Path Of Exile 2 Carry Run

It has been over two weeks since the official launch of Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0. While this period represents less than a quarter of a typical PoE 2 league cycle, it is already possible to make a preliminary assessment of the patch's value and its impact on the meta game.

You may have already found builds or playstyles that suit you, but understanding the meta game is essential if you want to adjust your strategies in response to a changing game environment, rather than relying entirely on the latest guides provided by others.

Here, we provide an interim summary and analysis of PoE 2 meta game to help you gain a deeper understanding of Patch 0.5.0's performance and value, moving beyond just the surface-level gameplay experience.

Reviewing the current state of Return of the Ancients

As likely the final Early Access update before the 1.0 launch, Patch 0.5.0 received unprecedented attention from the development team; both the design of new mechanics and the optimization of the endgame are outstanding.

The standout feature is undoubtedly the revolutionary overhaul of the endgame, which provides a clearer sense of purpose and direction for your Atlas experience after the campaign concludes.

Given the excellent experience offered by Patch 0.5.0, you will probably look forward to the full release with greater anticipation and optimism, regardless of whether it arrives later this year.

The New Martial Artist Ascendancy Class takes the lead

Shifts in the meta game are usually most apparent in Ascendancy Class choices. In the current state of Patch 0.5.0, Martial Artist, the newly added third Monk Ascendancy Class, has emerged as the most popular choice.

This popularity isn't merely due to the novelty of a new option; more importantly, Martial Artist significantly boosts combat effectiveness, especially when compared to other Monk Ascendancies.

In Patch 0.4.0, most Monk players opted for Invoker, yet its usage rate has dropped sharply in Patch 0.5.0, without having received any direct nerfs. This is largely because Martial Artist offers a superior gameplay experience from virtually every perspective.

Consequently, several high-performing Martial Artist quarterstaff builds have emerged in Path of Exile 2. The most eye-catching feature is the Hollow Form + Whirling Assault combo.

This build allows for wide-sweeping AoE attacks that cover the entire screen while dealing massive damage. It enables you to quickly clear the screen in combat scenarios with dense enemy spawns, such as Rituals or Fortresses, making it highly efficient for farming PoE 2 currency.

It also performs well defensively; the extended attack range makes it difficult for enemies to get close enough to strike, while allowing you to deal damage from a greater distance than standard quarterstaff builds.

Additionally, the other new Ascendancy, Spirit Walker, has gained significant popularity, with mainstream playstyles primarily centering on Twister and Tame Beast skills.

It is worth noting that the two new classes introduced in the second expansion of Diablo 4, the long-time rival of Path of Exile series, have seen lackluster performance and popularity since their late-April launch.

While Paladin was available for early access via pre-order during Diablo 4 Season 11, Warlock was entirely new. This suggests that Diablo 4 has fallen slightly behind, at least regarding the design of these new classes.

The rise of other classic Ascendancy Classes

Patch 0.5.0 not only introduced two new Ascendancies but also optimized several existing options. Although the changes weren't massive in scope, their impact was quite noticeable.

First, Deadeye saw a strong resurgence during Runes of Aldur league, with its player base growing rapidly.

This was driven not only by its status as the top choice for projectile-based builds but also by Patch 0.5.0 improvements to mechanics like Deflection, which provide superior defensive benefits.

Another Ascendancy that benefited greatly from Patch 0.5.0 is Gemling Legionnaire; having hit rock bottom following nerfs in Patch 0.2.0, it has finally returned to the top tier.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that Shaman and Acolyte of Chayula currently sit at the bottom of the meta. This isn't because PoE 2 nerfed them directly, but rather because the arrival of new options inevitably crowds out the top spots on the leaderboards.

Shifts in the gear meta

The usage rate of Lavianga's Spirit flask, which gained popularity late in 0.4.0 patch cycle, has climbed further since the launch of 0.5.0. It provides a continuous passive mana regeneration effect.

This trend reflects the fact that there are currently limited ways to address mana regeneration in Path of Exile 2; consequently, mana-intensive builds are forced to rely on mana flasks.

If you are a devoted fan of this flask, here is a great chance to stock up on more of them for free: participate in IGGM PoE 2 0.5.0 free currency giveaways on Discord! If you win, you can use Divine Orbs or Exalted Orbs you receive to trade for even more flasks!

Another recent shift in the gear meta involves the newly introduced Mageblood Utility Belt challenging the long-standing dominance of Headhunter Heavy Belt.

Since the start of Path of Exile 2 Early Access, belts have been one of the weakest slots for obtaining powerful modifiers, leaving Headhunter as the only highly sought-after, top-tier option for a long time.

To address this, the developers introduced Mageblood as a new belt base type of Patch 0.5.0, drawing inspiration from the first game, along with crafting modifiers derived from Breach mechanic.

As Mageblood meets the needs of a wider range of PoE 2 builds, the usage rate of Headhunter has begun to decline.

Conclusion

In terms of the current meta, PoE 2 Patch 0.5.0 is performing better than previous patches. With this patch cycle expected to last at least another 3–4 months, further balance adjustments are likely, which will continue to influence build popularity.

We hope Path of Exile 2 maintains this level of optimization and precision, retaining and attracting players throughout 0.5.0, and ensuring that the eventual launch of version 1.0 sparks an even greater wave of excitement for the game!

In Path of Exile 2, the damage output of top-tier builds hinges on the currency you funnel into them. Some elite players achieve absurdly high numbers with their setups, but not everyone belongs to that camp. Many players lack the time to farm currency extensively yet still want to enjoy everything the game has to offer.

With that in mind, the five Budget builds below cater to those with more modest resources. They perform admirably even in Solo Self-Found mode and demand almost no high-value gear. That said, investing additional resources can elevate them further, and they are more than capable of carrying you through the bulk of endgame content.

Here are 5 budget builds for PoE 2 Patch 0.5.0:

• Cluster Grenade Gemling Legionnaire
• Archon Djinn Blaster
• Spirit Walker Druid
• Spell Totem Oracle
• Power Charge Martial Artist

Cluster Grenade Gemling Legionnaire

Cluster Grenade Gemling Legionnaire stands out as the most SSF-friendly option. Its core mechanic revolves around the instant-detonation setup, which unleashes 72 projectiles onto a boss and erases it in the blink of an eye.

The primary source of this build's power lies in Advanced Thaumaturgy notable passive on Gemling Legionnaire's tree, whose effect reads: "Gem quality provides additional benefits to socketed skills." When applied to Cluster Grenade, this bonus appears as added fire damage on the surface, but in practice it grants a 72% reduction in grenade fuse time. With that boost, your primary grenade detonates in just 0.19 seconds and the secondary ones in 0.29 seconds, resulting in near-instant explosions.

You can shorten the fuse even further through Volatile Grenades passive or Short Fuse II support gem. If you choose to invest more in your gear, you might even drop Short Fuse II altogether and gain a 30% damage increase instead.

This build runs smoothly in SSF with zero gear investment, yet it also possesses the potential to become a top contender once you start allocating more resources to it.

Archon Djinn Blaster

Archon Djinn Blaster harnesses the power of three Djinn simultaneously, enabling cooldown-free spellcasting, full-screen freezing, and relentless bombardment of enemies.

• Barya of Kelari: Kelari, the Tainted Sands serves as your primary damage minion. Each successive cast from it grants 50% more damage, stacking up to 300%.
• Barya of Ruzhan: Use Ruzhan, the Blazing Sword for rapid casting to activate Archon of Undeath.
• Barya of Navira: Navira, the Last Mirage provides the fracturing effect, clearing entire screens with ice explosions while restoring your shield.

After equipping an amulet that grants Wolf Pack skill, your summoned minions will perish on their own, continuously triggering Ice Nova. These novas are empowered by Verisium Infusions, leaving Chilled Ground behind, gaining increased area of effect, and generating infinite energy.

The most demanding part of this build is Dominion passive node, which reduces the effect of Archon Buffs on you by 50% but removes their cooldown recovery period entirely. This lets you cast Archon of Undeath endlessly and switch freely among all skills, while constantly enjoying movement speed and elemental resistance bonuses. Activating this node requires you to invest around 10 Divine Orbs' worth of Distilled Emotions.

Spirit Walker Druid

Spirit Walker Druid does not rely on minions; instead, it uses Spirit Walker to grant a massive volume of projectiles that annihilate enemies both on and off the screen.

Two keystones form the backbone of this build: Primal Bounty and The Mhacha's Gift. Primal Bounty provides Owl Feathers buff every 8 seconds, which adds extra projectiles, while The Mhacha's Gift doubles the effectiveness of that buff and allows it to stack up to three times.

To activate Owl Feathers, you merely need to perform a single dodge roll, after which you gain a tremendous projectile boost. Barrage, being a channelled skill, locks in all projectile bonuses at the start of the channel and applies them throughout the entire duration. Even without investing in gear, you will demolish everything with a hail of projectiles. And if you do allocate some currency towards stacking Evasion Rating and Deflection, your survivability improves dramatically.

Spell Totem Oracle

Spell Totem Oracle primarily leverages Grim Pillars and Ancestral Bond keystone to summon spell totems. You then link Arc, Spark, or Entangle to your totems, and they automatically cast those skills to clear monsters for you.

Ancestral Bond doubles your totem limit, removes charge requirements, and makes each totem occupy 75 Spirit. Combined with the extra totem cap from Oracle ascendancy and the bonuses from skill levels, you ultimately field six totems at once. Meanwhile, the Inevitable Critical passive ensures that your skills always land critical hits, providing rock-solid damage consistency.

You will need to invest some currency into adding Spirit modifiers to your gear to maintain enough Spirit reserves. Additionally, you must acquire Grim Pillars in Act 2. This item is obtainable for roughly 1 Divine Orb, though you can also farm it yourself if you have the patience.

If you don't want to waste time farming or you want to take your character's damage to the next level, you can participate in IGGM's PoE 2 Currency Giveaway on Discord. Winning will earn you a large amount of Divine Orbs and Exalted Orbs.

Power Charge Martial Artist

Martial Artist shines in Runes of Aldur League within PoE 2. Whirling Assault and Staggering Palm handle regular monsters with ease, and against bosses you supplement those with Falling Thunder paired with Tempest Bell.

If you wish to use Mantra of Destruction for extra chaos damage and power charges, you will need Ailith's Chimes to enable it. Fortunately, this item currently carries little demand, so you can acquire it without difficulty.

These 5 budget-friendly builds span playstyles from melee to ranged to summoning, and all of them offer ample room for growth should you decide to invest further. Whether you are farming or simply pushing towards the endgame, any of these setups will serve you well.