PoE Fortify & Fortification

Here's a summary of the key points about Fortification in Path of Exile:

What it does:

  • Grants 1% less damage taken from hits per stack, up to a maximum of 20 stacks (20% less damage taken).
  • Doesn't apply to damage over time.

How to gain stacks:

  • Hit enemies with attacks that have the "Fortify" property (e.g., linked to the Fortify Support gem).
  • The number of stacks gained depends on the strength of the hit and the enemy's ailment threshold.
  • Gain more stacks against magic, rare, and unique enemies.

Stack mechanics:

  • Stacks last 6 seconds by default.
  • Can only gain stacks from one hit every 0.1 seconds.
  • Multiple instances of stacks can be active, up to a maximum of 100.
  • Instances expire independently, not refreshing others.

Mastery interaction:

  • The "Recover 100 Life for each Fortification Lost" mastery only triggers when displayed Fortification decreases.

Damage calculation:

  • Fortification's "less damage taken" applies after armor, resistances, and endurance charges.

Buff effects:

  • Increased buff effect modifiers (like from Ichimonji) don't affect Fortification.
  • Dread Banner's buff can increase Fortification's effect.

Key points to remember:

  • Fortify is a valuable defensive tool for reducing incoming hit damage.
  • It's especially useful for melee characters who are often in the thick of combat.
  • Understanding how to gain and maintain stacks effectively is crucial for maximizing its benefits.
  • Be aware of its interactions with other defensive mechanics and buff effects.

Fortification and Damage Reduction, Fortify Buff

PoE 3.19 Changes

Problem: Fortification is too difficult to gain for some melee builds, and too frustrating to use for many others.

Solution: Make fortification easier to gain and longer lasting.
  • Melee hits that can Fortify now generate roughly twice as many Fortification stacks as previously, based on damage dealt. Fortification generation against magic and rare monsters has been further increased.
  • The base duration of Fortification has been increased to 6 seconds (previously 5).
  • The entry small Passive Skill in the Steadfast cluster that provides increased Fortification for Fortifying Hits now has a value of 30% (previously 20%).
  • The top of the Steadfast cluster now consists of two small Passive Skills that each provide 40% increased Fortification Duration (previously one small Passive Skill that provided 20% increased Fortification for Fortifying Hits).

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Fortify Buff

Icon Name Effects
Fortify Fortify Grants the player 20% less damage taken from hits. The duration is 4 seconds.

PoE 3.15 Changes

Fortify is intended to be a natural benefit of playing a Melee character, not a primary defence to invest in. Over time we've introduced larger values and more sources of Fortify effect, to the point where it can almost completely mitigate damage from hits. We're aiming for having "40% less damage taken from hits with Fortify" being on the upper end of defensive power achievable with heavy investment, so you can't rely entirely on Fortify. Hence all sources of fortify effect have been reviewed, almost all significantly nerfed or replaced with something that is okay to be stacked.

1. Fortify Gems

Name Category Requires Stats
Vigilant Strike Vigilant Strike Active skill gem Level 4
  • Per 1% Quality: 2% increased Fortify duration
  • (75-170)% increased Fortify duration
  • Grants Fortify on Melee Hit
Dread Banner Dread Banner Active skill gem Level 24
  • Gain Fortify for 0.05 seconds per Stage on Placing the Banner
  • 2% increased Fortify effect per Stage
Fortify Support Fortify Support Support skill gem Level 31
  • Supported Skills grant Fortify on Melee hit
  • Supported Skills have (15-34)% increased Fortify duration

2. Fortify Items

Item Category Lvl. Stats Note
Sorrow Mask Sorrow Mask helmet 15 (20-25)% increased Effect of Fortify on you Base item
Atonement Mask Atonement Mask helmet 45 (20–25)% increased Effect of Fortify on you Base item
Penitent Mask Penitent Mask helmet 75 (20–25)% increased Effect of Fortify on you Base item
Overwhelming Odds Overwhelming Odds jewel 1 With at least 40 Strength in Radius, Cleave grants Fortify on Hit Unique
The Vigil The Vigil jewel 1 Fortifies you and Nearby Allies for 12 seconds Unique
Advancing Fortress Advancing Fortress claw 46 Socketed Gems are Supported by Level 12 Fortify Unique
Willowgift Willowgift amulet 52 Fortify Buffs you create instead grant 30% more Evasion Rating
(15-25)% increased Attack and Cast Speed while you have Fortify
 Unique
Kingmaker Kingmaker axe 66 Nearby Allies have Fortify Unique
Perfidy Perfidy body armour 68 Dread Banner has (100-200)% increased Fortify duration Unique
Beacon of Madness Beacon of Madness boots 70 60% increased Effect of Fortify on you while affected by Glorious Madness Unique
The Hungry Loop The Hungry Loop ring 70 Socketed Gems are Supported by Level 20 Fortify Unique
Perseverance Perseverance belt 78 (14-20)% chance to gain Fortify when you Stun an Enemy with Melee Damage
You have Onslaught while you have Fortify		 Unique

3. Fortify Mods

Mods Name Level Stat Tags
Prefix Crusader’s 68 (8-12)% chance to gain Fortify when you Stun an Enemy with Melee Damage
Prefix Eldritch 68 Socketed Gems are Supported by Level 20 Fortify Gem
Prefix Eldritch 68 Socketed Gems are Supported by Level 1 Fortify Gem
Suffix of the Crusade 68 (20-22)% increased Attack Speed while you have Fortify Attack, Speed
Suffix of the Crusade 68 (10-12)% increased Attack Speed while you have Fortify Attack, Speed
Suffix of the Crusade 73 (23-25)% increased Attack Speed while you have Fortify Attack, Speed
Suffix of the Crusade 73 (13-15)% increased Attack Speed while you have Fortify Attack, Speed
Suffix of the Crusade 75 (15-20)% increased Effect of Fortify on you
Suffix of the Crusade 80 (21-25)% increased Effect of Fortify on you
Suffix of Shaping 68 (10-20)% chance to gain Fortify when you Stun an Enemy with Melee Damage Attack
Suffix of Shaping 68 Melee Movement Skills have (30-50)% chance to Fortify on Hit Attack
Suffix of the Order 60 80% increased Effect of Fortify on you while Focussed
Suffix of the Order 72 100% increased Effect of Fortify on you while Focussed
Suffix of the Order 81 120% increased Effect of Fortify on you while Focussed

4. Fortify Passives

Name Category Stats
Attack Damage and Speed while Fortified Base passives 10% increased Attack Damage while you have Fortify
3% increased Attack Speed while you have Fortify12% increased Attack Damage while you have Fortify
4% increased Attack Speed while you have Fortify
Fortify Effect and Armour Base passives 10% increased Effect of Fortify on you
15% increased Armour while you have Fortify
Fortify Effect and Duration Base passives 10% increased Effect of Fortify on you
25% increased Fortify duration
Fortify Effect and Melee Damage Base passives 5% increased Effect of Fortify on you
12% increased Melee Physical Damage while you have Fortify
Attacks with Melee Weapons deal 12% increased Damage with Ailments5% increased Effect of Fortify on you
14% increased Melee Physical Damage while you have Fortify
Attacks with Melee Weapons deal 14% increased Damage with Ailments
Rampart Base passives 10% increased Effect of Fortify on you
5% increased Movement Speed while you have Fortify
20% increased Attack Damage while you have Fortify
8% increased Attack Speed while you have Fortify
Steadfast Base passives 10% increased Effect of Fortify on you
10% increased Effect of Fortify on you while Stationary
30% increased Armour while you have Fortify
Hardened Scars Anoint passives: Golden Oil Golden Oil + Teal Oil Teal Oil + Black Oil Black Oil 15% increased Life Recovery from Flasks
You have Fortify during Effect of any Life Flask
Champion Ascendancy passives for Ascendant Your Hits permanently Intimidate Enemies that are on Full Life
25% chance to Taunt on Hit
Enemies Taunted by you take 10% increased Damage
10% chance to Fortify on Melee hit
20% chance to Impale Enemies on Hit with Attacks
You and nearby Allies have 8% increased Movement Speed
Fortitude Ascendancy passives for Champion You have Fortify
Unstoppable Hero Ascendancy passives for Champion 10% increased Attack Speed while you have Fortify
30% increased Attack Damage while you have Fortify
Cannot be Stunned while you have Fortify
+1000 to Armour and Evasion Rating while you have Fortify

Fortification and Damage Reduction

Problem:
Fortification gain being scaled by the damage dealt by a fortifying hit means that hitting monsters with very high amounts of damage reduction (such as in the Azurite Mine, the Simulacrum or against monsters that have just been spawned by certain league mechanics) can grant little to no fortification, even for builds with very high damage.

Solution:
Fortification generation now ignores the target's damage reduction.

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