Best Classes in PoE 2 – Rankings & Tier Lists

Introduction

Our PoE 2 Best Classes guide will teach you how to choose the best character class to fit your playstyle and preferences, allowing you to easily reach your goals in the game.

One of the questions we are asked frequently is, “What is the best class in PoE 2?”. To address this query, we have decided to delve into the intricacies of each class, providing you with a plethora of information to help you make the right choice for yourself.

Whether your priority is leveling, playing in a group, speed farming maps, bosses, or other activities, our tier lists and in-depth analysis will guide you toward the best class to suit your needs.

In the following sections, we will examine the PoE 2 classes based on multiple aspects, including beginner-friendly classes, Hardcore classes, SSF, and more. Additionally, we will uncover the meta classes for niche activities that may return from PoE 1, like Heist, Simulacrums, Blight, and more.

Key Takeaways

The best classes in Path of Exile 2 are:

• Best PoE 2 class for beginners: Witch
• Best PoE 2 class for leveling: Ranger
• Best PoE 2 class for solo play: Ranger
• Best PoE 2 classes for group play: Ranger (DPS) & Witch (Support)
• Best PoE 2 class for DPS: Ranger
• Best PoE 2 class for speedfarming: Ranger
• Best PoE 2 class for endgame: Ranger
• Best PoE 2 class for Softcore: Ranger
• Best PoE 2 class for Hardcore: Templar
• Best PoE 2 class for Solo Self-Found: Mercenary

How to choose the best class in PoE 2?

When it comes to choosing the most suitable PoE 2 class for your playstyle, several important criteria deserve careful consideration. In the following list, we will take a look at each essential factor that you should keep in mind when selecting a class to make sure you have an enjoyable experience, both from a progression and fun perspective.

Note: As the game is still in development, tier lists in this guide are subject to change based on information we will receive from the developers & play-testing during the early access release.

Speed Leveling

In Path of Exile, the most essential part of leveling is getting through the campaign as quickly as possible, since leveling in the endgame is heavily tied to the speed at which you can clear maps.

Since this part is the most substantial in regards to leveling, you should consider picking a class that has high base damage skills and can build around them easily without requiring any unique or hard-to-obtain items for the class and build to be effective.

Speed Farming

The ability to clear maps or any other form of activity quickly is essential to consider when picking a class. PoE 2 is a grindy game, and getting the perfect items or a build that can complete almost any activity can take hundreds or thousands of hours, so playing a class with great AoE damage is essential.

Ease of Play

Another vital aspect to take into consideration is the difficulty of the class. In the endgame, we expect most classes to be trivial and easy to play, but during the campaign and early mapping, classes like the Ranger that previously lacked defensive options could be challenging to play.

Choosing an easier-to-play class at the start, like the Witch or Sorceress, or even sacrificing some other qualities and picking a tankier class like the Templar could significantly improve your experience if it is your first time playing Path of Exile or an ARPG.

Fun

Out of all the criteria mentioned here, fun is one of the most important ones. PoE 2 offers a lot of room for creativity with builds for each class, and at times, you will be stuck doing the same activity repeatedly to farm for currency.

This makes choosing a class that you will enjoy, both visually and gameplay-wise, so much more important due to sometimes having to go through a tedious grind. Classes don’t affect your skills since the game has a unique skill gem system and just offers a general direction for builds, so the ideal route would be selecting 1-2 classes that look fun and then checking out builds for those.

Endgame Potential

The potential for classes to complete endgame activities is another criteria, but it should not be a top priority. Since the character’s power is mainly dictated by gear in Path of Exile, basically any of the 12 classes can easily take part in any endgame activity with a high enough investment.

Generally, any class can defeat Uber Bosses, clear the highest tier maps, and take part in any other difficult activity that may be new to PoE 2 on a budget of around one Mirror of Kalandra.

Best class for PoE 2 Beginners

You may be wondering, what is the best class for a new player? If you’ve asked yourself this question, we’re here to provide you with the answer, so you have a smooth and enjoyable start to your journey in PoE2. This section of our guide will present the best beginner classes in Path of Exile 2 so you will easily find the ideal class for yourself.

Our expert Path of Exile 2 class analysis will guide you toward a character that offers an outstanding balance of accessibility, versatility, and excitement.

PoE 2 Best starting classes for League launch

Choosing the best class for a League start in Path of Exile is an important decision, as the campaign and early stages of the endgame are relatively repetitive. Playing a strong League starter class will speed up this sluggish grind, giving you a head start.

When analyzing which classes are the best for the upcoming League, we mainly consider which classes can make the best use out of powerful skill gems that require cheap or no gear to function. Based on these criteria, we will reveal our tier list for the best classes to play in the upcoming League.

Our best advice would be starting with a class that augments a strong early league build if you intend to play in the first 1-2 weeks of the League, then eventually swap to your desired class.

As we wrap up our exploration of the best League starting classes, let’s now focus on the easiest-to-play class in PoE 2, where we will unveil the perfect choice for those seeking a relaxed and enjoyable gameplay experience.

Easiest class to play in PoE 2

This section is designed to help newcomers and players who are looking for a smooth and accessible gameplay experience. It covers all classes that are easy to play in PoE 2 and presents the player with the best choice if they are looking for an enjoyable and hassle-free experience in their adventures through Oriath.

As we conclude our exploration of the most accessible classes to play in PoE 2, it’s time to focus on a crucial aspect of character progression: fast leveling. In the upcoming section, we will give our opinion on the best classes for leveling to help you easily reach the endgame and efficiently level your characters through all parts of the game.

Best Classes for Fast Leveling in PoE 2

In this topic, we will unveil the classes that excel at swiftly progressing through the game, allowing you to reach higher levels and unlock powerful abilities in no time. Whether you're an advanced PoE player looking to maximize efficiency or a newcomer seeking a streamlined leveling experience, our comprehensive analysis will provide you with valuable insights and recommendations.

Fastest Leveling class for 1-70

Fastest Leveling class for 70-100

What is the fastest class to level up in PoE 2 overall?

While all twelve classes are viable for leveling, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, certain classes are better for specific activities than others. As this section is focused on fast leveling, our best suggestion would be the Ranger if you have access to leveling gear, and the Sorceress for a fresh character with no gear.

Best Solo Classes in PoE 2

All Path of Exile 2 classes are great for playing solo, as they are mainly balanced around the gear and skill gems they have equipped. Compared to other ARPGs, this unique take on the game systems allows every class to have its own area to shine, so drawing a line between which class is superior to others when playing alone is hard.

Despite this, we can still list a few that may outperform others, due to easier access to specific passives, and unique traits from their ascendancies: the Ranger, Marauder, Shadow, and Templar.

All these classes share in common a specific trait that makes them outliers: they all have great damage and resilience through different means in the early game, and they can scale toward the endgame exceptionally well in specific builds, giving them a slight edge over the others.

Best Classes for Group Play in PoE 2

When it comes to group play in PoE 2, the first thing that comes to mind, which is very similar to PoE 1, is magic find. This unique strategy that massively increases the amount of loot by equipping items with the “increased Item Quantity (IIQ)” and “increased Item Rarity (IIR)” modifiers created a staple for group play in the Path of Exile universe.

In this chapter of our guide, we will mainly cover the classes that excel at farming using this unique concept and their roles since it is the main form of viable group play in the game.

The base of the group would be the main DPS, sometimes assisted by a culler. The class that takes this role would be the Ranger, possibly seeing the Mercenary have extraordinary abilities to be the primary carry of the group. They would usually stack as much IIQ and IIR as possible, alongside a small amount of % damage increase that will synergize with other players in the group.

Alongside the main DPS, there would be three support builds in PoE 1 that would empower the main DPS:

In the following subchapter, we will take a brief look at each of these classes and their support builds in PoE 2, while also taking a glance at new arrivals that may fill support roles in the game.

Support Classes in PoE 2

Regarding support classes in PoE 2, GGG has taken an interesting approach, giving a few classes great tools and ascendancies that would primarily steer the build paths towards solely support-focused archetypes.

In the tier list below, we will rank all the classes that may have support-oriented builds based on their utility and importance in a group, as they all have different purposes, so it would be close to impossible to label one as better than the others:

Top DPS classes in PoE 2

In this section, we present the DPS classes tier list, evaluating each class base on its pure damage-dealing potential.

Best DPS class in PoE 2

When it comes to DPS classes in PoE 2, the Ranger will most probably take the first spot. With its unmatched damage-oriented ascendancies, excellent mobility due to easy access to many movement speed nodes, and a variety of options for defensive stats, the Ranger will be far superior to other classes on a high budget.

Up next, we will shift our focus towards ranged and melee combat, so in the following sections we will uncover the best ranged and melee classes in the game.

Best PoE 2 ranged classes

In this section, we will explore the best ranged classes, showcasing the masters of bows, crossbows, and spellcasting. In the upcoming list, you will discover the most proficient PoE classes for long-distance combat. These classes have been meticulously evaluated, and we have ranked them based on their ability to consistently deal large amounts of damage from a distance.

What's the best ranged class in PoE 2?

The Ranger and Mercenary will stand as the top ranged classes in PoE 2, both showcasing similar capabilities to deal massive amounts of damage, effectively clearing entire screens of enemies and being able to defeat bosses in the blink of an eye.

Best PoE 2 melee classes

In this section, we will take a glance at the most proficient close-quarter classes, showcasing the classes that define the art of melee combat in Path of Exile 2.

What's the best melee class in PoE 2?

It is hard to assume that one class is better than others in PoE 2 due to how the game works. The Warrior, Marauder, Monk, Duelist, and Druid all have their benefits and downsides, but out of all of them, the Marauder will likely take the top spot.

Top single-target classes in PoE 2

In this part of our guide, we will turn our attention towards the best boss killers in PoE 2. The following tier list will present you the most powerful single-target classes that can easily defeat Uber bosses even on a low budget.

Best single-target class in PoE 2

The Shadow is the best single-target class in Path of Exile 2. We’ve taken into consideration the ability of the class to easily defeat bosses on a low budget while also being relatively playable in other forms of content as well. The trapper archetype can provide millions of damage, making it one of the best choices for single-target builds.

Best AoE classes in PoE 2

Most classes in the game have both great AoE and single-target capabilities, which are mainly dependent on the skills they will use in their builds. Some classes excel at using these specific skills, and our rankings in this section will be based on these criteria:

Best class for multi-target in PoE 2

We can expect the Ranger, Sorceress, and Mercenary to be the top contenders for multi target in PoE 2. These three classes all share two similar traits that make them far superior to the others: the ability to deal damage from long range, and being able to clear an entire screen with a single ability cast.

Best Speedfarming Class in PoE 2

In this section, we will reveal the classes that excel at breaking through content, clearing maps, and doing many other activities. In the table below, we prepared a tier list of the most efficient classes for speed-farming currency through various activities:

What is the best class for farming in PoE 2?

The best classes for farming in PoE 2 will most probably be the Ranger and Mercenary. Rangers have been a staple in PoE 1 as the top-tier class for speedfarming due to their high damage, great mobility, and an immense amount of AoE, and we expect the Mercenary to have similar capabilities.

Best Endgame Class in PoE 2

In Path of Exile 2, each class has excellent potential for endgame due to scaling through gear and other means than character power alone. Picking a class over another will not affect your abilities to reach the endgame and comfortably clear content, but a few classes have better tools to scale damage and survivability, either on lower investment, or easier-to-find gear. Generally speaking, each class exhibits similar capabilities, so ranking them is close to impossible.

What is the best class for PoE 2's endgame?

We can expect the best classes to be the Ranger, Mercenary, and Duelist, as they have access to passives that empower skills that they would prefer to use and powerful defensive stats, giving them a small margin over the others.

PoE 2: Best classes for Hardcore

In Hardcore, having great damage or clear capabilities becomes less of a priority, as you must avoid death at all costs in this game's difficulty. In this section, we will cover the classes with the best survivability options while retaining a decent damage output.

What is the best HC class in PoE 2?

We expect the best class for hardcore to be the Templar. They are one of the most resilient classes in the game, offer decent damage while investing heavily into defenses, and can complete both maps and kill Uber bosses at a decent pace.

PoE 2: Best classes for Softcore

Softcore in PoE 2 is mainly about two things: killing mobs as fast as possible and moving as swiftly as you can. In this section, we will rate classes based on their clear speed, bossing capabilities, and ease of play combined.

What is the best SC class in PoE 2?

The best classes for Softcore in PoE are the usual contenders for the top spots, the Ranger and the Mercenary. They offer the greatest capabilities to clear both maps and kill bosses, and players have easy access to BiS gear through trading. This makes them head of the tier list, being far superior to the other choices.

PoE 2: Best classes for Solo Self-Found

Solo Self-Found is a unique modifier you can opt into, which doesn’t allow you to interact with other players. In this category of our guide, we will rate each class based on how well they can perform on average gear, as obtaining high-end or even BiS gear can be a tough challenge for most players.

What is the best SSF class in PoE 2?

Multiple classes can be viable for SSF, with few having a margin due to their powerful earlygame, easy to craft gear, or ease to acquire uniques. These top contenders are the Templar, the Witch, the Shadow and possibly Warriors and Druids as well.

Best Class for boss farming in PoE 2

When it comes to boss farming, some classes are superior at being able to deal single-target damage while also being fairly resilient to be able to survive Uber boss attacks with ease.

These classes are generally great users of damage over time skills or summoner archetype, as these two playstyles allow the player to focus on surviving and dodging boss attacks, which are key elements in all Uber boss fights in the game.

The Shadow, Witch, and Duelist are the classes that we expect to fare the best against any single-target encounter. They have access to absurd damage scaling, they have survivability in multiple ways: evasion, raw stats and leech respectively. Other classes can defeat Uber bosses as well, but these three can do it much faster, and on a way lower budget.

Best Class for mapping in PoE 2

When it comes to map farming, there are multiple classes that can efficiently clear maps. Most classes have posiblitities to opt into builds that have great clear speeds, but there are a few outliers.

Rangers, Mercenaries, Sorceresses, and Huntresses will most probably have an edge regarding clear speed. All of these classes have easy access to great AoE, should have a lot of mobility, and share easy access to defensive stats on the skill tree.

Best Class for other activities in PoE 2

Some activities may have specific classes that outperform others due to their unique mechanics and specific requirements to quickly and easily defeat these instances.

In the table below, we will present most of the unique activities that are commonly farmed for currency, alongside the best class choice for farming that activity.

FAQ

What is the best class to play in PoE 2?

Determining which class is the “best” is subjective and highly depends on your playstyle, preferences, and goals in the game. Each class offers its own unique gameplay experience and has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Not only that, but classes alone in PoE have a minor impact on your character's strength. The class only decides the starting location on the passive skill tree, with your ascendancy choice and the build you follow as the main factors.

Whether you prefer the fast-paced & nimble playstyle of the Ranger, controlling an army of minions as a Witch, the shapeshifting abilities of the Druid, or the brute force of the Warrior, each class shines in an area where the others do not.

What class should you play in PoE 2?

When it comes to choosing a class in PoE 2, it all comes down to personal preference and playstyle. There is no definitive answer as to which class you should play, as the class balance is great in Path of Exile, so you should feel free to pick the class that appeals to you the most.

How many classes are there in PoE 2?

There is a total of 12 classes in Path of Exile 2. Each class has its own unique features, further emphasized by their ascendancies.

How many ascendancies are there in PoE 2?

Each class in PoE 2 has three ascendancies that offer a different playstyle. In total, there are 36 ascendancies you can pick from across all classes.

Will PoE 2 have more classes?

We have yet to get any information at the moment that PoE 2 will receive more classes in future updates. The class variety in the game is already great, furthermore enhanced by the number of available ascendancies, so there is a high chance there will not be any new classes released for the game.

What is the easiest class in PoE 2?

The easiest class in PoE 2 will be the Witch, offering a simple and straightforward playstyle through the summoner concept. The other ascendancies for the Witch, which will be oriented towards curses and draining life from enemies, should also offer effortless gameplay, tending towards very resilient builds that will possess powerful AoE capabilities.

What is the best solo class in PoE 2?

In Path of Exile 2 most classes and ascendancies are designed to offer the player a toolkit that can enhance solo play, so it is hard to label one class as the best. Despite this, based on our experience from the first game, we can assume the Ranger, Mercenary, or Huntress will be top contenders as very strong solo characters since this class stereotype had great scaling towards the endgame in the predecessor.

What is the best DPS class in PoE 2?

The best DPS class will be either the Ranger, Mercenary, or Huntress. Generally speaking, ranged attack-based classes seem to be consistent top contenders for any DPS-related query, either solo or in a group scenario.

What is the best support class in PoE 2?

Since we don’t have much information on the ascendancies, it is hard to pinpoint which classes will be the top performers for support builds. Since we’ve seen the Marauder have an ascendancy specifically oriented towards providing buffs for allies, and Druids having many options for debuffing enemies, there will be a specific combination of classes to fulfill support roles.

Based on what we know at the moment, we can expect Marauders, Templars, Druids and possibly the Witch or Sorceress to all be powerful supports, with each having a specific role in empowering their allies, or heavily impairing the mobs.

What is the best speedfarming class in PoE 2?

The best speedfarming class will be one of the ranged attack-based classes: the Mercenary, Huntress, or Ranger.

What is the best class for hardcore in PoE 2?

The Templar will be one of the top contenders for Hardcore viable classes due to their kit and playstyle. Templars tend to be very durable and often are paired well with skills that scale or benefit from the resilience they can obtain from their ascendancies, making them a perfect match for this difficulty where you need to avoid dying at all costs.

What is the most played class in PoE 2?

Since the game is still under development, we don’t have any statistics we can base the popularity of classes on. Still, we expect the Ranger, Druid, Sorceress, and Witch to consistently share the top spots on the class popularity chart.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the best class to start with in Path of Exile 2 is a decision that ultimately comes down to personal preference and playstyle. Each class offers unique abilities and strengths, allowing you to embark on your journey in Oriath with a character that you resonate with.

Our PoE 2 Best Classes Guide has provided valuable insights and tips to help you make informed decisions during the early stages of the game, enabling you to progress efficiently and build a formidable character.

We will continue to update our guide with the latest information and strategies as new content is released by GGG, ensuring you have access to the most up-to-date resources.

Our goal is to empower you on your PoE 2 adventure. We understand that the journey may be challenging at times, which is why we also offer Path of Exile 2 boosting services.

We hope that the information in our Path of Exile 2 Classes Tier Lists will assist you in making the best decisions. May your adventures be filled with epic loot and unforgettable moments.