PoE2 classes & ascendancies

Path of Exile 2 will launch with twelve classes; eight are playable right now in Early Access. Here's what each one is, what it's good at, and how to actually choose — because in PoE2 your class matters less than you'd think.

Your class is a starting point, not a cage

Skills in PoE2 come from gems, and any class can socket any skill gem. On top of that, every character can dual-specialise its passive tree and swap between two setups. So your class doesn't lock you into a damage type — it gives you a starting identity: a core attribute, a signature weapon, and an early-game feel. You build outward from there.

The eight playable classes

The remaining four classes arrive as Early Access continues toward the 1.0 launch. Huntress and Druid were the two most recent additions.

Ascendancies — your specialisation

Partway through the campaign you choose an ascendancy: a sub-class that sharpens your character into a specific identity. Each class now has two or three, and the choice often matters more than the class itself — it's what makes a build feel safe, explosive, or highly technical. Open any class above for its ascendancies and how to pick between them.

Which class should you pick?

Because any class can use any skill, pick on feel, not on a tier list. Want to stand in the fight and hit hard? Warrior or Monk. Prefer to delete the screen from range? Sorceress, Ranger or Mercenary. Like commanding minions or playing it safe? Witch. Want something fast and tricky? Huntress or Druid. If you're new, ranged damage, minions, and durable melee forgive mistakes more than pure execution-melee does.