In Path of Exile 2, Rage is an active mechanic that powers melee combat with substantial bonuses to attack damage and speed. Players build up Rage through various means while playing the game. Building up Rage unleashes more powerful attacks, something very important to optimizing melee builds.

Accumulating Rage

The following ways can provide players with Rage:

• Melee Hits: Melee strikes against enemies and gives you Rage. Each hit adds to the meter, rewarding an aggressive playstyle.
• Support Gems: The support gem, Rage, causes melee attacks that hit to generate additional Rage. This can be crafted by engraving the support skill onto an Uncut Support Gem.
• Gear and Passive Skills: Some items and passive skills award bonuses to the amount of Rage or effectiveness thereof. Certain specific gear, such as quarterstaves and maces, convey a large advantage in Rage-based builds.

Maximum Rage and Its Consequences

By default, a character gathers up to 30 Rage; each point of Rage translates into a 1% increase in attack damage, culminating in a huge 30% at full Rage. This mechanic encourages a player to keep high levels of Rage to maximize his or her damage output.

Rage Decay

Rage is not permanent and decays over time unless perpetuated. A character with no recent Rage gains or hits taken loses 10 Rage every 0.5 seconds. This decay rate reflects how important it is that one remains in combat to keep gaining these benefits from Rage.

Strategies to Max Out Rage

Here are some effective ways to use Rage in Path of Exile 2:

• Continuous Combat: Be in constant combat with monsters to avoid any decay within Rage. Using skills with a high attack speed will help raise and build Rage faster.
• Synergies can also be created including the added Rage Support Gem, which will give additional generation to your build; combining with melee skills hitting multiple enemies allows you to accrue stacks of Rage very quickly.
• Equipment Selection: Avail weapons and equipment that complement Rage mechanics. For a rage build, quarterstaffs are very effective and deliver an amount of damage output with high levels of Rage complementary.
• Passive Skill Tree: Support with passives that increase your gain of Rage or grant bonuses while having a high amount of it, which greatly increases your benefit from having higher Rage.

Conclusion

Mastery of the Rage mechanism is critical for any player of Path of Exile 2 who wants to perfect their melee class builds. Players who know how to gain, sustain, and make full use of Rage can substantially increase their effectiveness in combat and create a more thrilling experience for themselves.