Aftershock | PoE2 Mechanic

What Aftershock does

Current rules

Start with the skill or effect that creates the Aftershock. Check whether it requires a Slam you use yourself, a Heavy Stun, a staged release, a different Slam hitting a Fissure, or another named condition. Then apply the Aftershock's explicit damage and area values. Only fall back to the initial impact's damage and area when the source does not override them.

Attack damage only: Only Attack damage can cause Aftershocks. An Aftershock is not a generic repeat available to every Spell or damage-over-time effect.
Default damage and area: When no separate values are stated, an Aftershock deals the same damage as the initial impact in the same area. This is the fallback rule, not a replacement for explicit skill text.
Explicit values take priority: Earthquake, Supercharged Slam, Tectonic Slams, Impact Shockwave, Mountain Splitter, and other effects can define their own timing, radius, damage modifier, count, or placement. Use those values instead of assuming an identical second impact.
Source scope matters: Many chance sources apply only to Slam Skills you use yourself. That wording excludes a broader claim that every Slam created by a proxy, Trigger, or other actor receives the effect.
Additional means another burst: A source that causes an additional Aftershock adds another Aftershock to the skill's normal result when its condition succeeds. Do not treat every listed chance or conditional source as permanently active without satisfying its own wording.
Impact Shockwave is an Aftershock: Since Content Update 0.4.0, Impact Shockwave creates an actual Aftershock when its Heavy Stun condition is met. It benefits from Aftershock-specific damage and area modifiers and can occur alongside Melee Splash from the same Strike.

Ways to create or modify Aftershocks

10 cases

01

Earthquake

Leaves Jagged Ground that erupts after a duration. Its Aftershock has its own damage and radius values, so it is an explicit override of the default rule.

Related: Duration, Slam, AoE, Earthquake

02

Volcanic Fissure

A different Slam used on the Molten Fissure creates a spreading Aftershock. The trigger is the second Slam interacting with the existing Fissure.

Related: Slam, Duration, Volcanic Fissure

03

Supercharged Slam

Releases one Aftershock per stage after the impact. Stages also modify the Hit damage, so stage count is part of both the release and damage calculation.

04

Seismic Cry

After its Heavy Stun condition is met, it Empowers subsequent Slams to perform an additional Aftershock. The number of Slams empowered depends on enemy Power in range.

Related: Warcry, Heavy Stun, Slam, Seismic Cry

05

Aftershock Supports

Aftershock I and II give supported Slams you use yourself a 25% or 35% chance to cause an additional Aftershock. Tectonic Slams creates positioned Aftershocks with damage, area, and Attack Speed penalties.

06

Impact Shockwave

Causes a 1.5 metre Aftershock around the target when a supported Melee Strike or Wind Attack Heavy Stuns an enemy. Aftershocks caused this way cannot Stun.

07

Jagged Ground and Runic Ward

Jagged Ground II makes supported Slam Aftershocks create Jagged Ground. Fist Of Kalguur creates a delayed rune Aftershock after a Runically Boosted Slam first hits an enemy.

08

Items and Runes

Hrimnor's Hymn makes Slam Skills you use yourself cause an additional Aftershock. Ancient Rune of the Titan and Legacy of Hrimnor's Hymn add scoped chance modifiers to Two Hand Maces.

Currency: Ancient Rune of the Titan, Legacy of Hrimnor's HymnRelated: Slam, Hrimnor's HymnHrimnor's HymnUnique | Oak Greathammer

Physical Damage(29-35) to (54-66)Critical Hit Chance5%Attacks per Second1Weapon Range1.5RequiresLevel 4, 11 StrCauses (20-40)% increased Stun Buildup(80-120)% increased Physical Damage+(10-15) to StrengthGain (10-20) Life per enemy killedSlam Skills you use yourself cause an additional Aftershock"The crack of bone, the spray of blood.Is there sweeter music?"- Hrimnor of the Ezomytes.

09

Passive Skill Tree

Aftershocks increases Aftershock area. Behemoth, Split the Earth, Rhythm of Fire, and Echoes of Ferocity add chance under their stated Slam, Mace, or Shapeshift conditions.

10

Titan Ascendancy

Earthbreaker grants a 25% chance for Slams you use yourself to cause an additional Aftershock. Mountain Splitter makes every third eligible non-Fissure Slam create three positioned Aftershocks.

Limits and exceptions

5 rules

Aftershock is not the same mechanic as Melee Splash, a Fissure, a shockwave, or repeating a skill. A source must identify the secondary burst as an Aftershock.
Do not copy the initial impact's damage or area when the skill displays separate Aftershock values.
Chance, guaranteed, staged, and every-third-skill sources have different activation rules. Read each source before combining them.
Wording such as you use yourself, with Maces, Shapeshift Slam, or does not create Fissures limits which skills can receive that source.
Impact Shockwave Aftershocks cannot Stun even though Heavy Stun is the event that creates them.

Related pages

9 connections

mechanicSlam

A Slam is a Melee Attack that deals damage through an area instead of directly Striking an enemy. Slams always have the AoE tag, remain Melee damage, and do not count as Strikes.

mechanicAttack

An Attack is a skill with the Attack tag. It normally takes its base damage, attack speed, and base Critical Hit Chance from an equipped Martial Weapon, unless the skill states a different rule.

mechanicAoE

Area of Effect, usually shortened to AoE, describes a skill component that applies to targets inside an area instead of selecting only one target. The area can be a circle, cone, line, ring, or another shape defined by the skill.

mechanicStrike

A Strike is a Melee Attack that directly hits with a weapon or body part. Strike and Slam are mutually exclusive classifications, and Melee Strike Range affects how far a Strike can directly reach.

mechanicHeavy Stun

Heavy Stun is the longer disable caused when an enemy's Heavy Stun buildup bar fills. Eligible Hits add buildup based on their damage, and the bar begins to empty after buildup has not been applied for a period.

mechanicWarcry

Warcries are active skills that count the Power of nearby enemies and then apply their own damage, control, Guard, Rage, or attack empowerment effects.

mechanicChannelling

A Channelling skill continues one skill use while its input is held. Some build power for a release, while others repeatedly attack or apply effects during the channel.

mechanicStaged

Staged Skills gain discrete stages and use the current stage count to change an effect. The way stages are gained, their maximum, what each stage improves, and when they are spent or removed are defined by the individual Skill.

mechanicDuration

Duration is the length of time a skill component, Buff, Debuff, Ailment, Curse, Mark, Minion, Totem, Flask effect, Charm effect, Hazard, or delayed event remains active. Each duration modifier applies only to the effect type it names.