Applying debuffs to enemies is a crucial part of Path of Exile’s endgame. As the enemies get stronger, so does the effect of map modifiers on them, making them more challenging. The debuffs you apply make them vulnerable to your attacks, and one such effect is Withered. It revolves around Poison and chaos, increasing the chaos damage taken by affected enemies. There are multiple ways to apply Withered on enemies. Many of them only require you to use skill or support gems. However, you’ll also need to keep the skill active and stack for better effect, so here’s everything you need to know about the Withered debuff in Path of Exile. Withered debuff explained in Path of Exile Withered by itself increases chaos damage on the affected target. Each stack adds 6% more damage, up to a maximum of 90% at max stacks (15). In simple words, more stacks of Withered equals more chaos damage taken. We say target because enemies can also apply Withered on you, and it will have similar effects. To reduce that, you’ll need a good amount of chaos resistance or be immune to the damage type using Chaos Inoculation or other sources. Additionally, passives and modifiers like ‘increased effect of Withered’ can further improve the damage dealt by each stack. Increasing the effects of the debuff to 100% will double the damage by each stack, dealing even more damage with each attack. Sources of Withered debuff in Path of Exile: Skill gems: Many skill and support gems, like Toxic Rain of Withering and Withering Touch Support, are the main sources of the debuff across several builds. Uniques: Unique items like the Elder Sword and Ambush Mitts allow a guaranteed or conditional debuff while equipped. Jewels and enchantments: An indirect way to apply Withered is through enchantment mods or Notable passives from jewels like Glorious Vanity. How to stack Withered on enemies in Path of Exile Applying Withered is easy, but keeping multiple stacks of it on enemies is a lot harder with a base duration of two seconds. Naturally, achieving this feat throughout the early game can be challenging, but there are a few ways to have more stacks. Here are some easy ways to stack Withered on enemies in Path of Exile: Attack speed: With skills inflicting Withered, having more attack speed will allow you to maintain a higher number of stacks. While it’ll still be challenging to maintain max stacks, it’s an easy way to increase damage. Duration: Another way to stack Withered is to increase its effect duration. When combined with increased attack speed, you can easily maintain a lot more stacks on an enemy. Sources: Applying Withered from a single source is a move many beginners fall for. It’s a stackable debuff that you can apply through various sources, allowing you to inflict multiple stacks at once. A cheap and easy way to maintain Withered is to use the Blackflame unique ring. It converts all of your Fire damage from ignite to chaos. Additionally, the enemies you ignite will not lose the debuff stacks. If you’re playing an Occultist Witch, the Withering Presence passive allows you to inflict the debuff every second for 15 seconds. What’s the use of the Withered mechanic in Path of Exile As mentioned, Withered increases the damage the enemy takes from chaos attacks. If you’re running a poison or a chaos-based build, there’s a good chance you’ll need it throughout the endgame. While there may not be a visible effect on regular mobs, your attacks will be a lot more effective against bosses and other strong enemies. Apart from increasing damage, Wither is also useful across maps and enemies with a large amount of chaos resistance. It does not directly stip enemy resistance, but allows you to deal more damage than they would normally take. Check out other related guides and features: Path of Exile Foulborn Items explained Path of Exile Genesis Tree crafting guide.
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Path of Exile Withered debuff explained