Path of Exile 2 is one of the most ambitious ARPGs out right now, and with Patch 0.5 Return of the Ancients now live, the class meta has shifted. Two brand-new ascendancies, a rebuilt endgame, and sweeping balance changes mean your class pick matters. This tier list breaks down all eight classes, ranks them for the current meta, and helps you figure out which one actually fits the way you want to play.
Keep in mind that this tier list is based on leaderboard rankings and a general assessment of how each class performs overall. However, that doesn't mean lower-tier classes are necessarily bad. In the end, a class's effectiveness depends heavily on your build, playstyle, and how well you understand its strengths and weaknesses.
Table of Contents
Path of Exile 2 Class Tier List (Patch 0.5)
| Tier | Class |
|---|---|
| S | Monk, Ranger |
| A | Huntress, Sorceress, Druid |
| B | Witch, Warrior |
| C | Mercenary |
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Best Classes in PoE 2 Patch 0.5
Monk
Monk sits at the very top of the tier list, and for good reason. It runs on Dexterity and Intelligence, uses quarterstaves and staves, and can even go fully unarmed. The playstyle is fast, aggressive, and deeply satisfying once it clicks.
Invoker is the go-to ascendancy. It's the build you'll often see dominating the Hardcore ladder.
Monk is the best pick if you want the highest-performing build in the game and you're willing to invest time into understanding it. If you're brand new to PoE 2, though, you might want to try a more forgiving class first.
Ranger
Ranger earns its S-tier spot by doing two things better than almost anyone else: clearing maps quickly and getting money. It's a pure Dexterity class built around bows and evasion armor.
Both ascendancies are strong. Deadeye pushes your projectiles further with better pierce, chain, and speed mechanics. Pathfinder focuses on flask effectiveness and poison damage.
Just like Invoker, both Deadeye and Pathfinder often dominate the leaderboards.
Ranger is the right call if your main goal is farming currency efficiently or speed-running through the maps. What's even better is that playing as a Ranger is relatively easy.
A-Tier Classes
Sorceress
Sorceress is the most reliable league-start pick. It's Intelligence-based, uses wands and staves, and throws out elemental spells with big area coverage.
The visual feedback is clear, damage feels powerful, and Spark Stormweaver is widely considered the top-favored build entering the new patch by the community.
What you need to manage with Sorceress is mana. It's not optional, you'll need to invest in mana across your gear, gems, flasks, and passive tree throughout the entire campaign.
If you want a class where the first week of a league feels smooth, Sorceress is your answer.
Huntress
Huntress is the sleeper hit of Patch 0.5. It uses spears, mixes Dexterity and Strength, and lets you seamlessly shift between close- and long-ranged combat. No other class has that kind of range flexibility built into its basic kit.
The real reason to get excited right now is Spirit Walker, the brand-new third ascendancy. It's one of the most creative additions to the roster in a long time.
The downside is that Huntress is fragile. It relies on evasion and positioning, and if you're not used to that kind of class, the campaign can feel punishing.
Druid
Druid is one of the most unique classes in PoE 2. It uses Strength and Intelligence together, mixing physical combat with elemental magic in a way no other class attempts.
You can lean into nature-based spellcasting, physical fighting, or a utility-focused style, depending on how you build it.
Shaman is the more beginner-friendly ascendancy, covering elemental and nature combat. Oracle, however, is for players who love complex positioning and passive tree knowledge.
The main challenge with Druid is gearing. Balancing two attributes across all your gear slots takes a bit of thinking. If you're up for that investment, though, Druid delivers a flexible endgame experience.
B-Tier Classes
Warrior
Warrior might not top any damage charts, but it's the most beginner-friendly class in Path of Exile 2. It uses maces and heavy armor, built entirely around tanking hits and fighting through them.
The Titan ascendancy scales your life pool significantly, which means suboptimal gear and passive tree choices don't punish you nearly as hard as they would on other classes.
However, this class is not for fast map clearing. Warrior is slow, and once you hit high-tier maps, that gap compared to faster classes becomes noticeable.
Witch
Similar to the Warrior, the Witch is a beginner-friendly class in PoE 2 that's easy to pick up and play. While the Warrior specializes in melee combat, the Witch excels at ranged combat and spellcasting.
The Infernalist is currently the top Witch ascendancy and is one of the most forgiving choices for experiencing endgame content.
What holds the Witch back in the current meta is, once again, its map-clearing speed. Much like the Warrior, the Witch is designed for sustained damage output and boss encounters rather than fast-paced speed farming.
C-Tier Classes
Mercenary
Mercenary is a cool class that uses crossbows and grenades. However, the overall effectiveness of these skills isn't quite on par with the strongest options in the current meta.
Positioning can be challenging, and despite the extra effort required, the damage output doesn't always stand out.
Tactician is the most accessible ascendancy and is generally the best choice for players looking to try the class for the first time.
The main issue right now is that the Mercenary tends to struggle as the campaign progresses. If the crossbow-focused fantasy appeals to you, the class is absolutely viable. It just requires more experience, game knowledge, and effort to achieve the same results as some of the stronger classes.
Which Class Should You Pick?
Here's a simple breakdown depending on your goal:
- You want the strongest possible build → Monk with Invoker
- You want smooth, fast farming → Ranger with Deadeye or Pathfinder
- You want the best new thing this patch → Huntress with Spirit Walker
- You want a safe, proven league start → Sorceress with Stormweaver
- You're new and just want to learn the game → Warrior with Titan
Patch 0.5 is the biggest update PoE 2 has seen in early access, and it's a great time to jump in. Pick a class that matches how you like to play, and don't be afraid to experiment.
Remember, this tier list reflects only a general overview of each class's overall effectiveness and performance. It doesn't mean that lower-ranked classes are incapable of competing at a high level.
If you dedicate time to learning a class, optimizing your build, and mastering its mechanics, virtually any class can perform at an S-tier level.
