PoE: Curses Cast by Blasphemy: A Comprehensive Guide

In the realm of Path of Exile (PoE), curses play a pivotal role in shaping the battlefield and providing immense utility for both offensive and defensive strategies. Blasphemy, a support gem, offers a unique way to cast curses without consuming mana, making it an incredibly versatile and powerful tool.

Types of Curses Cast by Blasphemy

Blasphemy grants the ability to cast the following curses:

• Temporal Chains: Slows enemies, increasing the duration of buffs and debuffs.
• Enfeeble: Reduces enemy physical damage and critical strike chance.
• Vulnerability: Increases enemy elemental damage taken by 15%.
• Warlord's Mark: Grants life leech and critical strike chance against bleeding enemies.
• Assassin's Mark: Grants reduced mana cost and increased critical strike chance.

Mechanics of Blasphemy

Blasphemy reserves a portion of the player's mana, typically 25%, to maintain the curse effect. The curse is cast in an aura around the player, affecting all enemies within a certain radius. The area of effect can be increased by investing in the Blasphemy gem's radius modifier.

Benefits of Using Blasphemy

The benefits of using Blasphemy are numerous:

• Mana Efficiency: Blasphemy eliminates the need to spend mana on casting curses, freeing up mana for other skills.
• Passive Utility: The curse aura is constantly active, providing continuous benefits without the burden of manual casting.
• Increased AOE: The Blasphemy gem's radius modifier allows for significant increases in the curse's area of effect.
• Triggering Effects: Blasphemy can trigger effects that are linked to it, such as Hierophant's "Conduit" ascendancy, providing additional utility.

Considerations for Using Blasphemy

While Blasphemy offers substantial advantages, certain considerations should be taken into account:

• Mana Reservation: Blasphemy reserves a portion of the player's mana, which can be problematic if other mana-intensive skills are used.
• Limited Curse Selection: Blasphemy is restricted to casting the five curses listed above, which may not always align with the player's desired curse strategy.
• Positioning: The curse aura is centered around the player, so proper positioning is necessary to ensure optimal coverage.

Comparison of PoE Curses

To aid in selecting the most appropriate curse for various situations, a comprehensive comparison is provided:

Applications of Blasphemy in PoE

Blasphemy finds versatile applications in various PoE builds:

• Curse on Hit: Linking Blasphemy with a spell or attack skill triggers the curse to be cast on every hit, enabling a constant source of debuffs.
• Aura Stacking: Blasphemy can be combined with other aura gems to create powerful stacking effects.
• Defensive Enhancements: Temporal Chains and Enfeeble provide significant defensive benefits by slowing enemies and reducing their damage output.
• Offensive Bursts: Vulnerability and Warlord's Mark can amplify damage output during specific circumstances, such as boss fights.
• Utility Buffs: Assassin's Mark offers mana efficiency and critical strike chance enhancements, catering to specific build requirements.

Conclusion

Blasphemy is a versatile and powerful support gem that enables players to cast curses without consuming mana. Its various applications and strategic benefits make it a cornerstone of many PoE builds. By understanding the mechanics and considerations of Blasphemy, players can effectively leverage its potent curse effects to enhance their gameplay experience.