Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2) is the highly anticipated sequel to Path of Exile, the renowned action RPG by Grinding Gear Games. With the promise of a deep, expanded skill system, a new storyline, and countless improvements, PoE 2 is shaping up to be a game that will captivate veterans and newcomers alike. One of the most important parts of any PoE adventure is choosing and leveling up your character class, and the Ranger is one of the most exciting and versatile classes in the game. With its speed, high mobility, and wide array of ranged skills, the Ranger is perfect for both new players and veterans looking to explore the world of Poe 2 trade.
In this guide, we will focus on creating an optimal Ranger leveling build for PoE 2. Whether you're looking for a strong single-target damage dealer or a build that can clear mobs quickly and efficiently, we've got you covered. Let's dive into the specifics of the Ranger class, and how to create a successful leveling build to take you through the challenging acts and beyond.
Why Choose the Ranger?
The Ranger class is designed to be agile, fast, and deadly from a distance. Known for her dexterity and accuracy, the Ranger excels at using bows, traps, and mines. PoE 2 promises to expand the Ranger's arsenal even further, so this guide will cover the most viable options for quickly progressing through the game while setting a solid foundation for endgame content.
Rangers also benefit from their skill variety, allowing for a diverse set of builds ranging from spellcasting to physical damage. For leveling, we'll focus on builds that are straightforward, effective, and capable of handling both trash mobs and bosses with ease.
Key Ranger Playstyles for Leveling in PoE 2
In PoE 2, the Ranger can pursue several paths depending on your playstyle preferences. However, for leveling purposes, we'll focus on bow-based builds and traps that maximize damage output while maintaining survivability. The two most common and efficient builds for leveling are Elemental Ranger Builds and Physical Ranger Builds.
- Elemental Ranger Build (Bow)
The Elemental Ranger is one of the most powerful and flexible builds in the game, capable of dealing massive AoE (Area of Effect) damage while also benefiting from elemental resistances and passive skill tree nodes that enhance elemental damage. This build revolves around using fire, lightning, and cold damage with bow skills, such as Arctic Arrow, Flameblast, or Lightning Arrow.
Advantages: High elemental damage, excellent AoE clear, and solid boss damage.
Recommended Skills: Arctic Arrow (Cold Damage), Lightning Arrow (Lightning Damage), Flameblast (Fire Damage).
Playstyle: Use AoE elemental attacks to clear groups of enemies efficiently. With the ability to trigger elemental status effects like Freeze, Ignite, and Shock, this build is great for handling large numbers of enemies while maintaining high single-target damage.
- Physical Ranger Build (Bow)
A Physical Ranger build focuses on high raw physical damage and leveraging the critical strike potential that comes with bows. You can utilize skills like Barrage or Split Arrow to deliver massive single-target and AoE damage. This build is highly effective if you enjoy dealing big numbers, focusing on crits, and optimizing the damage output of your bow.
Advantages: High single-target damage, fast clear speed with AoE, scaling crits and attack speed.
Recommended Skills: Barrage, Split Arrow, Tornado Shot.
Playstyle: This build excels in damage and speed, with the ability to chain attacks across enemies. It's great for both clearing large packs of cheap POE 2 Exalted Orbs enemies and dealing significant damage to bosses, especially as you scale up crits and attack speed.
- Traps and Mines Ranger Build
While not always as popular as the bow-based builds, Traps and Mines are highly effective in PoE 2 for those who want to rely on tactical placement and area denial. The Ranger's ability to deploy explosive traps and mines makes this build very satisfying for those who want to stay mobile while dealing consistent damage over time.
Advantages: Safe positioning, massive AoE damage, ability to control the battlefield.
Recommended Skills: Fire Trap, Lightning Trap, Bear Trap.
Playstyle: Stay mobile and place traps or mines in strategic locations to handle enemies. This build can be more hands-off in terms of direct combat, but it requires planning and placement for maximum effectiveness.