Path of Exile 2 Best Classes Tier List

Welcome, travelers of Wraeclast, to our complete Path of Exile 2 best classes tier list created to explain to you the current in-game meta. We will help you define the strongest class for playing solo or finishing endgame activities. The same goes for the best classes for DPS and beginners.

No matter what option you choose to play from our Path of Exile 2 class ranking, leveling is the first thing to deal with. Our team of professionals at SkyCoach is ready to help you with PoE 2 Leveling in a jiffy. Skip the grind and get to the endgame content straight away. The best price and fastest results are guaranteed.

Read our other PoE 2 guides:

• Leveling Guide
• Bosses Guide
• Warrior Guide
• Ranger Guide
• Monk Guide
• Witch Guide
• Sorceress Guide
• Mercenary Guide
• Best Builds
• Trading Guide
• Divine Orb Farming Guide

How Our Tier List Works

Our comprehensive Path of Exile 2 class tier list follows the standard structure. This means we take all 12 classes and compare them by a range of factors. They include things like DPS dealt, overall versatility and their place in the meta. We have prepared four categories for each class. The strongest ones are put into the S-Tier, while the weakest ones are sitting in the C-Tier:

• S-Tier: These are the top-tier classes, excelling in most game scenarios with the highest damage, survivability, or utility, making them optimal for nearly all content.
• A-Tier: Strong and versatile, these classes can handle most game challenges well, but they may lack the peak performance or synergy of S-Tier.
• B-Tier: Solid choices with good potential. These classes are reliable but may struggle with some high-end content or specific encounters.
• C-Tier: These classes often have niche strengths but generally fall short in efficiency or versatility, making them less popular for challenging or endgame content.

Note: If you have not found your favorite class in the tier you expected, this does not mean it is bad. Your overall performance depends not only on the class chosen but also on your build, gear, and how well you play the class in general. If you show good results, keep playing it without any second thoughts.

Path of Exile 2 Best Class Overall

Mercenary is Path of Exile 2 best class overall by all parameters. This is the perfect choice for players who love a mix of strategy, versatility, and high-powered ranged attacks. Armed with a crossbow, this class is all about keeping enemies at bay while dishing out deadly damage. What makes the Mercenary stand out is the sheer number of options at your fingertips – elemental bolts, explosives, and status-inflicting shots all make for a tactical dream. Need to freeze a pack of enemies? No problem. Want to electrify a tough boss? The Merc’s got you covered.

Sure, the reload time on the crossbow can be a pain, and the Mercenary is not as agile as Ranger, but these drawbacks are easily balanced by the decent health pool and the sheer versatility of attacks. You might not be wiping the entire screen with one move, but the Mercenary’s pinpoint precision and smart elemental choices more than make up for it. If you enjoy a class that rewards clever play and tactical thinking, the Mercenary is your go-to.

Sorceress takes second place on this list, as she is also versatile and can deal a ton of damage, but you need to be more careful when playing this class. She is mana-hungry and has low health. If enemies manage to get up close, things can get dicey fast. But here is the thing – in Path of Exile 2, ranged classes generally have an easier time than melee classes. As long as you keep your distance and manage your mana well, Sorceress can obliterate almost anything before it even gets near you. This class is easy to pick up and play, making it perfect for those who want maximum damage without overthinking their strategy.

Best Classes for Beginners

Witch, Druid, Sorceress, and Templar are the best classes for beginners in Path of Exile 2. They are easy to master, deal a ton of damage, and feature many CC abilities. You will have a whole specter of capabilities in a single character. Choose the one you like more, depending on the preferred playstyle.

Here is a complete Path of Exile 2 classes tier list 2024 for new players:

This tier list, just like all others, might change radically with the upcoming patches. You will see them coming often shortly after the game’s release. Therefore, the classes sitting in the B-Tier or C-Tier can go a few tiers higher. It would not be a mistake to play a Ranger, Huntress, or Monk if you enjoy their playstyle.

Best Classes for Leveling

Making your way to level 100 can be a tedious journey. This level cap has not changed since the first game of the series. Specific classes can make it much faster to this threshold, while others lag behind in terms of speed. Sorceress Path of Exile 2 best class for leveling due to a great variety of AoE skills and mobility.

Other notable options include Shadow and Marauder classes. Each of them suits a different playstyle but has one feature in common – great mobility. You also have a large choice of builds available for these three classes, meaning you will never get bored while playing them. Swapping to a different setup can be a great decision to diversify your gameplay.

Check out our full PoE 2 best leveling classes tier list:

This is how the tables have turned when we are talking about the leveling speed. The Templar class, who was sitting in the S-Tier in the previous table, is now placed at the very bottom. That is why you can never find a perfect class dominating every game aspect. You will have to sacrifice something to prevail in other things. BLOG20

Best DPS Classes

Both Ranger and Mercenary can be called Path of Exile 2 best DPS class, each offering a similar type of gameplay. They are excellent in dealing AoE damage and can destroy everything on their way in the endgame. The only problem is their limited potential in the early game. Newer players can also struggle to master Ranger. This is why we recommend opting for Mercenary instead if you are only starting out.

This table defines PoE 2 best class in terms of DPS and raw power they feature:

Marauder is by far the most OP class in Path of Exile 2 in a melee category. The second-best contender is Duelist, as its playstyle is very similar to that of the first one. They are almost equally strong in terms of AoE and single-target damage. You can also swap between different builds to make your gameplay more diversified.

If you are a fan of playing ranged damage dealers, consider playing Ranger, Mercenary, or Sorceress. These three classes are absolute beasts, and they can annihilate the most challenging enemies without letting them close. This goes for either regular mobs or harder bosses you will encounter in the late game.

Best Solo Classes

Ranger, Marauder, Shadow, and Templar are the best solo classes in Path of Exile 2 to finish most of the content without a group. This is possible thanks to the unique passive skills and strengths they get from their Ascendancies. All this allows them to dominate in the early game and become stronger towards the endgame.

Unlike before, we cannot provide you with a complete tier list when it comes to solo classes. All 12 classes available can be without any reliance on the group. This is the main idea of most ARPGs, and PoE 2 is no exception. You will go through dungeons and other instances alone in most cases.

Best Endgame Classes

Ranger, Mercenary, and Duelist are the best endgame classes in Path of Exile 2 due to how well they scale with the levels passed. They reach their peak performance upon reaching levels 90-100 with the correct gear equipped.

Other classes mentioned on our tier lists are also worth your attention. Each class can handle all the endgame challenges. This is the main idea of the game. You start from scratch and progress all the way to the top. Some classes are just a bit stronger due to specific abilities they have, but this does not change anything in general.

Best Classes for Hardcore

Surviving in the HC mode is a great challenge, as you will not have a second try in case of dying. Templar, Mercenary, Druid, and Warrior are the best classes for Hardcore in Path of Exile 2 due to the high survivability and defense skills they have.

They might not have the greatest DPS, but you do not need that when playing this mode. Your only goal is to survive while gearing up along the way for extra survivability.

Here is a tier list of the strongest and weakest classes for HC in PoE 2:

Ranger proves to be the weakest choice for HC due to how squishy it is. Most bosses will one-shot you at any stage of the game. This can be fixed by wearing specific items, but you are not likely to make it to that moment in this particular mode.

Best Classes for Softcore

Ranger and Mercenary are the best Softcore classes in Path of Exile 2 regarding mob clearing speed and overall mobility. These are the two main factors you value when playing this mode. They can get from one spot to another in a jiffy while having a ton of AoE damage to take down mobs fast.

We have compared all the classes to define the best ones for Softcore in PoE 2 in this tier list:

While some classes belong to lower tiers, this does not mean they are unplayable. The SC mode welcomes everyone. The only difference is how fast you will progress through it up to level 100. This also applies to the equipment you use since specific classes need particular gear parts to truly shine. Others will dominate the battlefield just because of their active and passive skills. BLOG20

Best Classes for Solo Self-Found

Templar, Mercenary, and Marauder are the best Solo Self-Found classes in Path of Exile 2 due to how well-balanced and many-sided they are. Do you enjoy playing alone all the time? Opt for the SSF mode to rely on yourself and nobody else. This is when you want to pick the most versatile and balanced class to complete all the challenges on your own.

Check this table to find the most comprehensive SSF class tier list in PoE 2:

Ideally, you want to combine enough DPS, survivability, and self-sustain to feel comfortable in the SSF mode. Otherwise, you will have to spend a lot of extra gold to purchase consumables all the time. This is the reason why pure carry characters like Ranger are not the best option for this mode.

What Defines the Best Classes in PoE 2

In PoE 2, the best classes are defined by their adaptability, power, and synergy with popular skill setups. A top-tier class offers high survivability, exceptional damage output, or a balance of both, allowing players to handle all types of content, from mapping to intense boss fights.

Flexibility in build options is key; a great class can support multiple playstyles without sacrificing effectiveness, which makes them appealing to players with different goals. This is what Reddit users appreciate in the best class Path of Exile 2.

Additionally, strong defensive capabilities – like high evasion, resistances, or access to powerful defenses like block or regeneration – make a class stand out in Path of Exile's unforgiving environment.

Meta compatibility is another essential factor, as the most effective classes often synergize with high-damage skill gems or support popular league mechanics. Ultimately, the best classes enable players to take on challenging content while adapting to the game’s frequent updates and evolving meta.

Why Certain Classes Dominate the Current Meta

Certain classes dominate the current meta in Path of Exile because they provide a combination of high damage, survival tools, and versatility that aligns with popular builds and league mechanics. Each league introduces new skill gems, items, and balance changes that affect class viability; meta-dominant classes can quickly adapt to these shifts.

For instance, classes with powerful ascendancies, which enhance projectile damage or boost minion builds, often perform better because they synergize well with skills and gear that are in high demand.

Meta classes also tend to have strong defensive layers, such as block, evasion, or energy shield sustain, allowing players to survive the toughest content. Classes that dominate the meta are the ones best equipped to handle the game’s hardest encounters, from mapping to endgame bosses, with greater efficiency and ease.

Conclusion

This wraps up our tier on Path of Exile 2 best classes for beginners, solo, endgame, maximum DPS, and other categories. We have also outlined the strongest class picks for any difficulty mode you can tackle: HC, SC, and SSF. This guide for PoE 2 best classes will be updated with every patch released when the developers bring buffs and nerfs. Good luck, and we will see you Wraeclast, travelers!

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