Path of Exile 2 continues to expand the depth and complexity of POE2 Currency its gameplay with new passive skills, crafting mechanics, and synergies. One such passive that has attracted attention for its powerful combination of critical strike bonuses and elemental damage amplification is Storm Charge. Whether obtained through the passive skill tree or by infusing it onto an amulet, Storm Charge offers a unique and valuable boost that can transform your damage output.
This article explains how Storm Charge works, why it’s effective, and how you can apply it to your amulet to enhance your build.
Storm Charge is a passive skill that grants two key bonuses:
20% increased critical strike chance
40% increased elemental damage if you have dealt a critical hit recently
This makes Storm Charge a versatile passive, improving both your chance to score critical hits and your elemental damage output after crits occur.
You can acquire Storm Charge in two ways:
By investing points in the passive skill tree.
By applying it to an amulet via the infusion system using special crafting items called Distilled Emotions.
The 20% Increased Critical Chance
The first component of Storm Charge is a flat 20% boost to your critical strike chance. This bonus is passive and always active when you have Storm Charge, making your attacks or spells more likely to land critical hits.
The 40% Increased Elemental Damage After a Crit
The unique and most impactful part of Storm Charge is the 40% increased elemental damage you gain if you have dealt a critical hit recently. “Recently” is defined as within the last 4 seconds. Once you critically strike an enemy, you gain a buff lasting four seconds that increases all elemental damage you deal by 40%.
This buff applies broadly — it affects elemental damage from any source, not only elemental damage dealt by critical hits. This means you don’t have to rely solely on elemental skills that crit frequently; as long as you land critical hits regularly with any skill or attack, your elemental damage benefits.
Why Is Storm Charge Valuable?
Many elemental skills in Path of Exile 2 either have low critical strike chance or do not crit reliably. Storm Charge bridges this gap by allowing you to maintain a powerful elemental damage buff through critical hits from a secondary skill, weapon attack, or other means.
If you want to gain Storm Charge without spending passive skill points, you can apply it to an amulet through the infusion system. This allows you to keep your passive tree flexible while still enjoying the benefits of Storm Charge.
Materials Needed: Distilled Emotions
To infuse Storm Charge onto an amulet, you must gather three specific Distilled Emotions items in the correct order:
Distilled Fear
Distilled Terror
Distilled Envy
These items drop randomly from Delirium enemies found in the Ultimate Delirium map. It’s important to note that monsters in maps accessed via Infused Waystones will not drop Distilled Mood items, so you should farm in the right locations.
If farming these items is challenging, you can also obtain Distilled Mood by trading with Alva at the Currency Exchange in your Hideout. Distilled Mood can then be exchanged for the specific Distilled Emotions required.
Step-by-Step Infusion Process
Gather Your Materials
Collect Distilled Fear, Distilled Terror, and Distilled Envy, as well as the amulet you want to infuse.
Open the Infuse Window
Right-click on any Distilled Mood item in your inventory to open the infusion interface.
Insert the Amulet
Place your chosen amulet into the top slot of the infusion window.
Place Distilled Emotions in Order
Place the Distilled Emotions in the row below the amulet, in this exact order:
Distilled Fear (first slot)
Distilled Terror (second slot)
Distilled Envy (third slot)
Confirm the Infusion
If the order is correct, the text box at the bottom of the window will display “Storm Charge.”
Complete the Infusion
Click the Infuse button to apply the Storm Charge passive to your amulet.
Equip the Amulet
Your character will gain Storm Charge’s benefits whenever this infused amulet is equipped.
Tips for Maximizing Storm Charge
Maintain Critical Hits Regularly: The elemental damage boost lasts only 4 seconds after a crit, so ensure your build includes frequent critical hits to keep the buff up.
Pair with Fast-Hitting or High-Crit Skills: Use skills or attacks with a high critical strike chance to reliably trigger the Storm Charge buff.
Stack Additional Elemental Damage Bonuses: Combine Storm Charge with other elemental damage increases for huge damage spikes.
Use Infusion Strategically: If your passive tree allocation is limited, infusing Storm Charge on an amulet is a great way to access the skill without sacrificing passive points.
Storm Charge is a versatile and powerful passive skill in Path of Exile 2 that enhances both your critical strike chance and elemental damage output. Its unique mechanic of granting a 40% elemental damage boost for 4 seconds after a Path of Exile 2 Currency Orbs critical hit allows for creative build synergies and sustained damage increases.
Whether you acquire it through the passive skill tree or by infusing it onto an amulet using Distilled Emotions, Storm Charge can significantly improve your character’s damage potential. Mastering this skill and integrating it into your build strategy can help you conquer the toughest challenges in Wraeclast.