All classes in one table
As of version 0.5.5 (October 2026). An Ascendancy class is a specialisation you choose during the campaign.
| Class | Attributes | Playstyle | Starting weapon | Ascendancies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrior | Strength | heavy melee hits, warcries, shield | Mace | Titan, Warbringer, Smith of Kitava |
| Ranger | Dexterity | archer who shoots on the move | Bow | Deadeye, Pathfinder |
| Witch | Intelligence | minions and curses, chaos and bone magic | Wand, Sceptre | Infernalist, Blood Mage, Lich |
| Sorceress | Intelligence | elemental mage (fire, cold, lightning), lots of area damage, little defence | Staff | Stormweaver, Chronomancer, Disciple of Varashta |
| Mercenary | Strength, Dexterity | crossbow with different ammo types and grenades | Crossbow | Witchhunter, Gemling Legionnaire, Tactician |
| Monk | Dexterity, Intelligence | fast quarterstaff combat, dashes, lightning and cold | Quarterstaff | Invoker, Acolyte of Chayula, Martial Artist |
| Huntress | Dexterity | spear for melee and throwing, skill combos | Spear | Amazon, Ritualist, Spirit Walker |
| Druid | Strength, Intelligence | bear and wolf shapeshifting plus spells | Talisman, Staff | Shaman, Oracle |
The Ranger and the Druid have two Ascendancy classes each for now. Four of the 12 announced classes are still missing: the Duelist (swords, arrives in 1.0), the Marauder, the Shadow and the Templar (no date).
What guides recommend
There is no single "best class for beginners", and GGG does not name one. This is what major sites recommend:
| Source | Recommends | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Game8 (August 2026, version 0.5) | for beginners: Warrior; fast campaign: Mercenary; minions: Witch | the Warrior is tanky; a Witch with Essence Drain and Contagion levels easily with any Ascendancy |
| Game8 on the Ranger | "a strong and flexible option for beginners and veterans alike" | ranged combat |
| Maxroll (June 2026) | Mercenary Tactician for the campaign | the Supporting Fire skill clears a large area |
| Mobalytics (September 2026, 0.5.5) | one beginner build for every class, e.g. Ice Shot Deadeye (Ranger), Twister (Huntress), Bear Druid, Essence Drain (Witch) | the choice depends on what you enjoy |
| Players on Reddit (August 2026) | ranged is easier than melee; the crossbow (Mercenary) is good for learning; Druid in wolf or bear form if you want melee | the Warrior's mace is often considered harder |
Our summary: if this is your first time, choose ranged combat: the Ranger (bow) or the Mercenary (crossbow). If you prefer letting creatures fight for you, take the Witch. All three come up in several independent sources. The Warrior and the Monk are very satisfying, but melee requires more dodging and a better feel for bosses.
Power rankings (tier lists) are not the same as ease of play. In September 2026 Maxroll gave the Gemling Legionnaire its top league starter rating, while other rankings placed it low in June. Version 1.0 brings the balance changes postponed from 0.5.5, so check fresh builds before December 11. We will update this article after the 1.0 patch notes.
Class and weapons: what limits your choice
- Every class can use every weapon and every gem, as long as it meets the attribute requirements (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence). Maxroll: "You can use any weapon or play any skill on any class in the endgame".
- The class decides your starting point on the passive tree (Strength on the left, Dexterity on the right, Intelligence at the top) and which Ascendancy classes you can choose.
- You cannot change class. To play another one, you create a new character.
- The tree has two weapon sets (Weapon Set 1 and 2), switched with the X key by default. Some passive points are assigned separately to each set. The official planner shows 123 points, including 25 for each weapon set, plus 8 Ascendancy points.
How Ascendancy selection works
- The first chance comes as early as Act 2: the Trial of the Sekhemas. Completing any trial for the first time unlocks your Ascendancy.
- Act 3 adds the Trial of Chaos.
- There are 8 Ascendancy points in total, 2 for each of the four trial tiers. You can keep doing the same type of trial.
- The Trial of the Sekhemas can be repeated; failing costs you nothing.
- You can change your Ascendancy, but only to another one of the same class. You must complete a trial at least as hard as the hardest one you have done and first refund your Ascendancy points for gold.
The community wiki and Maxroll describe the trials as they were before version 0.5.5, and in 0.5.5 GGG reworked the Trial of Chaos (resume from the same room, rewards after each room). GGG has not mentioned any change to how Ascendancy points are earned.
The Duelist in version 1.0
On December 11 the Duelist arrives, the first class built around swords: one-handed, two-handed or dual wielded. Dual wielding swords lets you parry attacks. GGG has shown skills including Cyclone, Earth Rend, Rending Dash and Bloody Blade. The Duelist's Ascendancy classes will be known after ExileCon (November 6). More: Path of Exile 2 1.0, what's new.
Picked your class? Start with the beginner's guide: Spirit, currency, loot filters and the most common mistakes.
