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In Path of Exile 2, the Double Herald setup is a powerful technique that allows Herald of Thunder and Herald of Ice to trigger each other, creating a chain reaction capable of clearing entire screens with a single hit. While not essential, understanding how these Herald skills interact can greatly enhance your build-crafting capabilities. Below, we'll guide you through setting up this technique and explain its mechanics.
How to Use Double Herald (Herald of Ice + Herald of Thunder) in PoE 2
To successfully implement the Double Herald setup, you'll need the following:
Herald of Ice Skill Gem socketed with the 
Lightning Infusion Support Gem
Herald of Thunder Skill Gem socketed with the 
Cold Infusion Support Gem (consider adding 
Glaciation for enhanced effects).- 60 Spirit
- A source of Cold damage.
Ensure you activate both Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder by right-clicking their icons in the skills menu.
To kickstart the chain reaction, using inherent skills like the Monk's Ice Strike is highly effective for triggering Herald of Ice. Other methods include:
- Passive skills that boost Freeze build-up, paired with weapons or gloves featuring flat cold damage.
Against the Darkness Time-Lost Diamond Jewel with +Cold damage percentage.
How Do Herald Of Ice And Thunder Work Together in PoE 2
Herald of Ice activates when an enemy is Shattered, which happens upon attacking a frozen enemy, resulting in an AoE cold damage explosion. Importantly, the cold damage from Herald of Ice cannot cause Freeze or Shatter on its own.
Conversely, Herald of Thunder activates upon killing a Shocked enemy, sending out bolts of electricity. Similarly, it cannot inflict Shock directly but relies on other sources of damage to apply Shock.
The synergy between these skills is that Herald of Ice can Shock enemies (thanks to the Lightning Infusion Support Gem), while Herald of Thunder can Freeze them (via the Cold Infusion Support Gem). This cross-triggering allows for a continuous chain reaction under ideal conditions, where each Herald skill triggers the other repeatedly. In practice, this chain reaction typically occurs once or twice before dissipating, due to the need for a continuous supply of enemies.
To initiate this chain reaction, start by triggering Herald of Ice with a cold damage skill like the Monk's Ice Strike. This causes an icy explosion that can Shock enemies, setting off the chain. We start with Herald of Ice because Freeze is easier to apply than Shock, and the subsequent lightning bolts from Herald of Thunder can reach and affect distant enemies more effectively.
For the best results, consider using the Double Herald setup in scenarios like Breaches, where the high enemy density maximizes its potential.
