Path of Exile 2 Ascendencies Guide
In "Path of Exile 2," Ascendencies represent unique subclass specializations. Currently, during the Early Access phase, players can choose from 12 different Ascendencies—two for each character class. Choosing an Ascendancy is a significant decision since it cannot be reversed and will heavily influence your character’s build as you progress through the game.
To help you navigate your options, we’ve outlined each Ascendancy available in "Path of Exile 2," detailing their features and how they function, including how to earn the Ascendancy points you’ll need.
How to Unlock Ascendencies in Path of Exile 2
To unlock Ascendencies, you must reach Act 2 and complete the Trial of Sehkemas. After finishing this trial, you’ll be able to interact with the altar nearby. This will allow you to select your class’s Ascendancy and grant you two Ascendancy Points, which serve as your subclass’s unique skill tree.
To acquire all available Ascendancy points in "Path of Exile 2" (currently eight), you need to defeat the Trial of Sehkemas in Act 2 and the Trial of Chaos in Act 3, both in Normal and Cruel modes. Each victory will reward you with two Ascendancy Points for that particular character.
Every Ascendancy and Their Abilities
Below, you can find a comprehensive list of Ascendancies in "Path of Exile 2," along with the skills you can unlock through each.
Mercenary Ascendencies
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Witchhunter
- Weapon Master: Transform 20 Passive Skill Points into Weapon Set Skill Points.
- Pitiless Killer: Learn the Culling Strike skill.
- Judge, Jury and Executioner: Acquire the Decimating Strike skill.
- Witchbane: Enemies have a Concentration value equal to 40% of their maximum life. Hitting them breaks their Concentration based on the damage dealt.
- No Mercy: Inflict up to 30% more damage to enemies depending on their lost Concentration.
- Obsessive Rituals: Learn Sorcery Ward with reduced armor and evasion.
- Ceremonial Ablution: Enhance the effect and recovery rate of Sorcery Ward.
- Zealous Inspiration: Enemies have a chance to explode upon defeat, dealing damage based on their max life.
- Gemling Legionnaire
- Crystalline Potential: Boost the quality of all skills by 10%.
- Implanted Gems: Increase all skill levels by 1.
- Advanced Thaumaturgy: Cut skill costs by 30%. Skill gems have heightened attribute requirements.
- Integrated Efficiency: Add three more skill slots.
- Gem Studded: Use two copies of the same Support Gem in different skills.
- Thaumaturgical Infusion: Gain additional maximum resistances based on support gem colors.
- Adaptive Capability: Highest attribute can satisfy gem requirements.
- Enhanced Effectiveness: Double inherent bonuses from attributes.
Sorceress Ascendencies
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Stormweaver
- Scouring Winds: Your exposure lowers affected resistance by an extra 20%.
- Tempest Caller: Learn the Elemental Storm skill and trigger it on critical spell hits.
- Rain Dancer: Boost cooldown recovery rate of Elemental Storm.
- Heavy Snows: Inflict two chills on targets, reducing their action speed.
- Shaper of Winter: All damage contributes to chill magnitude.
- Strike Twice: Targets can suffer from two shocks simultaneously.
- Shaper of Storms: Your hits increase shock chance.
- Constant Gale: Gain Arcane Surge, enhancing cast speed and mana regeneration.
- Force of Will: Increase Arcane Surge effects with maximum mana.
- Heart of the Storm: Recoup elemental damage as energy shield.
- Chronomancer
- Now and Again: Skills have a chance to not consume cooldowns.
- Unbound Encore: Learn the Time Snap skill.
- Ultimate Command: Learn Time Freeze.
- Footprints in the Sand: Learn Temporal Rift.
- Quicksand Hourglass: Gain a temporary boost to cast speed.
- Apex of the Moment: Slow enemies in your area.
- Circular Heartbeat: Regain a portion of damage taken as life.
- The Rapid River: Effects occur over a brief duration.
Monk Ascendencies
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Invoker
- Lead Me Through Grace: Gain Spirit based on armor stats.
- … And Protect Me from Harm: Gain physical damage reduction from evasion.
- Faith is a Choice: Learn the Meditate skill.
- I am the Blizzard: Convert damage to cold damage and create chilled ground.
- I am the Thunder: Convert damage to lightning and create shocked ground.
- … And I Shall Rage: Learn the Unbound Avatar skill.
- The Soul Springs Eternal: Increase energy for meta skills.
- Sunder My Enemies: Critical hits ignore elemental resistances.
- … And Scatter Them to the Winds: Learn Elemental Expression skill.
- Acolyte of Chayula
- Ravenous Doubts: Instant mana leech.
- Consuming Questions: Leech mana from energy shield instead of recharging it.
- Chayula’s Gift: Raise maximum chaos resistance and double its effects.
- Reality Bending: Chance to convert damage into chaos damage.
- Waking Dream: Learn Into the Breach.
- Lucid Dreaming: Doubled effects and duration of Flames of Chayula.
- Embrace the Darkness: Manage your maximum darkness.
- Grasp of the Void: Convert damage to extra chaos damage.
- Inner Silence: Reduce darkness reservation duration.
Ranger Ascendencies
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Deadeye
- Avidity: Gain up to maximum frenzy charges.
- Thrilling Chase: Double benefits from consuming frenzy charges.
- Eagle Eyes: No accuracy penalties from distance.
- Point Blank: Damage increase for close-range projectiles.
- Far Shot: Damage scales up with distance traveled.
- Endless Munitions: Skills fire additional projectiles.
- Called Shots: Apply an extra mark.
- Gathering Winds: Gain movement and skill speed buffs.
- Wind Ward: Take less damage per Tailwind buff.
- Pathfinder
- Connected Chemistry: Gain more flask charges.
- Enduring Elixirs: Life flasks persist when full.
- Contagious Contamination: Spread poison to nearby enemies.
- Overwhelming Toxicity: Inflict more poisons with reduced duration.
- Brew Concoction: Create elemental explosions from mana flasks.
- Traveller’s Wisdom: Earn additional passive skill points.
- Running Assault: Less penalty to movement speed while using skills.
- Relentless Pursuit: Maintain speed despite slow effects.
Witch Ascendencies
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Blood Mage
- Sanguimancy: Learn Life Remnants and adjust costs.
- Vitality Siphon: Spell damage leeched as life.
- Open Sores: Infinite duration curses.
- Blood Barbs: Convert damage to physical and influence bleed.
- Gore Spike: Increased critical damage based on health.
- Sunder the Flesh: Base critical chance for spells.
- Grasping Wounds: Prevent damage from hits.
- Crimson Power: Gain maximum life from energy shield.
- Infernalist
- Altered Flesh: Convert damage types.
- Beidat’s Gaze/Will/Hand: Reserve life for increased maximums in mana, spirit, and energy shield.
- Demonic Possession: Learn to shapeshift into a demon.
- Mastered Darkness: Manage demon flame.
- Bringer of Flame: Boost ignite chance.
- Seething Body: Gain fire damage based on your or allies’ health.
- Loyal Hellhound: Summon a hellhound to absorb damage.
- Grinning Immolation: Take damage on critical hits.
Warrior Ascendencies
-
Titan
- Stone Skin: Increased armor from body gear.
- Earthbreaker: Chance to cause aftershocks from slam skills.
- Ancestral Empowerment: Boost slam skills’ damage and area effect.
- Colossal Capacity: Additional inventory space.
- Hulking Form: More effects from small passives.
- Crushing Impacts: Cause stuns on primed enemies.
- Surprising Strength: Extra damage on heavy stunned foes.
- Mysterious Lineage: Increase maximum life.
- Warbringer
- Anvil’s Weight: Break armor based on damage dealt.
- Imploding Impacts: Lower enemy armor below zero.
- Jade Heritage: Gain jade over time through a learned skill.
- Answered Call: Trigger skills with totems.
- Wooden Wall: Damage absorbed by totems.
- Renly’s Training: Increased block chance from shields.
- Turtle Charm: Ability to block damage without raised shields.
- Warcaller’s Bellow: Damage from corpses when you warcry.
- Greatwolf’s Howl: No cooldowns on warcries.
With this guide, you can make informed choices about your Ascendencies and the skills you unlock throughout your journey in "Path of Exile 2." Enjoy building your character!
