How to survive in the harsh world of PoE2: choosing your first character

Path of Exile 2: Top Tier Builds for Early Access

Choosing your first character in Path of Exile 2's early access can be daunting. With six classes and two Ascendancy classes each, the possibilities are vast. This guide highlights the top-performing builds for each class, offering a solid starting point for your adventure. Keep in mind that balance changes may shift the meta over time.

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Witch: Minion Summoner Infernalist

This build maximizes the Witch's summoning potential, offering a less demanding, balanced playstyle compared to the riskier Blood Mage. You'll command a horde of undead and demonic minions, supplementing their attacks with your own fire support. Strategic use of Vulnerability debuffs is crucial.

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Key Skills: Skeletal Brute, Skeletal Cleric, Pain Offering, Skeletal Arsonist, Detonate Dead, Flame Wall, Raging Spirits, Vulnerability, Summon Infernal Hound.

Gameplay: Maintain your minion army, providing fire support and utilizing strategic positioning during boss fights. Consistent Vulnerability application is key to maximizing damage output. Flame Wall acts as both area damage and a minion summoner.

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Mercenary: FrostFerno Witch Hunter

A hybrid build combining fire and ice, the FrostFerno Witch Hunter utilizes two crossbows and dual passive skill trees for devastating effect. Freeze enemies then unleash explosive fire damage for a unique and effective approach.

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Key Skills: Permafrost Bolts, Explosive Grenade, Gas Grenade, Explosive Shot, Herald of Ash, Galvanic Shards, Herald of Thunder.

Gameplay: Utilize Permafrost Bolts and Galvanic Shards early game for crowd control, transitioning to Explosive Shot for devastating area-of-effect damage later. Coordinate your attacks to maximize freeze and explosion damage.

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Monk: Herald of Thunder Invoker

This build prioritizes defense while delivering substantial damage. The core skill, Herald of Thunder, transforms the Monk into a lightning-wielding powerhouse. Excellent survivability makes it ideal for newcomers.

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Key Skills: Tempest Flurry, Tempest Bell, Staggering Palm, Vaulting Impact, Orb of Storms, Storm Wave.

Gameplay: Utilize mobility (Vaulting Impact) to engage enemies, stunning and electrifying them with Staggering Palm. Tempest Flurry and Orb of Storms provide area-of-effect damage, while Tempest Bell and Storm Wave deliver powerful finishing blows.

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Warrior: Armour Breaker Warbinger

The Armour Breaker Warbinger offers a balanced approach, wielding a two-handed mace for high damage while maintaining survivability in melee combat.

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Key Skills: Mace Strike, Stampede, Leap Slam, Ancestral Warrior Totem, Scavenged Plating, Hammer of the Gods, Seismic Cry, Attrition.

Gameplay: Early game focuses on Earthquake and Shockwave Totem for crowd control. Mace Strike delivers high single-target damage, while Rolling Slam provides mobility and defense. Later, utilize Warbinger Ascendancy skills to break enemy armor.

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Sorceress: Ember Fusillade Stormweaver

This build balances damage and survivability, allowing for quick progression through the campaign.

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Key Skills: Spark, Flame Wall, Ember Fusillade, Solar Orb, Firestorm, Flammability, Blasphemy (Enfeeble).

Gameplay: Utilize Flame Wall for defense and damage amplification. Ember Fusillade, enhanced with support gems, delivers devastating fire damage. Solar Orb and Firestorm provide additional area-of-effect damage.

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Ranger: Deadeye Grenadier

This build excels at area-of-effect damage and mobility but sacrifices survivability. It's recommended for experienced players.

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Key Skills: Permafrost Bolts, Fragmentation Rounds, Flash Grenade, Gas Grenade, Explosive Shot, Explosive Grenade, Rapid Shot.

Gameplay: Utilize a crossbow for high physical damage and elemental bonuses. Freeze enemies with Permafrost Bolts, then unleash a barrage of grenades and explosive shots for devastating damage.

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This guide provides a strong foundation for your Path of Exile 2 journey. Experiment, adapt, and discover your own preferred playstyles!