The Witch ofPath of Exilemay interest characters looking for a powerhouse spellcasting Class, with her Elementalist Ascendancy capitalizing on synergizing elemental abilities to deal devastating damage. A crucial part of this arsenal is thePrimal Aegisskill, provided by the Bastion of Elements Passive within the Elementalist skill tree. When used correctly, Primal Aegis can be an integral part of an Elementalist’s damage-building kit.
RELATED:Path Of Exile: Lake Of Kalandra – How To Use The Mirrored Tablet
At first glance, the Primal Aegis becomes a damage buffer that absorbs attacks before players take damage to their Life or Energy Shields. However, players ofPath of Exilewho want to capitalize on their Elementalist builds may want to master the intricacies of the Primal Aegis.
Quick Recap: Why Choose The Elementalist Ascendancy?
Similar to the concept of the Class Archetype or Subclass inDungeons & Dragons, anAscendancy Classin thePath of Exileexperience further diversifies a player’s build by providing their selected Class with an accompanying theme or flavor. Gameplay-wise, Ascendancy Classes offer an “advanced” Ascendancy Skill Tree that provides more powerful passives that may dictate a Class’s mid-to-endgame playstyle.
In the case ofthePath of Exile’s Witch, her all-around magic specialization gets a more elemental-inclined playstyle than theElementalist. Compared to the summon-heavy Necromancer and the debuff-reliant Occultist, the Elementalist follows the spellcaster archetype of a burst-specialist that taps and enhances various damage types.
Enter Bastion Of Elements
Players can only acquire Primal Aegis in theirPath of Exileexperience through theBastion of Elements. This is a Notable Ascendancy Passive Skill within the Elementalist Skill Tree that can only be acquired after putting points in theElemental Damage and ResistancesMinor Passive. At its core, Allocating points into this Notable Passive will immediately activate Primal Aegis.
However, other effects are also caused by the usage of this Notable Passive Skill. Firstly, players no longer take Reflected Elemental Damage. Moreover, this Skill disables other Aegis Skills. The latter also means players can’t stack Primal Aegis with other Aegis-granting shields, which can force players to modify theirPath of Exilebuilds.
What Is Primal Aegis?
Players who slot Ascendancy Points into Bastion of Elements immediately acquirePrimal Aegis. Placing points in this Notable Passive activates Primal Aegis, costing players 0 Mana without manual casting. The shield only tanks Elemental Damage from hits, subtracting them from its natural shielding before players get reduced Health from normal damage.
RELATED:Path Of Exile: How To Get The Hateforge Gauntlets
In turn, players practically auto-cast Primal Aegis, and this ability is permanently enabled throughout their playthrough. Primal Aegis is only disabled when it takes the full brunt of its shielding capabilities but recharges over time.
What Happens When Using Primal Aegis?
While the Primal Aegis is a straightforward damage-absorbing shield inPath of Exilegameplay, players may still want to learn the intricacies of this defensive mechanism in their playthroughs, especially if they’re not usingClasses like the combat-heavy Marauder. At its core, here are certain considerations to understand when having Primal Aegis active for a player’s Elementalist:
What Makes Primal Aegis Different From Other Aegis Effects?
Witchesenjoying theirPath of Exileplaythroughmay realize that Primal Aegis has quite the visual similarity to the existing Aegis mechanic in the game. Not only that, but its effects also copy those of familiar Aegis effects. In that regard, what makes Primal Aegis worth the while compared to other Aegis effects in the game?
RELATED:Path of Exile: What is Corrupted Gear?
At its core, Bastion of the Elements is one of the only six Aegis-granting effects in the game. Moreover, Primal Aegis is the only Aegis that isn’t acquired from an item. Other Aegis effects are granted by shields, with their Aegis name corresponding to the damage type they protect players against, namely: Cold Aegis (Vix Lnaris), Elemental Aegis (Magna Eclipsis), Fire Aegis (Invictus Solaris), Lightning Aegis (Perepiteia), and Physical Aegis (The Ghastly Theatre).
Synergies: Minor Skills
Before players access the Primal Aegis via Bastion of Elements, they must understand its primary synergies withotherPath of Exilegameplay mechanics, specificallyMinor Skills. Minor Skills precede most other Notable Passives, and players can shape their Primal Aegis gameplay depending on which of the latter they prioritize:
Synergies: Notable Passive Skills
Asthe Elementalist Ascendancygrows in strength and taps into Minor Skills, they slowly unlock other Major Skills in the Ascendancy Skill Tree. On top of Bastion of Elements providing them with a much-needed elemental shield, Primal Aegis may be able to synergize with other Notable Passive Skills of the skill tree that can enhance their overallPath of Exileexperience. Here are some potential pairings with the Primal Aegis:
Path of Exile 2will be launching on the PC, Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and macOS
