In the world of Path of Exile 2 (POE 2), players often debate the effectiveness of different build types when it comes to farming POE 2 currency. While damage-dealing builds can quickly take down enemies and clear maps, support builds, which focus on buffs, healing, and other forms of assistance, may face challenges when it comes to currency generation. So, the question arises: do support builds generate less POE 2 currency overall?
Understanding Support Builds
Support builds in POE 2 generally focus on enhancing the performance of other players or boosting the effectiveness of certain abilities. These builds often use aura skills, curses, and other support gems to improve damage output, survivability, or even control the battlefield. While they are indispensable in group content, their role differs significantly from that of pure damage-dealing builds, which are primarily focused on clearing content as quickly as possible.
Currency Generation in POE 2
In POE 2, currency generation primarily depends on how fast and efficiently you can farm resources. Currency includes chaos orbs, exalted orbs, and other valuable items that players need for crafting, upgrading gear, and trading. The most efficient way to generate currency is by clearing maps and defeating bosses rapidly, allowing players to gather loot and resources as quickly as possible.
This is where damage-dealing builds tend to have an advantage. They can clear content faster, earn more loot, and, therefore, generate more currency over time. On the other hand, support builds are usually slower when it comes to clearing maps since their role is more about assisting others rather than dealing damage.
Why Support Builds May Generate Less Currency
Slower Clears: Since support builds typically do not focus on dealing damage, they often rely on other players to clear content. As a result, the time spent per map or encounter may be longer compared to a solo damage-dealing build, reducing the overall currency farmed per hour.
Reliance on Group Content: Support builds often perform best in groups, where they can enhance the abilities of other players. However, in solo play, these builds may struggle to clear content efficiently, limiting their potential for currency generation.
Limited Loot Drops: In some cases, the loot drops in group content can be shared or distributed based on participation. While support builds are crucial, they may not receive the same amount of loot as damage-dealing builds, especially if the loot system is designed to reward those who deal the most damage.
However, Support Builds Have Their Advantages
While support builds may generate less currency in terms of raw loot per hour, they can still be valuable in other ways:
Trading Opportunities: Support builds often have access to unique items that benefit other players. For instance, items that boost party-wide effects or increase the effectiveness of certain buffs can be highly sought after and traded for a significant amount of POE 2 currency.
Group Content Profitability: Support builds often have a higher participation rate in high-level group content, where the rewards can be more substantial. Whether through boss kills, end-game encounters, or special events, support players can still benefit from group-based loot distribution.
Specialized Farming: Support builds can excel at farming specific content, such as helping new players progress or clearing specific map types. While these farms may not be as currency-rich as solo clear farming, they still contribute to overall resource generation.
In general, support builds in POE 2 may generate less currency overall compared to pure damage-dealing builds due to slower clears, reliance on group content, and fewer loot opportunities. However, they still offer valuable advantages, particularly when it comes to trading, group content participation, and specialized farming. Ultimately, the choice between a support build and a damage-focused build depends on your playstyle and goals within the game. If currency generation is your primary objective, a high-damage build might be more efficient, but support builds can still be rewarding in different ways.