Path of Exile 2 Wiki: Complete Character Classes & Ascendancy Guide

Base Classes Overview Path of Exile 2 launches with six base classes, a reduction from POE1's seven. Each class starts in a different area of the new passive tree and has access to two ascendancy specializations. Here's the full breakdown: | Class | Starting Attribute | Ascendancy 1 | Ascendancy 2 | Core Mechanic | |-------|-------------------|--------------|--------------|---------------| | Warrior | Strength | Titan | Warlord | Slam attacks, armour stacking | | Ranger | Dexterity | Deadeye | Pathfinder | Projectile speed, poison | | Sorceress | Intelligence | Stormweaver | Chronomancer | Elemental spells, time manipulation | | Monk | Dex/Int Hybrid | Invoker | Acolyte of Chayula | Combo strikes, chaos damage | | Mercenary | Str/Dex Hybrid | Witchhunter | Gemling Legionnaire | Crossbows, grenades, support gems | | Druid | Str/Int Hybrid | Shapeshifter | Stormcaller | Werebear/Werewolf forms, lightning |

Ascendancy Classes Deep Dive ### Warrior: Titan vs. Warlord The **Titan** focuses on massive two-handed weapon slams. Their signature skill, "Earthquake," deals 200% more damage to stunned enemies. Titan's notable passive "Unbreakable" grants 15% physical damage reduction while stationary. The **Warlord** trades raw power for battlefield control—their "War Cry" can taunt enemies within 8 meters and regenerate 5% life per second for 4 seconds. ### Ranger: Deadeye vs. Pathfinder **Deadeye** remains the king of projectile builds. Their "Far Shot" ascendancy node increases arrow damage by up to 60% based on distance from target. I've tested this with Split Arrow—it one-shots white mobs at max range. **Pathfinder** focuses on poison stacking. Their "Noxious Strike" adds 30% chaos damage to poison ticks, making it ideal for high-duration builds. ### Sorceress: Stormweaver vs. Chronomancer **Stormweaver** is the pure elementalist. They can trigger "Elemental Overload" (40% more elemental damage) with any crit. Their "Conductivity" curse reduces enemy lightning resistance by 50%. **Chronomancer** is new to POE2—they can rewind time by 4 seconds, resetting cooldowns and health. The downside? A 60-second base cooldown. In boss fights, this lets you dodge one-shot mechanics twice. ### Monk: Invoker vs. Acolyte of Chayula The **Invoker** generates power charges through combo strikes. At 5 charges, their "Shattering Palm" deals 300% damage and freezes enemies. **Acolyte of Chayula** is the chaos monk—they convert 50% of physical damage to chaos and gain "Ghost Shroud," a 20% chance to avoid all damage from hits. ### Mercenary: Witchhunter vs. Gemling Legionnaire **Witchhunter** specializes in crossbows and grenades. Their "Cluster Grenade" throws 3 grenades that each deal 100-150 base fire damage. **Gemling Legionnaire** is a support class—they can socket two support gems into any skill, doubling its utility. For example, a "Void Sphere" with both "Increased Area" and "Concentrated Effect" covers 50% more ground. ### Druid: Shapeshifter vs. Stormcaller The **Shapeshifter** transforms into a Werebear (50% more life, 30% more armour) or Werewolf (40% increased attack speed). The **Stormcaller** stays human but summons lightning totems that chain lightning between enemies. Their "Tempest" skill deals 80-120 lightning damage per second in a 3-meter radius.

Passive Tree & Skill Gems The passive tree now has 1,522 nodes (up from 1,325 in POE1). Key changes:

Keystones are more impactful. "Eternal Youth" now makes energy shield recharge 50% faster but disables life flasks

Skill gems are no longer socketed into gear. Instead, they occupy weapon/armor slots directly

Support gems can be linked to any skill without needing socket colors—just drag and drop For example, a Level 20 "Fireball" deals 200-300 base fire damage. With "Greater Multiple Projectiles" support (Level 20), it fires 5 projectiles instead of 1, each dealing 80% damage. Total damage output: 800-1,200 per cast.

Item Database Tips POE2's item database is searchable by:

Base type (e.g., "Iron Greaves")

Affix pool (e.g., "+40 to maximum life")

Unique items (e.g., "The Surrender" shield grants 30% block chance) For crafting: essences now guarantee a specific mod. "Essence of Zeal" adds 20-25% increased attack speed to gloves. You can combine up to 3 essences on a single item.

Build Recommendations

**Starter Build**: Lightning Arrow Deadeye (good clear speed, low gear requirement)

**Bossing Build**: Earthquake Titan (high single-target, tanky)

**Support Build**: Gemling Legionnaire (dual support gems, group utility)

**Experimental**: Chronomancer with Void Sphere (rewind + AoE denial)

FAQ **Q: How do I unlock my ascendancy class in POE2?** A: Complete the "Lord's Labyrinth" trial in Act 3. You'll face three Izaro encounters with traps. First ascendancy unlocks at Level 40, second at Level 60. Each trial gives 2 ascendancy points. **Q: Can I respec my ascendancy class later?** A: Yes, but it costs 20 regret orbs per point. You can also use a full reset item (rare drop) that refunds all ascendancy points at once. Only available from endgame boss drops. **Q: Which class is best for new players?** A: The Warrior or Mercenary. Both start with high life pools (80 base at Level 1 vs 60 for Sorceress). Their playstyles are straightforward—smash or shoot—and they're forgiving if you make positioning mistakes.