The Last of the Druids update introduced several new mechanics to Path of Exile 2, and among the most interesting additions is Savage Fury, a new Persistent skill gem designed for aggressive melee and hybrid playstyles. At first glance, Savage Fury can seem confusing-despite being always active, it appears to do nothing until manually triggered. However, once you understand how it functions, the skill opens up powerful burst-damage opportunities and creative build synergies.

In this guide, we'll break down how Savage Fury works in Path of Exile 2, what its secondary effect does, and which builds benefit the most from using it.

What Is Savage Fury in Path of Exile 2?

Savage Fury is a Persistent skill gem, meaning it reserves Spirit and remains active as long as it's equipped and enabled. Unlike traditional auras or toggled skills, Savage Fury doesn't immediately provide a stat bonus. Instead, it enables a resource-generation mechanic that fuels a powerful secondary effect.

While Savage Fury is active:

·All melee hits generate Fury

·Fury is a unique resource tied exclusively to this skill

·You can store up to 20 Fury

Once you reach maximum Fury, you can activate Savage Fury's secondary effect, called Bestial Rage.

Bestial Rage: Savage Fury's Secondary Effect

Bestial Rage is where Savage Fury truly shines. When activated, it consumes your stored Fury and grants powerful offensive bonuses:

1. Increased damage

2. Onslaught, granting

·20% increased skill speed

·10% increased movement speed

These bonuses make Bestial Rage ideal for burst windows during boss fights, elite encounters, or high-density content. When paired with the right Path of Exile 2 Items, this damage spike can rival dedicated cooldown skills.

However, Bestial Rage also comes with drawbacks that must be managed carefully.

Downsides and Requirements of Savage Fury

The biggest mechanical restriction of Savage Fury is its transformation requirement. Activating Bestial Rage turns your character into an animal form, which means:

·You must equip a Talisman to use Savage Fury

·Returning to human form immediately ends Bestial Rage

In addition, while Bestial Rage is active:

·Your character constantly loses Life

·The Life drain continues until the effect ends

To counter this, you'll need either:

·Strong life regeneration

·Leech or recovery mechanics

·Or careful timing to end Bestial Rage before the drain becomes dangerous

This risk-reward design makes Savage Fury powerful but not mindless. Used correctly, it delivers immense damage; used poorly, it can quickly become lethal.

Savage Fury Usability and Build Synergies

Because Savage Fury forces you into animal form, it naturally fits best into primal or shapeshifting builds. That said, it is far more flexible than it initially appears.

Unlike most Persistent skills, Savage Fury remains active even if it's socketed in Weapon Set 2. This unique behavior allows players to generate Fury with one setup and unleash Bestial Rage using another.

This opens the door to hybrid playstyles that wouldn't normally be possible.

Example Savage Fury Combo Build

One of the most effective ways to use Savage Fury is as a burst-damage enabler rather than a constant buff.

Here's a practical example:

·Play a standard melee build as your primary setup

Use a melee skill like Killing Palm to

·Cull enemies

·Generate Power Charges

·Build Fury through melee hits

As you fight normally, Fury accumulates in the background. Once you reach maximum Fury and have enough charges, you swap playstyles.

·Activate Bestial Rage

·Transform into a Wyvern

·Unload a fully charged Oil Barrage

Oil Barrage scales exceptionally well with Power Charges, and the damage and speed bonuses from Bestial Rage push it into devastating territory. With proper gearing, or by choosing to buy POE2 Currency to accelerate, this combo becomes extremely effective against bosses and Anomaly enemies.

When Should You Use Savage Fury?

Savage Fury is not designed to be active at all times. Instead, it excels when used:

·During boss damage windows

·Against tanky rares or Anomaly enemies

·In short, controlled burst phases

Because of the Life drain, sustained use is risky unless your build is specifically designed around regeneration. For most players, Savage Fury works best as a high-impact cooldown that rewards planning and mechanical execution.

Who Should Use Savage Fury in Path of Exile 2?

Savage Fury is ideal for:

·Melee-focused builds

·Hybrid melee-to-ranged setups

·Players who enjoy burst windows and resource management

·Builds that already invest in Life regeneration

It is less suitable for:

·Pure spellcasters

·Builds with low Life sustain

·Players who prefer passive, always-on buffs

Final Thoughts on Savage Fury

Savage Fury is one of the most unique Persistent skill gems in Path of Exile 2. While its mechanics may seem unintuitive at first, the skill offers incredible flexibility and power once mastered. By generating Fury through normal melee combat and unleashing Bestial Rage at the right moment, players can dramatically increase their damage output without sacrificing build identity.

If you enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay and creative skill interactions, Savage Fury is well worth exploring in your Path of Exile 2 builds.