Summary
- Path of Exile 2 offers seven unique classes in early access, each with distinct playstyles and combat mechanics.
- The Mercenary consistently ranks as the top class due to its powerful crossbow abilities, crowd control options, and versatile elemental damage.
- While ranged classes generally perform better in the current meta, your preferred playstyle should ultimately guide your class selection.
Seven distinct classes, which class do you think will fit your playstyle? Path of Exile 2 class system can be confusing and hard to decide, especially if you still don’t know what awaits you in the game. So, here’s a guide on Path of Exile 2 class to help you make a decision and understand the meta.
1. Mercenary – The Versatile Powerhouse
Perhaps, the Mercenary are the undisputed champions among Path of Exile 2 class roster. This crossbow-wielding specialist has incredible versatility when it comes to combat options. It can opt to function like the traditional shooter with an assault rifle, sniper, or shotgun depending on your skill choices.
At the same time, this has access to powerful skill combos and exceptional crowd control. This makes the Mercenary particularly ideal for managing large enemy groups and boss fights at the same time. In the recent “Dawn of the Hunt” update, they further enhanced the Mercenary with the Tactician ascendancy. This adds even more crowd control options such as “Right Where We Want Them”, preventing pinned enemies from taking action.
So beginners may lean towards the Mercenary if they want a balance between accessibility and power. However, be careful when playing this class since it needs mana management to attack. Plus, this class has diverse elemental damage and range options making it easier to adapt for newcomers.
2. Witch – Master of Minions and Chaos
The second best among Path of Exile 2 classes will be the Witch ranks. They specialized in summoning undead minions and casting devastating chaos spells. Their primary weapon is wands, allowing them to spread disease among enemies and command the dead army to her liking.
It is a particularly appealing class as it has a self-sustaining kit and excellent debuff abilities. Further, the Lich ascendancy enhances its power alongside improvements in energy shields and cursing ability. Also, it gives access to bonus chaos damage, which is the most powerful damage type in the current meta.
On the other hand, it’ll be somewhat of a slow start to play Witch. The minions are relatively weak at the beginning of the game and will need investment to get stronger. Yet, once you gain access to skills like Bone Cage and supplementary summons, the Witch will be miles ahead of the rest.
3. Huntress – Agile Spear Specialist
The latest “Dawn of the Hunt” update introduces a new addition to Path of Exile 2 class roster which is the Huntress. It is a blend of melee and ranged combat, using its agility to wield spears in both close and medium-range attacks. This makes Huntress extremely versatile in varying combat scenarios.
While it may seem similar to other ranged classes such as Ranger, the Huntress is distinct for her viable melee attack options. She has a higher chance of surviving despite being surrounded by enemies. Also, the Huntress specialized in blocking and parrying with bucklers or on elemental infusions and spear throwing.
Under this class, players can choose between two ascendancies such as the Unorthodox Ritualist or DPS-focused Amazon. In the former, it provides random buffs and effects to charm powers and gems. Meanwhile, the latter enhances elemental attacks and attack speed.
4. Ranger – Elemental Marksman
If you prefer crowd control then Ranger is a perfect fit. It has a wide variety of elemental arrow skills, allowing it to manage groups of enemies. It has poison shots that gradually sap enemy health and combos involving lightning stakes. The Ranger has a great shot against larger mobs and tough bosses.
It can also augment specific elements and add piercing or ignite effects to projectiles through special quivers. This class is particularly effective in causing status ailments, making it a solid selection for strategic players.
Yet, its weakness hugely lies in its lack of defensive skills due to weaker armor. It has few options to defend itself once overwhelmed. So the Ranger must be careful in positioning to avoid any maneuvers and survive throughout.
5. Monk – The Elemental Striker
Another Path of Exile 2 class to play is the Monk. It offers a distinctive playstyle as a hybrid fighter who can cast spells and melee combat. It utilized ice, wind, and lightning effects to move swiftly through the battlefield. This deals elemental damage before coming up with powerful physical strikes for a combo.
The Monk class is extremely reliant on combo gameplay. Certain skills become extra powerful when used in rapid succession. Plus, others enhance Monk’s basic attacks by providing bonus effects. This can be launching projectiles or creating electric shockwaves.
However, it’ll take time before you can experience Monk’s true potential in the game. Players will have to reach around level five to gain access to its unique and powerful abilities. Despite the initial slow start, being patient with Monk class actually rewards your combat experience in the latter part.
Final Thoughts
There are several options you can choose from in the Path of Exile 2 class. Each of them offers a distinctive playstyle, making it charming on its own. The focus varies from spellcasting, melee combat, weapon combat, and more. It’ll only be a matter of which playstyle you like the most to determine the class you should play. All these will still provide you with a great gameplay experience that is unique to Path of Exile 2.
