Mistakes to Avoid When Farming the Simulacrum

[Matthew]

The Simulacrum in Path of Exile 2 is one of the most rewarding yet punishing endgame activities. With 30 escalating waves of enemies, each run pushes your build, mechanics, and resource management to their limits. While the potential for massive profit is undeniable, even experienced players often make avoidable mistakes that cut into their efficiency—or end their runs early.

1. Ignoring Chaos and Elemental Resistances

The Simulacrum heavily features enemies that deal chaos and mixed elemental damage. Many players focus solely on physical or elemental mitigation, leaving themselves vulnerable to chaos damage-over-time zones or poison stacks. Before entering, aim for 75% chaos resistance or use gear and flasks that grant temporary immunity to chaos degeneration.

Tip: Don’t underestimate hybrid defenses—layering life, energy shield, and recovery speed is far stronger than stacking raw HP alone.

2. Underestimating Flask Management

One of the biggest reasons players fail deep into a run is flask mismanagement. The Simulacrum is a continuous fight—no downtime between waves means flask charges can run dry fast if you’re not killing efficiently.

Fix: Use flasks that refill on kills and include instant life recovery. Avoid modifiers like “Reduced Flask Charges Gained” when rolling your maps.

3. Pushing Too Hard Too Early

Many players attempt to go straight for 30-wave clears before their build is truly ready. This often results in lost time and wasted fragments. The Simulacrum is not meant to be rushed—its scaling is exponential, not linear.

Fix: Start with moderate runs to gauge your survivability. Upgrade your damage and defenses before committing to full clears.

4. Skipping Defensive Layers

Even high-DPS builds crumble without proper mitigation. Relying purely on leech or evasion is risky since later waves spawn enemies with high accuracy, penetration, or unavoidable AoE.

Fix: Incorporate block, spell suppression, or armor scaling into your setup. Using endurance charges or defensive auras like Determination or Defiance Banner can significantly increase survivability.

5. Ignoring Map and Fragment Mods

Running the Simulacrum with poorly chosen mods is a silent profit killer. Mods like “Monsters have increased critical strike chance” or “No Regeneration” can ruin a run if you’re not prepared.

Fix: Always check your fragment and map rolls before starting. Avoid combinations that disable your build’s core mechanics or sustain.

6. Failing to Adapt Between Waves

Each wave introduces new enemy types and modifiers, yet many players stick to the same movement and skill rotation. This lack of adaptation leads to unnecessary deaths, especially in waves with overlapping AoE or crowd control mechanics.

Fix: Learn wave pacing—some rounds are better cleared from range, while others reward aggressive pushes. Adjust flask and skill timing dynamically.

7. Not Selling at the Right Time

Simulacrum farming can flood your stash with valuable loot—cluster jewels, fragments, and currency orbs. However, many players hoard items until prices drop.

Fix: Sell rare drops early in the league. Prices are highest during the first week, and fast-selling can finance stronger gear for future runs.

8. Ignoring Build-Specific Weaknesses

Even meta builds have blind spots. Cold DoT builds struggle against high-regen enemies, while melee setups can suffer from ground effects and delayed AoEs.

Fix: Know your build’s weaknesses and counter them through gear swaps or alternate gem setups (for example, adding mobility or crowd-control tools).

The Simulacrum rewards patience, preparation, and precision. Avoiding these common mistakes can mean the difference between a wasted run and a jackpot of high-value loot. Before diving in, take time to refine your defenses, manage your flasks, and plan your wave strategies. When executed correctly, Simulacrum farming becomes one of the most reliable—and exhilarating—sources of profit in Path of Exile 2.