What is the best Path of Exile 2 Warrior build? The Warrior may appear at first glance to be a fairly straightforward class in Path of Exile 2, but with a few new tricks up their sleeve this time around, they are surprisingly effective at both defense and offense. We take a look at the best build and skills for this heavy brawler.
We already have Path of Exile 2 builds for Sorceress, Mercenary, and Ranger, but those PoE 2 classes are generally ranged damage dealers, never quite getting their hands dirty. With the PoE 2 Warrior, however, you’ll be in the mix at all times – whether defending or maiming, however, is up to you. You can also check out our dedicated PoE 2 builds guide for even more tips
Path of Exile 2 Warrior overview
The Warrior is a tanky, melee-focused class that moves a little slower than some of its counterparts but hits harder as a result. Warriors generally deal physical damage and can utilize two-handed weapons like mauls to deal high damage up close.
The Warrior class can also switch to a one-handed weapon and make use of a shield. When equipped with a shield, the Warrior has access to an active block ability which can be used to guard any front-facing damage for a short period.
Warriors can make expert use of the weapon set passive function, creating what is essentially two different builds whether you’re on the defensive or offensive. By utilizing the ability to switch between these instantaneously can make this class highly effective, and far more flexible than it may seem initially.
There are two Ascendancies for the Path of Exile 2 Warrior:
- The Titan: A defensive Ascendancy, the Titan focuses on crowd control and high defense.
- The Warbringer: An offensive Ascendancy, the Warbringer boasts high melee damage and the ability to detonate fallen enemies.
All Path of Exile 2 Warrior skills
A lot of Warrior’s skills amount to hitting things very hard with a large object. Quite a lot of them cause AoE damage after a set period of time, dealing fire damage, increased stun buildup, or armor-breaking secondary effects.
All Path of Exile 2 Warrior active skills
| Skill Name | Requirements | Effect |
| Earthquake |
Level 1 Uncut Skill Gem Mace |
Smash the ground, leaving behind Jagged Ground that slows enemies. After a few seconds, the Jagged Ground erupts to deal damage. |
| Boneshatter |
Level 1 Uncut Skill Gem Mace |
Hit enemies with a melee strike that causes Heavy Stun on foes near their stun threshold, creating a powerful shockwave. |
| Rolling Slam |
Level 1 Uncut Skill Gem Mace |
Slam the ground to Stun enemies and knock them away, continuing up with a powerful second slam. |
| Armour Breaker |
Level 3 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 6 16 Strength |
Attack with a forceful blow, knocking enemies back and weakening their armor. |
| Shockwave Totem |
Level 3 Uncut Skill Gem Any Martial Weapon, Unarmed Level 6 16 Strength |
Raise a totem that periodically Slams the ground around it, damaging nearby enemies and proccing Jagged Ground eruptions early. |
| Infernal Cry |
Level 3 Uncut Skill Gem Level 6 16 Strength |
Perform a warcry, increasing the damage of subsequent attacks. Enemies will combust upon death. |
| Shield Charge |
Level 3 Uncut Skill Gem Shield Level 6 16 Strength |
Channel to change in the target direction, dealing extra damage to enemies collided with and blocking all blockable attacks. |
| Perfect Strike |
Level 5 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 14 34 Strength |
Charge up your weapon and release to deal damage. Charging fully will emit a wave of fire. |
| Molten Blast |
Level 5 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 14 34 Strength |
Gouge molten rock from the ground and fling it at the target. Projectiles explode on collision. |
| Resonating Shield |
Level 5 Uncut Skill Gem Shield Level 14 34 Strength |
Repeatedly strike your Shield with your weapon to cause shockwaves around you. Enemies hit by a shockwave briefly lose armor. Block all blockable attacks. |
| Leap Slam |
Level 7 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 22 52 Strength |
Jump into the air, damaging and knocking back enemies with your mace where you land. |
| Earthshatter |
Level 7 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 22 52 Strength |
Slam the ground, sending out a fissure that deals area damage to enemies. Warcries performed near the spike will cause it to shatter, dealing damage. |
| Shield Wall |
Level 7 Uncut Skill Gem Shield Level 22 52 Strength |
Ram your Shield into the ground, throwing up a semi-circular wall of earth. Each segment explodes and deals damage to enemies when destroyed. |
| Sunder |
Level 9 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 31 72 Strength |
Slam the ground, creating a roiling fissure that deals damage to enemies in front of you. The number of enemies hit increases the size of the shockwave. |
| Volcanic Fissure |
Level 9 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 31 72 Strength |
Slam the ground, creating a winding fissure that deals damage as it travels. Using a different slam skill will cause an aftershock which connects to other fissures. |
| Seismic Cry |
Level 11 Uncut Skill Gem Level 41 95 Strength |
Perform a damaging warcry, knocking back nearby enemies. If a stunned enemy is hit, your next slam deals more damage. |
| Supercharged Slam |
Level 11 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 41 95 Strength |
Channel to charge up a heavy swing, drawing earth from the ground to enlarge your mace. Release to slam the ground, dealing damage and creating aftershocks. |
| Stampede |
Level 11 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 41 95 Strength |
Charge forward, cracking the earth and leaving behind Jagged Ground. At the end of the charge, a massive leaping slam damages enemies and causes Jagged Ground to explode. |
| Ancestral Warrior Totem |
Level 13 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 52 119 Strength |
Summon a totem that uses socketed Mace skills. |
| Hammer of the Gods |
Level 13 Uncut Skill Gem Mace Level 52 119 Strength |
Summon a massive hammer that falls from the sky onto your target, dealing immense damage based on your weapon. |
All Path of Exile 2 Warrior persistent Spirit buffs
| Skill Name | Requirements | Effect |
| Herald of Ash |
Level 4 Uncut Spirit Gem Level 10 25 Strength Reservation: 30 Spirit |
Enemies you overkill with attacks will cause a large explosion, causing Ignite. |
| Magma Barrier |
Level 4 Uncut Spirit Gem Level 10 25 Strength Reservation: 30 Spirit |
When you raise your shield it’s infused with Magma for a short time, spraying fire before you. |
| Scavenged Plating |
Level 4 Uncut Spirit Gem Level 10 25 Strength Reservation: 30 Spirit |
Breaking an enemy’s armor grants you a stack of Scavenged Plating, gaining armor and thorns per stack. |
| Time of Need |
Level 8 Uncut Spirit Gem Level 26 46 Strength, 46 Intelligence Reservation: 30 Spirit |
Periodically heal and remove curses and ailments. |
| Overwhelming Presence |
Level 8 Uncut Spirit Gem Level 36 61 Strength Reservation: 30 Spirit |
While active, enemies nearby are easier to Stun and inflict elemental ailments upon. |
| Berserk |
Level 14 Uncut Spirit Gem Level 58 73 Strength, 73 Dexterity Reservation: 30 Spirit |
Strengthens Rage and grants Life Leech based on your Rage, but you lose life while raging. |
| Dread Banner |
Level 14 Uncut Spirit Gem Level 58 73 Strength, 73 Dexterity Reservation: 30 Spirit |
Killing enemies generates Valour. Using this skill consumes Valour and grants various resistances. |
Best Path of Exile 2 Warrior build
The best mid-game Warrior build is:
- Key skills: Earthquake, Rolling Slam, Shockwave Totem, Leap Slam, Seismic Cry, Hammer of the Gods
- Key persistent Spirit buffs: Scavenged Plating, Overwhelming Presence
- Key passives: Smash, Singular Purpose, Cranial Impact, Titanic, Skullcrusher
- Ascendancy: The Titan
Key skills
This Jagged Ground focused build prioritizes defense, making this one of the stronger builds for newcomers. Being up close and personal with bosses and hordes of angry foes means you’ll want to make sure you have the defenses to match. As a result, playing through the early game while keeping Earthquake and Shockwave Totem up – both skills you can use and then step away from – allows you to survive some harrowing fights.
When you reach the Cruel difficulty, you’ll want to make sure you use Leap Slam to get in and out of trouble when you’re being overwhelmed. Seismic Cry can help clear out mobs a bit quicker with the help of Rolling Slam, while Hammer of the Gods should be reserved for powerful Elite type enemies or bosses.
Key persistent Spirit buffs
For our build, Scavenged Plating is integral to keeping ourselves alive, opting for nodes that grant extra armor from the passive skill tree, along with some thorns. Overwhelming Presence helps stun foes – especially bosses – so you can get damage in without getting too exhausted.
Key passives
These notables focus mainly on granting you a greater chance to Stun foes while also providing some extra damage against them, which is currently the best way to build an offensive-minded Warrior. As you work your way up to Titanic and Skullcrusher, keep in mind that you should take some defensive skills like Honourless that increase your armor.
Ascendancy
The Jade Heritage skill from the Warbringer Ascendancy absorbs a set amount of damage, which will greatly help you take on bosses, especially on the Cruel difficulty and in endgame farming. It also allows you to explode nearby corpses with Warcallers Bellow, helping you clean up the battlefield.
Now you have the best PoE 2 Warrior build under your belt, take a look at the Path of Exile 2 Twitch drops to get some free goodies. While you wait for the full release, check out our guide on the most exciting upcoming PC games, and the best PC games for something you can play right now.