Path of Exile 2 Best Classes & Ascendancies for Starting

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Path of Exile 2 introduces a plethora of new classes and ascendancies, each with unique mechanics and playstyles. Choosing the best class to start with can be a daunting task, but fear not! Below, we’ve broken down the standout features of each class and ranked their ascendancies to help you decide which path to take. Whether you’re into fast-paced action, tanky builds, or intricate mechanics, there’s something for everyone. 

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1. Mercenary

Ascendancies: Witchhunter (Best), Gemling Legionnaire
Recommended For: Flexible playstyle, bossing, and map clearing.

The Mercenary is a crossbow-wielding powerhouse that strikes a perfect balance between clearing maps and bossing. This class is incredibly versatile, offering a variety of playstyles depending on the ammunition and skills you select. With 22 crossbow skills to choose from, you can tailor your build for speed, DPS, or utility.

Witchhunter

  • Top Node: Judge, Jury, and Executioner – Deals up to 30% of an enemy’s HP on the first hit, making it a bossing dream.
  • Zealous Inquisition: A powerful AoE scaling node that deals damage equal to 100% of a mob's life pool.
  • Best For: Explosive grenade builds, FrostFire ammunition, and massive clearing potential.

Gemling Legionnaire

  • Allows full customization of attributes, letting you stack Strength while using Dexterity-based ammunition like Glacial Bolt.
  • Opens up unique hybrid builds, such as dual-wielding two-handers or stacking max resistances.

Why Start Mercenary?
The Mercenary benefits hugely from WASD movement introduced in PoE 2, making the gameplay feel fluid and engaging. If you’re looking for versatility and fun, Mercenary is an excellent pick.

2. Monk

Ascendancies: Invoker (Best), Acolyte of Chayula
Recommended For: Fast-paced gameplay, combo mechanics, and balanced offense/defense.

The Monk is a nimble melee class inspired by elemental and chaos-infused combat. This class excels at speed farming and offers a playstyle that combines mobility with powerful elemental effects.

Invoker

  • Focuses on elemental damage with abilities that Shock and Freeze enemies.
  • Elemental Expression: Boosts crit effects and doubles Energy Shield, making this ascendancy both offensive and tanky.
  • Best For: Elemental builds with massive Energy Shield pools.

Acolyte of Chayula

  • A chaos damage-centric ascendancy with unique mechanics like Darkness as a resource instead of standard auras.
  • Embrace the Darkness: Turns Chaos Resistance into a powerful survival tool.
  • Best For: Chaos-themed builds with strong leech mechanics and survivability.

Why Start Monk?
If you enjoy fluid combat with a mix of offense and defense, the Monk’s gameplay will keep you engaged. It’s a great choice for players who like elemental builds and fast farming.

3. Warrior

Ascendancies: Titan (Best), Warbringer
Recommended For: Tanky, slower, high-impact gameplay.

The Warrior is the quintessential tank class, perfect for players who want to smash enemies with big hits while shrugging off damage. Its gameplay revolves around slam mechanics and massive AoE abilities.

Titan

  • Top Node: Surprising Strength – Increases damage by 40% against stunned enemies.
  • Earth Breaker: A devastating slam that creates aftershocks for additional damage.
  • Best For: Heavy-hitting, ground-smashing builds that feel impactful.

Warbringer

  • Grants powerful warcry mechanics with no cooldown, allowing players to summon ancestral spirits and explode corpses.
  • Jade Heritage: Provides incredible tankiness by enabling the Warrior to absorb massive hits.
  • Best For: Totem builds and warcry-based playstyles.

Why Start Warrior?
For players who love slow but impactful gameplay, the Warrior is unmatched in raw power and durability.

4. Ranger

Ascendancies: Deadeye (Best), Pathfinder
Recommended For: High mobility, ranged combat, and screen-clearing potential.

The Ranger is a fast, dynamic class that utilizes bows and traps to deal with enemies. It’s perfect for players who want to make the most of PoE 2’s WASD movement and enjoy kiting enemies while dealing massive damage.

Deadeye

  • Focuses on speed and precision, firing off arrows quickly and accurately.
  • Ideal for elemental builds, enabling players to clear large packs of monsters rapidly.

Pathfinder

  • Specializes in poison mechanics, allowing players to create devastating DoT effects.
  • Running Assault: Enhances mobility, letting you move at full speed while attacking.
  • Best For: Poison-based builds and trap-heavy playstyles.

Why Start Ranger?
If you prefer a highly mobile playstyle, the Ranger is the ultimate archer class with unparalleled versatility.

5. Infernalist Witch

Ascendancy: Bloodmage
Recommended For: Life-stacking builds and tanky spellcasters.

The Witch takes on a new identity with the Bloodmage ascendancy, focusing on life recovery and life stacking rather than traditional mana mechanics. This class offers a fresh take on spellcasting, using life as a resource.

Bloodmage

  • Sanguimancy: Converts mana costs into life costs, dropping life remnants upon enemy deaths to sustain recovery.
  • Gore Spike: Scales critical damage based on maximum life.
  • Best For: Innovative builds that focus on life stacking and resource management.

Why Start Witch?
The Bloodmage is a great choice for players who enjoy problem-solving and want to experiment with unique recovery mechanics.

Ascendancy Rankings

Here’s how we rank the ascendancies based on versatility, power, and early-game potential:

  1. Witchhunter (Mercenary) – Exceptional bossing and clearing potential.
  2. Titan (Warrior) – High-impact gameplay with tankiness.
  3. Invoker (Monk) – Elemental powerhouse with strong survivability.
  4. Deadeye (Ranger) – Excellent mobility and screen-clearing speed.
  5. Bloodmage (Witch) – Unique mechanics for life-based builds.
  6. Gemling Legionnaire (Mercenary) – High versatility but uncertain due to limited information.
  7. Pathfinder (Ranger) – Poison-focused, great for niche playstyles.
  8. Warbringer (Warrior) – Strong tank, but slower gameplay.
  9. Acolyte of Chayula (Monk) – Chaos-focused, but requires setup.

Your starting class in Path of Exile 2 will dictate your early-game experience, so consider your preferred playstyle carefully. Whether you want to smash enemies with massive slams, rain arrows from afar, or dive into chaos-infused combat, there’s a class that fits your preferences. Happy hunting, Exiles!