Path Of Exile 2: Best Ascendancy To Pick For Each Class

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

Unlocking your Ascendancy in Path of Exile 2 is the biggest leap forward you can make for your character. Your Ascension class offers more specialized nodes to acquire that allow you to further customize the build you’ve chosen. It might take some time to unlock the Ascendancy through the Trial of Sekhemas in Act 2, but it’s well worth the trouble.

However, even after making it through the trial, it’s not all butterflies and rainbows. All six classes in Path of Exile 2 have two Ascension classes to choose from and once you make your choice, there’s no turning back or respecing. As such, you need to ensure you have all the information so you make the best decision for your character.

Below, we’ll showcase both Ascendancies for all six classes in Path of Exile 2 along with our recommendation for each class.

Warrior Ascendancies

Warbringer

A more melee-focused class that utilizes Totems and Warcries to damage enemies and boost your stats. Totems offer passive damage that allows you to focus on keeping your HP up. Here are the Warbringer Ascendancy Nodes:

• Anvil’s Weight:
  • Break Armour equal to 10% of Hit Damage dealt.
• Answered Call:
  • Trigger Ancestral Spirits when you summon a Totem.
  • Grants Skill: Ancestral Spirits.
• Imploding Impacts:
  • You can Break Enemy Armour to below 0.
• Jade Heritage:
  • Gain a stack of Jade every second.
  • Grants Skill: Encased in Jade.
• Warcallers Bellow:
  • Corpses in your presence explode when you Warcry, dealing 25% of their life as physical damage.
• Greatwolf’s Howl:
  • Ignore Warcry Cooldowns.
• Renly’s Training:
  • Gain 40% Base Chance to Block from Equipped Shield instead of the Shield’s value.
• Turtle Charm:
  • 35% less Block chance.
  • Can Block Damage from all Hits while Shield is not Raised.
• Wooden Wall:
  • 20% of Damage from Hits is taken from your nearest Totem’s Life before you.

Titan

A class more centered around health and defense than overall damage. You’ll be a tankier character that can take several hits from enemies before having to worry about using a life flask.

• Ancestral Empowerment:
  • Every second Slam Skill you use yourself is Ancestrally Boosted.
• Colossal Capacity:
  • Carry a Chest which adds 20 Inventory Slots.
• Earthbreaker:
  • 20% chance for Slam Skills you use yourself to cause Aftershocks.
• Crushing Impacts:
  • Your hits are Crushing Blows.
• Surprising Strength:
  • 40% more Damage against Heavy Stunned Enemies.
• Hulking Form:
  • 50% increased effect of Small Passive Skills.
• Mysterious Lineage:
  • 15% more Maximum Life.
• Stone Skin:
  • 50% more Armour from Equipped Body Armor.

Overall, we recommend the Titan Ascendancy for most Warrior builds. While the damage you get in exchange for going with the Warbringer, Titan allows you to stay alive for longer against enemies and bosses. Since a majority of the harder bosses in Path of Exile 2 are so melee-oriented, Warriors are going to be at a disadvantage unless they have the proper health and defense.

With the Titan, you can still equip high-damage skills while also having more HP and a higher overall defense. It’s the best of both worlds and the Warbringer can’t necessarily match what the Ascendancy brings to the table.

Monk Ascendancies

Acolyte of Chayula

The Acolyte of Chayula is a dark Monk Ascension that utilizes shadow damage as well as defensive capabilities from certain skills. The defensive skills with the Ascension allow you to leech Mana and grants you extra Darkness powers.

• Chayula’s Gift:
  • +10% to Maximum Chaos Resistance. Chaos Resistance is doubled.
• Consuming Questions:
  • You cannot Recharge Energy Shield.
  • Mana Leech effects also Recovers Energy Shield.
• Embrace the Darkness:
  • Remove all Spirit.
  • Base Maximum Darkness is 100.
  • For each Life of Energy Shield lost to Damage, reserve 1 Darkness instead if possible.
  • Darkness Reservation lasts for 10 seconds.
  • +5 Maximum Darkness per Level.
• Grasp of the Void:
  • Gain 1% of Damage as Extra Chaos Damage per 20 Unreserved Darkness.
• Inner Silence:
  • 50% reduced Darkness Reservation Duration.
• Lucid Dreaming:
  • Effect and Duration of Flames of Chayula on you is doubled.
• Ravenous Doubts:
  • Mana Leech is instant.
• Waking Dream:
  • Grants Skill: Into the Breach.
• Reality Rending:
  • 23% chance to Gain 25% of Damage with Hits as Extra Chaos Damage.
  • 13% chance to Gain 50% of Damage with Hits as Extra Chaos Damage.
  • 7% chance to Gain 100% of Damage with Hits as Extra Chaos Damage.

Invoker

The Invoker is an elemental damage Monk class that is much more offensive-focused than the Acolyte of Chayula. The elements can deal significant damage as well as help stun enemies so you can get in free damage.

• And Scatter Them to the Winds
  • Grants Skill: Elemental Expression.
  • Trigger Elemental Expression on Melee Critical Hit.
  • Elemental Expression emits waves of Elemental power with each Critical Hit.
• And Protect me from Harm:
  • Evasion Rating also grants Physical Damage reduction. 40% less Evasion Rating.
• And I Shall Rage:
  • Grants Skill: Unbound Avatar.
• Faith is a Choice:
  • Grants Skill: Meditate.
• I am the Blizzard:
  • Gain 10% of Damage as Extra Cold Damage. On Freezing Enemies create Chilled Ground.
• I am the Thunder:
  • Gain 10% of Damage as Extra Lightning Damage.
  • 25% chance on Shocking Enemies to create Shocked Ground.
• Lead me Through Grace:
  • Gain 1 Spirit for every 6 Energy Shield on equipped Body Armour.
  • Gain 1 Spirit for every 15 Evasion Rating on equipped Body Armour.
  • Cannot gain Spirit from Equipment.
• Sunder my Enemies:
  • Critical Hits ignore non-negative Enemy Monster Elemental Resistances.
• The Soul Springs Eternal:
  • Meta Skills gain 35% more Energy.

Our pick for the best Monk Ascendancy is the Invoker. Harnessing the power of the elements as well as the ability to create Power Charges will allow you to breeze through several tougher boss fights. The nodes also grant you some powerful skills, including Unbound Avatar and Meditate.

Sorceress Ascendancies

Chronomancer

Chronomancer utilizes time-manipulation skills and nodes that can turn the tides of battle if things aren’t going your way. You’ll also gain access to better cooldown periods and faster cast speeds.

• Apex of the Moment:
  • Enemies in your Presence are Slowed by 20%.
• Circular Heartbeat:
  • 30% of Damage taken Recouped as Life.
• Footprints in the Sand:
  • Grants Skill: Temporal Rift.
• Now and Again:
  • Skills have 33% chance to not consume a Cooldown when used.
• Quicksand Hourglass:
  • Every 12 seconds, gain 50% more Cast Speed for 4 seconds.
• The Rapid River:
  • Recoup Effects instead occur over 4 seconds.
• Ultimate Command:
  • Grants Skill: Time Freeze.
• Unbound Encore:
  • Grants Skill: Time Snap.

Stormweaver

Stormweaver is another Ascendancy that’s focused on elemental damage and improving your elemental defenses. While it seems like a more offensive class up front, the reductions in elemental damage against you really help against certain enemies and bosses.

• Constant Gale:
  • You have an Arcane Surge.
• Force of Will:
  • 1% increased Effect of Arcane Surge on you per 15 Maximum Mana.
• Heart of the Storm:
  • 40% of Elemental Damage taken Recouped as Energy Shield.
• Heavy Snows:
  • Targets can be affected by two of your Chills at the same time.
  • Your Chills can Slow targets by up to a maximum of 35%.
  • 25% less Magnitude of Chill you inflict.
• Rain Dancer:
  • Elemental Storm has 150% more Cooldown Recovery Rate.
• Strike Twice:
  • Targets can be affected by two of your Shocks at the same time. 50% less Shock Duration.
• Shaper of Storms:
  • All Damage from Hits Contributes to Shock Chance.
• Scouring Winds:
  • Exposure you inflict lowers the affected Resistance by an additional 20%.
• Shaper of Winter:
  • All Damage from Hits Contributes to Chill Magnitude.
• Tempest Caller:
  • Grants Skill: Elemental Storm.

Our recommendation for the Sorceress Ascendancy is the Stormweaver. While Chronomancer is certainly not a bad pick, Stormweaver has a nice balance of offensive and defensive stat buffs that can make the endgame a breeze if you utilize the right build.

Witch Ascendancies

Bloodmage

Bloodmage is an Ascendancy centered around improving the Witch’s defenses through leeching and stacking HP bonuses. However, the Bloodmage can also leverage these bonuses into more damaging attacks as well, making it a nice all-around choice.

• Sanguimancy
• • Grants Skill: Life Remnants.
• Vitality Siphon
• • 10% of Spell Damage Leeched as Life.
• Open Sores
• • Your Curses have infinite Duration.
• Blood Barbs
• • Gain 10% of Damage as Extra Physical Damage.
  • Elemental Damage can inflict Bleeding.
• Gore Spike
• • 1% increased Critical Damage Bonus per 20 Life.
• Sunder the Flesh
• • Base Critical Hit Chance for Spells is 15%.
• Grasping Wounds
• • 25% of Life Loss of Damaging Hits is lost over 4 seconds instead.
• Crimson Power
• • Gain Energy Shield from equipped Body Armour as extra Maximum Life.

Infernalist

The Infernalist is all about dealing damage with fire. Your skills range from simply boosting fire damage to gaining skills that allow you to deal passive damage. You can also replace your Maximum Mana with Maximum Infernal Flame, which adds another layer of strategy to casting skills.

• Altered Flesh
  • 20% of Cold Damage taken as Fire Damage.
  • 20% of Lightning Damage taken as Fire Damage.
  • 20% of Physical Damage taken as Chaos Damage.
• Beidat’s Gaze
• • Reserves 25% of Life. +1 to Maximum Mana per 6 Maximum Life.
• Beidat’s Will
  • Reserves 25% of Life. +1 to maximum Spirit per 25 Maximum Life.
• Beidat’s Hand
  • Reserves 25% of Life. +1 to Maximum Energy Shield per 4 Maximum Life.
• Demonic Possession
  • Grants Skill: Demon Form.
• Mastered Darkness
  • Maximum 10 to Demonflame.
• Pyromantic Pact
  • Maximum Mana is replaced by Maximum Infernal Flame.
  • Gain Infernal Flame instead of spending Mana for Skill costs.
  • Take maximum Life and Energy Shield as Fire Damage when Infernal Flame reaches maximum.
  • Lose all Infernal Flame on reaching Maximum Infernal Flame.
  • 10% of Infernal Flame lost per second if none was gained in the past 2 seconds.
• Bringer of Flame
  • While not on Low Infernal Flame, all Damage from you and your Minions contributes to Ignite Chance and Magnitude.
• Seething Body
  • While on High Infernal Flame, you and allies in your presence gain 20% of damage are fire damage.
• Loyal Hellhound
  • Grants Skill: Summon Infernal Hellhound.
  • 20% of damage from Hits is taken from your Hellhound’s Life before you.
• Grinning Immolation
  • Become ignited when you deal a critical hit, taking 15% of your Life and Energy Shield as fire damage per second.
  • 30% more critical damage bonus.

If you’re looking for the most enjoyment out of the Witch class in Path of Exile 2, go with the Infernalist. It has some extremely fun fire skills as well as an extra layer of depth with the Infernal Flame mechanic. However, the Bloodmage is a fine option as well, so you really can’t go wrong with the Witch’s Ascendancies.

Ranger Ascendancies

Deadeye

As the name suggests, the Deadeye Ascendancy is all about increasing your accuracy with projectiles. While this doesn’t sound like a big deal, this can be a huge damage buff if you use your skills correctly.

• Avidity
  • 30% chance that if you gain Frenzy Charges, you instead gain up to your maximum number of Frenzy Charges.
• Thrilling Chase
  • Benefits from consuming Frenzy Charges for your skills have 50% chance to be doubled.
• Eagle Eyes
  • You have no Accuracy Penalty at a Distance.
• Projectile Proximity Specialisation
  • Point Blank
    • Projectile Hits deal up to 20% more Damage to targets at the start of their movement, losing the damage bonus as the projectile travels farther.
  • Far Shot
    • Projectiles gain Damage as they travel farther, dealing up to 20% more damage with Hits to targets.
• Endless Munitions
  • • Skills fire an additional Projectile.
• Called Shots
  • You can apply an additional Mark.
• Gathering Winds
  • Gain Tailwind on Skill use. Lose all Tailwind when Hit.
• Wind Ward
  • 3% less damage taken per Tailwind.

Pathfinder

Pathfinder is a poisonous Ascendancy that also comes with a variety of concoctions you can use to your advantage in combat. Your character will be less affected by slows and movement penalities as well.

• Connected Chemistry
  • 50% more Flask Charges gained.
• Enduring Elixirs
  • Life Flask Effects are not removed when Unreserved Life is Filled. Life Flask Effects do not queue.
• Contagious Contamination
  • The most Damaging Poison on Enemies you Kill is Spread to other Enemies within 1.5 meters.
• Overwhelming Toxicity
  • Doubles the number of Poisons you can inflict on Enemies.
  • 35% less Poison duration.
• Brew Concoction
  • Bleeding Concoction
  • Explosive Concoction
  • Shattering Concoction
  • Fulminating Concoction
  • Poisonous Concoction
• Traveler’s Wisdom
  • Grants 5 Passive Skill Points
• Running Assault
  • 30% less Movement Speed Penalty when using Skills while moving.
• Relentless Pursuit
  • 100% immune to Slow.

While the Pathfinder can be a more enjoyable Ascendancy, most players will find better use out of the Deadeye Ascendancy. The boosts to accuracy and additional skills are invaluable as a Ranger, especially against quicker bosses that make your aim go all over the place.

Mercenary Ascendancies

Gemling Legionnaire

The Gemling Legionnaire is a jack-of-all-trades Ascendancy. It doesn’t focus on any one stat, but instead, focuses on improving your Skill and Support Gems’ effectiveness and capacity. You’ll also see bonuses for all three attributes on your character.

• Crystalline Potential
  • +12% to Quality of all Skill Gems.
• Implanted Gems
  • +1 to Level of all Skills.
• Advanced Thaumaturgy
  • 30% less Cost of Skills. Skill Gems have 30% more Attribute Requirements.
• Integrated Efficiency
  • Grants 3 additional Skill Slots.
• Gem Studded
  • You can use two copies of the same Support Gem in different Skills.
• Thaumaturgical Infusion
  • +1% to Maximum Cold Resistance per 3 Blue Support Gems Socketed anywhere.
  • +1% to Maximum Fire Resistance per 3 Red Support Gems Socketed anywhere.
  • +1% to Maximum Lightning Resistance per 3 Green Support Gems Socketed anywhere.
• Adaptive Capability
  • Attribute Requirements of Gems can be satisfied by your highest Attribute.
• Enhanced Effectiveness
  • Inherent bonuses from Intelligence, Strength, and Dexterity are doubled.

Witchhunter

Witchhunter is a damage-centric class that grants you a few powerful skills. You’ll also be stronger against undead and demon enemies, which can certainly be useful for specific parts of Path of Exile 2.

• Weapon Master
  • 20 Passive Skill Points become Weapon Set Skill Points.
• Pitiless Killer
  • Grants Skill: Culling Strike.
• Judge, Jury, and Executioner
  • Grants Skill: Decimating Strike.
• Witchbane
  • Enemies have Maximum Concentration equal to 40% of their Maximum Life.
  • Break enemy Concentration on Hit equal to 100% of Damage Dealt.
  • Enemies regain 10% of Concentration every second if they haven’t lost Concentration in the past 5 seconds.
• No Mercy
  • Deal up to 30% more Damage to Enemies based on their missing Concentration.
• Obsessive Rituals
  • Grants Skill: Sorcery Ward.
  • 50% less Armour and Evasion Rating.
• Ceremonial Ablution
  • 50% increased effect of Sorcery Ward. Sorcery Ward recovers 50% faster.
• Zealous Inquisition
  • 10% chance for Enemies you Kill to Explode, dealing 100% of their maximum Life as Physical Damage.
  • Chance is doubled against Undead and Demons.

While the extra bonuses to gems and attributes the Gemling Legionnaire offers, there’s no beating the overall damage of the Witchhunter. The skills you gain access to are extremely strong and you’ll also be able to take advantage of the Concentration mechanic as well as kill undead and demon enemies quicker.