Path of Exile 2 Tier List – Expert (March 2026) Guide

Welcome to the most comprehensive Path of Exile 2 tier list you’ll find this March 2026! As someone who’s spent countless hours testing every ascendancy and build combination, I’m excited to share my expert analysis of the current meta. Whether you’re a fresh exile diving into Early Access or a veteran looking to optimize your endgame performance, this tier list will give you the competitive edge you need.

In this guide, I’ll break down every single ascendancy from S-Tier to F-Tier, explain why certain classes dominate the meta, and reveal the best starter builds that will carry you through the campaign and into endgame mapping. The Third Edict expansion (Patch 0.3.1) has shaken up the class balance significantly, so you need up-to-date information to make the right choices.

Path of Exile 2 Tier List: Complete Rankings (2026)

Tier	Ascendancies	Key Strengths
S-Tier	Deadeye, Blood Mage	Unmatched damage, speed, meta dominance
A-Tier	Acolyte of Chayula, Invoker, Ritualist, Lich, Titan, Pathfinder, Amazon, Infernalist	Strong performance, flexible builds, good progression
B-Tier	Tactician, Witch Hunter, Warbringer	Solid but situational, requires specific playstyles
C-Tier	Chronomancer, Stormweaver	Niche effectiveness, inconsistent performance
F-Tier	Smith of Kitava, Gemling Legionnaire	Heavily nerfed, avoid for efficient play

S-Tier Ascendancies: The Meta Kings

Deadeye (Ranger)

Current Meta Dominance: 32-34% of Top Players

Deadeye stands alone as the undisputed queen of Path of Exile 2’s current meta. If you want the fastest clear speeds, highest damage output, and most versatile playstyle, this is your ascendancy. What makes Deadeye so special?

Why Deadey is S-Tier:

• Unmatched Speed: The fastest ascendancy in a game where speed is the ultimate premium
• Projectile Mastery: New mark nodes enable 100%-200% more critical hit chance
• 4-Mark Setup: Free mark generation that other classes can only dream of
• Charge Spending: Insane buffs to Snipe and other charge-based skills
• Versatility: Excels with Lightning Arrow, Lightning Spear, and any projectile-based caster

Best Deadeye Builds:

• Lightning Arrow (70-80% of Deadeye players): The ultimate league starter and endgame mapper
• Toxic Arrow: Excellent for poison-based clearing and bossing
• Elemental Hit: Versatile elemental damage with great scaling

Lightning Arrow Deadeye Build Highlights:

• Lightning Arrow remains the most popular choice, used by 70-80% of top Deadeye players
• Incredible clear speed with chain and area effects
• Strong single-target damage for bosses
• Smooth leveling from Act 1 through endgame
• Works great with both budget and high-end gear

Blood Mage (Witch)

The Caster Revolution

Blood Mage has emerged as the new favorite for spellcasters, rivaling Deadeye in raw power. With the introduction of new mechanics and support gems, this ascendancy offers unprecedented scaling potential for spell-based builds.

Why Blood Mage is S-Tier:

• Free Sanguineous: Extra ascendancy points for massive power scaling
• Life Cost Mechanics: New Undying Hate Jewel + Atalui’s Bloodletting support gem combination
• Black Flame Keystone: Converts fire spell damage to chaos damage
• Life Overflow Mechanism: Massive health pool with excellent survivability
• Ranged Playstyle: Safe and effective for all content

Best Blood Mage Builds:

• Ember Fusillade: Leverages life cost scaling for incredible damage output
• Fireball: Classic spell with new chaos conversion mechanics
• Essence Drain + Contagion: Strong leveling option that carries into endgame

Ember Fusillade Blood Mage Highlights:

• Massive flat damage scaling through life cost mechanics
• Excellent regeneration to offset life costs
• Purple visual effects from Black Flame conversion
• Strong both for mapping and bossing
• Benefits greatly from new support gem combinations

A-Tier Ascendancies: Strong Contenders

Acolyte of Chayula (Monk)

Volatility Stacking Chaos Damage

Recently buffed with volatility mechanics, Acolyte of Chayula has climbed the ranks to become a formidable A-Tier choice. This ascendancy excels at stacking chaos damage and offers unique defensive capabilities.

Key Strengths:

• Volatility Mechanics: New chaos damage stacking system
• Strong Leveling: Performs well throughout the campaign
• Late-Game Bossing: Excellent single-target damage potential
• Defensive Options: Good survivability through chaos mechanics

Best Builds:

• Volatility Stacking: New chaos-focused playstyle
• Hollow Palm: Synergizes well with unarmed combat

Invoker (Monk)

Hollow Palm Specialist

Invoker has found new life with the Hollow Palm keystone, creating an effective unarmed playstyle that bypasses traditional weapon dependency.

Key Strengths:

• Hollow Palm Synergy: Perfect for unarmed combat builds
• Critical Strike Specialization: Early access to crit scaling
• Attack Speed Focus: Fluid animations and consistent damage
• Weapon Independence: No need to worry about weapon drops

Best Builds:

• Ice Strike Hollow Palm: Cold-based unarmed combat
• Elemental Expression: Strong early-game performance

Ritualist (Huntress)

Bleed and Corruption Master

Ritualist has improved significantly with trading mechanics changes, making it a strong choice for bleed and corruption-based builds.

Key Strengths:

• Bleed Specialization: Excellent bleed damage scaling
• Corruption Focus: Strong corruption-based builds
• Trading Benefits: Improved mid-game progression
• Versatile Playstyle: Multiple viable build paths

Lich (Witch)

Minion and Self-Cast Versatility

Lich offers a comfortable playstyle with good defensive capabilities and versatility for both minion and self-cast setups.

Key Strengths:

• Minion Support: Strong minion ascendancy option
• Defensive Tools: Excellent survivability mechanics
• Self-Cast Potential: Good for spellcasting builds
• Comfortable Playstyle: Forgiving for newer players

Best Builds:

• Skeletal Storm Mages: Most popular minion choice (70% of Infernalists)
• Essence Drain + Contagion: Strong spellcaster leveling

Titan (Warrior)

Tanky Melee with New Value

Titan has gained new value from passive tree notables, offering a tanky melee experience with creative build potential.

Key Strengths:

• Tankiness: High defensive ceiling
• New Passive Synergies: Benefits from recent tree changes
• Melee Power: Strong melee damage potential
• Creative Builds: Room for unique combinations

Best Builds:

• Earthquake Slam: Tanky melee with good clear
• Hulking Form: High damage with transformation mechanics

Pathfinder (Ranger)

Crossbow and Channeling Specialist

Pathfinder excels at crossbow and channeling builds, offering strong sustain and mobility for a comfortable playstyle.

Key Strengths:

• Crossbow Mastery: Excellent for crossbow builds
• Channeling Focus: Strong channeling skill support
• Sustain and Mobility: Good survivability and movement
• Poison Potential: Great for poison-based builds

Amazon (Huntress)

Critical Spear Specialist

Despite nerfs to critical strike, Amazon remains a fun and deadly choice for spear-based builds.

Key Strengths:

• Spear Specialization: Best ascendancy for spear builds
• Critical Strike Focus: Strong crit scaling potential
• Fun Playstyle: Engaging and dynamic combat
• Niche Appeal: Unique among ranged options

Infernalist (Witch)

Minion and Elemental Damage

Infernalist stands as the dominant minion ascendancy, though it’s somewhat overshadowed by Blood Mage for pure spellcasting power.

Key Strengths:

• Minion Dominance: Best minion ascendancy overall
• Elemental Scaling: Strong elemental damage potential
• Demon Form: High ceiling when properly built
• Versatile: Good for multiple playstyles

Best Builds:

• Skeletal Storm Mages: Primary minion skill choice
• Cold Snap + Loyal Hellhound: Fire infusion generation

B-Tier Ascendancies: Solid but Situational

Tactician (Mercenary)

Totem and Banner Playstyle

Tactician offers a unique totem and banner-focused playstyle with good depth, though it’s generally slower for efficient farming.

Key Strengths:

• Totem Specialization: Strong totem-based builds
• Banner Mechanics: Unique banner scaling system
• Defensive Options: Good survivability through totems
• Creative Potential: Room for innovative builds

Limitations:

• Slower clear speed compared to meta options
• Requires specific investment to shine
• Less straightforward than S/A-tier choices

Witch Hunter (Mercenary)

Explosive Early Clear

Witch Hunter provides strong early clear with explosion mechanics, though other crossbow builds generally outclass it in the current meta.

Key Strengths:

• Early Game Power: Strong campaign performance
• Explosion Mechanics: Fun and satisfying clear
• Curse Support: Good curse-based scaling
• 100 Weapon Set Passives: Significant damage potential

Limitations:

• Falls off compared to other crossbow options
• Less consistent endgame performance
• Outshined by meta ascendancies

Warbringer (Warrior)

Tanky but Nerfed

Warbringer remains a tanky option, but recent nerfs have reduced its overall appeal compared to other warrior ascendancies.

Key Strengths:

• High Defense: Excellent survivability mechanics
• Svalinn Synergy: Strong defensive combinations
• Totem Support: Good for totem-based builds
• Beginner Friendly: Forgiving playstyle

Limitations:

• Significant nerfs reduced power level
• Slower than meta options
• Better alternatives available

C-Tier Ascendancies: Niche Effectiveness

Chronomancer (Sorceress)

Time and Freeze Specialist

Chronomancer focuses on freeze and time manipulation mechanics, which can be effective in creative hands but struggles with raw efficiency.

Key Strengths:

• Freeze Potential: Strong freeze-based builds
• Time Manipulation: Unique temporal mechanics
• Defensive Tools: Good survivability through time effects
• Curse Scaling: Potential with Inevitable Agony

Limitations:

• Inconsistent performance
• Low upfront damage
• Highly situational effectiveness
• Requires specific build commitment

Stormweaver (Sorceress)

Elemental Storm Mechanics

Stormweaver has interesting elemental mechanics but lacks consistency in the current patch, particularly after changes to infusion generation.

Key Strengths:

• Elemental Storms: Unique storm-based mechanics
• Elemental Focus: Strong elemental damage potential
• Area Effects: Good clear capabilities
• Scaling Potential: High ceiling with proper investment

Limitations:

• Pre-nerfed infusion generation
• Inconsistent performance
• Highly dependent on specific mechanics
• Outperformed by other options

F-Tier Ascendancies: Avoid for Efficient Play

Smith of Kitava (Warrior)

Heavily Nerfed Former Champion

Smith of Kitava, once a promising ascendancy, has been heavily nerfed and now sits at the bottom of the tier list.

Why It’s F-Tier:

• Significant Nerfs: Lost most of its former power
• Slow Performance: Poor clear and bossing speed
• Better Alternatives: Other warrior ascendancies outperform it
• Gear Dependent: Requires heavy investment to be viable

Historical Context:

• Previously had one of the best campaign progressions
• Was known for high defensive ceiling
• Now struggles to compete with current meta options

Gemling Legionnaire (Mercenary)

Limited Utility Specialist

Gemling Legionnaire offers very limited utility, primarily providing crit immunity while being weak compared to other options.

Why It’s F-Tier:

• Poor Charge Generation: Weak charge mechanics
• Nerfed Benefits: Gem quality benefits repeatedly nerfed
• Limited Power: Low damage and defensive potential
• Niche Applications: Very few viable build paths

Potential Niche Uses:

• Could have specific interactions with Gem Studded
• Incinerate might work on this ascendancy
• Generally not worth the investment

Best Starter Builds for Path of Exile 2 (March 2026)

Based on my extensive testing and meta analysis, here are the most reliable starter builds for Patch 0.3.1:

1. Toxic Arrow Ranger (Deadeye/Pathfinder)

Why It’s Great for Starting:

• Smooth Leveling: Excellent campaign progression
• Great Clear: Fantastic area clearing capabilities
• Bossing Potential: Strong single-target damage
• Gear Flexibility: Works with budget and high-end gear
• Meta Relevance: Deadeye is S-Tier for good reason

Leveling Tips:

• Focus on +bow gems and physical damage early
• Transition to Toxic Arrow when available
• Stack poison chance and damage
• Use Herald of Ash for additional clear

2. Skeleton Mage Witch (Blood Mage/Lich)

Why It’s Great for Starting:

• Budget Friendly: Minimal gear requirements
• Safe Playstyle: Minions tank while you deal damage
• Efficient Farming: Great for currency and item farming
• Strong Endgame: Scales well into late content
• Two Ascendancy Options: Both Blood Mage and Lich work well

Leveling Tips:

• Start with spell skills like Fireball or Frostbolt
• Transition to Skeleton Mages when available
• Focus on minion life and damage nodes
• Use defensive auras for survivability

3. Earthquake Slam Warrior (Titan/Warbringer)

Why It’s Great for Starting:

• Tanky Build: High survivability throughout campaign
• Solid Damage: Consistent damage output
• Melee Satisfaction: Fun and engaging melee combat
• Good Progression: Smooth Act 1-4 experience
• Flexible Endgame: Can adapt to different content

Leveling Tips:

• Start with basic melee skills like Heavy Strike
• Transition to Earthquake Slam when available
• Stack armor and life nodes early
• Use Warcries for additional damage and defense

Meta Analysis: What’s Driving the Current Tier List

Patch 0.3.1 Impact

The Third Edict expansion (Patch 0.3.1) has dramatically reshaped the Path of Exile 2 meta. Several key changes have influenced the current tier list:

Major Balance Changes:

• Deadeye Buffs: Enhanced mark generation and charge spending
• Blood Mage Revolution: New life cost mechanics and support gems
• Hollow Palm Introduction: New unarmed playstyle for Monk classes
• Infusion Mechanics: Changes to how infusions are generated and used
• Support Gem Overhaul: Many support gems reworked or introduced

Economic Factors:

• Trading Improvements: Better trading systems benefit certain builds
• Currency Availability: More accessible currency progression
• Item Drop Rates: Adjusted drop rates affect gearing strategies

Player Distribution and Meta Adoption

According to data from poe.ninja and community analysis, the current player distribution shows clear meta preferences:

Top Ascendancy Usage:

• Deadeye: 32-34% of top players
• Blood Mage: Growing rapidly, approaching 20%
• Infernalist: Stable minion choice, 10-15%
• Lich: Consistent minion/spell hybrid, 8-12%
• All Others: Combined 25-30%

Build Popularity:

• Lightning Arrow Deadeye: Most popular overall build
• Skeletal Storm Mages: Most popular minion build
• Ember Fusillade Blood Mage: Rising spellcaster choice
• Hollow Palm Invoker: New favorite for unarmed players

2026 Advanced Strategies for Each Tier

S-Tier Optimization Strategies

Maximizing Deadeye Potential:

1. Mark Management: Learn to maintain multiple marks simultaneously
2. Charge Optimization: Balance charge generation and spending
3. Projectile Speed: Stack projectile speed for better clear
4. Critical Strike Scaling: Focus on crit chance and multiplier
5. Movement Integration: Combine skills with movement abilities

Blood Mage Advanced Techniques:

1. Life Cost Management: Balance life expenditure with regeneration
2. Chaos Conversion: Maximize Black Flame keystone benefits
3. Support Gem Synergy: Optimize new support gem combinations
4. Defensive Layering: Combine life overflow with other defenses
5. Elemental Focus: Choose primary element and specialize

A-Tier Enhancement Methods

Acolyte of Chayula Volatility Stacking:

1. Volatility Generation: Maximize volatility stack generation
2. Chaos Damage Focus: Stack chaos damage and chaos resistance shred
3. Defensive Volatility: Use volatility for both offense and defense
4. Area Effect Optimization: Increase area for better volatility spread
5. Bossing Rotation: Learn optimal bossing rotations

Invoker Hollow Palm Mastery:

1. Unarmed Scaling: Maximize unarmed damage and attack speed
2. Critical Strike Balance: Balance crit chance with attack speed
3. Elemental Specialization: Focus on one or two elements
4. Defensive Stance: Use defensive abilities while maintaining offense
5. Movement Integration: Combine attacks with movement skills

Common Mistakes to Avoid

S-Tier Pitfalls

Deadeye Common Mistakes:

• Overinvesting in Damage: Neglecting defenses and survivability
• Poor Mark Management: Not maintaining optimal mark setups
• Ignoring Movement: Failing to integrate movement with offense
• Wrong Skill Choices: Using non-projectile skills on projectile ascendancy
• Charge Mismanagement: Wasting charges or not generating enough

Blood Mage Common Mistakes:

• Life Cost Mismanagement: Killing self with excessive life costs
• Ignoring Regeneration: Not stacking enough life regeneration
• Poor Support Gem Choices: Not optimizing new support combinations
• Defensive Neglect: Focusing only on damage output
• Wrong Element Choice: Not specializing in optimal elements

A-Tier Mistakes

Acolyte of Chayula Errors:

• Volatility Mismanagement: Not maintaining optimal volatility stacks
• Chaos Resistance Neglect: Forgetting enemy chaos resistance
• Poor Area Scaling: Not investing enough in area of effect
• Defensive Volatility Ignorance: Not using volatility for defense
• Wrong Skill Synergy: Using skills that don’t benefit from volatility

Invoker Hollow Palm Mistakes:

• Weapon Dependency: Still using weapons instead of going unarmed
• Poor Critical Balance: Focusing too much on crit or attack speed
• Elemental Spread: Trying to use too many elements
• Movement Neglect: Not combining attacks with proper movement
• Defensive Stance Ignorance: Not using defensive abilities properly

Future Meta Predictions

Upcoming Balance Changes

Based on current trends and developer communications, here are my predictions for future balance changes:

Likely Nerfs:

• Deadeye Mark Generation: Potential reduction in mark generation efficiency
• Blood Mage Life Costs: Possible adjustments to life cost mechanics
• Lightning Arrow: Might see some balancing to reduce dominance
• Hollow Palm: Potential adjustments to unarmed damage scaling

Potential Buffs:

• F-Tier Ascendancies: Smith of Kitava and Gemling Legionnaire might receive love
• C-Tier Options: Chronomancer and Stormweaver could see improvements
• Underused Skills: Less popular skills might get buffed
• Defensive Options: General defensive improvements across the board

Long-Term Meta Evolution

Expected Meta Shifts:

1. Diversification: Move away from current S-Tier dominance
2. New Mechanic Introduction: Additional new mechanics could shake up rankings
3. Balance Refinement: Ongoing balance changes will create new optimal choices
4. Community Innovation: Players will discover new build archetypes
5. Endgame Focus: More emphasis on endgame viability over leveling

FAQ: Path of Exile 2 Tier List

What makes Deadeye the best ascendancy in Path of Exile 2?

Deadeye dominates the meta due to its unmatched speed, projectile mastery, and versatility. With 32-34% of top players choosing this ascendancy, it offers the fastest clear speeds and highest damage potential. The new mark nodes provide 100%-200% more critical hit chance, while charge spending mechanics have been significantly buffed. Lightning Arrow remains the most popular choice, used by 70-80% of Deadeye players for its incredible clear and bossing capabilities.

Is Blood Mage better than other spellcaster ascendancies?

Yes, Blood Mage currently outperforms other spellcaster ascendancies due to several key factors: free Sanguineous for extra ascendancy points, new life cost mechanics with the Undying Hate Jewel and Atalui’s Bloodletting support gem combination, and the Black Flame keystone that converts fire damage to chaos. These elements combine to create unprecedented scaling potential that other spellcaster options can’t match.

What are the best starter builds for new players in Patch 0.3.1?

The best starter builds for new players are: 1) Toxic Arrow Ranger (Deadeye/Pathfinder) for smooth leveling and great clear, 2) Skeleton Mage Witch (Blood Mage/Lich) for budget-friendly minion playstyle, and 3) Earthquake Slam Warrior (Titan/Warbringer) for tanky melee experience. These builds have low currency requirements, excellent progression curves, and scale well into endgame content.

Why are Smith of Kitava and Gemling Legionnaire in F-Tier?

Smith of Kitava and Gemling Legionnaire are in F-Tier due to significant nerfs that have rendered them underwhelming compared to other options. Smith of Kitava, once promising, has lost most of its former power and now suffers from poor performance. Gemling Legionnaire offers very limited utility, primarily providing crit immunity while being weak in damage output and defensive capabilities compared to other Mercenary ascendancies.

How often does the Path of Exile 2 tier list change?

The Path of Exile 2 tier list changes frequently due to the game being in Early Access and receiving regular balance patches. Major updates like Patch 0.3.1 (The Third Edict) can dramatically shift the meta, while smaller hotfixes and balance adjustments can cause smaller ranking changes. Players should check for updated tier lists every few weeks, especially after major patches, to stay current with the meta.

Can I succeed with lower-tier ascendancies?

Yes, you can succeed with lower-tier ascendancies if you enjoy their playstyle and are willing to invest more time and resources. Path of Exile 2 is designed so that any build can be viable with sufficient investment. However, lower-tier ascendancies generally require more specific gear, more optimization, and may not perform as efficiently as S or A-tier options. They’re better suited for players looking for unique challenges rather than optimal performance.

What’s the difference between Softcore and Hardcore tier lists?

Softcore tier lists (like this one) focus on damage output, clear speed, and efficiency, as death is less punishing. Hardcore tier lists prioritize survivability, defensive capabilities, and consistency, as a single death ends the character. Some ascendancies that perform well in Softcore (like high-damage, low-defense glass cannon builds) may be ranked lower in Hardcore, while tanky, consistent builds may be ranked higher.

How do I choose the right ascendancy for my playstyle?

To choose the right ascendancy, consider: 1) Your preferred combat style (ranged, melee, spell, minion), 2) Your tolerance for risk (glass cannon vs. tanky), 3) Your experience level (beginner-friendly vs. complex), 4) Your endgame goals (mapping, bossing, deep diving), and 5) Your available time and currency. S and A-tier ascendancies generally offer the best combination of these factors for most players.

Conclusion: Your Path to Path of Exile 2 Mastery

This comprehensive Path of Exile 2 tier list for March 2026 should give you everything you need to make informed decisions about your character progression. Remember that while S and A-tier ascendancies offer the most efficient path to power, the best ascendancy is ultimately the one you enjoy playing the most.

The current meta clearly favors Deadeye and Blood Mage, but Path of Exile 2’s balance is constantly evolving. Keep an eye on patch notes, community discussions, and emerging build strategies to stay ahead of the curve. Most importantly, have fun experimenting with different ascendancies and finding the playstyle that resonates with you.

For more Path of Exile 2 guides and strategies, check out our other articles on Path of Exile 2 modifier mechanics, the Third Edict expansion, and Two Wishes quest strategies.

Happy exiling, and may your loot be legendary!

Bookmark this guide for quick reference during your Path of Exile 2 journey. The meta evolves quickly, and we’ll keep this tier list updated with the latest balance changes and community discoveries.