POE 2 Ascendancies Tier List: A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Best Ascendancy for Your Playstyle
Path of Exile 2 (POE 2) is a game that thrives on complexity and depth, offering players a wide array of customization options to tailor their characters to their preferred playstyle. Among the many systems that make POE 2 stand out, the Ascendancy classes are perhaps the most impactful, defining the core identity of your character. With so many options available, it can be daunting for both new and experienced players to determine which Ascendancy is best suited for their build. This is where a POE 2 Ascendancies Tier List comes into play, helping you make informed decisions about which class to choose.
Understanding Ascendancies in POE 2
Ascendancies are specialized subclasses that players can choose once they reach certain points in the game. Each Ascendancy offers unique abilities, passive skill tree modifications, and playstyle enhancements that can drastically alter how your character performs in combat. With multiple Ascendancies to choose from, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, it’s crucial to understand how they stack up against each other.
The Tier List: Ranking Ascendancies in POE 2
When building a POE 2 Ascendancies Tier List, it’s essential to consider factors such as damage output, survivability, flexibility, and overall viability in both single-player and multiplayer settings. Below is a general ranking of the Ascendancies based on their performance in the current meta:
S-Tier Ascendancies (The Best of the Best)
Champion: The Champion is a formidable choice for players who enjoy a mix of offense and defense. Its ability to taunt enemies, generate heralds, and boost ally effectiveness makes it a versatile and powerful pick.
Assassin: If you’re looking for a class that excels at dealing massive critical strikes, the Assassin is your go-to. Its bonuses to critical hit chance and multiplier, combined with poison and stealth mechanics, make it a top-tier choice for glass cannon builds.
A-Tier Ascendancies (Strong and Reliable)
Gladiator: The Gladiator is a well-rounded class that offers excellent survivability through bleed and endurance charge generation. It’s a great choice for melee builds that want to stay in the thick of battle.
Deadeye: For ranged builds, the Deadeye is a solid option. Its focus on projectile damage and accuracy, along with its ability to create a rain of arrows, makes it a reliable pick for players who prefer to attack from a distance.
B-Tier Ascendancies (Good but Niche)
Juggernaut: The Juggernaut is a tanky Ascendancy that excels at absorbing damage and staying alive. While it’s not the highest damage dealer, its survivability makes it a good choice for hardcore players.
Berserker: If you’re looking for a class that emphasizes raw power and aggression, the Berserker is a good fit. Its bonuses to attack speed and damage are significant, but it lacks the flexibility of higher-tier Ascendancies.
C-Tier Ascendancies (Situationally Useful)
Raider: The Raider is a decent choice for players who want to focus on speed and evasion. However, its lack of synergy with certain builds makes it less desirable compared to higher-tier options.
Pathfinder: While the Pathfinder offers some useful bonuses to nature-based damage and flask utility, it struggles to keep up with the damage output of other Ascendancies.
D-Tier Ascendancies (The Weakest Links)
Duelist: The Duelist is a jack-of-all-trades but master-of-none. While it offers some useful defensive and offensive bonuses, it doesn’t excel in any particular area, making it a less popular choice.
Witch: The Witch is another Ascendancy that feels underwhelming compared to its competitors. Its focus on curse and hex mechanics is niche and doesn’t translate well to most builds.
Case Studies: How Ascendancies Impact Builds
To better understand how Ascendancies impact gameplay, let’s look at a few examples:
Champion + Herald of Purity: This combination is a nightmare for enemies. The Champion’s ability to taunt and generate heralds creates a nearly impenetrable defensive barrier while dealing consistent damage.
Assassin + Critical Strike Chance Stacking: If you’re building a character that relies on critical strikes, the Assassin’s bonuses to critical hit chance and multiplier make it a match made in heaven. Combine this with a high base damage weapon, and you’ll be one-shotting enemies