7 Best Path of Exile builds in 2024 ranked: Necromancer, Gladiator & more

The best Path of Exile builds represent the best way to level and tool up your characters to not only thrive in PvP and PvE, but to create an avatar that suits your playstyle. Here is the best Path to Exile builds in 2024.

Path of Exile plays a lot like the Diablo series and features a total of seven base classes and many more Ascendancy classes (or subclasses), each with their own styles of play – and there are a whole host of builds available that can push these classes a step further.

Whether want to be a caster, a warrior, or something more nuanced like a necromancer, there’s a build to suit every style. The game’s approach to character-building is still very different from Diablo’s. There’s also more flexibility when it comes to classes.

Below, we’ve featured some of the classic and most celebrated Path to Exile builds that players can use to create a powerful play style. Or, a build that can be used as a foundation for some of the more custom and experimental builds players may want to create.

Contents

Grinding Gear Games Path of Exile’s gameplay gives you plenty of unique character classes to try out.

Best Path of Exile builds

Each build listed below is simple to create, resulting in a character that can do massive amounts of damage in combat – we’ve also ranked them in order of power, so you’ll know which is the best to use in Path of Exile.

7. Oro’s Flicker Strike Raider

As a build that relies on the weapon Oro’s Sacrifice and the skill Flicker Strike, the idea here is to strike with your weapon to cause massive fire damage, before teleporting away with Flicker Strike and repeating.

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The build essentially allows powerful tank characters to bounce around the screen, blasting mobs of enemies with an overpowered skill that’s supposed to be lugged around slowly. Flicker Strike unlocks the potential of Oro’s Sacrifice, and together, they make for a dangerous combination.

The beauty of the build is it can be created by any Strength-based build, so pick a Maunder and level them towards the goal of using powerful two-handed weapons.

6. Tectonic Slam Chieftain

The Tectonic Slam Chieftain is a celebrated build in Path of Exile, but don’t let its ranking at six on our list put you off. This is a physical powerhouse that also does massive AoE damage to enemies.

Start out with a standard Strength class like the Marauder and focus on leveling skills like Tectonic Slam and Endurance Charges with a tank build in mind. However, these two main skills will be your bread and butter. While the build is incredible at killing mobs of enemies, the reliance on AoE damage makes fighting bosses tough.

This is because Tectonic Slam and Endurance Charges aren’t geared around killing solo enemies. Therefore, always be sure to create a backup plan that takes advantage of the setup.

5. Mage Skeleton Necromancer

The Necromancer is a magic-based character whose skills rely on manipulating and reanimating the dead to do their bidding. These macabre casters are able to summon skeletons and dead enemies to fight for them, while they then hide in the background casting buffs to aid their minions and curses to hinder their foes.

To create the build, start with the Witch class and focus your efforts on summoning skills — specifically targeting the Skeleton Mage ability. You’ll need to have an abundance of Mana to pull this off – but you’ll need to accept that you’ll be vulnerable when your minions die.

Be aware that the build also has a high casting time, so overcompensate for this by summoning before the melee, or by doing so out of harm’s way and in good time. Then sit back and watch your minions annihilate your enemies.

4. Elemental Hit Slayer

Grinding Gear Games The Elemental Hit Slayer is a classic build for elemental mages in Path of Exile.

As the name suggests, the Elemental Hit Slayer is a build that takes advantage of elemental magic to smite their opponents. You can focus on one certain element if you like, but you’ll come unstuck when you face an enemy that’s overly resistant to your chosen power.

Therefore, we’d recommend the Witch to be your starting class, before focusing your efforts on leveling Fire, Lightning, and Cold for a well-rounded set of skills. The good news is that you can use all three by leveling the same magic stats, but, the Elemental Hit ability is undoubtedly the icing on the cake for this build.

This will use all three of the above elements to pour massive amounts of elemental damage onto enemies at random. The beauty is that even if an enemy is resistant to one element, they’ll likely be destroyed by the next.

However, the ability can be focused on one particular element (like Fire) by using items like the Unique Jewel. Those who enjoy playing as traditional Wizards will love this build the most.

3. Impervious Herald of Agony Juggernaut

If you enjoy playing as Crusader or Paladin-like characters, then the Impervious Herald of Agony Juggernaut will be the best build for you in Path of Exile. To create this build, create a classic tank character, such as the Marauder or Duelist, then look to acquire the Herald of Agony skill gem.

A vital piece of the build overall, this already hardy Juggernaut class will have its mana buffed thanks to the gem, and will be able to poison foes and summon an Agony Crawler to turn them into dust in a flash

This build allows you to create a Templar-like warrior who can endlessly inflict status effects on mobs while moving in for the kill when they’re weakened. Be sure to keep your mana buffed, as the gem may not always be enough.

2. Lacerate Gladiator

A classic Dexterity build, the Lacerate Gladiator mostly uses the Lacerate skill to increase the likelihood of causing bleed damage. You can also use Blood and Sand which will stack with Lacerate and increase your damage output.

While a Dexterity class like the Ranger is the best route for this build, feel free to experiment with another class if you feel as if the build would benefit from more survivability should fights get intense.

The build also works with the Marauder, but we’d recommend the Duelist class, as this offers a good balance between tanky and roguish styles, allowing you to get the best of both worlds.

1. Detonate Dead Necromancer

The Necromancer reigns supreme in Path of Exile, and while there are two builds on this list in total, the Detonate Dead Necromancer undoubtedly takes the cake

Of course, like any good Necro build, this one makes use of summoning minions and watching them wreak havoc from a distance — although this time, we’ll be turning these minions into bombs to take down your foes with.

Start by creating your classic summoner Necromancer build and then switch focus to the Volatile Dead and Detonate Dead skills. This turns your minions into volatile orbs, while the corpses around them explode, causing massive damage to any enemy in the vicinity.

You can use each skill separately if you like, and in some cases, this may be preferable. However, using both at the same time to clear a map of enemies is the ultimate Path of Exile power trip, and this build is insanely overpowered.

So, there you have it — that’s the seven best Path of Exile character builds you should be using in 2023, ranked.

For more content like this, check out some of our Diablo guides below:

Path of Exile guide: Which is the best class?

Ryan Gilliam (he/him) has worked at Polygon for nearly seven years. He primarily spends his time writing guides for massively popular games like Diablo 4 & Destiny 2.

One of the first choices you make in Path of Exile is which class you’d like to play. There are six classes available from the start of the game, and one more you unlock during the campaign.

Before you pick your class, think about the fantasy role you want to fulfill. You can sling spells, shoot arrows, or bash a zombie’s head in with a hammer as any class — but some classes excel in one area over the others. Having an idea of which of those three playstyles you’d like to excel at will help your class selection process.

The benefits of each class

The opening area of the Marauder skill tree Image: Grind Gear Games via Polygon

Each of the six classes in Path of Exile has a stat associated with them. A Marauder, for example, starts with higher Strength than other classes, meaning he deals more physical damage to enemies and is harder to kill. Dexterity is about speed, accuracy, and evasion. Intelligence offers improved critical attacks and a larger energy shield — which protects the more fragile caster classes.

Here is the breakdown of which stat or stats each class excels at:

Duelist (Dexterity and Strength)

The Duelist specializes in swords or axes. He uses a mix of Dexterity and Strength attacks to avoid damage and hit hard. His early skills allow him to choose between attack speed or raw damage.

The Marauder is tough to kill and deals heavy damage with mace-like weapons. He has access to powerful two-handed melee skills and defensive skills near his staring location on the Passive Skill Tree.

The Ranger does all her damage with bows, and is all about attacking fast from a safe distance. She can invest in attack speed and evasion early in the game.

Shadow (Dexterity and Intelligence)

The Shadow uses daggers or claws to fight with weapon or magic abilities. He can invest in Chaos magic and attack speed early in the game.

Templar (Intelligence and Strength)

The Templar uses big sticks to either bludgeon his foes or attack them with spells. He can invest in magic and physical defense skills early in the game.

The Witch battles with wands or scepters. She deals high spell damage with critical attacks, and can invest early in minion and spell skills.

After you play through the campaign and rescue the Scion, you will gain access to the seventh class in Path of Exile:

Scion (Dexterity, Intelligence, and Strength)

The Scion’s stats are completely even and she starts in the middle of the Passive Skill Tree. She’s essentially a blank slate for you to create any build you choose. Because of her even stats, she’s a difficult class to pick up

Other than your stats, your class choice determines where you start on the daunting Passive Skill Tree.

The very daunting Path of Exile Passive Skill Tree Image: Grinding Gear Games via the Path of Exile gamepedia

The Passive Skill Tree offers bonuses for your character. Each time you level up, you have an opportunity to select a new skill node and grow your tree. The class you choose determines your starting node — you cannot change where you start after you’ve picked your class.

But you can completely change your path and hit another class’s Passive Skill Tree area. A Templar can reach a Marauder’s passive area and claim their skills, but the Templar will spend far more points getting to the Marauder area than the Marauder does.

The exception is the Scion, which starts in the middle of the tree and can branch off to any of the class trees fairly quickly.

Any class can use any ability in the game. But some of the advanced classes make certain types of abilities more powerful.

Ascendancy classes

Here are each of the character classes, with their three Ascendancy options under them Image: Path of Exile gamepedia

After Act 3, players can unlock access to The Labyrinth, a random dungeon that unlocks the ability to advance one’s class and move into a specialty. All classes have three Ascendancy classes to choose from — except for the Scion, who only has one:

• Marauder — Juggernaut, Berserker, Chieftain
• Duelist — Slayer, Gladiator, Champion
• Ranger — Deadeye, Raider, Pathfinder
• Shadow — Assassin, Saboteur, Trickster
• Witch — Necromancer, Occultist, Elementalist
• Templar — Inquisitor, Hierophant, Guardian
• Scion — Ascendant

Each class has its own Ascendancy tree, which you can only invest a few points into. These trees offer major playstyle bonuses, like increasing all elemental damage, minion damage, or totem damage.

If you’re planning on playing into the late game and know you want a minion build, you should probably choose the Witch for the Necromancy Ascendancy class, for example. It’s important you consider what your desired class can become through Ascendancy before you choose.

Which class is easiest to play?

The Templar is hard to kill, making him one of the best beginner choices Image: Grinding Gear Games via Polygon

A class’s base stats determine their ease of use in Path of Exile, not which abilities they use. The Ranger and Witch are safe classes, and their starting stats help you deal a lot of damage from far away. But as a trade off, you’ll die very quickly if an enemy gets close to you. They’re great classes to start on, but only if you’re confident in your ability to kite enemies (moving constantly, and briefly stopping to attack).

Classes that start with a lot of Strength — the Marauder, Templar, and Duelist — have to fight enemies in close quarters during the early game. But despite being closer to the danger, they’re more survivable than the ranged characters above.

For beginners, we recommend: the Marauder for melee damage or the Templar for melee and magic, since they’re both hard classes to kill.

The class you choose should be more about the character you identify with most. If you feel stuck and worried about stats, just pick the class that looks the coolest. No matter which one you choose — even if you have a tough early game — you’ll eventually do just fine.

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