If you're intrigued by *Path of Exile 2* but not particularly fond of the traditional fantasy elements like swords, bows, and magic, the Mercenary class is tailored just for you. It transforms the game into a thrilling top-down experience reminiscent of *Doom*, where you wield a trusty crossbow—akin to a shotgun—and charge headfirst into hordes of enemies.
Features of the Mercenary in Path of Exile 2
With strategic leveling, the Mercenary class evolves into a formidable force, efficiently turning monsters into mere stepping stones on your path. This capability extends to not only regular mobs but also challenging bosses. For instance, the final boss of the first act, which often proves daunting for the Witch class, can be conquered by a well-optimized Mercenary in one or two attempts.
In this guide, we'll explore how to build an effective Mercenary in the early access version of *Path of Exile 2*, specifically version 0.1.0f. Keep in mind, Grinding Gear Games (GGG) may introduce changes in the final release that could affect some aspects of this guide.
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Like all classes in *PoE2*, the Mercenary can use any weapon without restrictions. However, you'll likely prefer the distance provided by a crossbow, a versatile weapon that functions as a hybrid of an automatic rifle, shotgun, and grenade launcher. While the Mercenary can utilize bows, these are better left to the Ranger class. As the saying goes, inspired by *Full Metal Jacket*: "Without me, my crossbow is useless. Without my crossbow, I am useless."
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Main Characteristics of the Mercenary
Dexterity is paramount for the Mercenary. Prioritize accumulating as much Dexterity as possible through items and the passive skill tree. Evasion should be favored over Armour, and don't underestimate the importance of Movement Speed for dodging enemy attacks. Allocate Strength and Intelligence as required by your equipment or skills.
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Useful Skills in Early Game Stages
Fragmentation Rounds
Early in your Mercenary journey, Fragmentation Rounds can be a handy skill, though you'll soon outgrow it. Enhance it with support skills like Brutality, which boosts physical damage by 35%, and Leverage, increasing crit chance against immobilized enemies by 50%. However, consider saving your gems for more impactful skills later on.
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Permafrost Bolts
A strong starting skill, Permafrost Bolts allow you to freeze and immobilize enemies with frost projectiles. Enhance it with Frost Nexus, increasing the chance to freeze the ground around an ice-bound enemy, and Leverage for increased crit chance. Alternatively, use Double Barrel to load two bolts, though this increases reload time by 30%.
Remember, different skills allow you to load varying numbers of bolts into your crossbow. Pressing the quick key again refreshes the charge, so always reload before moving on. Attack speed also affects reload speed, so keep this in mind.
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Explosive Grenade
Grenades are essential for dealing with large groups of enemies. Enhance your Explosive Grenade skill with Scattershot to throw three grenades instead of one, despite a 20% damage reduction. Second Wind is another useful support skill. Grenades have a wide range and follow physics, so be mindful of obstacles that could deflect them.
Position yourself strategically before throwing grenades into tight spaces or corridors. If enemies are closing in, throw grenades and roll towards them to avoid hits while they get caught in the explosions.
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Gas Grenade
Gas Grenades release a cloud of poisonous gas that expands over time. Enhance them with Corrosion to reduce enemies' armor by 80% from poison damage, and Bursting Plague to increase damage. A unique feature of Gas Grenades is their ability to be detonated by fire, significantly boosting damage. Use skills with the Detonate keyword, such as Explosive Grenade or Explosive Shot, to maximize this effect.
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Galvanic Shards
Available in the second act, Galvanic Shards transforms your crossbow into a lightning-powered automatic shotgun with 5 charges. Enhance it with Conduction and Lightning Infusion for increased damage. With improved reload speed, it becomes an electro-automatic rifle capable of mowing down waves of enemies.
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Herald of Thunder
The best early-game buff for the Mercenary, especially when paired with Galvanic Shards and the Conduction support gem. It increases your chance to shock monsters to 100%, triggering the Herald of Thunder buff, which causes lightning to strike down enemies. Activating this aura requires 30 spirit units, obtainable by defeating a first-act boss.
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Explosive Shot
Embrace your inner Doomguy with Explosive Shot, which detonates grenades on the floor upon impact. Enhance it with Fire Infusion to boost fire damage and clear labyrinths effectively. While more complex to manage than Galvanic Shards, it offers the advantage of engaging enemies from a distance and dealing with fire-weak foes.
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These skills are sufficient to level your Mercenary to 20-25 and grasp the class mechanics. Aim to acquire as many of these abilities as possible to handle the diverse challenges of tougher locations. Now, let's delve into developing the passive skill tree.
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Passive Skills of the Mercenary
Focus on passive skills that increase projectile damage. Here are some key nodes to prioritize:
⚔️ Remorseless — Increases projectile damage by 15%, boosts stun buildup against nearby enemies by 30%, and adds 5 strength and dexterity. An excellent early-game buff.
⚔️ Ricochet — Boosts projectile damage by 15% and gives projectiles a 10% chance to chain an additional time, enhancing damage output.
⚔️ Blur — Increases movement speed by 4%, boosts evasion rating by 20%, and adds 10 dexterity, enhancing survivability and attribute growth.
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⚔️ Heavy Ammunition — Reduces attack speed by 8% but increases projectile damage and stun buildup by 40%. A strong damage boost if you're taking Blur.
⚔️ Careful Aim — Boosts projectile damage by 16% and increases accuracy rating at close range by 40%. A proactive investment in accuracy.
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⚔️ Cluster Bombs — Increases grenade fuse duration by 50% and adds an additional projectile to grenade skills. Ideal if you're using Explosive Shot, as the grenades detonate upon impact.
⚔️ Adrenaline Rush — Boosts movement and attack speed by 4% and 8% respectively if you've killed recently. A useful node on the path to Instant Reload.
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⚔️ Doomsayer — Enhances Herald Skills' area of effect and damage by 30%. A great way to level up Herald of Thunder.
⚔️ Instant Reload — Increases crossbow reload speed by 40%. This node also provides an additional 30% bonus to reload speed, totaling 70%, and unlocks the first Jewel Socket along the way.
⚔️ Volatile Grenades — Reduces grenade fuse duration by 25%. Take this only if you're not using Explosive Shot in combat.
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These passive skills should be your starting point, requiring about 30-35 skill points. As you acquire them, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how the Mercenary functions in *PoE2*. Remember, the joy of playing a Mercenary comes from experimenting with different combinations and builds, so don't hesitate to explore and find what works best for you!
