Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.4: Minion Army Shaman Build Guide

With the release of Path of Exile 2 patch 0.4, the Shaman Ascendancy has quickly risen as one of the strongest foundations for minion-based builds. Thanks to its unmatched ability to stack Spirit and recent passive tree changes that favor minion scaling near the Druid starting area, the Minion Army Shaman has become one of the most popular and reliable builds in the game. It combines ease of play, strong scaling into the late game, and excellent survivability, making it ideal for both new and experienced players.

This guide breaks down how to set up your own Minion Army Shaman, covering skills, itemization, passive tree choices, and key progression tips.

Why Minion Army Shaman Works in PoE 2

The Shaman Ascendancy has one defining advantage: Spirit stacking. With Sacred Flow alone, you can gain up to 120 additional Spirit, enabling you to reserve far more minions than other classes. Combined with passive tree adjustments that push minion clusters closer to the Druid area, the Shaman can comfortably run a full army of undead without sacrificing survivability.

However, raw Spirit is only part of the equation. Minion scaling in Path of Exile 2 is layered and complex, involving damage, survivability, AI behavior, and support synergy. Understanding how these systems interact is the key to making the build feel powerful rather than cluttered.

Early Game and Core Skill Setup

One of the biggest advantages of minion builds is how easy they are to start. Many core skills are available early in the campaign, allowing you to scale smoothly without expensive gear.

In the early acts, begin with Skeletal Warrior and Skeletal Sniper as your primary damage dealers. Support them with self-cast utility skills like Frost Bomb and Elemental Weakness to apply exposure and amplify damage.

Once you acquire a tier 7 Uncut Skill Gem and reach level 22, you can unlock Spectres, which significantly boost your army's power. A well-rounded setup looks like this:

Skeletal Warrior: Sacrificial Lamb, Last Gasp, Meat Shield, Maim

Skeletal Sniper: Multishot, Chain, Last Gasp, Maim

Spectre: Muster, Feeding Frenzy, Infernal Legion, Dialla's Desire, Uul Netol's Embrace

Skeletal Cleric: Rapid Casting, Last Gasp, Meat Shield, Deathmarch

Skeletal Brute: Bidding, Prolonged Duration, Magnified Area, Tecrod's Revenge

Pain Offering: Brutus's Brain, Sacrificial Offering, Prolonged Duration, Magnified Area, Danse Macabre

Skeletal Storm Mage: Muster, Feeding Frenzy, Shock, Overcharge, Esh's Radiance

Infernal Cry: Raging Cry, Magnified Area, Enraged Warcry

Despair: Heightened Curse, Cursed Ground, Focused Curse, Efficiency

For Spectres, you can experiment early, but the Gargantuan Wasp from the Ashen Forest during the Interlude is currently one of the strongest options in Path of Exile 2.

Some support gems like Uul Netol's Embrace and Esh's Radiance are expensive. If you want to conserve POE 2 Currency, you can skip Chaos-damage scaling early and still perform extremely well.

Itemization and Gear Priorities

Minion Army Shaman gear focuses on three things: Spirit, survivability, and minion bonuses. Since your minions deal the majority of your damage, your personal offensive stats matter very little.

Spirit is important, but you do not need to maximize it at all costs. If choosing between extra Spirit and stronger defenses, defense usually wins. Shaman and Druid mechanics already provide solid baseline durability, so you can comfortably scale into tougher content.

If Spirit feels tight early, Bones of Ullr is a great budget option. It provides reservation efficiency, allowing you to run more minions while saving currency. You will lose some defense and movement speed, but this trade-off often lets you invest in more impactful gear, such as a +3 minion amulet with bonus Spirit.

Managing your spending carefully here can free up POE 2 Currency for late-game upgrades instead of patching early mistakes.

Passive Tree and Ascendancy Choices

The Minion Army Shaman passive tree closely resembles what you might expect from a Witch or Sorceress minion build. Focus heavily on nodes that grant minion damage, attack and cast speed, resistances, and survivability. Avoid nodes that grant flat damage, as those only apply to your character, not your minions.

Ascendancy progression is crucial. Start with Sacred Flow to solve Spirit issues and enable the core concept of the build. For campaign and early Interludes, Reactive Growth and Avatar of Evolution provide excellent defensive value.

After completing your final Ascendancy, respec out of Avatar of Evolution and pick up Druidic Champion and Furious Wellspring. This shift improves scaling and synergizes with Rage-based mechanics later on.

Advanced Scaling and Optional Optimization

With constant Rage uptime, you can apply Commanding Rage to your amulet and use the From Nothing unique jewel with the Bulwark keystone effect. This allows you to pick up Warlord Leader and Ally Attack Damage, massively increasing minion output.

This step is optional and not required to clear content, but it is one of the most efficient ways to push damage higher once you have excess POE 2 Currency to invest.

Final Thoughts

The Minion Army Shaman in Path of Exile 2 patch 0.4 is one of the most accessible yet scalable builds available. It excels with minimal mechanical demand, thrives on smart planning rather than perfect execution, and allows players to progress smoothly without burning through currency early.

By focusing on Spirit efficiency, strong minion synergies, and defensive stability, you can build an unstoppable undead army that carries you through the campaign, Interludes, and endgame. With careful upgrades and thoughtful investment of POE 2 Currency, this build remains powerful, flexible, and rewarding well into the late game.

MMOexp POE 2 Team