Conquer Path of Exile 2 as a Mercenary: A Beginner's Guide

Tired of fantasy tropes in Path of Exile 2? The Mercenary class offers a unique, action-packed experience reminiscent of a top-down Doom game. Ditch the swords and bows; your trusty crossbow is your ticket to obliterating hordes of enemies! This guide focuses on building an effective Mercenary in PoE2 version 0.1.0f (note: GGG may implement changes affecting this build).

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Key Mercenary Attributes:

Prioritize Dexterity for increased damage and evasion. Evasion is superior to armor in this build. Movement speed is crucial for dodging attacks. Allocate Strength and Intelligence as needed for equipment and skill requirements.

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Early Game Skill Choices:

• Fragmentation Rounds: A decent starting skill, but quickly outclassed. Consider Brutality and Leverage support gems.

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• Permafrost Bolts: A strong early-game choice. Freeze and immobilize enemies using Frost Nexus and Leverage support gems. Double Barrel adds extra bolts but increases reload time (mitigable later).

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• Explosive Grenade: Essential for crowd control. Scattershot allows for three grenades at once (damage reduction is worthwhile). Second Wind is a useful support gem.

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• Gas Grenade: Creates a poisonous cloud. Corrosion reduces enemy armor, replacing Armour Piercing and High Velocity Rounds. Bursting Plague increases damage. Detonate the gas with fire skills (like Explosive Grenade) for massive damage boosts.

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• Galvanic Shards (Act 2): Transforms your crossbow into a lightning shotgun. Conduction and Lightning Infusion support gems significantly enhance damage.

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• Herald of Thunder: A powerful buff, especially with Galvanic Shards and Conduction. Requires 30 spirit units (obtainable from an Act 1 boss).

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• Explosive Shot: Combines well with grenades; detonates them on impact. Fire Infusion increases fire damage. Offers ranged AoE capabilities.

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Passive Skill Tree Recommendations:

Focus on nodes increasing projectile damage:

• Remorseless: Increased projectile damage, stun, and attribute bonuses.
• Ricochet: Increased projectile damage and chain chance.
• Blur: Increased movement speed and evasion.
• Heavy Ammunition: Increased projectile damage and stun (despite attack speed reduction).
• Careful Aim: Increased projectile damage and accuracy.
• Cluster Bombs: Increased grenade fuse duration and extra projectile. (Use with Explosive Shot)
• Adrenaline Rush: Increased movement and attack speed after kills.
• Doomsayer: Increased Herald skill area and damage. (Use with Herald of Thunder)
• Instant Reload: Significantly increased crossbow reload speed.
• Volatile Grenades: Reduced grenade fuse duration (optional, unless using Explosive Shot).

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Experiment and discover your own optimal build! This guide provides a solid foundation for early-game success. Remember to adapt and adjust based on your playstyle and encountered challenges.