MMOEXP-Bursting Fen Toad in PoE 2: Area Control and Trap Mechanics

[paleyShelie]

In Path of Exile 2, chaos damage builds have taken on a new and terrifying shape thanks to the synergy between the Murkshaft unique weapon and the Bursting Fen Toad skill. While chaos builds have traditionally leaned into
POE2 Currency  damage-over-time effects like Poison, Blight, or Contagion, this new combo introduces an explosive, active-cast approach that delivers heavy burst damage with strategic control.



Whether you’re building around traps, totems, or direct casting, combining the Murkshaft and Bursting Fen Toad opens up an incredibly versatile toolkit for both leveling and endgame content. This guide breaks down everything you need to know: what each component does, why they work so well together, and how to build around them for maximum devastation.



What Is the Murkshaft?

Murkshaft is a chaos-themed unique bow introduced in Path of Exile 2 that enhances minion and spell-based interactions with chaos projectiles. While it may appear to be a weapon designed for summoners at first glance, its real power lies in its chaos projectile support, which works in tandem with specialized chaos-based skills like Bursting Fen Toad.



Key features of the Murkshaft include:



+% to Chaos Damage



Projectiles deal additional chaos damage over time



Minions and totems using socketed skills can poison



Chance for projectiles to explode on impact, spreading poison



It comes with 4-6 sockets, often built for bow-casting chaos builds. Most importantly, it modifies how chaos-based projectiles behave, giving them added AoE and DoT (damage over time) capabilities.



Bursting Fen Toad Skill Overview

Bursting Fen Toad is a chaos-aligned minion projectile skill where players summon swampy, plague-infested toads that leap toward enemies and explode in a burst of chaos sludge. These summoned creatures are not traditional minions like Zombies or Spectres—they function more like living projectiles with AI-based pathing and homing.



Core mechanics include:



Summons 1–3 toads per cast



Toads leap toward enemies and explode on impact



Explosion deals AoE chaos damage



Leaves behind a toxic puddle (chaos DoT) for 3–5 seconds



Scales with minion, chaos, and spell tags



The unique mechanic here is that the toads themselves are the projectile, meaning anything that scales projectile or AoE behavior—including supports—applies to them. That’s where the Murkshaft bow comes in.



Why the Combo Works So Well

The synergy between Murkshaft and Bursting Fen Toad is rooted in two critical systems: chaos projectile scaling and explosion modifiers. Here’s how they create a deadly loop of destruction:



1. Toads Count as Projectiles

Because the toads function like projectiles, Murkshaft’s projectile-enhancing chaos mods apply to them fully. This means:



Increased damage over time



Higher AoE on impact



Chance to poison and spread chaos effects



2. Chaos DoT Scaling

Each toad explosion leaves behind a toxic puddle that stacks with other puddles, meaning repeated casts can cover an entire room in chaos DoT zones. With Murkshaft boosting chaos duration, enemies get trapped in a swamp of suffering.



3. Minion + Spell + Chaos Tags

Bursting Fen Toad benefits from a wide array of support gems:



Minion Damage



Void Manipulation



Efficacy



Chaos Penetration



Multiple Projectiles



Minion Speed (toads jump faster and farther)



And with Murkshaft increasing the potency of chaos projectile skills, each leap becomes a nuclear detonation of poison and decay.



Building Around the Combo

To take full advantage of Murkshaft + Bursting Fen Toad, you need to build in one of three ways:



1. Chaos Minion Caster (Occultist or Necromancer)

Focuses on minion and chaos DoT nodes



Uses Profane Bloom for chain explosions



Great for mapping and mob clear



Passive tree investment in Minion Life, Minion AoE, Chaos Penetration



2. Projectile Trap Build (Saboteur)

Converts the skill to traps via Trap Support



Deploys toads as chaos bombs



Focus on trap throwing speed, trigger radius, and DoT



Murkshaft supports scaling of the toad’s projectile explosions



3. Bowcaster Hybrid (Pathfinder or Trickster)

Utilizes cast-on-bow mechanics with high damage



Emphasizes chaos DoT, duration, and projectile speed



Takes Master Toxicist or Harness the Void



Best for players looking to scale Poison, Virulence, or Poison Proliferation



Supporting Skills & Auras

To boost your effectiveness, pair the combo with the following:



Malevolence – Increases DoT duration and damage



Despair – Reduces enemy chaos resistance



Wither Totem/Spell Totem + Wither – 90%+ more chaos damage over time



Plague Bearer – Passive AoE rot for additional chaos clear



Void Sphere – Crowd control for grouping enemies into toad blasts



Ascendancy Synergies

Ascendancy Key Benefits

Occultist Profane Bloom explosions, Wither stacks, Malediction

Trickster Chaos DoT, energy shield regen, mobility

Pathfinder Flask synergy, poison duration, chaos scaling

Necromancer Minion scaling and offering buffs



Pros and Cons

Pros:



High burst damage and AoE



Great synergy with both minion and chaos passives



Strong for both clearing and bossing



Flexible support gem setup (spell, chaos, projectile, minion)



Cons:



Requires specific gear (Murkshaft)



Toad AI can occasionally misfire or delay



Scaling may require investment in both minion and chaos nodes



Vulnerable to chaos-immune or highly mobile bosses without puddle uptime



Final Thoughts

The combination of Murkshaft and Bursting Fen Toad creates one of the most satisfying chaos-based playstyles in Path of Exile 2. Whether you’re coating the battlefield in poison, bursting mobs with exploding plague toads, or scaling massive DoT numbers in boss fights, this setup rewards clever positioning, chaos stacking, and relentless pressure.



If you're a fan of weird, niche mechanics or just love watching enemies melt in bubbling chaos swamps, then this combo is one of the most exciting additions to POE 2 Orbs the chaos damage meta. Get your Murkshaft, train your toads, and let the plague rain down.