Bonestorm/Reap Blood Mage Starter Build - PoE 2 Guide

In Path of Exile 2, the Witch's Blood Mage ascendancy has emerged as a powerful and flexible choice for players wanting both clear speed and boss damage, while still feeling mechanically engaging rather than passive. One of the most fun hybrid starter builds combines Bonestorm for early single-target power and Reap later on as a high-damage melee spell, making this playstyle both engaging and competitive from Act 2 through mapping. This guide is designed with new leagues and fresh economies in mind, where efficient progression and smart POE 2 Currency usage can make a massive difference to your overall experience.

This build leans heavily on the Blood Mage's signature identity: sacrificing life to fuel spells, amplifying critical strikes, and sustaining through spell leech rather than traditional mana stacking. The Blood Mage ascendancy grants key nodes like Sunder the Flesh (boosting base critical strike chance), Vitality Siphon (spell leech and mana sustain), and Grasping Wounds for survivability-crucial as you juggle channeling spells like Bonestorm while positioning aggressively in combat. The result is a caster that feels dangerous, fast, and surprisingly tanky for a starter.

Why Blood Mage Works So Well as a Starter

Blood Mage is uniquely suited to league-start scenarios because it removes many of the common friction points new characters face. Instead of worrying about mana flasks, reservation math, or early gear constraints, you're rewarded for building life, critical strike chance, and physical spell scaling. Since both Bonestorm and Reap scale extremely well with physical damage and crit, you get natural synergy without needing rare uniques or expensive setups.

Another advantage is flexibility. Bonestorm gives you ranged pressure early on, letting you safely handle bosses and dangerous rares, while Reap later transforms you into a close-range executioner with devastating screen-wide slashes. This duality makes the build adaptable to different encounter types throughout the campaign.

Early Game Progression (Acts 1-2)

Your journey begins with Essence Drain and Contagion, a tried-and-true combination that excels at early clearing and survivability. These skills allow you to kite enemies safely, spread damage over time, and avoid risky positioning while your character is still fragile.

During this phase, focus on:

Life on gear

Spell damage and physical damage where available

Basic resistances

You won't stay on Essence Drain long, but it carries you smoothly until Bonestorm becomes available. Around level 14, once you unlock the Bonestorm skill gem, begin transitioning immediately. Bonestorm should become your primary single-target tool, supported early with Brutality and Pierce to improve damage consistency and projectile behavior.

Bonestorm excels at boss fights during the early campaign. The channeling mechanic allows you to stack damage quickly, and the bone projectiles shred elites while giving you the option to reposition between casts. Securing a second support slot for Bonestorm as soon as possible is a major power spike and should be prioritized through quest rewards or gem upgrades.

Passive Tree Priorities Early On

While leveling, path toward:

Life nodes

Spell critical strike chance

Physical spell damage

Leech and recovery where available

Avoid overcommitting to chaos conversion early. Bonestorm performs best when scaled as a physical spell initially, and Blood Mage's ascendancy will later smooth out sustain issues that would otherwise feel punishing.

Ascendancy Progression

Your first Blood Mage ascendancy point should almost always go into Sunder the Flesh. The base critical strike chance it provides is enormous for early scaling and sets the tone for the entire build. Crit consistency is what allows Bonestorm and Reap to feel reliable rather than spiky.

Next, prioritize Vitality Siphon, which solves both sustain and mana concerns in one elegant stroke. Spell leech means your damage directly fuels your survivability, and this becomes increasingly important once you begin using Reap and standing closer to enemies.

Finally, Grasping Wounds adds another layer of defense, helping mitigate incoming damage while synergizing with your aggressive playstyle.

Transition to Reap (Act 3 and Beyond)

Around mid-campaign-typically Act 3 onward-you'll want to transition into Reap once the appropriate staff and gem are unlocked (around level 38). This is where the build truly comes online.

Reap is a sweeping melee spell that deals massive physical damage with chaos conversion, harvesting health from enemies and scaling exceptionally well with critical strike bonuses from Blood Mage ascendancy nodes. Unlike many melee spells, Reap feels fluid and powerful even on modest gear, making it perfect for a starter setup.

At this point, Bonestorm shifts into a complementary role rather than being your main damage source. It remains excellent for:

Boss phases where distance is safer

Triggering effects

Supplemental single-target damage

Recommended Reap Link Setup

A strong mid-to-late campaign Reap setup looks like this:

Reap

Brutality

Efficacy

Increased Critical Damage

Cast on Crit (optional, later)

This setup maintains high raw damage while leveraging Blood Mage's crit bonuses. As you gain more sockets, Reap quickly overtakes Bonestorm in overall DPS, especially against dense packs and tanky rares.

Utility and Survivability Options

To support your core spells, make use of the following tools:

Bone Cage early on for extra clear speed and crowd control

Vulnerability or similar physical damage curses for bosses

Defensive guard skills or movement skills to maintain positioning

Because you're often trading life for power, staying proactive with positioning and leech uptime is essential. Fortunately, the Blood Mage kit rewards aggression rather than punishing it.

Mapping and Endgame Scaling

Once you reach maps, the Bonestorm/Reap hybrid truly shines. Clear speed remains strong thanks to Reap's wide coverage, while Bonestorm still handles bosses and high-life targets effectively. Gear upgrades focus on:

Life

Spell crit chance and multiplier

Physical and chaos spell damage

You don't need perfect gear to succeed, but incremental upgrades go a long way. Smart trading and knowing when to buy POE 2 Orbs can help smooth out progression spikes and accelerate your entry into higher-tier content.

Final Thoughts

This hybrid Blood Mage starter offers an accessible, rewarding build that scales cleanly into endgame without demanding complex mechanics or expensive uniques. With Bonestorm as your early workhorse and Reap taking over as the primary damage dealer, you'll enjoy a dynamic mix of ranged and melee gameplay while benefiting from Blood Mage's powerful survivability and critical strike synergies. Whether you're pushing maps, tackling bosses, or optimizing your economy, this build provides a strong foundation.