This is a tier list to all the available classes for the Early Access of Path of Exile 2 (POE 2). The classes are ranked by several criteria such as clear speed, combat utility, dps, and more to gauge which are the best classes in the game.

All Class Guides
All Classes	List of Builds	Class Tier List

Attention!	The Ascendancy class tier list has been updated based on initial impressions for the Dawn of the Hunt patch. The rankings are still subject to change as we discover more builds and skill interactions.

Path of Exile 2 Best Class Tier List

Base Class Tier List

Note: The base class tier list was ranked according to the performance of the class during the early acts of the game, with minimal consideration for their ascendancy classes. If you want to see a tier list for endgame, jump to the ascendancy class tier list down below.

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Base Class Tier List	Ascendancy Tier List
Tier List Criteria

※ Click on the class icons to go to their overview

Rank	Class

Base Class Tier List Overview

Mercenary Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Mercenary
	Damage: ★★★★★ Survivability: ★★★★ Ease of Use: ★★ Time Investment: ★★★

The Mercenary can dish out immense damage to enemies and bosses right from the start of the game. Its ability to use different elemental damage types and crossbow rounds allows greater build flexibility, making it the class viable in numerous circumstances and situations.

Additionally, the Mercenary has decent survivability, being a ranged class and having early access to survivability passive nodes. However, one of its downsides is its slight learning curve, with him having mechanics like ammunition counts and reloading.

Mercenary Class Guide and Ascendancies

Ranger Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Ranger
	Damage: ★★★★★ Survivability: ★★ Ease of Use: ★★★ Time Investment: ★★★

The Ranger excels in quickly dishing out large amounts of AoE damage to enemy groups and evading enemies with her high evasion stats and mobility. She remains a good and capable class even with recent nerfs to some of her skills like Gas Grenade and Gas Arrow.

Additionally, players will find the Ranger easy to use. One problem with her, however, is her squishiness, requiring players to invest a lot into evasion or armor and practice good positioning and timing to survive. Another is that her damage somewhat falls off come mid-game without the right build.

Ranger Class Guide and Ascendancies

Warrior Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Warrior
	Damage: ★★★ Survivability: ★★★★ Ease of Use: ★★★★ Time Investment: ★★★

The Warrior excels at dealing AoE and single-target damage, able to output lots of damage in just a few attacks and simple skill combinations. Its affinity with the strength attribute and the presence of survival-related passive nodes makes him a tankier class, giving him higher survivability.

However, the class does suffer from being a melee class, making it more prone to life-threatening situations like getting swarmed. It also suffers from build variety, with viable end-game builds usually relying on a limited number of skills and playstyles, such as breaking armor.

Warrior Class Guide and Ascendancies

Sorceress Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Sorceress
	Damage: ★★★★ Survivability: ★★★ Ease of Use: ★★★ Time Investment: ★★

The Sorceress can confidently clear out clusters of enemies and dish out damage to bosses with its access to its different elements and ailments, allowing her to adapt to various enemy weaknesses.

Despite this, the Sorceress has issues regarding survivability as she is fragile and immobile compared to other classes. As a result, playing and building her can be tricky as players need to balance her offensive and defensive capabilities properly to make her viable.

Sorceress Class Guide and Ascendancies

Huntress Class Tier Evaluatoin

Class	Rating	Tier
Huntress
	Damage: ★★★★ Survivability: ★★★ Ease of Use: ★★ Time Investment: ★★

The Huntress is a melee-ranged hybrid class that required players to skillfully time parries and alternate between melee and ranged attacks. Her strongest asset lies in her mobility-focused skill set, allowing her to weave in and out of combat with fluid combos.

Early on, abilities like Rake supported by Stomping Ground, as well as variations of the Whirling Slash–Twister–Barrage combo, prove highly effective. Overall, the Huntress can deal decent damage with proper combos and quickly progress through the campaign with all its mobility options but is extremely squishy if not properly geared.

Huntress Ascendancies and Class Guide

Monk Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Monk
	Damage: ★★★★ Survivability: ★★ Ease of Use: ★ Time Investment: ★★

The Monk class can deal decent damage to clusters of enemies and bosses and is adept at movement and mobility, being on par with the Ranger, if not better. However, one of its prominent downsides is how squishy he is, especially considering that he is a melee class prone to enemy hits and attacks.

Additionally, the Monk requires more mechanical skill to deal damage and survive, as most of his combos rely on constantly going back and forth between evading and attacking. He also struggles in the early game as skills are limited, and some of his better skills are only unlocked further into the game.

Monk Class Guide and Ascendancies

Witch Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Witch
	Damage: ★★★ Survivability: ★★★ Ease of Use: ★★ Time Investment: ★★

The Witch excels at providing players with a relatively easy and laid-back gameplay experience. She can summon minions to do defensive and offensive work and has direct and simple skills like  Bonestorm or Detonate Dead.

Despite being able to do solid damage, the Witch suffers in skill variety and spirit reliance, leading to limited builds and playstyle. It also has problems with time investment, making it relatively weak during the early game and requiring more resources and specific builds to be equal with other classes.

Witch Class Guide and Ascendancies

Ascendancy Class Tier List

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Base Class Tier List	Ascendancy Tier List
Tier List Criteria

※ Click on the class icons to go to their overview

Rank	Class

Ascendancy Class Tier List Overview

Amazon Class Tier List Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Amazon
	Damage: ★★★★★ Survivability: ★★★ Synergy: ★★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★★★★

The Amazon is the direct enhanced version of the Huntress. This class pushes its base class' limit to the extreme by granting it bonus capabilities from what it already excels at, namely damage.

It's ability to get more damage base damage and critical strike chance from accuracy makes it a powerhouse ascendancy even in SSF. You can build an Amazon around different elemental or Bleed Spear, Bow, and Crossbow Skills and make it perform very well.

Amazon Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Deadeye Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Deadeye
	Damage: ★★★★★ Survivability: ★★ Synergy: ★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★★★

Although the Deadeye does not mitigate the Ranger's low durability too much, it focuses on greatly improving physical damage and mobility - both of which are the Ranger's specialty as a class.

Skill nodes such as Gathering Winds and Endless Munitions synergize well with the run-and-gun playstyle of the Ranger by bursting enemies from any distance and traversing maps easily. Avidity, on the other hand, is a great skill to have when focusing on builds that rely on Frenzy Charges.

The Deadeye's survivability is entirely reliant on evasion. Although Tailwind helps in this facet of the class' playstyle, it will take a lot of investment in evasion from the passive skill tree or from random gear to make it reliable.

Deadeye Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Lich Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Lich
	Damage:★★★★ Survivability:★★★★★ Synergy: ★★ Skill Nodes: ★★

The Lich Ascendancy was what Chaos builds were missing to shine above many of the other spell skills. Devastate the battlefield as your enemies decay and explode while under the effect of Chaos Skills and curses which you can apply with Blasphemy Support.

The survivability setup for this ascendancy, though quite complicated, is a really solid kit that can withstand even the heaviest hits with good amounts of investment on Energy Shield and Mana.

Lich Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Titan Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Titan
	Damage: ★★★★ Survivability:★★★★ Synergy: ★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★★

The Titan class can significantly increase the Warrior's offensive and defensive capabilities, especially for Aftershocks, Heavy Stuns, and Empowered Attacks. Its skill tree has one of the best skill nodes in the game, Hulking Form, which allows players to increase the benefits they gain from all passive small nodes. This makes the Titan an extremely powerful choice for almost any Warrior build.

With the recent 0.2 update, the class also received some damage buffs to 2 of its ascendancy skills, Earthbreaker and Surprising Strength, making the Titan's damage stronger than ever before.

Titan Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Smith of Kitava Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
	Damage: ★★★★ Survivability: ★★★★★ Synergy: ★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★★

The Smith of Kitava is one of the most flexible classes under the warrior class, with its Ascendancy nodes that allow you to customize your Armour piece depending on your build. The class is also considered one of the tankiest classes, even among Warriors, as it has nodes that will allow you to increase all your resistances all the way to 90%!

The Smith's Fire Spell on Hit also has one of the best synergies with the Fire element, allowing you to fully invest your Warrior to deal high explosive damage and Ignite.

Smith of Kitava Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Blood Mage Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Blood Mage
	Damage:★★ Survivability:★★ Synergy: ★ Skill Nodes: ★★

The Blood Mage is challenging due to Sanguimancy, a required ascendancy node which drains your Life equal to the base Mana you spend but allows you to overcharge to 2x max Life from Life Remnants dropped on kills and crits. For this reason, its build options tend to focus on mitigating the effects of Sanguimancy instead of buffing other aspects.

Blood Mage shines in its synergy with crit builds as its ascendancy nodes provide boosts to Life, Critical Hit Chance, and Crit Damage, and as crits cause Life Remnants to proc, a solid build can make Blood Mage tanky by maximizing Life and overcharging it with Life Remnants. Still, Blood Mage suffers from a lack of build variety due to the restraints created by the nature of the ascendancy.

Blood Mage Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Tactician Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Tactician
	Damage:★★★★ Survivability: ★★★★ Synergy: ★★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★

The Tactician ascendancy allows you to branch off the Mercenary into a companion-based character reliant on making your allies stronger and durable. If you ever had the fantasy of playing Strategy Games in an ARPG, the Tactician should tickle your fancy.

With the additional support given to Pins and Totems, as well as the new Ballista and Companion skills taking over the meta, your party and yourself will mow down any opposition.

Tactician Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Gemling Legionnaire Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Gemling Legionnaire
	Damage:★★★★ Survivability: ★★★ Synergy: ★★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★★★

The Gemling Legionnaire class focuses mainly on enhancing gems and stacking as much stats as possible to scale your build. These include nodes that increase your number of skill slots, using the same support gem in different skills, and attribute requirements being able to be met by your highest attribute stat. These improvements can provide more options for synergizing skills and gameplay, where the only limit is your creativity.

The Gemling Legionnaire also offers better elemental resistances for a ranged class, which can influence survivability. In addition, the flexibility of the class allows you to build defensively while still dealing decent damage.

Gemling Legionnaire Ascendancy and Skills

Invoker Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Invoker
	Damage: ★★★ Survivability:★ Synergy: ★★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★★

The Invoker had one of the highest DPS potentials in the game, as its previous builds can melt down bosses and enemies alike. It greatly increased the Monk's prowess in handling the elements, specifically Cold and Lightning, with nodes like I am Blizzard… or I am Thunder…

From the nerfs of Patch 2.0.2, the Invoker has gone down in the tier list. Though it still has formidable builds that can reliably clear T15 maps, it falls off greatly as its potential was cut by the nerfs. Its builds can still perform well against most enemies, but it is severely overshadowed by other classes that can decimate entire screens.

Invoker Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Infernalist Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Infernalist
	Damage:★★★[ Survivability: ★★ Synergy: ★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★★

The Infernalist class offers two distinct playstyles: mastering Minions or embracing a high-risk, high-reward Demon Form to unleash devastating spell damage. With the Minion route, you can summon an Infernal Hellhound, a tanky companion that redirects damage away from you, boosting both offensive and defensive capabilities.

Alternatively, the Demon Form transforms you into a spell-slinging powerhouse, trading stability for immense offensive power. While your life drains quickly, clever builds can counteract this drawback, allowing you to dominate foes with spells. Its main drawbacks are resource management in Demon Form and limited build diversity for Minion summoners.

Infernalist Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Stormweaver Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Stormweaver
	Damage: ★★★★ Survivability: ★★ Synergy: ★★★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★

The Stormweaver's full kit greatly enhances the Sorceress base capabilities of applying ailments and outputting high AoE damage and control. However, due to the 0.2 nerfs to most of the Stormweaver's core skills, it will take some time to bring the Stormweaver back to its prime even if the damage is present.

Constant Gale is a superb skill node players can acquire on the first Ascendancy. It grants Arcane Surge, a buff that boosts the Stormweaver's offensive output and synergizes well with later nodes regardless of which element build the player focuses on.

Additionally, skill nodes such as Shaper of Storms and Tempest Caller pair well with late-game Support Gems such as Archmage and Elemental Conflux.

Stormweaver Ascendancy Overview

Warbringer Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Warbringer
	Damage:★★★ Survivability: ★★★★ Synergy: ★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★

The Warbringer class boosts many of the Warrior's specialties, including War Cries, Shield Usage and Break, Armor Break, and Totems, helping diversify and enable builds centered around these mechanics. It also boasts increased survivability with skills like Jade Heritage and Turtle Charm.

The class has received considerable buffs during the recent patch but is still yet to perform to the level of the other Warrior Ascendancies, since it still lacks skills and nodes that directly increase damage output outside Armor Break nodes. Most of its skills focus on buffing the supportive and defensive capabilities of the mentioned mechanics.

Warbringer Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Witchhunter Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Witchhunter
	Damage:★★★★ Survivability: ★★ Synergy: ★★★★ Skill Nodes: ★★★

The Witchhunter class can boost the Mercenary's damage through several nodes in the ascendancy skill tree, including one that allows you to cull enemies with all attacks and one that gives defeated enemies a chance to explode and deal AoE damage.

What it boasts in damage, however, lacks in survivability. The only Survivability node in its skill tree is a barrier that shields you from elemental damage based on a percentage of your evasion and armor rating at the cost of cutting both stats by 50%. As such, the Witchhunter may die often, especially when playing solo in the endgame, where many enemies and bosses can deplete health with one attack.

Witchhunter Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Pathfinder Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Pathfinder
	Damage: ★★ Survivability: ★★★★ Synergy: ★★ Skill Nodes: ★★★

The Pathfinder received some heavy nerfs to its unique Concoction skills. However, it's still a reliable ascendancy for numerous Poison Bow builds.

Additionally, Running Assault and Relentless Pursuit are two of the Pathfinder's Ascendancy Passives that combos with skills that requires you to move while simultaneously attacking. These pair well with Rapid Shot or Incinerate, which can also be used with Hit and Run Support.

Pathfinder Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Ritualist Class Tier List Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Ritualist
	Damage: ★★ Survivability: ★★ Synergy: ★ Skill Nodes: ★

The Ritualist at first had the potential to outshine other classes with its passives that will allow you to gain an extra ring slot and the effect of your Rings and Amulets are boosted; however, the class was brought down together with the recent nerfs to Uniques, such as the Ingenuity Utility Belt. The class is even further demoted by lackluster Ascendancy Passives that just don't contribute much and are even just downright downsides.

While it can also invoke rituals to gain monster modifiers to gain unique effects in combat, they do not last as long as you want, and you only get them randomly or after killing the Rare Monster that you needed the buff for, which is extremely inconsistent. There is also no ongoing synergy with the Unique Charms, which could've been the class' saving grace.

Ritualist Ascendancy Overview and Skills

Chronomancer Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Chronomancer
	Damage: ★★ Survivability:★★★ Synergy: ★★ Skill Nodes: ★

The Chronomancer can constantly apply offense on mobs and bosses by putting up spells that linger on the battlefield, making most of your attention shift toward your positioning.

The Sorceress has issues regarding survivability as she is fragile and immobile compared to other classes. However, this can be addressed with the Temporal Rift ascendancy skill, allowing you to move faster and replenish health, mana, and Energy Shields when timed right. However, one misstep with Temporal Rift can lead to bad positioning.

However, even with the 0.2 update preferring slower combat that relies on learning patterns, the Chronomancer is enhancing that slow play to the point it may be considered a hassle.

Chronomancer Ascendancy and Skills

Acolyte of Chayula Class Tier Evaluation

Class	Rating	Tier
Acolyte of Chayula
	Damage:★ Survivability: ★★★ Synergy: ★ Skill Nodes: ★★

The Acolyte of Chayula can deal decent damage and be viable with the right build. However, the class faces problems involving synergy with the Monk's other skills, with the ascendancy focusing on utilizing Darkness instead of buffing other elements the Monk works with, like cold or lighting, splitting the focus.

Additionally, the trade-off between Darkness and Spirit may not be worth it, as players may have an easier time getting value from persistent skills rather than working around the Acolyte's darkness mechanics. Overall, there is a learning curve concerning the class' skills, which diminishes the value received from time and resource investments.

Acolyte of Chayula Ascendancy and Skills

Path of Exile 2 Tier List Criteria

Jump to a Section!
Base Class Tier List	Ascendancy Tier List
Tier List Criteria

Base Class Criteria

Damage	Considers the class' potential damage output and DPS, and their ability to clearly defeat bosses and clear maps.
Survivability	Considers the class' ability to survive and tank damage while fighting enemies and exploring maps.
Ease of Use	Considers how simple or complex a class is mechanically and in terms of how easy it is to pick up as new players (i.e., has less of a learning curve).
Time Investment	Considers the time, resources, and build specificity it takes to make the class viable for different content in the game.
Ascendancy Tier	Considers the rankings of the base class' ascendancies.

Ascendancy Class Criteria

Damage	Considers the class' potential damage output and DPS, and their ability to clearly defeat bosses and clear maps.
Survivability	Considers the class' ability to survive and tank damage while fighting enemies and exploring maps.
Synergy	Considers how well each ascendancy can maximize or improve the performance of their respective base class and diversify builds.
Skill Nodes	Considers the amount of useful or game changing notable and small skills nodes present within the ascendancy's skill tree.

Path of Exile 2 Best Class By Playstyle

Best Classes by Playstyle

Beginners	Warrior
Fast Leveling	Mercenary
Mobility	Monk
Area Damage	Mercenary/Sorceress
Endgame Capability	Monk
Damage over Time	Ranger
Minion Class	Witch
Tank Class	Warrior

Overall, each class in the game has their own unique feel and playstyle that fits a multitude of players. Players that enjoy playing shooter games that wants to hop into Path of Exile 2 will enjoy the Mercenary and its crossbow and ammo gameplay while players that love hyper mobile classes will enjoy classes like the Monk that can blitz through multiple units in a short span of time.

So while there are multiple classes in the game, we highly recommend sticking to the class that you'll find the most fun rather than which class may seem like the strongest class among the roster.

Path of Exile 2 Related Guides

Path of Exile 2 Guides

Path of Exile 2 Wiki Contents
Builds	Classes
Tips and Tricks	Bosses
Walkthrough	Quests
Gems	Items
Weapons	Armors
Accessories	Passives
Skills	Ascension Trials
Glossary	Atlas of Worlds
Leagues	Characters
Cosmetics	Microtransactions
News and Updates	Uniques

List of Recommended Guides

How to Prepare for Dawn of the Hunt	Best Stash Tabs to Buy
Best Class Tier List	Best Stash Tabs to Buy
Which Class Should You Play?	Easiest Class to Play
Twilight Order Reliquary Guide and Sharing Board	How to Use Loot Filters
Diablo 4 Player's Guide to PoE 2	Best Minions to Summon
Best Ways to Farm Currency	Best Unique Equipment
Best Charms to Use	Best Spectres
Best Companions	List of Spectres
All Spirit Quests and Bosses	-