If you spent any time in the first Path of Exile, you know the sound. That crisp, shattering "pop" when a pack of frozen monsters explodes into ice shards? That’s Herald of Ice. It’s iconic. Honestly, for many of us, it was the only reason we played elemental builds. But as we move into the sequel, everything is shifting. Path of Exile 2 herald skills aren't just "buffs" anymore. They’ve been re-engineered from the ground up to fit a game that is significantly more tactical, slower-paced, and—dare I say—more satisfying than the screen-clearing simulator of the past decade.
Grinding Gear Games isn't just porting your favorite auras.
The philosophy has changed. In the original game, Heralds were often "set and forget" reservations. You lost a chunk of your mana pool, gained some flat damage, and enjoyed the secondary explosions. In the sequel, the mana system has been completely overhauled with the introduction of Spirit. This single change ripples through how every Herald functions. You aren't just sacrificing a resource you use to cast spells; you're allocating a specific resource meant for permanent effects, which forces a much harder choice between a Herald, a permanent summon, or an aura.
The Shift from Passive Buffs to Reactive Power
The core of Path of Exile 2 herald skills lies in how they interact with the new combat rhythm. If you’ve watched the gameplay reveals—specifically the Ranger or the Sorceress segments—you’ve likely noticed that monsters don't just fall over when you look at them. They have poise. They have health bars that actually matter. Because of this, the "on-kill" mechanics that defined Heralds in the first game are being tweaked to provide value even when you aren't deleting forty enemies per second.
Take the reworked Herald of Ash.
In the first game, it was about overkill damage. In PoE 2, the focus shifts toward the "Burning" ailment and how it spreads. Jonathan Rogers and the team at GGG have been vocal about making elemental interactions feel "physical." When you ignite an enemy while Herald of Ash is active, the visual feedback is more intense, and the way that fire spreads to nearby targets feels more like a fluid simulation and less like a math equation running in the background.
It’s tactile. You feel the heat.
Why Spirit Changes the Herald Meta
Let's talk about Spirit. This is the big one. In the current state of Path of Exile 2, you have a base 100 Spirit. You can get more from gear (specifically scepters and shields) or certain passive tree nodes. Unlike mana, Spirit doesn't regenerate to be spent; it is a fixed capacity.
If Herald of Thunder costs 50 Spirit, half your capacity is gone.
This creates a massive opportunity cost. Do you want that Herald of Thunder to strike enemies when you cause a shock, or would you rather have a permanent Lightning Golem? You can't always have both anymore. This makes Path of Exile 2 herald skills feel like a "build-defining" choice rather than an "everyone-takes-this" requirement. If you’re playing a Mercenary with a focus on elemental ammo, grabbing a Herald might mean you can't run the specific "Auto-Turret" skill you wanted.
It’s all about the trade-offs now. No more "free" damage without a price.
Understanding the New Elemental Interactions
The developers have confirmed that the elemental system is much more "state-based" now. Frozen means frozen. If you hit a frozen enemy with a heavy strike, they don't just take damage; they shatter based on a physics-calculated threshold. Path of Exile 2 herald skills leverage this.
Herald of Ice and the Physics Engine
Herald of Ice in PoE 2 is a masterpiece of visual design. When an enemy shatters, the shards are now projectile-based objects that can interact with the environment. It isn't just an invisible circle of cold damage. If you’re in a narrow corridor, those shards are going to bounce and pierce through the pack behind your primary target.
It’s incredibly satisfying.
The Mystery of Herald of Agony and Purity
We haven't seen as much of the "minion" Heralds yet, but the rumors from the playtests suggest a move toward more active command. In the original game, the Agony Crawler just sort of followed you and shot things. In the context of PoE 2’s "WASD" movement and more active skill usage, there is a strong expectation that these Heralds will have "active" components. Imagine being able to command your Agony Crawler to unleash a specific corrosive spray by pressing the Herald button again, consuming a bit of mana or a cooldown.
This fits the PoE 2 mantra: "More buttons, more agency."
Why You Can't Just Stack Heralds Anymore
In the old days, you could run Herald of Ice, Thunder, and Ash all at once if you had enough mana reservation efficiency. Those days are gone. Because Spirit is a hard cap and isn't easily "reduced" by percentages in the same way, stacking multiple Path of Exile 2 herald skills will likely be reserved for very specific "Herald Specialist" builds—possibly linked to a specific Ascendancy we haven't seen in full yet.
Most players will pick one. One Herald that perfectly complements their primary element.
This makes the choice meaningful. If you’re a Sorceress focusing on Arcane and Frost, Herald of Ice is your bread and butter. But if you’re dipping into Spark, you might find that the utility of Herald of Thunder—which now helps significantly with the "Daze" mechanic—is actually more valuable for staying alive than the raw damage of Ice.
Comparing the Old and the New
If we look at the raw mechanics, the differences are staggering:
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- Mana vs. Spirit: Old Heralds reserved mana, cutting into your ability to cast. New Heralds use Spirit, a separate resource pool entirely.
- Visual Clarity: PoE 2 has moved away from the "neon soup" of the first game. Herald effects are more grounded. Lightning looks like actual electricity, not just blue lines.
- Combo Potential: Heralds now interact with the "Reaction" system. Certain Herald procs can trigger specific weapon skills if you have them socketed in the right way.
It’s basically a different genre of game. PoE 1 is an ARPG about speed. PoE 2 is an ARPG about the weight of your actions.
Practical Tips for Your First PoE 2 Character
When the early access or full launch finally hits your drive, don't rush to activate a Herald the moment you get it. Look at your Spirit pool. Check your gear. If you are struggling with a specific boss, that Herald of Ash might actually be hurting you if it’s preventing you from summoning a protective minion or a defensive aura.
Also, keep an eye on the weapon swapping. PoE 2 allows you to assign different passive points to different weapon sets. You could, theoretically, have a "Herald set" for clearing trash mobs and a "Defensive set" for bosses where your Spirit is allocated to shields and buffs.
The complexity is there. You just have to look for it.
Actionable Next Steps for Mastering Heralds:
- Prioritize Spirit on Gear: Look for scepters or amulets with "+ Max Spirit" early on. This is the only way you'll be able to run a Herald and still have room for utility skills like "Frost Armor."
- Focus on One Element: Since stacking is harder, don't try to be a jack-of-all-trades. If you go Herald of Ice, invest heavily in "Freeze Chance" and "Cold Penetration" to ensure the Herald actually procs. A Herald that never triggers is just wasted Spirit.
- Experiment with WASD Movement: Using Heralds effectively in PoE 2 requires better positioning. Practice kiting enemies into "choke points" where Herald of Ice shards or Herald of Ash burns can do the most work.
- Watch the Dev Logs: Grinding Gear Games frequently updates the skill interactions. Check the official Path of Exile YouTube channel for the "Skills Showcase" videos, as they often sneak in updated Herald visuals and tooltips that reveal mechanical changes.
The era of brain-dead buffing is over. Path of Exile 2 herald skills require you to actually think about your build, and honestly, the game is going to be much better for it.