PoE 2: Which Class + Ascendancy to Pick
Classes Overview
Warrior
Monk
Mercenary
Sorceress
Witch
Ranger
Each class provides a distinct starting position on the Passive Skill Tree and unique thematic playstyles. However, classes do not restrict your skill choices, so you can freely experiment with cross-class combinations if you want to try out new approaches. That said, it's recommended for new players to stick to the skill suggestions designed to help guide them through the early stages of the game.
Class Breakdown and Ascendancy Options
Mercenary Ascendancies
Witchhunter
Playstyle: High damage output with a focus on fast, lethal strikes.
Key Skills: Judge, Jury, and Executioner - massive first-hit damage, which can deal up to 30% of an enemy's health.
Ascendancy Bonus: Great for ranged playstyles, with explosive clear capabilities thanks to Zealous Inquisition.
Ideal for: Players who love high burst damage and the ability to clear crowds from a distance.
Gemling Legionnaire
Playstyle: A versatile "Jack of all trades" with a focus on improving gem quality, skill combinations, and resistance stacking.
Key Skills: Boosts gem quality, socket color synergies, and stats based on your highest attribute.
Ascendancy Bonus: Allows you to excel in both melee and ranged playstyles, offering adaptability for different builds.
Ideal for: Players who want a balanced character with flexibility and synergy in gear and skill combinations.
Monk Ascendancies
Invoker
Playstyle: Elemental damage-focused, excelling at applying elemental ailments and stacking energy shields for tackiness.
Key Skills: Unbound Avatar - a special form that boosts elemental damage and critical strikes; ability to shoot elemental damage waves on crits.
Ascendancy Bonus: Great synergy with energy shield builds for survivability.
Ideal for: Players who love elemental magic and the durability of energy shield stacking.
Acolyte of Chayula
Playstyle: Chaos damage and sustain-oriented, with a focus on mana leech and Darkness resource management.
Key Skills: Mind over Matter - damage is taken from mana before life or energy shield.
Ascendancy Bonus: Boosts both tankiness and damage through Chaos-based mechanics.
Ideal for: Players who enjoy chaos skills and leeching for sustainability, with a focus on tanky playstyles.
Warrior Ascendancies
Warbringer
Playstyle: Totem and Warcry-focused, with a summons that can empower totems and explosive corpse interactions.
Key Skills: Jade Heritage - stacks of Jade reduce damage taken, allowing you to tank large hits, and Warcry effects can trigger corpse explosions.
Ascendancy Bonus: Totem-based damage with the added benefit of Warcry utility for huge area-of-effect (AoE) clearing.
Ideal for: Players who enjoy tanking with totems and leveraging Warcry for explosive damage.
Titan
Playstyle: Slam and physical damage-based, with a focus on stuns and aftershock effects for increased damage.
Key Skills: Crushing Blows - significantly reduces enemies' physical damage resistance, while Surprising Strength boosts damage against stunned enemies.
Ascendancy Bonus: Specializes in aftershock mechanics for extra damage, especially against stunned enemies.
Ideal for: Players who enjoy a straightforward physical damage playstyle focused on stuns and powerful slams.
Ranger Ascendancies
Deadeye
Playstyle: Projectile-focused, excelling in bow and crossbow builds that emphasize speed and accuracy.
Key Skills: Eagle Eyes - removes the accuracy penalty, Endless Munition - adds more projectiles, and Gathering Winds - boosts speed with Tailwind.
Ascendancy Bonus: Increased projectile damage and quantity with excellent mobility and offscreen potential.
Ideal for: Players who prefer ranged, projectile-based combat and fast-paced play.
Pathfinder
Playstyle: Poison-oriented with offensive concoctions and synergy with poison builds.
Key Skills: Overwhelming Toxicity - doubles poison output, and Contamination - improves poison spread for better AoE clear.
Ascendancy Bonus: Perfect for poison builds, boosting damage and AoE potential with powerful concoctions and toxins.
Ideal for: Players who want to focus on poison damage and creating unique concoction-based builds.
Which Class & Ascendancy Should You Pick?
The choice of your class and ascendancy depends largely on your preferred playstyle. Here are a few recommendations based on popular playstyles:
For Ranged / Projectile Lovers: Go with Deadeye (Ranger) if you want the speed and power of projectiles, or Witchhunter (Mercenary) for a more high-damage approach.
For Elemental Damage Builds: Invoker (Monk) is ideal for those who want elemental-based skills, while Witchhunter (Mercenary) can also help you with ranged elemental damage and clear speed.
For Tanky Builds: If you're aiming for survivability and resilience, Titan (Warrior) with its stuns and physical tackiness is a great option, or Acolyte of Chayula (Monk) for a chaos-themed tanky playstyle.
For Melee / Physical Damage Enthusiasts: Warbringer (Warrior) is the go-to for totem and Warcry fans, while Gemling Legionnaire (Mercenary) provides flexibility for both melee and ranged playstyles.
For Poison / Concoction Playstyles: Choose Pathfinder (Ranger) for poison-centric builds and utility, or Acolyte of Chayula (Monk) for a chaotic approach with leeching and sustain.
Conclusion
In Path of Exile 2, the combination of classes and ascendancies opens up a wealth of possibilities for creating your ideal character. Whether you prefer a tank that can withstand the toughest enemies, a ranged master that can strike from afar, or a damage-dealing sorceress with devastating elemental powers, each option offers its strengths and playstyles. With the game's emphasis on experimentation, you can tweak your build to fit your preferred combat style, making each journey through Wraeclast uniquely your own.
If you're looking to get ahead, PoE currency and PoE items can be incredibly useful for enhancing your character and improving your gameplay experience. Whether you need better gear, powerful gems, or upgrades to help you progress through the game, investing in the right items can make a huge difference. PoE allows players to make choices that suit their preferred combat approach, so don't hesitate to dive into different builds, experiment with ascendancies, and try new combinations as you refine your strategy.
———— Nov-30-2024 PST ————