The Hammer of Faith is a unique Giant Maul in Path of Exile 2 with a mechanic that sets it apart from ordinary two-handed weapons. Alongside its strong physical damage, it grants random non-damaging Shrine buffs automatically, giving melee characters access to temporary combat bonuses without having to locate Shrines.
If you're planning a physical damage build or experimenting with Shrine effects, understanding this weapon's stats and limitations will help you decide whether it's worth using. You can also explore POE 2 Currency when planning your next equipment upgrade.
Hammer of Faith Stats and Requirements
The Hammer of Faith requires level 65 and 114 Strength to equip. Its physical damage modifier makes it suitable for heavy-hitting melee skills, although its attack speed penalty may take some adjustment.
Its listed modifiers include:
• 300–350% increased Physical Damage
• 10% reduced Attack Speed
• +10% to all Elemental Resistances
• 50% increased Mana Regeneration Rate
• A random non-damaging Shrine buff every 10 seconds, lasting 20 seconds
The physical damage modifier was increased in patch 0.4.0, from 250–300% to 300–350%.
The reduced attack speed is worth considering before committing to the weapon. Skills with slower, heavier hits may feel more natural than setups that depend on rapid attacks. When comparing alternatives, account for your skill's mechanics and the other stats you would lose by replacing your current weapon.
How the Automatic Shrine Buff Works
The Hammer of Faith periodically grants a random non-damaging Shrine buff. Unlike ordinary Shrines, which require you to find them during exploration, this effect activates automatically while using the weapon.
The timing is straightforward:
• A new random Shrine buff is granted every 10 seconds.
• Each buff lasts for 20 seconds.
• Existing buffs can overlap with newly granted ones.
• The same buff may be rolled again, so multiple different bonuses aren't guaranteed.
Depending on the Shrine effect, these temporary bonuses can improve movement speed, skill speed, defenses, resource recovery, or critical hit potential. Their availability depends on the random effect you receive, so don't build your entire damage strategy around getting one specific buff.
Players looking to buy POE 2 Currency for equipment upgrades should consider the weapon's full value rather than focusing on its physical damage modifier alone.
How to Get the Hammer of Faith in PoE 2
The Hammer of Faith as a world-drop unique rather than an item tied to one specific boss. This means there is no guaranteed boss encounter that you can repeatedly clear to obtain it.
There are two main ways to pursue the weapon:
• General loot farming: Continue clearing suitable areas and endgame content for a chance at a unique drop.
• Player trading: Look for an available copy if you want a more direct route to obtaining the weapon.
When inspecting a Hammer of Faith, check its physical damage roll and confirm that its modifiers match the current version of the game. A copy with a higher damage roll may be more attractive for a damage-focused setup.
Before committing your cheap POE 2 Currency budget, compare the cost of the weapon with other upgrades that could improve your character's overall performance.
Build Ideas and Important Limitations
The Hammer of Faith works naturally with physical mace builds, but its automatic Shrine mechanic also opens the door to more specialized setups.
Keep these points in mind when planning your character:
• Physical melee builds: Take advantage of the weapon's increased physical damage and choose skills that work comfortably with its slower attack speed.
• Shrine-focused setups: Experiment with ways to benefit from temporary buffs, but allow for randomness when planning your damage and defenses.
• Weapon swapping: Switching to another weapon set removes the Shrine buffs, so frequent swaps can interrupt the benefits you were relying on.
• Dual-wield experiments: Some specialized melee setups use two copies of the weapon alongside mechanics that extend buff duration, although this isn't necessary for a standard build.
Is the Hammer of Faith Worth Using?
The Hammer of Faith offers a combination of substantial physical damage, useful secondary modifiers, and an unusual source of recurring Shrine buffs. Its main drawback is unpredictability: you cannot guarantee which effect will appear, and the reduced attack speed won't suit every melee setup.
If you enjoy experimenting with unique mechanics, it is worth considering for a physical mace character. Compare its damage with your current weapon, test how its attack speed feels, and make sure the random buffs complement your playstyle. If you're preparing to acquire one or improve the rest of your equipment, check the available POE 2 Currency for sale and weigh the cost against the benefits your build actually needs.
