for highly specialized builds. Players can craft powerful synergies that maximize minion damage, survivability, or utility depending on their playstyle.

Strategic Considerations

Positioning: While AI improvements reduce micromanagement, summoners still need to consider placement for optimal AoE coverage and survivability.

Gem Combinations: Carefully pairing minion support gems with primary skills can drastically amplify damage output.

Resource Management: Certain summoner skills now draw from minion counts or health pools, requiring thoughtful rotation and sustain management.

For players looking to speed up progression or secure high-value loot, supplementing minion farming with poe 2 currency strategies can accelerate build optimization and equipment upgrades.

The changes to minion mechanics in Path of Exile 2 make summoner builds more strategic, versatile, and enjoyable. By mastering new minion types, AI behavior, and scaling systems, players can unleash devastating combos while reducing micromanagement overhead. For summoners, understanding these mechanics is essential to crafting a resilient and high-damage army capable of tackling even the toughest endgame content.