I’ve been messing around with Goratha’s Entangle Sorceress in PoE 2’s 0.4 patch, and it doesn’t play like the usual “stand back and spam” caster at all. If you’ve been stockpiling poe 2 currencies for a new project, this is one of those builds that actually feels worth the respec cost because it changes how you move, aim, and think in fights.
How the Combo Really Feels
Entangle sets the stage. You’re not “casting at enemies” so much as laying down a trap carpet, then forcing everything to walk through it. The moment you drop Thunderstorm on top, the whole screen turns into this weird feedback loop: lightning ticks, vines surge, and then the growth hits that breaking point where the explosions start popping off. It’s satisfying because it’s not instant. There’s a beat to it. Cast, place, step, repeat. Once you get it, you’ll catch yourself steering packs into your vines instead of chasing them, which is a nice change from the usual caster panic-kiting.
Scaling Choices That Surprise People
The big twist is that your “spell damage” is coming from physical explosions, so your upgrades don’t look like classic Sorceress shopping lists. Impale, Armour Break, and anything that makes physical bursts hit harder suddenly matters. Then Thunderstorm adds shock pressure on top, so bosses don’t just get chunked, they get bullied. Weapon swapping can feel awkward early on, but after a while it turns into muscle memory: swap to juice shock or growth timing, swap back, keep the loop going. It’s a little fiddly, sure, but it keeps you awake.
Early Pain, Late Comfort
It’s not a free ride from level one. Mana can run dry fast, and without cast speed the whole setup feels like you’re trying to run in mud. You’ll want regen, some Intelligence, and gear that doesn’t pretend “a bit of cast speed” is optional. Once you’re online, though, it’s sturdier than people expect. The vines slow things down, your summons body-block in messy fights, and you get a lot of “breathing room” that squishier casters never see. Still, don’t get cocky on physical reflect—this build absolutely can delete itself.
What I’d Tell Anyone Trying It
If you’re bored of simple nukes and want something that feels like you’re controlling the map, this is the kind of build you can play for hours without zoning out. It clears smoothly when you’re in rhythm, and it has that bursty single-target punch when you need it. Just plan your gear path, keep an eye on mana and cast speed, and if you ever feel tempted to shortcut progression, at least do it intelligently with poe2 currency buy options that help you finish key upgrades rather than chasing random power spikes.