When I first started playing Path of Exile 2, I already had two classes that I was interested in trying. The Mercenary was my first pick since I quite like his playstyle, but the Witch truly grasped my heart. Unlike the Sorcerer who uses elemental magic, the Witch is someone who dabbles in the profane. Besides making her a newcomer-friendly class in PoE 2, playing as the Witch makes me feel like a villain. Now, I always like to be a hero, especially in video games. Yet as I journey with the Witch, I think I start to understand why some people like being a villain.
Rise, My Minions
The main gimmick of the Witch in Path of Exile 2 is her ability to raise undead minions. There are two types of them. One is permanent companions that require unique abilities, and the other is temporary mobs. Both are useful in their own ways, but the most important thing about their existence is that they make me feel powerful.
I initially picked the Mercenary as my first character. While he is cool and has some fancy skills, it doesn’t take long for me to get tired of him. Things started to click when I decided to make another character and selected the Witch. While she is much more fragile than the Mercenary, the Witch is a lot more fun to play in PoE 2.
Yes, it’s because of the minions. To be fair, they are pretty squishy and easily killed, especially against bosses, but I love them with my whole heart. When I was playing as the Mercenary, there was this constant sense of wariness as I explored new areas. While some players may like that sort of thing, I’m the type of person who likes to feel powerful.
When I control the Witch, enemy encounters in Path of Exile 2 feel different. I no longer see monsters as annoying obstacles that get in my way. Instead, I look at them as potential minions. They will only stick around temporarily, but I appreciate their fleeting existence.
It’s rather unexpected how much joy I feel whenever I use Unearth to turn monsters’ corpses into my pawns. I wonder if the enemies would feel dread if they were actually characters as they watched me twist the bodies of their brethren to my will. Probably not; they are already bloodthirsty creatures of darkness, but imagining it still feels fun.
Bow Before My Army
While the other classes are stuck to exploring the Wraeclast continent alone, the Witch is often surrounded by her loyal minions. It’s really nice to hear the sound of bones rattling behind me as I explore the forsaken regions filled with monsters. Seeing my minions following dutifully behind as I lead the path is also strangely cute.
While some fans dislike the minions for being very fragile, I still think they are great. I enjoy encountering new groups of enemies and immediately falling behind as my small army clashes against them. Supporting them from behind with my magic and then summoning even more minions is a satisfying experience.
Things are not always smooth, though, since there are many instances where the Witch is alone after all of the minions are gone. During these moments, I usually have to quickly pull back and distance myself from the enemies while I wait for my trusty skeletons to revive themselves. It’s quite relieving to see those familiar green magic circles appearing as they resummons my loyal undead soldiers.
There are definitely some downsides when you’re playing as the Witch in Path of Exile 2. She’s basically a glass cannon, and you can easily get killed even during regular encounters. However, I will not trade the rush of joy that I feel as I command my skeleton army to kill all the opposition that dare to stand against me.
