When starting an RPG, before you even consider a character creator (which Path of Exile 2 does not offer), there’s a choice—the ultimate choice for a beginner. What is the best starting class for a new player? Is it the tried-and-tested Warrior? Perhaps the ever-vigilant Ranger?
When Path of Exile 2 inevitably launches into 1.0 sometime in 2025, it will feature 12 distinct classes and 36 unique Ascendancies. On average, it will take players anywhere between 50-100 hours to max out a class through various end-game activities, depending on your playstyle and any assistance you receive. That’s a lot of playtime if you’re intent on trying out everything on offer. Let’s go over which classes are the best options for new Path of Exile 2 players.
While you should always play whatever class speaks to you the most, from a playstyle and preferences perspective, choose the Mercenary as your first class if you want to see everything Path of Exile 2 offers. It’s one of the all-new classes designed for the ARPG sequel, and as such, developer Grinding Gear Games spent a lot of time refining its abilities, gems, and passive skills, making for an exceptionally strong playstyle.
The Mercenary primarily utilizes crossbows with various round-based attachments and unique grenades to deal damage. One of the first skills you’ll unlock as part of the game’s prologue is Fragmentation Rounds, which essentially turns your crossbow into a close-range shotgun loaded with Dragon’s Breath rounds. Every shot, while slow to fire and reload, unleashes a burst of fire that deals significant up-close damage to enemies.
From there, you’ll gain access to the game’s skill panel to unlock additional abilities once you receive an Uncut Gem. There are a few choices for the Mercenary’s best starting skills, but there’s nothing wrong with experimenting. You’ll receive countless gems throughout your playthrough, allowing you to mix and match or outright remove and replace abilities depending on the zone or your preferences. You’re not locked into a single build!
One crucial aspect to consider when selecting a class in Path of Exile 2 is how it plays solo. Many people play the game alone, though the sequel allows up to six players to cooperate while clearing bosses and zones. After spending approximately 30 hours playing through the main storyline as a Mercenary, I can attest that, while weak against certain bosses, the class does exceptionally well for the most part. It keeps enemies at range with diverse abilities designed to reduce movement capabilities, AoE (area-of-effect) attacks that make clearing small mobs of standard enemies a breeze, and single-shot damage attacks designed for elite enemies, like bosses and named mobs.
Furthermore, the ability to wear various armor types, from leather to plate, makes the Mercenary a stalwart choice. If you don’t mind moving slowly, becoming a mobile tank, then heavy armor locks down your defense. But if you want to keep moving, use run-and-gun tactics with the crossbow, wear light armor, and dodge-roll away from danger with relative ease.
There’s a lot to love about Path of Exile 2, from its classes to the many tough-as-nails boss fights you’ll encounter, but it appears there’s a loot problem the devs intend to solve. But hey, this is Early Access!
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