Cast on Ward Break Support is a new trigger support gem introduced in Path of Exile 3.28 (Mirage League). It triggers linked spells whenever your Ward is broken by a hit.

Cast on Ward Break Support

Cast on Ward Break Support is a PoE Exceptional Gem. Tag: Exceptional, Support, Spell, Trigger. Level: (1—3). Cost & Reservation Multiplier: 200%. Cooldown Time: 1.00 sec. Requires Level (72—76), (72—75) Dex, (50—52) Int. Each supported spell skill will be triggered when your Ward breaks. Cannot support skills used by totems, traps, or mines. Vaal skills, channelling skills, and skills with a reservation cannot be triggered. Supported Skills deal (22—30)% less Spell Damage Supported Spells have 5% increased Cooldown Recovery Rate per 100 Ward Trigger Supported Spells when your Ward Breaks Additional Effects From Quality: Supported Skills deal (0—10)% increased Spell Damage This is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket.

Cast on Ward Break Support Gem

Key Mechanics and Features

• Trigger Condition: Spells are triggered specifically when your Ward is broken. This differs from Cast when Damage Taken, as any amount of damage that breaks the Ward can trigger it, even if the damage is minimal.
• Gem Type: It is an Intelligence Support Gem.
• No Attack Required: Unlike Cast on Critical Strike, this support does not require an initial attack to function; it is entirely reactive to hits.
• Interaction with Ward Recovery: To maximize trigger frequency, builds often focus on reducing the Ward recharge/restoration time. In 3.28, Ward restoration can be scaled down to approximately 0.15 to 0.72 seconds through new buffs and bloodline passives.

Build Guide

• Loop Builds: Theory-crafters are exploring "loop" versions using items like Heartbound Loop, which deals damage to the player, to consistently break Ward and trigger spells.
• New Ascendancies: The Reliquarian (a new Scion Ascendancy) and updated Olroth bloodline nodes provide significant buffs to Ward totals and recovery, making this support more viable.
• Saboteur Synergy: There is strong interest in using this with the Saboteur class to take advantage of trigger-related cooldown recovery and utility.

Over 40 New Exceptional Support Gems

Upon defeating the Endgame Incarnation bosses in Path of Exile: Mirage, powerful new Support Gems will begin dropping from specific Atlas Bosses. These new Support gems are categorised as Exceptional, being a significant expansion of that class of Support gem.

Exceptional Support Gems are more transformative, offering an additional way to customise your build in the late game and extending character customisation even further into a build’s life.