If you spend any amount of time playing Path of Exile, whether it’s the free-to-play original or the current Early Access, paid version of its sequel, you’ll notice countless players running around as the iconic Witch class. It’s a fan-favorite due to its highly viable minion builds that sprint through zones, clearing mobs with reckless abandon. But for a new player, making it to the end-game with the Witch means picking the right starting skills—a strong foundation. Let’s go over what that foundation looks like and what your best options are when starting out as a Witch. I wish I had taken these skills for the Witch in Path of Exile 2 on my first playthrough.
The best Witch early-game skills to snag
In Path of Exile 2, the skills you’ll unlock for your class range from Tier 1 to Tier 13, albeit skipping a few in between. Let’s focus on Tiers 1, 3, and 5, which will provide you with an early-game foundation toward success.
Tier I: Skeletal Sniper
Unearth is a relatively basic-yet-functional AoE (area-of-effect) skill that is completely free during the prologue section on the beach. But if you want to enhance your area damage, choose Skeletal Sniper as your Tier I skill. This is a powerful minion spell that summons a skeleton archer wielding a poison gas bow and arrow.
Tier III: Skeletal Arsonist
Keeping up with the AoE theme, your second ability (this one for Tier 3), should be Skeletal Arsonist. This is another minion summon spell that spawns a group of bomb-throwing skeletons to wreak havoc on a given area. It’s exceptional for controlling an arena, like during one of the game’s many optional boss fights.
Tier V: Raise Zombie
Lastly, for Tier 5, consider Raise Zombie. It is, as expected, another minion summon spell, just one that’s on a short timer. You can raise up to 10 zombies, creating a horde of minions that lash out at enemies who come too close. With Raise Zombie and your Skeletal spawning skills, you’ll have a small, undead force to rampage through a map.
Best passive skills for the Witch
As should be obvious by now, the foundation we just discussed will lead you on to a heavy summons build in Path of Exile 2. As a new player, you may quickly feel overwhelmed by the passive skill tree, but it’s less intimidating than it appears. This is the passive skill tree for all classes, so you don’t have to worry about most of the tree, just your section where the game starts.
With that said, first, focus on the left-hand path, which increases Spell and Minion Damage. While it may change during Early Access, the first node provides a noticeable boost in your damage output, increasing Spell Damage by 8 percent and Minion Damage by 8 percent.
You should follow this path of the tree for a short while, then refocus your efforts on the right-hand node path, which will increase survivability. You’ll be a glass cannon initially, but it’s worthwhile to increase the power of your summons, which will handle the brunt of the work.
Of course, if you prefer a more tactical approach, the new Mercenary class is considered one of the best in Path of Exile 2 Early Access! You can play Path of Exile 2 now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, so long as you purchase a supporter’s pack.
.