In Path of Exile 2, passive skills play a vital role in defining a character’s power and effectiveness. Among the many powerful nodes available, Storm Charge stands out as a POE2 Currency go-to passive for players who rely on elemental damage and critical strikes. Whether you're using it to boost your lightning barrage, fireball spam, or elemental DoT effects, Storm Charge offers a dynamic way to push your DPS to the next level.
What Is Storm Charge?
Storm Charge is a passive skill that can either be unlocked through the passive skill tree or added to an amulet via a special infusion process. It provides two key bonuses:
40% increased elemental damage if you've dealt a critical hit recently
20% increased critical strike chance
The term “recently” in Path of Exile 2 refers to actions taken within the past four seconds. This means if you land a critical hit on an enemy, you'll enjoy a significant +40% elemental damage bonus for the next four seconds.
A major strength of Storm Charge is that the elemental damage boost applies universally—not just to critical hits. If you deal elemental damage that can’t crit (like some DoT or ground effects), you can still benefit from the boost as long as a critical hit is triggered from another part of your build. This allows for unique combinations where crits and non-crits work together for maximum efficiency.
Why Storm Charge Matters
Storm Charge creates build flexibility and rewards players who mix crit mechanics with elemental-focused abilities. For example:
Spellcasters using shock, ignite, or freeze effects can benefit from high elemental scaling, especially when landing crits frequently.
Bow builds or elemental melee builds that convert physical damage to elemental can see big damage spikes when cycling crits and procs.
Damage over time (DoT) builds, such as those relying on burning or cold DoTs, can maintain the elemental damage buff as long as some form of crit occurs regularly—even from a secondary skill or minion.
The +20% increased critical strike chance also contributes to keeping Storm Charge active. This self-feeding synergy helps ensure you're more likely to land crits consistently, which in turn refreshes the elemental damage bonus.
How to Anoint Storm Charge to an Amulet
If you want to add Storm Charge to an amulet instead of allocating it on the passive tree, you can do so using a special process involving Distilled Emotions. This process is known as infusion, and it allows you to craft powerful bonuses onto jewelry.
Required Components:
To infuse Storm Charge onto your amulet, you’ll need the following Distilled Emotions, applied in this exact order:
Distilled Fear
Distilled Terror
Distilled Envy
These items can be obtained in two main ways:
As random drops from Delirium enemies in the Ultimate Delirium map.
By purchasing Distilled Mood from the Currency Exchange, accessible through Alva in your Hideout.
Important Note: Monsters from maps accessed with an Infused Waystone will not drop Distilled Mood. Make sure you’re running standard Delirium maps if you’re farming these items.
Step-by-Step Infusion Process
Once you've gathered the required materials, follow these steps to anoint your amulet:
Place the amulet and all three Distilled Emotions (Fear, Terror, Envy) into your inventory.
Right-click any of the Distilled Emotions to open the Infusion window.
In the window:
Put the Amulet in the top slot.
Insert the Distilled Emotions in order (Fear → Terror → Envy) in the row below.
If entered correctly, the preview box at the bottom will show "Storm Charge".
Click the "Infuse" button to complete the infusion.
Once infused, simply equipping that amulet will activate the Storm Charge effect for your character.
Storm Charge is one of the most versatile and impactful passive skills in Path of Exile 2, offering a compelling blend of critical strike and elemental damage scaling. Its flexibility means that a wide variety of builds—from crit-focused mages to elemental DoT specialists—can take advantage of its benefits. Whether you allocate it through the passive tree or infuse it into an amulet, Storm Charge is a Path of Exile 2 Currency valuable addition to any high-damage build.