The Warrior class in Path of Exile 2 has a classic melee feel, offering powerful, ground-shaking skills that define the playstyle of the class. While the Warrior is currently considered sluggish, with some calling for buffs in future patches, it remains a potent force when built correctly. In this guide, we will discuss the best Warrior build, focusing on maximizing its potential through effective skills, gear, passive abilities, and the right Ascendancy choice.

Warrior Overview in Path of Exile 2

The Warrior is the archetype of the melee fighter, excelling in dealing high amounts of damage, primarily using two-handed weapons like mauls and maces. However, the Warrior can also be built defensively, using a one-handed weapon and shield, which grants additional blocking skills and survivability but reduces offensive output.

One of the unique features of PoE 2 is the ability to freely swap between builds, allowing you to use a two-handed weapon for heavy damage in one build and a one-handed weapon/shield setup for more defense in another. The game's flexibility allows you to adapt depending on the situation, but for optimal performance, this guide will focus on an offensive two-handed build.

Best Warrior Skills in Path of Exile 2

The Warrior has access to numerous powerful skills, though some are slower and require a bit more patience to fully execute. Below are the essential skills for a strong Warrior build:

Mace Strike (Early Game)

A solid early-game skill for clearing mobs, but it loses effectiveness as you progress.

Earthquake

Deals significant AoE damage with a strong impact, great for dealing with packs of enemies.

Boneshatter

A brutal melee skill that deals high damage and can be further amplified with the right support.

Shockwave Totem

A totem that deals AoE damage, perfect for adding more burst damage to your playstyle.

Infernal Cry

A skill that boosts your damage significantly after an area-of-effect attack, perfect for combining with other abilities.

Leap Slam

Allows you to leap to a target location, useful for both mobility and setting up devastating combos.

Sunder

A powerful AoE attack that works especially well with two-handed weapons.

Ancestral Warrior Totem

Summons a warrior to fight for you, adding an extra layer of damage and survivability.

Hammer of the Gods

A massive AoE skill that can decimate large packs of enemies or bosses.

Skills Combination for Optimal Performance

Leap Slam + Boneshatter: Using Leap Slam to close the gap between you and enemies and then following up with Boneshatter deals massive damage. Combine this with the Infernal Cry to boost your damage before jumping into battle.

Earthquake + Shockwave Totem: Earthquake does AoE damage, and placing a Shockwave Totem will continuously add additional AoE damage while you focus on positioning.

Sunder + Hammer of the Gods: Use Sunder for sustained AoE damage while Hammer of the Gods deals heavy bursts of damage to large packs or bosses.

Best Warrior Support and Spirit Gems

In Path of Exile 2, pairing your skills with the right Support Gems and Spirit Gems is crucial for maximizing your damage and survivability. Here are the recommended gems for the Warrior:

Support Gems:

Martial Tempo (for Leap Slam)

Momentum (for Leap Slam)

Magnified Effect (for Earthquake and Shockwave Totem)

Impact Shockwave (for Boneshatter)

Brutality (for Hammer of the Gods)

Primal Armament (for Hammer of the Gods)

Supercritical (for Sunder)

Concentrated Effect (for Sunder)

Premeditation (for Infernal Cry)

Raging Cry (for Infernal Cry)

Spirit Gems:

Overwhelming Presence

Scavenged Plating

These gems complement your skills by adding buffs, increasing damage output, or improving your survivability during prolonged encounters.

Best Warrior Passive Skills

The Warrior's passive skill tree revolves around increasing Strength, physical damage, and AoE damage. Here are the key passive abilities to prioritize:

Brutal (Increases physical damage)

Smash (Increases AoE damage)

Unstoppable Barrier (Improves defense)

Blade Catcher (Improves block and defenses)

Sudden Infuriation (Increases damage when enraged)

Lasting Trauma (Boosts physical damage over time)

Skullcrusher (Increases damage with two-handed weapons)

Split the Earth (Boosts AoE damage)

Resolute Technique (Ensures 100% hit chance, ignoring evasion)

Maximizing Strength will be the primary focus as it scales the Warrior's physical damage. Prioritize passive nodes that enhance your damage and AoE abilities, while also ensuring you can survive tougher bosses.

Best Warrior Ascendancy in Path of Exile 2

Upon reaching a certain level and completing Act 3, you will choose your Ascendancy. There are two possible Ascendancies for the Warrior:

The Titan:

Focuses on damage output, allowing for massive burst damage and increased offensive power. This is likely to become the stronger choice after future buffs to the Warrior class.

Warbringer:

Provides more defensive benefits, ideal for surviving in tougher encounters. Abilities like Jade Heritage absorb damage without affecting your health, which can be crucial for long boss fights.

For now, the Warbringer is recommended, as it offers better survivability and utility. However, keep an eye on future updates, as The Titan may become the go-to choice once the Warrior gets some buffs.

Final Thoughts

The Warrior in Path of Exile 2 is a powerful melee class that can deal massive damage with the right skills and gear. While the class may seem sluggish and underpowered at the moment, using the proper build and understanding of the mechanics can make it one of the most rewarding classes to play.

Focus on two-handed weapons, maximizing your Strength, and using a combination of Leap Slam, Boneshatter, and Infernal Cry for an efficient and high-damage playstyle. Pair these with powerful Support Gems, the Warbringer Ascendancy, and a well-optimized passive skill tree, and you'll be ready to conquer the toughest challenges in Path of Exile 2.

If you're looking to further enhance your build or need advice on specific POE 2 currency and Path of Exile 2 items to buy or craft for this Warrior setup, let MMOexp know!