When building an Essence Drain Lich, selecting the right skill gems and support links is essential to maximize damage and clear speed, especially when balancing your "poe 2 currency" for gear and gem upgrades.

The core skill setup revolves around Essence Drain linked with Contagion to spread damage over time efficiently. Swift Affliction is considered the best support gem for Essence Drain, significantly increasing damage over time. Controlled Destruction is another strong choice, boosting overall spell damage.

Chain support is highly recommended to improve clear speed by allowing Essence Drain to hit multiple targets, which synergizes well with Contagion's spreading effect. Early in the campaign, players can start with a three-link setup and progressively add more support gems as they acquire better gear and sockets.

Curses like Despair are also useful to amplify damage over time effects, and players should aim to level these curse gems to unlock their full potential. The guide suggests cutting curse gems once you reach the appropriate level to optimize damage output.

Managing your "poe 2 currency" wisely means investing in quality support gems and skill gems that provide the best damage returns for their cost. Buying high-level uncut gems or plus-level skill gems from trade can accelerate your damage scaling without excessive spending.

With the right gem setup and support links, the Essence Drain Lich can clear content quickly and efficiently, making it a rewarding build for players who enjoy damage-over-time playstyles.

Recommendation: U4GM - Ascendancy and Passive Tree Optimization for Essence Drain Lich