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Path of Exile 2 has undergone many balancing updates, and with a new League starting, players are eager to try out fresh characters. Choosing a new build opens up different gameplay options, so many are interested in starting with a strong, reliable build to ensure a good start.
If your build isn’t powerful enough to survive long or doesn’t deal enough damage, the beginning of the season can be tough. Some builds are simply more consistent or effective than others. If you want to hit the ground running, here are some recommended starting builds to consider.
Best Builds for League Start
Rather than focusing on specific builds right away, it’s better to choose classes and Ascendancies that offer good options, then explore suitable build ideas within them. This approach gives you a solid foundation early on and sets clear goals for later stages of the game.
This helps you develop your builds effectively and provides a roadmap for both early and late-game progress.
| Build | Details |
|---|---|
| Ranger (Deadeye) |
Lightning Arrow and Lightning Rod can dish out a lot of damage, especially when combined with Herald of Thunder. This setup creates a shock explosion upon defeating enemies with shock damage, producing a ripple of damage through groups.
Single-target battles may need a different approach, but tools like Voltaic Mark ensure shock effects work on tougher enemies. Wind Dancer and Ghost Dance boost evasion, making you harder to hit and increasing survivability. |
| Mercenary (Witchhunter) |
Use Permafrost Bolts throughout your entire playthrough for consistent damage. Pair it with Fragmentation Rounds to deal effective area damage at close range.
Skills like Judge, Jury, and Executioner, along with Pitiless Killer, provide significant damage boosts in both early and late game, especially by removing large chunks of enemy health fast.
Sorcery Ward offers strong defense, especially if you include Ceremonial Ablution to protect against chaos and physical damage, which is crucial given the close-range nature of this build. |
| Huntress (Ritualist) |
This build focuses heavily on bleed effects and mobility, utilizing skills like Rake, Disengage, and Thunderous Leap. Rake is especially effective for both mobility and causing enemies to bleed, slowing them down and widening your speed advantage.
Bloodhound’s Mark stuns enemies after they have lost enough blood, syncing perfectly with bleed mechanics and making it easier to control fights. |
| Witch (Blood Mage) |
This setup creates a chaotic bullet-hell environment for your enemies, with damage flying in all directions. Use Frost Wall and Fireball to send ice and fire across the battlefield, dealing with multiple enemies.
Start by spamming Essence Drain for damage-over-time, which can then be spread using Contagion. As you progress, combine Fireball and Living Bomb for wide-area damage, with Frost Wall providing added control in single-target scenarios. |
| Witch (Lich) |
Centered around Essence Drain, this build relies on spreading damage over time through Contagion, dealing with large groups efficiently.
Initially, use Chaos Bolt and Unearth to summon minions from corpses. Later, integrate Chaos Bolt, Despair, Essence Drain, and Contagion into a combo that debuffs enemies to chaos damage, syncing perfectly with Essence Drain. This creates a powerful, ongoing damage cycle that’s tough for foes to counter. |
Focusing on these classes and their key skills can help you build a strong, dependable character from the start of the new league, setting you up for success as you progress through the content.
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