Path of Exile 2 is a proper sequel, complete with an entirely new storyline, more than 100 bosses to defeat, and around 600 unique enemies to face as you rapidly clear zones. But most importantly, it features a handful of new classes, like the Mercenary, that prove exceptional for clearing content, especially for newcomers.
Read More: This Is The Best Class To Start Out With In Path Of Exile 2
Whether you are playing solo, grouping up with others, are a brand-new player, or are returning to the fold, you probably want the best start imaginable. These starting skills for Mercenary in Path of Exile 2 offer an excellent foundation for a run-and-gun explosive build!
The best early-game Mercenary skills
It pays to plan ahead while playing as the Mercenary. Depending on your playstyle and the build you’re after, you might need an early-game skill to clear standard mobs, but you’ll quickly realize that many of the Mercenary’s abilities prove potent well into the late-game, too. For now, let’s focus on three must-have skills.
Tier I: Explosive Grenade
One of the most powerful early-game skills you can unlock for the Mercenary, specifically an AoE (area-of-effect) ability that deals Physical and Fire Damage to mobs, is the Explosive Grenade. It’s an effective party starter of a skill, as tossing one into a small group will whittle down an enemy’s health and soften them up. It’s also effective for keeping up the pressure against bosses.
Tier III: Incendiary Shot
Incendiary Shot is as effective as it is flashy. It’s slow to reload and cast, but the AoE effect of igniting everything in front of you on fire cannot be ignored. Igniting enemies and clearing low-level mobs are excellent ways to kick off a fight and simultaneously damage large groups.
Tier V: Rapid Shot
If you’ve been following along, you should now have two powerful AoE abilities, but now it’s time to focus on single-target damage that deals with rapid-fire DPS (damage-per-second) to quickly whittle down a boss’s health pool. Rapid Shot effectively turns your single-shot crossbow into a fast-firing machine gun, slinging steel bolts at enemies with an impressive clip size. This ability is how I finally bested Count Geonor at the end of Act 1.
Path of Exile 2 is currently available via paid Early Access via Steam on PC.
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