Path of Exile 2 Currency (0.4) continues the tradition of high-octane action RPG gameplay, and one of the most thrilling ways to wreak havoc is through “Cast on Critical Strike” (CoC) builds. Among these, Lightning Blast CoC builds shine for players who love explosive area damage combined with high critical strike chance. Here’s a deep dive into how to optimize this electrifying build.

Why Lightning Blast CoC?

Lightning Blast is a spell that excels at chaining through enemies, dealing devastating AoE damage. When combined with CoC, each critical strike with your main attack skill can trigger multiple Lightning Blasts, letting you clear packs of enemies almost instantly. Unlike standard spellcasting, CoC allows this build to scale on attack-focused gear, giving hybrid flexibility.

Choosing the Right Base Skill

For a Lightning Blast CoC build, your main attack should ideally be Cyclone, Blade Vortex, or Glacial Cascade (depending on your ascendancy). Cyclone is particularly potent because it provides continuous damage and frequent hits, maximizing CoC triggers. Blade Vortex works well for more controlled bursts, while Glacial Cascade offers elemental synergy for scaling lightning damage via gear and jewels.

Recommended Ascendancy Classes

  1. Assassin (Shadow) – The quintessential choice for CoC. Assassin provides high critical strike chance, critical strike multiplier, and the deadly Poison synergy if desired. Their ascendancy nodes can increase elemental damage, making Lightning Blast hits even more punishing.

  2. Deadeye (Ranger) – For ranged attacks triggering Lightning Blast, Deadeye’s projectile scaling is invaluable. It can increase area of effect and chaining potential, perfect for clearing large packs.

  3. Occultist (Witch) – Occultist offers consistent elemental penetration and chaos damage synergy. It’s ideal if you plan to mix Lightning Blast with curses like Conductivity or Temporal Chains to amplify AoE control.

Core Passive Tree Strategy

A successful Lightning Blast CoC build focuses on critical strike nodes, elemental damage nodes, and AoE nodes. Key areas include:

  • Shadow area near Assassin for critical strike and damage clusters.

  • Witch area near Elemental Damage clusters for amplifying Lightning Blast damage.

  • Ranger area if opting for Deadeye, boosting projectile speed and AoE.

Don’t neglect life, energy shield, and resistances—CoC builds often stack damage at the cost of survivability.

Gear Priorities

  1. Weapon: A high critical strike weapon is mandatory. Wands and daggers are the preferred options for Lightning Blast. Look for high spell damage and elemental bonuses.

  2. Armor: Focus on energy shield + life, preferably with increased elemental resistances.

  3. Jewelry: Prioritize +critical strike multiplier, +lightning damage, and cast speed.

  4. Rings & Amulets: Look for critical strike, spell damage, and elemental penetration modifiers.

Support Gems for Lightning Blast CoC

  • Cast on Critical Strike (CoC): Essential for triggering Lightning Blast automatically.

  • Lightning Penetration: Helps bypass elemental resistances.

  • Controlled Destruction: Increases spell damage at the cost of reduced critical strike chance (less impactful when CoC is built around high base crit).

  • Increased Area of Effect / Concentrated Effect: Adapt depending on whether you want wider coverage or focused burst damage.

Playstyle Tips

  • Use a high attack-speed main skill to maximize Lightning Blast triggers.

  • Keep movement skills like Dash or Flame Dash handy to reposition in large packs.

  • Prioritize gear that increases critical strike chance, as every crit increases damage throughput exponentially.

Endgame Scaling

In the endgame, CoC Lightning Blast excels in map clearing and boss fights, provided your gear reaches critical strike thresholds. Unique items like The Tempestuous Wand (fictional PoE 2.4 example) or Call of the Storm Gloves amplify elemental damage and crit synergy, letting your Lightning Blasts chain across entire arenas of enemies.

Conclusion

Lightning Blast CoC in Path of Exile 2 (0.4) combines the thrill of critical strikes with explosive elemental damage. With the right ascendancy, gear, and passive tree investment, this build can turn any encounter into a dazzling spectacle of lightning destruction. Whether you’re clearing maps or tackling endgame bosses, mastering Lightning Blast CoC ensures you stay at the forefront of PoE 2’s most electrifying builds.