His blade in Path of Exile 2 is at your service: How to make a Mercenary build

Conquer Path of Exile 2 as a Mercenary: A Beginner's Guide

Tired of fantasy tropes in Path of Exile 2? The Mercenary class offers a unique, action-packed experience reminiscent of a top-down Doom game. Ditch the swords and magic; embrace the crossbow, your trusty weapon of choice, and obliterate hordes of enemies! This guide focuses on building an effective Mercenary in PoE2's early access version (0.1.0f). Note that GGG may implement changes affecting this guide's accuracy in the final release.

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The Mercenary's Arsenal: Crossbows Reign Supreme

While capable of wielding any weapon, the Mercenary excels with crossbows. Think of it as a versatile hybrid of automatic rifle, shotgun, and grenade launcher. Leave bows to the Ranger; your crossbow is your best friend.

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Key Mercenary Attributes

Dexterity is paramount. Maximize it through gear and passive skills. Prioritize Evasion over Armor. Movement speed is crucial for dodging attacks. Allocate Strength and Intelligence as needed for specific skills or equipment.

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Early Game Skill Choices: A Powerful Arsenal

• Fragmentation Rounds: A decent starting skill, but quickly outclassed. Consider Brutality and Leverage support gems, but prioritize saving gems for stronger skills later.

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• Permafrost Bolts: A solid early-game choice. Freeze and immobilize enemies for increased critical strike chance with Leverage support. Double Barrel adds extra bolts but increases reload time (mitigable later).

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• Explosive Grenade: Essential for crowd control. Scattershot throws three grenades, albeit with reduced damage per grenade. Second Wind is a helpful support gem. Remember grenade trajectory and physics!

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• Gas Grenade: Releases poison gas, enhanced by Corrosion (reduces enemy armor) and Bursting Plague (increased damage). Detonate the gas with fire skills (like Explosive Grenade or Explosive Shot) for massive damage boosts.

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• Galvanic Shards (Act 2): A game-changer. Transforms your crossbow into an automatic shotgun. Conduction and Lightning Infusion support gems significantly amplify its power.

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• Herald of Thunder: A powerful buff, especially with Galvanic Shards and Conduction. Requires 30 spirit units (obtainable from a first-act boss).

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• Explosive Shot: Pairs well with grenades; explosions detonate nearby grenades. Fire Infusion boosts fire damage. Offers ranged AoE and a strong alternative to Galvanic Shards.

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Passive Skill Tree: Prioritize Projectile Damage

Focus on passive skill nodes increasing projectile damage:

• Remorseless: Increased projectile damage, stun buildup, and attribute boosts.
• Ricochet: Increased projectile damage and chain chance.
• Blur: Increased movement speed and evasion.
• Heavy Ammunition: Increased projectile damage and stun, but reduces attack speed.
• Careful Aim: Increased projectile damage and accuracy at close range.
• Cluster Bombs: Increased grenade fuse duration and additional projectiles (good with Explosive Shot).
• Adrenaline Rush: Increased movement and attack speed after kills.
• Doomsayer: Increased Herald skill area of effect and damage.
• Instant Reload: Significantly increased crossbow reload speed.
• Volatile Grenades: Reduced grenade fuse duration (use only if not using Explosive Shot).

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These skills provide a solid foundation. Experiment and discover your own optimal build! Remember to adapt your skills and strategy based on the challenges you encounter. Happy hunting!