Yes! Path of Exile 2’s Third Edict update just dropped, and honestly, it’s shaking up the game in some really exciting ways.
It’s brought the game from a stale phase to a very excited community phase. And while the update hasn’t introduced a new class, all the existing classes seem to have been significantly impacted, which is also very exciting.
Among the flood of new content, the unique belt Darkness Enthroned (brought over from POE 1) is already making waves — and for good reason. Sure, some of the community’s reactions haven’t been very exciting, but this item is (potentially) something you’d want for your build ASAP.
Before we dive into anything specific, let’s first explain how it works.
Darkness Enthroned Belt Item Mechanics
The belt comes with two sockets (something belts don’t normally have) where you’ll be able to place socketables — runes, soul cores, talismans (introduced in 0.2), and abysal eyes (introduced in this update).
Now, what makes this belt special is this line: This item gains bonuses from socketed items as though it were a [Random Socketable Equipment Type].
This means that the random socketable equipment type will correspond to Body Armor or a Helmet. These two we know for sure, right now, but it’s fair to say that versions with Gloves and Boots (and perhaps other item types) will also exist.
Furthermore, the unique belt will also amplify the values from those socketables.
Now that we know that, what does that actually mean?
Well, the power of this item lies solely in how much raw flat stat of a desired type this belt can provide collectively.
This item's ability is perfectly timed with the new exceptional item bases patch, which lets you snag extra sockets or even corrupt for more. So you’re basically stacking socketables on socketables — and the belt intensifies every single one.
As you can imagine, this gimmick enables some potentially OP builds.
Minion Build
Here’s a great example.
If you take the Talisman of Ralakesh, which grants 8% increased Reservation Efficiency of Minion Skills. On its own, that’s good. But if you place it in, for example, a helmet with three sockets, and two more in the Darkness Enthroned belt with the helmet roll, you’re looking at up to 56% [(3x8%; helm)+(2x16%; belt)] on a perfectly rolled (100%) belt. For a minion build, that’s ridiculous! Plus, since the belt can be corrupted for extra efficiency, you’re possibly looking at even more.
Speed Build
You could also utilize Farrul’s Rune of the Chase for a speed build with a 40% increase to movement speed.
These are all nice, but we’ve promised ‘busted’.
Empowered Attacks Build
So, let’s take a look at the Talisman of Grold, which grants the following: Gloves: Skills that empower an attack have a 15% of not counting that attack.
Without the belt, you’re looking at a 60% chance for that effect to trigger. With the belt — it’s 100% (actually 105%) and you’re still free to use one slot on the gloves for another stackable. Let’s discuss what this means.
Your empowered attacks never use up their charges. For skills such as Infernal Cry and Barrage, this basically means ‘infinite power’. But in general, buffs/aftershocks from warcries, Barrage (already mentioned), bonus dmg from Emergency Reload, Mantra of Destruction, Volatile Power, Enraged Warcry — just some examples of skills that would heavily benefit and would be defined by this 100% ability.
Thorns Build
With Darkness Enthroned and the newly reworked Stag Talisman, you can now boost thorns crit chance, which can go through the roof (up to 350%); that’s wild.
Mana Before Life Build
The Greatwolf’s Rune of Willpower provides players with up to 100% damage taken as mana before life via multiple builds. Mind over Matter is just one example of how to get there easily using Darkness Enthroned and the rune alone. In 0.3, this is going to be exceptionally powerful because of the improved access to mana leech for many builds.
Recoup Build
Another interesting mechanic that benefited a lot from this unique belt is recoup — allowing exiles to recover parts of their life, energy shield, or mana based on the dmg taken from hits.
Estanzunti’s Soul Core of Convalescence allows players to reach +80% speed of recoup effects on boots, while if you pair it with a helmet version of Darkness Enthroned, you’re able to reach up to 48% of damage taken recouped as life. As you can imagine, Chronomancers can become ridiculous with this synergy.
ES Recharge Rate Build
Craiceann’s Rune of Recovery enables players to reach up to 500%!!! Increase energy shield recharge rate. This was also confirmed after the Q&A, which now points to ES recharge rate being one of the best mechanics in 0.3.
Exposure Build
Saqawal’s Rune of Erosion is the last (but not least) entry on this list. It makes great use of the exposure mechanic, and when paired with Darkness Enthroned, you’re able to reach up to 160% increased exposure effect. This has much to do with how Incinerate and Frost Bomb work.
Conclusion
So, yeah, Darkness Enthroned will enable some pretty interesting builds that were previously impossible. Some you could reach, but with very expensive and specific builds that were less than optimized.
This unique belt doesn’t break some of the good builds, while providing great benefit.
It remains to be seen how events will unfold and whether the belt will provide us with some amazing OP builds, and whether it’ll be subject to the might nerf hammer.
Stay sane, exiles!
