Guide:Creating Your Own Path of Exile 2 Build

This is a guide on the subject of Building a Character.

Valid as of version 0.1.0d. Last updated on Dec 12, 2024.

Creating Your Own Path of Exile 2 Build

Introduction

This guide is a comprehensive resource for creating your own Path of Exile 2 (PoE2) character build. Whether you’re a new player just starting your journey or a seasoned exile looking to craft a unique and optimized setup, this guide aims to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to design and refine your own builds.

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Path of Exile 2 offers an incredible depth of customization, allowing players to tailor their characters through:

• A vast passive skill tree

• Diverse active skills

• Complex itemization

• Unique ascendancy classes

With so many choices, creating a build can feel overwhelming—but it’s also one of the most rewarding aspects of the game.

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In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of crafting a build step by step. From setting clear goals and selecting skills to mastering the passive tree and optimizing your gear, the guide is broken down into the following steps:

1. Setting clear goals
2. Selecting active and support skills
3. Planning the passive skill tree
4. Optimizing your gear

Each section is designed to help you understand the key considerations and decisions that go into build creation.

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Whether you’re aiming to clear maps efficiently, tackle endgame bosses, or experiment with off-meta playstyles, this guide will give you the foundation to make informed and creative choices. Remember, there’s no single “right” way to build a character—your journey of experimentation and discovery is what makes Path of Exile truly special.

Foundations of Build Creation

Building a character in Path of Exile 2 starts with understanding your goals and preferences. This section covers the essential decisions and thought processes that form the foundation of your build.

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Understanding Your Goal

• Define Your Playstyle: Determine how you want your character to interact with the game world. Ask yourself questions like:
  • Do you prefer melee combat, ranged attacks, casting spells, or summoning minions?
  • Are you aiming for high mobility, tankiness, or crowd control?

• Purpose of Your Build: Decide what content you’re planning for:
  • Leveling: Builds focused on efficient progression through the story.
  • Mapping: Builds optimized for clearing large groups of enemies quickly.
  • Bossing: Builds specialized in taking down single, high-health targets.
  • Hybrid: Balancing multiple objectives, such as clearing maps while maintaining boss viability.

Choosing Your Archetype

• Class and Ascendancy: Each Class has unique starting points and Ascendancies that define your build’s core strengths.
  • Strength Classes (e.g., Warrior): Great for melee combat and tankiness.
  • Dexterity Classes (e.g., Ranger): Focused on agility and ranged attacks.
  • Intelligence Classes (e.g., Witch): Excellent for spellcasting and summoning minions.
  • Hybrid Classes combine attributes and offer versatile options. These are inherently more complex, so this is more of an option for more experienced players.
• Interlinking Skills and Ascendancy:
  • Choose an Ascendancy that synergizes with your desired playstyle. For example, if you aim for a fire spell build, look for Ascendancies that enhance elemental damage or cast speed.

Setting a Build Theme

• Core Concept: Define a unifying theme for your build, such as:
  • Focusing on a specific damage type (e.g., physical, elemental, chaos).
  • Building around a unique skill or mechanic.
  • Experimenting with off-meta strategies.
• Skill and Passive Synergy: Make sure your choices for active skills, passive tree nodes, and items align with your theme to maximize efficiency and power.

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By starting with a clear understanding of your goals, playstyle preferences, and archetype, you lay a solid foundation for the rest of your build. This clarity will guide your decisions as you navigate the more complex aspects of build creation, such as skill selection and itemization.

Skill Selection

Skill selection in Path of Exile 2 revolves around the unique mechanics of uncut gems and the skill screen. Unlike the original Path of Exile, gems are not slotted into gear but instead managed entirely within the skill screen, allowing for a streamlined yet highly customizable system. This section explains the key aspects of skill selection and gem mechanics in PoE2.

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Uncut Gems: The Core of Your Skills

• Uncut Skill Gems
  • These are blank templates that allow you to create usable skills. You can level up existing Skill Gems with an Uncut Skill Gem of a higher level.
  • For example, a Skill Gem I have equipped might be level 4, but I have a level 6 Uncut Skill Gem. I can strengthen/level up that skill by using the level 6 Uncut Skill Gem to upgrade that level 4 Skill Gem that I have equipped. Now that level 4 Skill Gem is level 6.
• Uncut Spirit Gems
  • Spirit gems are used to create passive or trigger-based abilities. For instance:
    • An "Arctic Armour" spirit gem conjures an icy shield around you that deals ice damage when melee attacked.
    • A "Trigger on Ignite" spirit gem casts a linked skill gem (chosen from its support slot) whenever the specified condition is met.
  • These allow for automated actions, adding a layer of strategic complexity to your build.
• Uncut Support Gems
  • Support gems evolve into abilities that enhance the functionality of skill or spirit gems.
  • For example, support gems can increase damage, add crowd-control effects, or improve defensive capabilities.
  • Only one of each Support Gem can be on your character at a given time, which enforces diversity in your skill setup.
  • Support Gems must be carefully selected to align with your build’s goals.

Skill Screen and Slotting Mechanics

• Skill Screen Slots

1. Instead of gear-based gem sockets, PoE2 features dedicated slots for active and spirit gems in the skill screen.
2. Each active skill gem has its own support gem slots, allowing for direct connections between active and support gems.
3. This system makes it easier to experiment with different combinations without needing to modify your equipment.

• Support Linking

1. Support gems are slotted directly into an active or spirit gem’s support slots on the skill screen.
2. The number of support slots available increases per gem by using Jeweller's Orbs, allowing for more powerful setups over time.

Choosing Your Primary Skill

• Core Playstyle
  • Your primary skill defines your character’s combat style. Consider:
    • Do you want a skill focused on Area of Effect (AoE) damage for clearing maps?
    • Would a high single-target damage skill be better for bossing?
    • Does your build benefit from hybrid skills that perform multiple roles?
• Theme and Synergy
  • Select skills that complement your passive tree and ascendancy. For example:
    • If you specialize in cold damage, choose abilities like Arctic Armour or Cast on Freeze.
    • If you plan to scale physical damage, focus on compatible melee or ranged attacks.

Optimizing Support Gems

• Maximizing Synergy
  • For each active or spirit gem, choose supports that enhance its strengths. Examples include:
    • Increased Area of Effect for wide-reaching skills.
    • Controlled Destruction or Elemental Focus for single-target damage.
  • Don’t overlook defensive supports if survivability is a concern.
• Iterative Testing
  • Experiment with different support combinations to see what works best for your build.
  • Adjust based on content: you may prefer different setups for mapping versus bossing.

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Skill selection in Path of Exile 2 is a dynamic and iterative process. The uncut gem system provides unmatched flexibility, but careful planning and experimentation are crucial to building an effective setup. By understanding and leveraging the interplay between active, spirit, and support gems, you can craft a skill loadout perfectly tailored to your build.

Passive Skill Tree Planning

The passive skill tree in Path of Exile 2 is a familiar yet refined version of the one from Path of Exile 1. It retains its incredible complexity and depth while adding new features and quality-of-life improvements. Proper planning is crucial for creating an effective build, and this section will guide you through the process.

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Key Features of the Passive Skill Tree

• Gold for Respecs:
  • In PoE2, players can spend gold to refund skill points, making minor respecs much more accessible than in PoE1. This encourages experimentation and fine-tuning of your build as you progress.
• Three Special Node Types:
  • Notables: These are single nodes that provide significant, build-defining mechanics. Many require specific supporting setups to function effectively, so plan your build around them if you choose to invest.
  • Attribute Nodes: These nodes allow players to select an attribute (Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence) and gain +5 to that stat. These are essential for navigating the tree and meeting attribute requirements for skills and gear.
  • Jewel Socket Nodes: As in PoE1, these nodes enable you to socket jewels, providing additional customization and power. Jewels can modify passives or grant unique bonuses to further enhance your build.
• Weapon Set Skill Points:
  • As you progress through the campaign, you will earn weapon set skill books. Each book provides two skill points, which can be allocated in one of two ways:
    • Shared Allocation: Points spent this way apply to both weapon sets equally, useful for global improvements like survivability or utility.
    • Weapon-Specific Allocation: Points can be spent differently for each weapon set, allowing for fine-tuning and versatility between weapon setups. For example, one set could focus on AoE clearing while the other specializes in single-target damage.

Starting Points and Tree Navigation

• Class Starting Positions:
  • Each class begins at a unique point on the tree, emphasizing their core strengths. For example:
    • Sorcerer starts near spell and elemental damage nodes.
    • Warrior starts near melee and tank-focused nodes.
    • Ranger starts near dexterity and ranged attack nodes.
  • Plan your path based on your class’s starting position and desired build direction.
• Visual Cues at the Tree’s Edge:
  • The edges of the tree are designed to guide players with thematic visual markers. For instance:
    • Ice-related nodes resemble snowflakes.
    • Lightning-related nodes resemble lightning strikes.
  • Use these visual cues to identify and navigate towards sections of the tree that complement your build.

Tips for Effective Tree Planning

• Prioritize Your Build Goals:
  • Decide early on whether your build focuses on offense, defense, or utility, and allocate points accordingly.
  • Identify key Notables that align with your build and plan your path to them.

• Progression and Balance:
  • Consider the progression of your build during leveling. For instance:
    • If your goal is a glass cannon build, allocate early points into defense to compensate for your lower damage output at the start.
    • Plan to refund these defensive points later once your damage is sufficient to overcome challenges.
  • Maintain a balance between survivability and offense based on your current gear and content.

• Balance Attributes and Utility:
  • Use Attribute Nodes strategically to ensure you meet stat requirements for skills and gear while minimizing unnecessary travel.

• Incorporate Jewel Sockets:
  • Plan for at least one or two jewel sockets to unlock powerful bonuses or tailor your build further.

• Optimize Weapon Set Skill Points:
  • Use weapon-specific points to adapt your playstyle for different situations. For example, assign AoE bonuses to one set for clearing maps and single-target damage to the other for bossing.

• Adapt with Gold Respecs:
  • Take advantage of the gold refund system to experiment with different setups. For example, you can adjust your build for specific challenges like bossing or mapping. For example, you can adjust your build for specific challenges like bossing or mapping.

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The passive skill tree in Path of Exile 2 remains one of the most engaging and strategic aspects of the game. By leveraging the new features, planning around special node types, and using visual cues, you can craft a powerful and adaptable build.

Gear and Itemization

Gear and itemization in Path of Exile 2 are integral to your character's progression and performance. Unlike many other ARPGs, PoE2 places a strong emphasis on crafting and customization over relying solely on dropped items. This section covers the core concepts and strategies for gearing your character effectively.

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Crafting: Your Best Source of Gear

While items will drop naturally as you play, crafting is the most reliable way to obtain powerful gear throughout the game.

• Currency Management:
  • Currency is extremely valuable and should be used wisely. Avoid wasting crafting resources on poorly-rolled items.
  • Always pick up items with sockets or high quality to break them down into crafting currency at town vendors.

Managing Resistances

As you progress through the game, your base resistances will start to drop into negative values. Keeping resistances at acceptable levels is crucial to avoid dying frequently.

• Pay close attention to your resistances when equipping gear or crafting new items.
• Use Runes on armor sockets to supplement resistances. Runes can also provide other defensive or utility bonuses, making them invaluable for fine-tuning your stats.

By understanding the intricacies of item rarities, crafting, and resource management, you can ensure your character remains well-equipped throughout the campaign and endgame. Gearing in Path of Exile 2 rewards careful planning and adaptation, so take advantage of crafting systems, socket mechanics, and vendor offerings to optimize your build.

Testing and Iteration

Testing and iteration are critical to refining your build and ensuring it performs effectively in a variety of situations. Path of Exile 2 offers players numerous opportunities to experiment with their builds, adjust strategies, and optimize for different content types. This section provides guidance on how to evaluate and fine-tune your character.

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Testing Your Build

• Combat Scenarios:
  • Test your build in diverse combat scenarios, such as:
    • Clearing large groups of enemies in maps.
    • Facing tanky single-target bosses.
    • Surviving in mechanics-heavy encounters.
  • Identify areas where your build struggles, such as insufficient damage output, low survivability, or mana sustainability issues.
• Skill and Gear Synergy:
  • Evaluate how well your skills and gear work together. Are your modifiers enhancing your chosen abilities effectively?
  • Pay attention to damage types, attack/cast speed, and resource management.

Adapting for Challenges

• Mapping vs. Bossing:
  • Adjust your build for different content types:
    • For mapping, prioritize Area of Effect (AoE) skills, clear speed, and movement capabilities.
    • For bossing, focus on single-target damage, survivability, and utility.
• Rune and Socket Adjustments:
  • Swap Runes to suit specific encounters. For example:
    • Add elemental resistances for high-damage elemental bosses.
    • Increase damage output for timed encounters requiring burst damage.
  • Experiment with socket layouts to maximize versatility.

Iteration with Respecs

• Gold Refund System:
  • Take advantage of the gold refund system to make small adjustments to your passive tree and skill points.
  • Reallocate points based on weaknesses identified during testing or to experiment with new strategies.
• Weapon Set Skill Points:
  • Use weapon-specific skill point allocations to adapt your build to multiple roles.
    • Set 1: AoE and crowd control for clearing.
    • Set 2: High single-target damage for bosses.
• Experimenting with Support Gems:
  • Try different support gem combinations to see how they affect your primary and spirit skills.
  • Focus on finding a balance between utility and raw power.

Gathering Feedback

• Community Resources:
  • Share your build with others and seek advice from experienced players.
  • Use tools like Path of Building or similar simulators to analyze potential changes before applying them.
• Evaluate Performance Metrics:
  • Track metrics such as damage per second (DPS), effective health pool, and skill uptime to determine improvements.
  • Aim for measurable gains while addressing key weaknesses.

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Testing and iteration in Path of Exile 2 is a continuous process. The game’s complexity encourages players to remain flexible and adaptive, ensuring that their builds can handle any challenge. By regularly testing, adjusting, and refining, you’ll be well-prepared for both the campaign and endgame content.

Conclusion and Final Tips

Creating your own build in Path of Exile 2 is an exciting and rewarding process that combines creativity, strategy, and adaptability. While the game’s complexity can feel daunting at first, the journey of experimenting and refining your build is what makes it truly special. Here are some final tips to keep in mind as you continue your adventure.

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Embrace Experimentation

• Trial and Error is Key:
  • Don’t be afraid to try new skills, passive tree paths, or gear setups. Learning what works and what doesn’t is part of the process.
• Iterative Refinement:
  • Use the game’s gold refund system and flexible skill setups to make incremental improvements. Small adjustments can often have a big impact.

Stay Flexible

• Adapting to Challenges:
  • Your build may need to shift as you encounter new challenges, such as harder enemies or specific endgame mechanics. Be prepared to adapt by reconfiguring your skills, gear, or passive points.
• Balance Offense and Defense:
  • While it’s tempting to go all-in on damage, survivability is equally important. Adjust your setup to maintain a balance between the two.

Leverage Community Resources

• Learn from Others:
  • The Path of Exile community is a treasure trove of knowledge. Share your build ideas and learn from experienced players on forums, Discord servers, and other platforms.
• Use Build Planning Tools:
  • Tools like Path of Building or similar utilities can help you visualize and optimize your build before making changes in-game.

Keep Goals in Mind

• Play Your Way:
  • Focus on creating a build that aligns with your playstyle and goals, whether that’s clearing maps quickly, tackling tough bosses, or experimenting with unique mechanics.
• Enjoy the Process:
  • Building a character is a journey, not a destination. Take pride in your progress and enjoy the learning experience.

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Path of Exile 2 offers an unparalleled depth of customization and strategy. By following this guide, you’ll have the tools to craft powerful and creative builds that can tackle any challenge the game throws your way. Remember to experiment, stay flexible, and most importantly, have fun!

Tools and Resources

• Path of Building (PoB)
  • This is not currently updated for POE2, however this is expected to be updated within the next few weeks.
  • This is a community built application for planning and simulating builds sown to the most painful and tedious details.
• Wiki Links
  • (Relevant links to other articles on the wiki will be populate here in the future)
• Community Builds
  • Use the Official POE2 Forums and communities from as Reddit and Youtube for inspiration