S-TIER | WITCH BUILD ED+BONESTORM INFERNALIST (@TwXiaoJi) | SEASON 4

Article de Kami

Build Overview

This ED+Bonestorm Infernalist build by TwXiaoJi (speedrunner ranked #1 Witch in official races) is designed as an ultra-efficient league starter capable of reaching T15 in just 5 hours of gameplay. This is one of the fastest setups to kick off a new league as a Witch.

The build relies on the synergy between Essence Drain and Contagion to spread chaos damage across large packs, combined with Bonestorm for additional AoE clear. The Infernalist Ascendancy brings Demon Form, a transformation skill that massively boosts damage output.

The strength of this setup comes from its efficiency right from the leveling phase. No specific items needed to get started: the damage over time does the work while you run. A « cast and move » approach that adapts perfectly to the Flow of a speedrun or league start where every second counts.

Build Strengths

• Proven league starter: T15 reached in 5 hours by a #1 ranked Witch speedrunner
• Excellent clear speed: ED + Contagion spreads damage across the entire screen
• Ultra-low budget: Works with self-found gear, no unique required
• Smooth gameplay: Cast and move, DoTs do the work while you advance
• Demon Form: The Infernalist ultimate provides a massive damage burst for bosses

Build Weaknesses

• Limited single target: DoTs are effective but less explosive than a hit-based build on bosses
• Requires practice: Managing Contagion + ED + Bonestorm takes a bit of timing
• Content in Chinese: The original video is in Mandarin, and the associated spreadsheets are too

Gem Setup by Stage

This build offers 1 progression stage from leveling to the final build. Select a stage to view the corresponding gem setup.

🎮 Leveling 1

Default

Default

8 skills • 24 gemmes

Bonestorm

Essence Drain

Blasphemy

Contagion

Arctic Armour

Demon Form

Reap

Mana Drain

Recommended Equipment

• Weapon: Sceptre or wand with +Spell Damage, +Chaos Damage, +Damage over Time
• Shield: Energy Shield base with +Life, +Resistances, +Spirit if possible
• Helmet: ES/Evasion with +Life, resistances, +Spirit for auras
• Body Armour: ES base with +Life and elemental resistances
• Gloves: Cast speed, +Life, resistances
• Boots: Movement speed 25%+, +Life, resistances to cap elements
• Amulet: +Chaos Damage, +Spell Damage, +Life
• Rings: Resistances to cap, +Life, attributes if needed

Gameplay Tips

• Core rotation: Cast Contagion on the pack then Essence Drain on one enemy – damage spreads automatically
• Bonestorm: Use it as a complement for dense packs or when ED+Contagion is not enough
• Blasphemy: Keep your curse active at all times, the Slow Potency support slows enemies for added safety
• Demon Form: Activate the Infernalist ultimate on bosses or tough situations for a massive burst
• Arctic Armour: Keep this aura up for passive defense, the built-in Freeze helps against fast mobs
• Mana Drain + Reap: Use these for mana sustain and emergency situations

Essence Drain + Contagion Synergy

The build’s core mechanic revolves around the legendary ED+Contagion duo, a synergy well known to PoE 1 veterans. The principle is simple but devastatingly effective: Contagion applies a debuff to enemies in an area, and when an enemy hit by Essence Drain dies, the ED DoT spreads to all enemies affected by Contagion.

In practice, this produces a chain clear where a single ED cast can wipe an entire screen. You cast Contagion on the pack, hit one mob with ED, and move forward while the spread does the work. The Chain I support on ED lets you hit multiple initial targets, multiplying the chances of spread.

With the Swift Affliction I and Intense Agony supports, chaos DoTs are amplified and accelerated. The result: maps that melt without you ever needing to stop and attack anything.

Demon Form – The Infernalist Ultimate

The Infernalist Ascendancy unlocks Demon Form, a temporary transformation that massively boosts fire and chaos damage. This skill becomes your primary tool for bosses and situations where standard DoTs fall short.

During Demon Form, your character gains significant bonuses that stack on top of your damage over time. This is the ideal moment to stack all your DoTs on a boss and maximize DPS. The cooldown is relatively long, so save it for critical moments rather than spamming it on regular packs.

Progression and Resources

TwXiaoJi created detailed spreadsheets to accompany this build. The first document lists the leveling steps act by act with gems to pick up and quest order. The second is an English translation of the Witch campaign guide, handy if Mandarin is not your first language.

The video itself is a full 5-hour run from level 1 to T15. It is an excellent resource for watching gameplay in real time and understanding the routing decisions of a professional speedrunner. Timecodes in the description let you jump directly to the act you are interested in.

For players who want to optimize further, the poe.ninja link displays the exact character profile with the passive tree, final gear, and socketed gems. A solid reference to compare your own progression.