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

Path of Exile 2: Top 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 starting point for your adventure. Note that these are based on current game mechanics and may shift with future updates.

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Witch: Minion Summoner Infernalist

This build leverages the Witch's summoning potential, offering a balanced and less demanding experience for new players compared to the riskier Blood Mage. You'll command an army of undead and demons, enhancing your horde with fire support and strategic maneuvering.

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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, utilize fire support, and strategically use Vulnerability debuffs. Master the interplay between Flame Wall, Raging Spirits, and Detonate Dead for optimal AoE damage.

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Mercenary: FrostFerno Witch Hunter

This hybrid build combines fire and ice damage, utilizing crossbows and dual passive skill trees for a unique and powerful playstyle.

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

Gameplay: Freeze enemies with Permafrost Bolts and Galvanic Shards, then unleash devastating fire and explosive damage with grenades and Explosive Shot. Utilize Hypothermia and Biting Cold for extended freeze durations.

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Monk: Herald of Thunder Invoker

This build offers excellent survivability while dealing significant damage, making it ideal for newcomers. The Herald of Thunder skill is central to its effectiveness.

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

Gameplay: Utilize Tempest Flurry and Orb of Storms for crowd control and damage. Vaulting Impact offers mobility, while Staggering Palm provides crowd control and additional damage.

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Warrior: Armour Breaker Warbinger

This balanced build utilizes a two-handed mace for high damage output while maintaining solid 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: Utilize Mace Strike for single-target damage, Stampede and Leap Slam for mobility, and Ancestral Warrior Totem for additional damage and tanking. Utilize Warbinger ascendancy skills to break enemy armor.

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Sorceress: Ember Fusillade Stormweaver

This build offers a good balance of damage and survivability, allowing for efficient 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 is your primary damage source, enhanced by Scattershot and Controlled Destruction. Solar Orb and Firestorm provide additional AoE damage.

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Ranger: Deadeye Grenadier

This build excels at area damage and mobility but sacrifices survivability, making it more challenging for beginners.

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

Gameplay: Utilize Permafrost Bolts and Flash Grenade for crowd control. Combine Gas Grenade and Explosive Shot for massive AoE damage.

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Remember that these are suggestions, and experimentation is key to finding the playstyle that suits you best. Enjoy your journey through Wraeclast!