Mastering the Double Herald Setup in Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2's Double Herald strategy combines Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder for devastating area-of-effect damage. This guide explains how to implement and understand this powerful technique.

Implementing the Double Herald Setup

The Double Herald setup requires four key elements:

1. A Herald of Ice Skill Gem supported by a Lightning Infusion Support Gem.
2. A Herald of Thunder Skill Gem supported by a Cold Infusion Support Gem (Glaciation is highly recommended).
3. 60 Spirit.
4. A method for inflicting Cold damage.

Remember to activate both Heralds in your skill menu.

Effective Cold damage sources for initiating the chain reaction include:

• Monk's Ice Strike (highly effective).
• Passive skills boosting Freeze buildup.
• Weapons or gloves with flat cold damage.
• The Against the Darkness Time-Lost Diamond Jewel (+Cold damage%).

How the Heralds Interact

The synergy relies on the Heralds' unique properties:

• Herald of Ice: Triggers on Shattering (freezing then attacking) enemies. Crucially, its Cold damage cannot Freeze, preventing self-sustaining chains.

• Herald of Thunder: Triggers on killing Shocked enemies. Similarly, it cannot inflict Shock independently.

The key is the Infusion Support Gems. Lightning Infusion converts a portion of Herald of Ice's damage to Lightning, enabling Shock. Cold Infusion does the same for Herald of Thunder, enabling Freeze.

This creates a chain reaction: Herald of Ice (via Lightning) shocks, triggering Herald of Thunder. Herald of Thunder (via Cold) freezes, triggering Herald of Ice, and so on. While ideally infinite, the chain usually lasts one or two cycles due to enemy density. Breaches are particularly effective due to their high enemy concentration.

To initiate, Freeze and Shatter an enemy using Cold damage (e.g., Ice Strike). This procs Herald of Ice, which then shocks, triggering Herald of Thunder and continuing the cycle. Prioritizing Herald of Ice is beneficial because Freeze is easier to inflict than Shock, and Herald of Thunder's range is superior.