In EZNPC POE 2 items, defensive layering has become more complex than simply stacking armor, evasion, or energy shield. With the reworked skill system, slower combat pacing, and higher emphasis on resource management, players are now looking for hybrid solutions that scale both offense and defense. One of the most exciting unique items to emerge from this philosophy is Everlasting Gaze, a unique amulet that converts your maximum mana into Energy Shield—and does so in a way that completely changes how builds are designed.

Everlasting Gaze is not just a stat stick. It is a build-defining item that rewards players who invest deeply into mana, intelligence, and spellcasting efficiency. In this article, we will explore what Everlasting Gaze does, why it is so powerful, and how it fits into the broader PoE2 meta.

What Is Everlasting Gaze?

Everlasting Gaze is a unique amulet that grants:

  • A percentage of Maximum Mana as Energy Shield

  • Increased Maximum Mana

  • Intelligence and mana-related modifiers

While the exact numbers may change with balance updates, the defining feature remains the same:

Your Mana becomes your primary defensive stat.

This means that instead of relying on armor or evasion, Everlasting Gaze lets players build a massive Energy Shield pool simply by stacking mana.

Why Mana Is So Valuable in PoE2

In Path of Exile 2, mana is no longer just a resource to cast skills. It now directly affects:

  • Skill uptime

  • Aura reservation

  • Spell scaling

  • Defensive conversion mechanics

Because enemies hit harder and combat lasts longer, running out of mana is no longer a minor inconvenience—it is often fatal. Everlasting Gaze turns this weakness into a strength by making mana both:

  • A resource

  • A defensive layer

Every point of mana increases your survivability.

How Everlasting Gaze Creates a New Defense Archetype

Most Energy Shield builds rely on:

  • Intelligence

  • ES gear

  • Passive tree investment

Everlasting Gaze adds a third dimension: Mana stacking.

This allows for hybrid scaling:

  • Mana → Energy Shield

  • Mana → Skill casting

  • Mana → Aura power

Instead of splitting your investment between ES and mana, Everlasting Gaze lets one stat do the work of two.

This synergy is particularly strong with:

  • Arcane and spellcaster nodes

  • Mana regeneration and leech

  • Archmage-style skill mechanics

Build Types That Use Everlasting Gaze

Everlasting Gaze works best in builds that already want high mana:

1. Archmage Casters

These builds scale spell damage based on mana cost. With Everlasting Gaze:

  • More mana = more damage

  • More mana = more Energy Shield

You get offense and defense from the same stat.

2. MoM-Style Hybrid Casters

Mind over Matter effects and similar mechanics work extremely well with Everlasting Gaze, allowing:

  • Mana to absorb damage

  • Energy Shield to regenerate

  • Life to stay protected

This creates a three-layer defense: Life, Mana, and ES.

3. Aura Stackers

Auras reserve mana. With Everlasting Gaze:

  • You can afford massive mana pools

  • Reserved mana still contributes to ES

  • You gain tankiness while running powerful auras

This is incredibly strong for party play and high-tier content.

Why Everlasting Gaze Is So Rare and Valuable

Because Everlasting Gaze enables so many archetypes, it becomes one of the most sought-after uniques in Path of Exile 2.

Its value comes from:

  • Build-defining power

  • Endgame viability

  • Synergy with many mechanics

It is not just a leveling item—it scales all the way into Tier 16 maps, bosses, and endgame encounters.

Everlasting Gaze vs Traditional ES Amulets

Rare amulets can provide:

  • Flat ES

  • %ES

  • Resistances

But Everlasting Gaze offers something rares cannot:

Infinite scaling based on mana.

If your build reaches 8,000–10,000 mana, Everlasting Gaze provides more Energy Shield than any traditional amulet could ever give.

Is Everlasting Gaze Worth Building Around?

Absolutely.

If you enjoy:

  • Spellcasting

  • Mana stacking

  • High survivability

  • Deep character optimization

Then Everlasting Gaze is one of the best unique items you can base your build around in PoE2.