Channelling skill

Channeling is a skill mechanic that effects how certain skills are used to attack or cast.

Mechanics

Using Channeled Skills

Most skills in Path of Exile are considered "Fire and Forget." Meaning that once the player uses a skill, the effect is triggered the specified number of times denoted by said skill, and upon the completion of that action being performed, the skill is finished and ready to be used again. Unlike fire and forget skills, when you use a channeled skill the effect doesn't finish until you release the relevant button/key. Your character will continue performing the same skill repeatedly.

Similar to other skills, when the player initiates a channeled skill, the mana cost is used to start the ability. While the player continues to channel a skill by holding the corresponding trigger key, the mana cost of the skill must be paid relative to the attack/cast speed of the associated skill. Having insufficient resources to continue using a channeled skill will end the channel of the skill and trigger any end of channeling effects, such as the additional hits from Blade Flurry.

Example ▾ [Expand] ▾

A player casts and unsupported level 1 Incinerate.

At the start of the cast the player must pay the mana cost of 6. If the player continues to hold the key needed to continue channeling, after .2 seconds of casting another 6 mana is spent to sustain the cost of continuing channeling the skill. This cycle of 6 mana every .2 seconds will continue in perpetuum until the key is released and channeling stops or insufficient mana is available to continue casting.

Other than insufficient mana, channeling can be halted by:

• Being subjected to a Stun
• Becoming inflicted with a Silence Curse (if the skill used is a spell)
• Death

Triggered Effects

On Use Triggers

Effects which trigger when you use a skill will only trigger when you initially start channeling, regardless of how long you maintain a channeled skill. As long as a player continues to channel an ability, this counts as the same single use of the skill. This makes effects such as gaining an power charge using , Life regeneration for casting a spell with LifesprigLifesprig
Driftwood WandWand
Physical Damage: 5-9
Critical Strike Chance: 7.00%
Attacks per Second: 1.40(8-12)% increased Spell Damage+1 to Level of Socketed Spell Gems
(20-28)% increased Spell Damage
(5-8)% increased Cast Speed
+(15-20) to maximum Life
+(15-20) to maximum Mana
Regenerate (6-8) Life over 1 second when you Cast a SpellFrom the smallest seeds
To the tallest redwoods,
Life endures in Wraeclast. equipped, and other on use effects are limited to one charge per channeling regardless of the number of critical hits are scores during the channel.

This mechanic can have limiting effects for certain supports such as , but can also be used to great advantage. Critical Strike chance is only rolled once per channeling. This means that if the first hit of a channeled skill scores a critical strike, all other hits while that skill is channeled will be critical strikes as well. The exception to this is when a hit is made a critical due to .

On Hit Triggers

Effects which trigger on hit will trigger as with any other skill in the game that produces a hit. Life gain, leech, power charge per enemy hit while wearing Voll's ProtectorVoll's Protector
Holy ChainmailArmour: (388-582)
Energy Shield: (82-122)
Movement Speed: -5%Requires Level 35, 53 Str, 53 Int(100-150)% increased Armour and Energy Shield
50% reduced maximum Mana
Gain a Power Charge for each Enemy you hit with a Critical Strike
Inner ConvictionAlthough a great leader during the war,
Voll proved disastrous in times of peace., , , and other on hit effects will all trigger as normal.

Related skills

• Blade Flurry
• Blight
• Flameblast
• Incinerate