1. Elemental Affinities and Damage Synergies
While Human Form focuses on Path of Exile 2 Currency elemental magic, you can combine this with Shapeshifting for a truly powerful hybrid approach:
Fire + Physical Damage: While using Fireball or Volcano for elemental damage, you can shapeshift into Bear Form to use your physical melee abilities in close combat. This allows you to get in close range to deal melee damage while still benefiting from fire damage over time from your ranged spells.
Cold + Survivability: Ice Shards or Frostbite (if available) in Human Form can freeze or slow enemies, allowing you to control the battlefield. When combined with Bear Form, you gain damage mitigation and survivability to tank tougher enemies while they are frozen or slowed.
Lightning + Mobility: Lightning Storm or Chain Lightning in Human Form can damage enemies from afar, while shapeshifting into Wolf Form boosts your mobility, allowing you to quickly reposition and dodge attacks. This combination allows you to stay mobile while continuously dealing high burst damage with lightning spells.
2. Elemental Resistances and Damage Mitigation
Combining elemental magic with the defensive advantages of Shapeshifting provides excellent survivability:
Elemental Shield + Bear Form: You can use Elemental Shield in Human Form to absorb specific elemental damage, and then shift into Bear Form to further enhance your tankiness. This synergy allows you to mitigate heavy elemental damage while maintaining the ability to deal melee damage in close-range combat.
Shapeshifting Defense Buffs: Certain shapeshifting abilities, especially in Bear Form, provide damage reduction or defensive buffs. These are perfect for mitigating the high incoming damage while you cast elemental spells in Human Form. You can transform to POE 2 Currency absorb damage and quickly switch back to casting when the threat has been neutralized.