Path of Exile: How to Obtain and Master the Volcanic Fissure Skill
What Is Volcanic Fissure?
Volcanic Fissure is a Strength-based melee attack skill introduced in Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt. When you slam the ground, fiery fissures erupt outward in a wave, exploding and dealing area-of-effect (AoE) fire damage. Unlike traditional melee slams, Volcanic Fissure can chain across terrain, making it versatile for clearing groups of enemies.
Damage Type: Primarily Fire (scales with Strength, melee, and fire modifiers).
Playstyle: Slam-based, AoE-focused, mid-range clearing with solid single-target.
Strengths: Great crowd control, scales well with weapon damage, synergizes with fire damage multipliers.
Weaknesses: Requires good attack speed investment to feel smooth; positioning matters for maximum fissure hits.
How to Obtain Volcanic Fissure
Getting Volcanic Fissure is straightforward, but depends on your chosen class:
Quest Reward
Volcanic Fissure is offered as a quest reward for Marauder, Duelist, and Templar characters early in the campaign. Typically, it becomes available in Act 1 or Act 2, right after completing “Breaking Some Eggs” or “The Siren’s Cadence.”
If you’re playing one of these Strength-based classes, you can grab it directly from the vendor after completing the quest.
Vendor Purchase
If your character isn’t offered Volcanic Fissure as a quest reward, you can still buy it from Act vendors after the quest is completed—just check with Nessa (Act 1) or Yeena (Act 2).
Trading
Like most skill gems, Volcanic Fissure can be traded between players. If you can’t find it in your vendor pool, simply pick it up from another player early on.
How Volcanic Fissure Works
Understanding the mechanics of Volcanic Fissure is key to mastering it:
Initial Slam: Deals melee fire damage to enemies in front of you.
Fissure Waves: Sends out cracks along the ground that explode at intervals, each explosion dealing AoE fire damage.
Terrain Interaction: Fissures travel in a straight line but stop at walls or obstacles. Position yourself for maximum reach in open areas.
Scaling: Damage scales with your weapon’s physical damage, then converts into fire. Modifiers that increase fire damage, melee damage, AoE damage, and strength all amplify its power.
Best Support Gems for Volcanic Fissure
To unlock the full potential of Volcanic Fissure, link it with synergistic support gems:
Elemental Damage with Attacks – Major fire damage boost.
Increased Area of Effect – Makes fissures wider, better for map clearing.
Elemental Focus – Increases fire damage but removes ignite (great for raw DPS).
Multistrike Support – Lets you slam multiple times in quick succession.
Inspiration Support – Reduces mana cost while giving elemental damage.
Fire Penetration Support – Essential for late-game bosses with fire resistance.
For early leveling, swap in Added Fire Damage and Melee Physical Damage until you unlock stronger links.
Recommended Weapons and Gear
Since Volcanic Fissure is a slam skill, it thrives with heavy-hitting melee weapons:
Two-Handed Maces and Axes: Best for raw damage scaling.
Staffs: Provide damage and defensive utility with block chance.
Look for gear with:
+% to Fire Damage
Increased Attack Speed
Added Physical Damage (converts to fire)
Strength bonuses
Notable uniques that work well with Volcanic Fissure:
Kaom’s Primacy (Axe): Leech and fire synergy.
Marohi Erqi (Mace): Slam-focused powerhouse.
Kaom’s Heart (Chest): Massive life boost, perfect for a tanky slam build.
Ascendancy Choices
Your ascendancy will shape how Volcanic Fissure feels:
Juggernaut (Marauder): Extreme tankiness, endurance charge synergy, reliable for hardcore.
Chieftain (Marauder): Best fire damage scaling; provides leech, strength, and fire conversion.
Slayer (Duelist): Excellent for leech and AoE coverage.
Inquisitor (Templar): Great for fire penetration and hybrid elemental scaling.
If your focus is pure fire damage and survivability, Chieftain is the most natural fit.
Playstyle Tips for Volcanic Fissure
Position for Coverage
Slam at angles that let fissures spread through the largest packs of enemies.
Learn boss arena layouts to maximize fissure explosions.
Use Leap Slam or Flame Dash
Movement skills help reposition quickly, crucial for lining up fissure waves.
Balance AoE and Single-Target
Increased AoE is great for clearing, but for bosses you may want to swap to Concentrated Effect for raw damage.
Stack Endurance Charges
Pairing Juggernaut or Chieftain with endurance charge generation boosts survivability while staying in melee range.
Endgame Potential
Volcanic Fissure isn’t just a leveling skill—it scales well into endgame with the right setup. Its wide AoE makes it strong for mapping, and with fire penetration, it holds up against bosses. Pair it with strong life recovery (via leech or regeneration) and you’ll find it both powerful and consistent for all content.
Conclusion
The Volcanic Fissure skill in Path of Exile combines fiery spectacle with raw melee strength, making it an excellent choice for players who enjoy slam-based gameplay. By obtaining it early, linking it with the right supports, and building around fire scaling, you can buy POE orbs turn this skill into a devastating force that clears packs and melts bosses alike. Whether you ascend as a Chieftain for unmatched fire synergy or a Juggernaut for unbreakable defenses, mastering Volcanic Fissure guarantees both style and substance on your journey through Wraeclast.