PoE 2 Builds Tier List in Patch 0.5.5: S to D
What to know before you pick a build
This tier list covers Patch 0.5.5 Forbidden Rites, which launched in early September 2026. No major balance overhaul has followed, so the ranking below should still be current. Tiers reflect community consensus and player experience, not exact damage math, so different outlets may place the same build one step higher or lower.
In Path of Exile 2 a build is a mix of skills, support gems, gear and passive tree choices. The same class can play very differently, and your pick at league start decides how smooth the campaign feels. If you want to keep pace with veteran players from day one, a ready-made league starter build saves the trial and error.
Secondary outlets covering the Gamescom reveal report a 1.0 launch with a new Duelist class on December 11, 2026. The class lineup will change by then, so pick a build for the coming weeks, not for years.
How the tiers work
Builds are sorted into five tiers, with easy options for newcomers called out separately. The logic is simple.
S - strong clear, answers for any boss, handles any content.
A - behind the leaders, but with solid damage and enjoyable play.
B - dependable mid-tier picks that are easy to learn.
C - noticeably weaker damage or poor results in fights.
D - weak options that people pick for a challenge.
There are also honorable mentions, builds that sit outside the current meta but stay fun. They are covered near the end.
Patch 0.5.5 builds tier list
The table gathers every build by tier. Names stay in English, as they appear in game and in the community.
Tier | Builds |
|---|---|
S | Ice Shot Deadeye, Galvanic / Stormblast Buff Stacker Tactician, Twister Spirit Walker, Twisters Deadeye, Companion Beast Master Spirit Walker, CoC Spark Comet Recoup Infernalist, Gemling Legionnaire, Whirling Assault Martial Artist |
A | Plants / Grim Totems Oracle Druid, Shaman Bear Druid, Shaman Totems, ED Lich, Infernal Legion Beasts, Spectres Disciple of Varashta, Titan builds |
B | Explosive Grenades Witchhunter, Permafrost Witchhunter, Stormblast Witchhunter, Tempest Flurry Invoker, Flicker Invoker, Acolyte of Chayula, Spark Stormweaver |
C | Chronomancer builds |
D | Smith of Kitava, Ritualist Huntress, Bow Warbringer |
If none of them fits your style, you can order a custom build made for your character.
S-tier leaders
These are the strongest builds according to the tier list. Each has its own feel, so choose by how you like to play.
Ice Shot Deadeye. A ranger that clears maps with Ice Shot and switches to Snipe for bosses. Players call it one of the strongest ranged options of the patch. You can start with an ordinary bow and grow damage through better weapons, crits, attack speed and cold damage.
Galvanic / Stormblast Buff Stacker Tactician. A lightning crossbow build for the Mercenary. Galvanic Shards and Herald of Thunder handle clearing, Stormblast Bolts handle bosses. Damage is high but defenses are thin, so play carefully. Tactician is unlocked through Ascension Trials.
Twister Spirit Walker and Twisters Deadeye. Two takes on one idea. The Huntress version leans on speed and wide areas, while the Deadeye version relies on projectile speed and the Whirling Slash plus Twister combo.
Gemling Legionnaire. A Mercenary ascendancy built around gems. It adds gem levels and quality, extra slots and stronger support gem effects. For 0.5.5 some guides name Gemling as the main meta shift, and the grenade variant is the easier one to pick up.
Whirling Assault Martial Artist. Fast melee that uses leveling skills early and moves to Hollow Palm and Whirling Assault once the passives and gear are in place. It works well with Bell setups and needs decent equipment.
CoC Spark / Frostbolt Comet Recoup Infernalist. A caster with a tricky setup where Spark, Frostbolt and Comet fire through Cast on Critical. Hard for newcomers, with a very high ceiling. For a similar idea with a different focus, see the Frost Mage Infernalist guide.
Companion Beast Master: pets and leveling
Companion Beast Master Spirit Walker is built around a unique tamed beast. Most unique pets can handle endgame, but players pick Mighty Silverfist from Act 3 most often, since reports credit it with the best single-target damage thanks to its high crit chance and bonus. You tame it with Tame Beast and The Natural Order node, and only one unique beast can be active at a time.
Players advise leveling with Twister and Whirling Slash until Act 3 and the second Lab, then switching to the companion. The respec costs roughly 20k gold. Focus on flat damage while leveling, then on companion damage, attack speed, crit chance, resistances and Energy Shield in endgame. For a faster start you can use power leveling or a campaign boost.
Builds for beginners
The best first character is one that forgives mistakes and does not need rare gear. The beginner tier list points to three picks from the top tier.
Plant Oracle Druid. Plants and totems do the fighting while you manage positioning.
Ice Shot Deadeye. A simple ranged build with clear damage growth.
ED Lich. Damage over time on whole packs through Essence Drain and Contagion, effective even on modest gear.
One step lower are Galvanic / Stormblast Tactician, Whirling Assault Martial Artist, Twister Huntress and the Infernalist builds, with Spark Stormweaver and Shaman Bear Druid as backups. Spark Stormweaver keeps enemies at range and rarely runs into mana trouble. Shaman Bear Druid suits anyone who wants durability and simple mechanics. If you are unsure, order a build check, and an existing character can be tuned with a build improvement.
Popular builds outside the S tier
Some builds have been favorites for a long time without reaching the top step. Players keep coming back to them league after league.
Lightning Arrow Deadeye. A flexible archer on Lightning Arrow, Lightning Rod and Herald of Thunder, good at the start and in endgame. More in the full breakdown of this build.
Storm Wave Flicker Invoker. A mobile Monk for active players. There is also a Storm Wave Invoker with Chaos Inoculation variant.
Minion Army and Raging Spirits Infernalist. A summoned army does most of the work. Read about Minion Army Infernalist and Infernalist Summoner.
Titan. Sunder Slam, Earthquake and Hand Slam shake the ground. Start with Earthquake Titan and Hand Slam Titan.
Explosive Grenades Witchhunter. Grenade skills need a crossbow, and Explosive Shot detonates them in an area. See Explosive Shot Witchhunter.
Gas Arrow Deadeye. Poison clouds that can be detonated. An example is the Deadeye Gas Arrow Build.
Werewolf Druid, Corrupting Cry Warbringer, Falling Thunder Invoker. Speed, survivability and freeze. All three are pleasant to play.
How to choose a build for yourself
Settle two things. First, whether you prefer ranged, melee or summoned helpers. Second, how much time you want to spend on setup. Simple picks like ED Lich, Spark Stormweaver or Shaman Bear Druid pay off fast, while complex ones like CoC Infernalist open up with good gear and solid mechanics knowledge.
Tiers are not a verdict. The same build can feel stronger or weaker at different stages of a league, and some builds drift between S and A. If you found a build you enjoy, stay with it, and move to more demanding options once your gear improves.