The Witch has always been the iconic summoner in the Path of Exile franchise, and Path of Exile 2 elevates that fantasy with new ascendancies and POE2 Currency minion scaling. Among the most exciting setups in the current meta is the Infernalist Ant Spectre build, which uses the Frozen Mandibles monster as its core spectre. These spectral ants unleash devastating ranged attacks, creating an army that annihilates enemies from afar while you remain safe behind their cover.

With patch updates like 0.3, minion builds have become more polished and sustainable in high-tier maps, and the Ant Spectre strategy stands out for its damage, survivability, and low barrier to entry. This article will break down why the build works so well, how to scale it into endgame, and what you'll need to dominate bosses and mapping alike.

Why Choose Infernalist Witch for Ant Spectres?

The Infernalist ascendancy offers several advantages that align perfectly with a spectre-focused playstyle:

Minion Damage Amplification - The Infernalist tree provides strong boosts to both generic minion damage and elemental scaling, which directly enhances the Frozen Mandibles' attacks.

Spectre Scaling - Unlike some other minion setups that rely on zombies, skeletons, or temporary summons, Ant Spectres scale well into endgame thanks to their innate ranged abilities and reliable AI.

Defensive Utility - Infernalist grants defensive bonuses tied to Energy Shield and Spirit, letting you stay safe while your army does the heavy lifting.

Quality of Life - Summoners often struggle with clunky resummoning or poor clear speeds. The Ant Spectres' ranged attacks make map clearing smooth, while Infernalist nodes improve minion durability so they rarely die.

The result is a Witch that feels both powerful and forgiving—a build that can carry you through tough bosses without demanding constant micromanagement.

The Ant Spectre Core

The heart of the build is the Frozen Mandibles monster, a Breach-inspired ant with chilling ranged attacks. Once raised as a spectre, these ants unleash projectile volleys that scale with minion damage, elemental penetration, and support gems.

Strengths of Frozen Mandibles Spectres:

Reliable Ranged DPS - Their projectiles cut through mobs quickly and stay on target during boss fights.

Elemental Damage Synergy - Their cold-based damage synergizes with Infernalist ascendancy nodes, making scaling straightforward.

High Survivability - With the right supports and passive tree investment, they rarely die, even in red maps.

This makes them a natural choice for an Infernalist who wants to lean into strong, sustainable spectres rather than juggling temporary summons.

Skill Setup

Here's the recommended core link for your Ant Spectres:

Raise Spectre (Frozen Mandibles)

Minion Damage Support

Elemental Proliferation Support

Greater Multiple Projectiles Support (for mapping) or Slower Projectiles Support (for bosses)

Added Cold Damage Support

Empower Support (when available)

For utility, pair them with:

Desecrate + Bone Offering (to maintain spectres and give block/dodge to minions).

Convocation (to reposition your ants quickly).

Determination / Discipline Auras (depending on whether you prioritize Energy Shield sustain or general defense).

Defensive Layers

Since your spectres are doing the heavy lifting, your Witch focuses on survivability:

Energy Shield is your main defensive stat. Invest in high ES bases, shield nodes, and Spirit to stay topped up.

Spirit adds sustain and scaling, especially when paired with Infernalist passives that increase regeneration or recovery.

Block from Bone Offering can add another layer of safety.

Positioning is your hidden defense—stay behind your army at all times.

By layering ES and Spirit recovery, you'll find the build surprisingly tanky for a summoner archetype.

Gear Recommendations

The best part of this build is that it doesn't require mirror-tier investments to function. You can start mapping comfortably with just a handful of affordable items.

Priorities:

+1 to Spectre Gems (wand or staff) - Essential for scaling damage and survivability.

Energy Shield Bases - Chest, helmet, gloves, and boots should focus on ES first, resists second.

Minion Damage Mods - Look for rings and amulets with minion damage, increased ES, or Spirit.

Cluster Jewels (if available) - Focus on minion nodes like Vicious Bite or Cold Damage multipliers.

Crafting remains an excellent way to gear up, but if farming feels slow, you can always buy PoE 2 currency at MMOEXP to shortcut into key upgrades. Even a few Divines invested smartly can transform your build.

Scaling Into Endgame

The Ant Spectre Infernalist scales beautifully into harder content because it naturally blends clear speed with boss damage. Here's how you can keep scaling as you push into red maps and pinnacle bosses:

Swap Supports - Use GMP for clear, then switch to high-damage gems like Slower Projectiles for bossing.

Add Auras - With more gear, slot in auras like Hatred (for cold scaling) or Tempest Shield for survivability.

Invest in Jewels - Look for rare jewels with minion attack speed, crit chance, or elemental penetration.

Empower Gem Levels - Level 4 Empower is a huge late-game boost for spectre builds.

With these upgrades, Ant Spectres can comfortably carry you through Maven-style encounters, Breachlords, and even future pinnacle bosses without the need for constant resummoning.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

Low Gear Entry Point - Functions well on a budget.

Consistent DPS - Spectres handle both clearing and bossing.

Tanky Witch - Energy Shield + Spirit layering makes you hard to kill.

Smooth Mapping - Ranged AI means fewer clumps and faster clears.

Weaknesses:

Spectre Dependency - Losing your ants mid-map can slow you down until you resummon.

Scaling Ceiling - While powerful, it may not match the absolute top damage builds like Blade Flurry or crit-based setups.

Positioning - Careless players who step too far ahead of their army risk being shredded.

Final Thoughts

For Witch players who love minions, the Infernalist Ant Spectre build is a near-perfect package in Path of Exile 2. It's beginner-friendly, budget-conscious, and scales reliably into the endgame without requiring complex rotations or gear gymnastics.

The Frozen Mandibles spectres deliver devastating ranged damage while you focus on defense and positioning, making this one of the most comfortable and effective summoner builds available in patch 0.3 and beyond.

Whether you're just starting maps or looking to conquer late-game bosses, the Ant Spectre Infernalist has the tools to carry you there. And if you'd rather skip the grind for gear upgrades, a small stock of PoE 2 currency from MMOEXP can give your Witch the buy POE2 Currency final push she needs to become a true master of spectral armies.