So you've seen the new Strength/Dexterity Persistent Buff Gem pop up in PoE 2 patch notes — Mortar Cannon. At first, I thought it was just another gimmick skill. But after testing it, I can tell you this gem actually changes how grenade builds play. If you've ever been frustrated by grenade cooldowns or clunky manual throws, Mortar Cannon fixes that by dropping a cannon totem that fires your grenades for you.
Here's everything you need to know, broken down in simple, practical steps.
What Mortar Cannon Does
- Type: Strength/Dexterity Persistent Buff Gem
- Effect: Raises a Cannon Totem that automatically uses socketed Grenade Skills
- Bonus: Grants a huge Cooldown Recovery Rate boost, making grenades fire way faster
Think of it as hiring a little helper to do all the grenade tossing while you focus on dodging, DPSing, or stacking more buffs.
Step-by-Step: How to Use Mortar Cannon
Step 1 – Get the Right Grenade Skills
You can't just throw Mortar Cannon into any build. You'll want at least one grenade skill that benefits from faster cooldowns.
- Good options: Incendiary Grenade (fire DoT), Shrapnel Grenade (AoE clear), Frost Grenade (chill/freeze utility).
- Put the grenade skill directly in the same socket setup as Mortar Cannon.
Step 2 – Position Your Cannon Smartly
The cannon is stationary, so placement matters.
- Drop it at choke points in maps where enemies funnel.
- Against bosses, place it close enough that grenades always connect but not so close it gets instantly killed.
- If you're running multiple cannons, stagger them for wide coverage.
Step 3 – Play Around Cooldowns
The real strength here is the cooldown recovery.
- Mortar Cannon throws grenades much faster than you could manually.
- Use that uptime to free yourself for supporting skills: curses, mobility, or extra DPS.
- If you run multiple grenade types, the cannon rotates them smoothly — no downtime.
If you’re excited to try Mortar Cannon but don’t want to grind a fresh character from scratch, the easiest shortcut is to Buy PoE 2 Account online. Starting with a pre-leveled account lets you jump right into grenade builds, test Mortar Cannon at higher levels, and skip the early-game slog so you can enjoy the real explosive fun straight away.
Strengths and Weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Automates grenade usage (no more manual spam) | Stationary, so useless if enemies kite far away |
| Massive cooldown recovery boost | Totem HP can be an issue in high damage maps |
| Perfect for hybrid STR/DEX builds | Needs grenade skill sockets (gem slot hungry) |
| Great for area denial and boss arenas | Doesn't scale well without grenade investment |
Example Build Idea
If you want to try this out early:
- Stack Strength gear for cannon durability.
- Use Incendiary + Shrapnel Grenade as your main sockets.
- Drop Mortar Cannon at map choke points → run in circles while it bombs everything.
- Support with a curse (Flammability or Frostbite) to push damage higher.
It feels like playing “tower defense mode” inside PoE 2 — let the cannon do the hard work while you kite and survive.
Recap
Mortar Cannon is more than just a fun gimmick — it's a serious tool for anyone running grenades in PoE 2.
- It summons a Cannon Totem that auto-fires grenades.
- You get crazy cooldown recovery, which fixes grenade downtime.
- Best used for choke-point clearing, boss arenas, and hybrid Strength/Dexterity builds.
If grenades ever felt too clunky or slow for you, Mortar Cannon is the gem that makes them shine. I'm already planning a full grenade build around it — and honestly, watching a cannon endlessly chuck explosives feels ridiculously satisfying.
