Chaos Inoculation (often referred to as CI) is a keystone passive skill that grants immunity to chaos damage, but sets maximum life to 1.
Although the character must survive entirely on energy shield instead of life, immunity to chaos damage can be a significant advantage.
Interactions[ | ]
The chance and duration of both being stunned and receiving an elemental status ailments is based on your base life before CI takes effect. Maximum Life modifiers such as increased maximum Life, reduced maximum Life, etc. apply to the life before CI is applied. Since this base life value is then overwritten by CI, the only advantage life modifiers provide to a CI character is the reduction on stun and status ailment.
Chaos Inoculation no longer grants immunity degeneration effect of 
Blood RageBlood RageSpell, Duration, Physical
Level: (1-20)
Cost: (12-29) Life
Cooldown Time: 1.00 sec
Can Store 1 Use(s)
Cast Time: InstantRequires Level 16Adds a buff that deals Physical Damage over time, while increasing Attack Speed and Life Leech. Killing an enemy while this buff is active refreshes the buff duration, and can grant a Frenzy Charge.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3Divergent0.25% increased Attack SpeedBuff grants 0.1% chance to gain a Frenzy Charge when you Hit a Unique EnemyBuff grants 0.02% of Elemental Attack Damage leeched as Life(5-15)% increased Attack Speed
1.2% of Attack Physical Damage Leeched as Life
You take 4% of your Maximum Life per second as Physical Damage
You take 4% of your Maximum Energy Shield per second as Physical Damage
25% chance to gain a Frenzy Charge on Kill
Base duration is (7-10.8) secondsPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
while retaining other benefits of the skill as of 2.0.0 with the Blood Rage degeneration damage type changing to physical.
Low life conditions will never trigger while CI is enabled. Effects such as Pain Attunement and On Low Life mods on gear will not activate. For these effects, you must have 50% or less of your current maximum life. Chaos Inoculation sets your maximum life to 1.
Full life conditions will always trigger because you are always at 100% of 1 life.
Interaction with life reduction[ | ]
Life reductions apply before CI which resets life to 1. For example from 
Ephemeral EdgeEphemeral Edge
Dusk BladeOne Handed Sword
Quality: +20%
Physical Damage: 51.3-145.8
Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
Attacks per Second: 1.30
Weapon Range: 11Requires Level 32, 57 Str, 57 Dex40% increased Global Accuracy Rating+10 to Intelligence
150% increased Physical Damage
50% increased Global Critical Strike Chance
(40-50)% increased maximum Energy Shield
10% reduced maximum Life
(0.6-1)% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as ManaIn the rift between future and past,
life passes quickly.
.
Blood magic[ | ]
When linked with 
Arrogance SupportArrogance SupportAura, Support
Icon: B
Level: (1-20)
Cost & Reservation Multiplier: (220-201)%
Cooldown Time: 0.00 secRequires Level 31Supports any skill with a reservation.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3DivergentSupported Skills have 0.25% increased Aura effectSupported Skills have 0.1% reduced Life ReservationSupported Skills deal 0.5% increased DamageSupported Skills have (10-19)% increased Aura effect
Supported Skills Reserve Life instead of ManaThis 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 Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket.
, affected skills cannot be cast, even if it is an aura which would drain a relative amount of mana/health.
Chaos resistance reduction/penetration[ | ]
Since CI grants a flat-out immunity to chaos damage, effects that reduce or penetrate chaos resistance (i.e. Occultist's Void Beacon) have no effect against CI.[1]
CI builds[ | ]
It is generally best to wait until you have high energy shield before taking CI because it's much easier to survive on life at lower levels. Don't be afraid to take life passive skills for survivability while leveling up, since you can remove them later.
Characters with CI are usually more susceptible to stun and status ailments because of their low base life. Rather than taking otherwise useless life nodes as described above, Stun can be mitigated by increasing the Stun Recovery stat with items and passives or unique items such as 
Eye of ChayulaEye of Chayula
Onyx AmuletRequires Level 20+(10-16) to all Attributes20% reduced maximum Life
30% increased Rarity of Items found
Cannot be StunnedNever blinking, always watching.
This item can be transformed with a Blessing of Chayula
, 
SkyforthSkyforth
Sorcerer BootsQuality: +20%
Energy Shield: 58Requires Level 67, 123 Int+(60-120) to maximum Mana
30% increased Movement Speed
25% chance to gain a Power Charge on Critical Strike
6% reduced Mana Reserved
You have no Life Regeneration
Stun Threshold is based on 500% of your Mana instead of LifeThe quick die young, the brilliant go mad,
and the powerful stand alone in a wasteland of their own creation.
, and 
ValyriumValyrium
Moonstone RingRequires Level 38+(15-25) to maximum Energy Shield+(30-40) to maximum Energy Shield
+(30-40)% to Fire Resistance
-40% to Cold Resistance
Stun Threshold is based on Energy Shield instead of LifeThey will rise and fall in fire and blood.
. Status ailments can be reduced with high elemental resistances or unique items such as 
AuxiumAuxium
Crystal BeltRequires Level 79+(60-80) to maximum Energy Shield+(60-70) to maximum Energy Shield
+(45-55) to maximum Mana
Chill Effect and Freeze Duration on you are based on 100% of Energy Shield
(20-25)% increased Elemental Damage with Attack Skills per Power Charge
0.2% of Attack Damage Leeched as Mana per Power ChargeAs long as the soul is unfettered, so is the body.
or 
Dream FragmentsDream Fragments
Sapphire RingRequires Level 24+(20-30)% to Cold Resistance20% increased maximum Mana
50% increased Mana Regeneration Rate
+(30-40)% to Cold Resistance
Cannot be Chilled
Cannot be FrozenDoryani stumbled into a realm of madness
And awoke its Master.
.
Chaos Inoculation works well with some other keystone passives, such as:
- Ghost Reaver converts life gained from life leech into energy shield. Vaal Pact only disables any regeneration granted from passives that's converted by Zealot's Oath as of 3.0.0
- Zealot's Oath applies life regeneration to energy shield. Regen effects that are based on maximum life become based on maximum ES. Note that "regeneration" does not include life flasks, as they are just "Recovery".
Location[ | ]
Chaos Inoculation is located on the northeast edge of the skill tree.
| Class | Distance from start |
|---|---|
| Witch | 9 |
| Shadow | 11 |
| Scion | 14 |
| Templar | 16 |
| Ranger | 19 |
| Marauder | 23 |
| Duelist | 25 |
Related unique items[ | ]
| Item | Base Item |  | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
Midnight Bargain Midnight BargainEngraved WandWand Quality: +20% Physical Damage: 25.2-45.6 Critical Strike Chance: 7.00% Attacks per Second: 1.50 Weapon Range: 120Requires Level 40, 131 Int(22-26)% increased Spell Damage+(10-20) to Intelligence Minions have (20-30)% increased Movement Speed Minions deal (50-70)% increased Damage +1 to maximum number of Raised Zombies +1 to maximum number of Skeletons +1 to maximum number of Spectres Reserves 30% of Life Cannot be used with Chaos InoculationA chilling hush, a scraping sound Of things no more entombed in ground. A shambling horde is on its way To crush the very light of day.  | Engraved Wand | 40 | (22-26)% increased Spell Damage+(10-20) to Intelligence Minions have (20-30)% increased Movement Speed Minions deal (50-70)% increased Damage +1 to maximum number of Raised Zombies +1 to maximum number of Skeletons +1 to maximum number of Spectres Reserves 30% of Life Cannot be used with Chaos Inoculation |
| Replica Midnight BargainReplica Midnight Bargain Engraved WandWand Quality: +20% Physical Damage: 25.2-45.6 Critical Strike Chance: 7.00% Attacks per Second: 1.50 Weapon Range: 120Requires Level 40, 131 Int(22-26)% increased Spell Damage+(10-20) to Intelligence Minions have (40-50)% increased Movement Speed Minions deal (50-70)% increased Damage +6 to maximum number of Raging Spirits +3 to maximum number of Summoned Phantasms Reserves 30% of Life Cannot be used with Chaos Inoculation"Simply incredible. I caught an escaping test subject myself with swarms of burning skulls. Delightful!" - Researcher Olesya | Engraved Wand | 40 | (22-26)% increased Spell Damage+(10-20) to Intelligence Minions have (40-50)% increased Movement Speed Minions deal (50-70)% increased Damage +6 to maximum number of Raging Spirits +3 to maximum number of Summoned Phantasms Reserves 30% of Life Cannot be used with Chaos Inoculation |
Version history[ | ]
| Version | Changes |
|---|---|
| 3.14.1 |
|
| 3.14.0 |
|
| 3.0.0 |
|
| 2.3.2 |
|
| 0.10.0 |
|
| 0.9.10e |
|
| 0.9.7d |
|
| 0.9.6 |
|
| 0.9.5h |
|
| 0.9.5 |
|
| 0.9.4 |
|
References[ | ]
- ↑ Dan_GGG (February 11, 2016). "Chaos Penetration vs CI?". Official Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
- ↑ Mark_GGG (April 17, 2021). "re: CI (Chaos Inoculation) not granting 100% chaos immunity as it's supposed to with this patch". Official Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved April 20, 2021.