Survive the Simulacrum: First-Time Strategies and Tips

To survive the Simulacrum in Path of Exile 2 on your first attempt, here are essential strategies and tips to help you navigate this challenging, wave-based endgame encounter successfully:

Understanding the Simulacrum

The Simulacrum is a 15-wave combat gauntlet filled with increasingly difficult Delirium monsters.
You face hordes of enemies and punishing bosses like Kosis (caster-type) and Omniphobia (melee brute).
Each wave introduces modifiers increasing enemy damage and difficulty but also boosts rewards.

Preparation Tips

Build Balance: Ensure your character has a solid mix of defense and offense. High area damage clears waves faster, while strong defenses improve survivability.
Defensive Layers: Use evasion for dodge chances, armor or energy shield for damage mitigation, life regeneration, and leech to sustain through fights.
Flasks and Immunities: Carry utility flasks that remove ailments like freeze, bleed, and curses to avoid deadly control effects.
Gear: Prioritize gear that improves your survivability and damage output simultaneously, like resistances, life, and damage-boosting mods.

Combat Tips

Stay Mobile: Keep moving to avoid being surrounded, leap slammed, or stunned by enemies. Skills like Flame Dash or Dash are invaluable.
Focus Crowd Control: High area-of-effect damage skills help thin enemy waves quickly to prevent being overwhelmed.
Boss Prioritization: When bosses appear, focus on killing Kosis first to free up battlefield space, then deal with Omniphobia and other rares.
Utilize Impactful Debuffs: Freezing or electrocution debuffs greatly increase survivability by reducing enemy actions, especially when supported by skill modifiers or jewels.

Resource and Inventory Management

Use the stash between waves to manage your inventory and refill flasks.
Clear loot regularly to avoid losing items when the next wave starts.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Ignoring wave modifiers that buff enemies drastically.
Standing still or holding ground when mobs cluster.
Underestimating boss damage or getting caught in their initial burst attacks.
Not maintaining sufficient defensive stats like evasion and resistance stacking.

Additional Advice

Consider carrying Omens of Resurgence, which restore life and energy shield during critical moments.
When struggling, watch build guides and gameplay videos for your class and replicate successful gear and skill setups.
Practice patience; the Simulacrum is demanding and mastering it takes refine tuning of your character and strategies.

Surviving the Simulacrum requires a strong, well-rounded build with high area damage and robust defenses, excellent mobility, and smart boss targeting along with careful resource and inventory management. Master these elements to endure through all 15 waves and reap the rich rewards of this ultimate Path of Exile 2 challenge.