PoE2 Minion Spirit Costs: Planning Permanent Minion Setups
Understand how to plan minion Spirit costs in Path of Exile 2 and compare permanent minions against auras and other reservations.
Quick Answer
Minion builds should reserve the build-defining minions first, then compare extra minions, auras, and buffs with the remaining Spirit.
Search intent
Plan permanent minion reservations before adding optional effects.
Path of Exile 2 mechanics can change after balance patches. Treat this page as a planning aid and recheck important values in game after major updates.
Permanent minions are usually the first reservation
For a minion-focused character, the minions that define the build should be entered before optional buffs or luxury effects.
If the core minion package does not fit, an aura comparison is less important than solving the baseline Spirit requirement.
Compare another minion against another aura
Extra Spirit often creates a real choice: add another minion, add an offensive aura, or keep a defensive reservation active.
Use the calculator to compare those packages rather than relying on a single damage number. Survival, clear speed, and boss uptime can change which option is best.
Do not hide progression problems with ideal gear
Many minion plans look better when every future item is assumed to have strong Spirit rolls. That can be useful for a final target, but it should not be the only version of the build.
Create a lower-budget planner setup for the gear you can reasonably obtain soon, then use the final version as a direction rather than a requirement.
Patch-sensitive values need review
Minion and reservation values can change. Treat any static cost list as a starting point and confirm important numbers in game after updates.
When a patch changes a core minion or support gem, update the planner setup before changing the rest of the build.
FAQ
Should minion builds spend all available Spirit?
They often spend most of it, but only useful reservations deserve space. A weaker extra effect can be worse than leaving room for a more stable setup.
What should I remove first if minions are overreserved?
Keep the build-defining minions first, then test whether an optional aura, buff, or extra minion is the least important reservation.
Plan the setup
Use the minion build guide for priorities, then compare aura tradeoffs if Spirit remains.