Path of Exile 2

Dark Effigy ED Contagion Lich made for the new Dawn of the Hunt League.

Improved version of the classic Essence Drain + Contagion Lich build, which takes things to the next level. With upgraded gear and optimized scaling, the damage skyrockets, especially against bosses.
The biggest game-changer? Dark Effigy totems — they massively amplify your single-target damage, making even Pinnacle bosses melt in seconds.
A perfect blend of safety, scaling, and destruction — this Lich doesn’t just survive the endgame, it dominates it.

Strengths:
- Huge chaos DoT through Essence Drain.
- Contagion clears entire packs.
- Dark Effigy totems = boss shred mode.
- Over 10k Energy Shield and smooth gameplay!

Core Mechanics:
Essence Drain delivers huge damage over time to bosses and rare enemies, Contagion spreads that damage across entire packs!
For bossing use pre-cast: Sigil of Power, Despair, Dark Effigy x2 and then spam Contagion and Essence Drain.
Put Blink and Despair to use with Weapon Set 2. All other Spells to Weapon Set 1. That allow to use Blink and Despair on swap. Blink use different Spirit Points and Despair have powerful bonuses from Skill Tree.

Skill Tree and Basic Gear (maxroll.gg)
https://maxroll.gg/poe2/planner/u12p10bb

Character Resistances:
Fire: 76%
Cold: 76%
Lightning: 76%
Chaos: 75%

Ascendancy:
First: Eldritch Empowerment
Second: Souless Form
Third: Eternal Life
Fourth: Crystalline Phylactery

Campaign Stat Bonuses:
Act 3 (Normal) - The Venom Crypts - 25% increased Mana Regeneration Rate
Act 3 (Cruel) - The Venom Crypts - +10% to Chaos Resistance

Gem Links (Level 19 Quality 20%):
Dark Effigy (Overabundance - Controlled Destruction - Arcane Tempo - Envenom - Concentrated Effect) (Weapon Set 1)
Contagion (Unleash - Magnified Effect - Intense Agony - Chaotic Freeze) (Weapon Set 1)
Essence Drain (Swift Affliction - Chain - Considered Casting - Chaos Mastery - Derange) (Weapon Set 1)
Blasphemy (Temporal Chains 19/20 - Ritualistic Curse - Encumbrance) (Weapon Set 1)
Withering Presence (Persistence - Clarity) (Weapon Set 1)
Convalescence (Ingenuity)
Blink (Second Wind) (Weapon Set 2)
Despair (Decaying Hex - Cursed Ground - Heightened Curse) (Weapon Set 2)

Gear:

Weapon1:
Rare Wand +5 All Chaos Gems and 150+ Chaos/Spell Damage, Cast Speed

Offhand:
Rare 300+ ES Focus +2 All Spell Skill, Cast Speed, Resistance

Weapon2:
Chiming Staff (Grants Sigil of Power Skill) with 4+ All Spell Gems, Cast Speed

Body Armour:
Rare Body Armour 800+ ES with massive Resistances

Helmet:
Atziri's Disdain Corrupted 12% of Damage taken bypasses Energy Shield, Gain 15% of maximum Life as Extra maximum Energy Shield

Gloves:
Doedre's Tenure Corrupted 120%+ Increased Spell Damage

Boots:
Rare Boots 200+ ES, 35+ Movement Speed and Resistances

Accesories:
Rare Amulet with +3 All Spell Skills, 24+ Spirit, Life, Resistances/Attributes (allocate Reverberation)
2x Rare Rings with Life, Mana, Cast Speed, Chaos Resistance
Rare Belt with Life, Mana, Chaos Resistance, 3 Charms Slots

Jewels:
1x Rare Jewel with 10 % increased Effect of Withered, increased maximum Energy Shield (put it into the Ascendancy Tree slot for double effect)
1x Rare Jewel with increased maximum Energy Shield, Recover 2% of maximum Mana on Kill and one of the followng mods: increased Cast Speed/faster start of Energy Shield Recharge/increased Spell Damage/increased Chaos Damage/increased Skill Effect Duration/increased Mana Regeneration Rate
2x Rare Jewels with increased maximum Energy Shield and two mods: increased Cast Speed/faster start of Energy Shield Recharge/increased Spell Damage/increased Chaos Damage/increased Skill Effect Duration/increased Mana Regeneration Rate

Charm:
Nascent Hope (unique Freeze immunity charm)
Stone Charm (Stun Immunity) with increased Duration
Silver Charm (Slow Imminity) with increased Duration

This build only contains items that can be traded, does not include the character.