Path of Exile 2 introduces many new gameplay mechanics, passive skills, and itemization options to deepen character customization. One particularly powerful passive skill that has drawn the attention of many players is Storm Charge. Whether you're building a POE2 Currency high-crit Elementalist, a lightning-based Assassin, or just someone looking to juice up elemental DPS, Storm Charge can add a strong burst of power to your build.

Storm Charge is a passive skill in Path of Exile 2 that can be acquired in two ways:

By allocating points in the passive skill tree, or

By infusing it into an amulet using a combination of Distilled Emotions.

Storm Charge has two main effects:

+20% increased critical strike chance

+40% increased elemental damage if you’ve dealt a critical hit recently

“Recently” in PoE 2 typically refers to the last 4 seconds, and that’s the case here too. This means if you land any critical hit—whether from a spell, melee, or ranged attack—the elemental damage bonus will activate and last for four full seconds. You don’t need to keep landing crits every moment to maintain the buff, but consistent crits will help you maintain high uptime.

How the Bonus Applies
One of the most appealing aspects of Storm Charge is that its elemental damage boost applies to all elemental damage, not just the damage from the critical hit itself. This is crucial for certain builds that rely on consistent crits from one source (like a high-crit spell or attack) while dealing sustained elemental damage through other means—such as damage-over-time effects, auras, or minions.

For example:

A player using a lightning strike skill with high crit chance can trigger Storm Charge easily, and then their ignite, shock, or cold DoT effects will benefit from the bonus elemental damage for 4 seconds.

A support character that occasionally scores a critical hit can provide themselves a window to increase the effectiveness of a damage aura or elemental minion army.

Because of its flexibility and relatively simple condition, Storm Charge is a passive that suits both crit-heavy damage dealers and elemental builds that rely on periodic crits.

How to Anoint Storm Charge to an Amulet
If you don’t want to allocate skill points in your passive tree, you can still gain the Storm Charge effect by infusing it onto an amulet. This is done using a specific trio of Distilled Emotions:

Distilled Fear

Distilled Terror

Distilled Envy

These Distilled Emotions are special drops from Delirium enemies found in Ultimate Delirium maps. Alternatively, players can obtain Distilled Mood, which lets you exchange for any of the Distilled Emotions. Distilled Mood can be bought via the Currency Exchange by talking to Alva in your Hideout.

Note: Monsters in maps accessed using an Infused Waystone will not drop Distilled Mood.

Infusing Your Amulet
Once you’ve gathered the three Distilled Emotions (in the correct order), follow these steps:

Place the amulet you want to infuse and the three Distilled Emotions into your inventory.

Right-click on any of the Distilled Emotions to open the Infuse window.

Insert the amulet into the top slot.

Place Distilled Fear, Distilled Terror, and Distilled Envy into the bottom row in that exact order.

The window should now confirm the infusion with the text “Storm Charge” appearing at the bottom.

Click Infuse to complete the process.

Once infused, equipping the amulet will grant your character the full effects of Storm Charge, just as if you had taken it in the passive skill tree.

Storm Charge is a valuable asset for a wide range of builds in Path of Exile 2. Its synergy with critical hits and elemental damage makes it ideal for hybrid builds that focus on burst potential and consistent elemental scaling. Whether you obtain it through the passive tree or infuse it onto an amulet, this passive can be a game-changer—especially in high-tier content where maximizing damage windows is crucial.

With the right build and some smart planning, Storm Charge could very well be one of Path of Exile 2 Currency Orbs the most efficient passives in your arsenal.