PoE 2 Best Class Tier List — Return of the Ancients [0.5.0]

Ben Author

Created - 15.12.2025 Updated - 28.05.2026

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The best PoE 2 ascendancy classes for Return of the Ancients are those that combine strong damage even in league start scenarios, good survivability, and multiple avenues for endgame scaling. This Patch 0.5.0 tier list ranks each ascendancy class by their mapping, bossing, and early league viability. After all, you want to play an ascendancy class that is expected to be strong from early- to late-game, even with budget PoE 2 Items.

Take note that this is a pre-launch PoE 2 class tier list based on official patch notes. Some information has not been revealed yet, so rankings may change after the Runes of Aldur league launches in the next few days.

PoE 2 Patch 0.5.0 Class Tier List

How We Ranked the Best PoE 2 Ascendancy Classes for Patch 0.5.0

RPGStash came up with its tier list for Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients based on the following criteria:

• Early League Viability: How an ascendancy class performs with self-found gear, with great potential unlocked with the right items in the endgame.
• Mapping: How quickly an ascendancy class can handle multiple enemies at once. In other words, mapping efficiency.
• Endgame Scaling: While the campaign allows avenues to improve gear, it is not until the endgame that mirror-tier crafted items become more common. An ascendancy class that can tackle any content in the game easily when fully geared has a much higher placement than those who perform at an average level with the same conditions.
• Beginner-friendly: An ascendancy class that is easy to play and understand, despite the natural complexities in PoE 2, has a much higher rank compared to the more complicated ones.
• Bossing: Patch 0.5.0 has introduced new pinnacle bosses in the game. The ascendancy class that is able to tackle them without dying is placed in the higher tiers.

This PoE 2 tier list is based on the changelog for Patch 0.5.0 at the time of writing. For more information, you can read our article about Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients.

S-Tier Ascendancy Classes in PoE 2: Return of the Ancients

Martial Artist

The Martial Artist is one of the new ascendancy classes in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients. His specialty is killing enemies using his mastery of three “Hollow” techniques, namely Hollow Form, Hollow Resonance Technique, and Hollow Focus Technique.

What makes the Martial Artist an S-Tier ascendancy class in Patch 0.5.0 is that he can have five additional runes socketed into his body with “Runic Meridians” allocated on the tree.

On top of that, the Martial Artist has this special ability called “Way of the Stonefist” that changes the base type of the equipped gloves, while also granting them bonus modifiers.

With how much potential he can tap from league start through the endgame, the Martial Artist is an S-Tier ascendancy class in Return of the Ancients, whether you use him for mapping and bossing.

Blood Mage

The Blood Mage received only one change in Patch 0.5.0, but that is more than enough to keep her in the S-Tier, just like in the previous season. The change in question is the improved life leech from her “Vitality Siphon” ascendancy node, from 10% to 20%.

Other than that, the Blood Mage’s ascendancy nodes are the same as in the previous league. Sunder the Flesh still increases the base critical hit chance for spells to 15%. Crimson Power still provides additional maximum life based on the energy shield of the equipped body armor.

With the nerfs to the “Faster Recharge of Energy Shield” mod in Patch 0.5.0, the Blood Mage’s capability of leeching life from enemies becomes even more helpful for those who wish to use her in fighting the new pinnacle bosses.

Deadeye

RPGStash believes that the Deadeye deserves to be in the S-Tier in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients. Although Lightning Arrow and Ice Shot, two of the most commonly used abilities by Deadeye players in the previous league, have been nerfed in Patch 0.5.0, the adjustments made to them don’t affect their overall viability in the endgame whatsoever.

Furthermore, the Mirage Archer and Mirage Deadeye can now make use of channeling skills like Snipe, Plasma Blast, and Detonating Arrow. Deadeye players can experiment with this new interaction to defeat the new enemies in Return of the Ancients.

Gathering Winds, Point Blank, Far Shot, and Endless Munitions are still the same in the Runes of Aldur League (Patch 0.5.0). So, if your favorite ascendancy classes got nerfed heavily in this league, then perhaps you might want to give the Deadeye a try.

Oracle

Still in the S-Tier, the Oracle is an ascendancy class that is expected to perform well in Patch 0.5.0. You can build the Oracle as a proficient melee fighter that is focused on Pounce, Shred, and Lunar Assault. If you prefer using spells, the Oracle can take advantage of devastating spells like Comet and Thunderstorm to deal with the enemy.

What separates the Oracle from the rest of the ascendancy classes in PoE 2 is its “The Unseen Path” ascendancy node. When allocated, the Oracle gains access to new nodes on the passive tree that are not available to others. For example, the Oracle can allocate “Shelter from the Rain,” which grants 40% faster start of energy shield recharge and 15% increased block chance. Shelter from the Rain is not accessible by other ascendancies, making the Oracle strong in both offense and defense just by taking The Unseen Path.

All of this is to say that the Oracle is viable from start to finish. You just have to be willing to invest in his gear, given that his full potential won’t be realized until he is fully decked out.

Amazon

Fans of the Lightning Spear and Thunderstorm combo using the Amazon ascendancy class will be happy to know that this interaction is still worthwhile in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients. The spear skills like Lightning Spear and Explosive Spear are untouched in Patch 0.5.0, so you can experiment with an Amazon build that involves the two said skills.

In addition, the Amazon has an easier time reaching a high critical hit chance because of her aptly named “Critical Strike” ascendancy node. Combine that with “Predatory Instinct,” and you’ll have an ascendancy class that can deal with any monster in the campaign.

The Amazon is perfect for those who want to incorporate a bunch of elemental skills and make them hit hard with constant critical hits.

A-Tier Ascendancy Classes in PoE 2: Return of the Ancients

Shaman

The Shaman is another ascendancy class that can be built as a spellcaster, minion commander, or melee combatant. As a spellcaster, the Shaman can harness the power of the elements, buffing up spells like Thunderstorm and Apocalypse (from Bringer of Apocalypse) to deal massive amounts of damage. This is through his “Wildsurge Incantation” that is complemented by the exposure debuff provided by the “Turning of the Seasons” ascendancy node.

As a melee fighter, the Shaman has good damage and survivability covered with his ascendancy nodes. For example, the “Avatar of Evolution” gives the Shaman some “adaptations” that reduce the elemental damage he takes from enemies by a considerable amount.

Aside from that, the Shaman can be turned into a minion commander with the right setup. He can use the services of the Powered Zealot, along with other skeletal minions like the Skeletal Storm Mage and Skeletal Warrior, to decimate any enemy that comes in their way. He gains more Spirit by taking “Sacred Flow,” which should also be combined with a well-rolled Rattling Sceptre.

The Shaman is only outclassed by the Oracle because the latter has access to hidden nodes via The Unseen Path. Other than that, the Shaman is easy to recommend for Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients.

Disciple of Varashta

The Disciple of Varashta is another awesome ascendancy class for league start and endgame scenarios. During the first couple of weeks of the Runes of Aldur League, you can utilize the three different Djinns that are available at the Disciple of Varashta’s behest. These are:

• Navira, the Last Mirage
• Ruzhan, the Blazing Sword
• Kelari, the Tainted Sands

In the endgame, you can play the Disciple of Varashta using self-cast spells like Thunderstorm and Frostbolt. Couple this with Cast on Elemental Ailment or Cast on Critical setups that utilize Comet or other damaging spells, and you will have an ascendancy class that can take on the new challenges in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients.

It is worth noting that The Vertex, which was a staple among Disciple of Varashta builds in the previous league, has been nerfed. More specifically, it can no longer roll “+2-4 to Level of All Skill Gems,” and is instead replaced with “+3-5 Level of All Curse Skill Gems” in Patch 0.5.0. As a result, you’ll have to find another helmet for her to wear; perhaps, one that is crafted through Verisium Runeforging for the helmet to gain some Runic Ward for protection.

Infernalist

There are a lot of minion-related improvements in Patch 0.5.0 that can certainly benefit from the power of the Infernalist. For one, Minion Splash Support has been added, which will allow melee minions like Skeletal Warrior and Skeletal Reaver to deal damage to more than one enemy.

For those who want to utilize the Infernalist’s Demon Form, she can still use it now because no changes have been made to Demon Form and its associated skills in Patch 0.5.0. This means that Thunderstorm, Firestorm, Living Bomb, and Comet are still viable for this ascendancy class.

Spirit Walker

The Spirit Walker is another new ascendancy class that’s available for you to play in the Runes of Aldur League. Her defining feature is her ability to tame unique beasts, such as the Mighty Silverfist, the Chimera, and Rakkar (the Frozen Talon), among many others.

To improve the damage of Companions (such as the tamed beasts), the Spirit Walker has Idolatry—an ascendancy node that grants a 10% damage boost to all Companions per “idol” slotted into gear. Players must use a bunch of Idols (such as the Bear Idol, Boar Idol, Fox Idol, etc.) to get the most out of Idolatry.

While this ascendancy class is great when utilizing Companions, it seems that the Spirit Walker is only meant for those who love minion builds in Path of Exile 2. This is because her other ascendancy nodes don’t improve physical or elemental damage when using self-cast skills.

Titan

The Titan is good in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients, though that depends on what skills you use. If you’re using Fortifying Cry and Shield Wall, you have to keep in mind that both of these skills got nerfed, but they’re still usable. Fortifying Cry now only uses one stack when detonating a Shield Wall, but the shockwaves created now only deal damage once on the same enemy (instead of multiple times), and added physical damage from the equipped shield has been nerfed from 6-8 to 5-7.

For those who utilize the Earthquake skill, you’ll be happy to know that its Aftershock damage has been increased by more than 100% (up to 666% now compared to 580% previously).

If you’re going the semi-Druid route and use skills like Furious Slam, Rampage, and Walking Calamity, they are untouched in Patch 0.5.0, which means they still perform admirably well.

B-Tier Ascendancy Classes in PoE 2: Return of the Ancients

Invoker

The Invoker has remained the same in Patch 0.5.0. However, some of the skills he uses did receive some meaningful adjustments. For instance, Tempest Bell now drops three bells at once when used. It can also be “Ancestrally Boosted” using Ancestral Call Support to improve its damage and AoE even further.

Because of the nerfs to “Faster Start of Energy Shield Recharge” for ES-based gear in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients, the Invoker’s Meditate skill granted by “Faith is a Choice” becomes even more useful. Meditate, when used, forces energy shield to recharge immediately without having to wait several seconds to do so.

The addition of new runes and the runic ward from Verisium Runeforging might make up for the shortcomings of the Invoker in terms of damage output and defensive scaling.

Chronomancer

The Chronomancer has been underperforming for a few leagues now, but it’s a good thing that GGG has added refinements to make this ascendancy class better in Patch 0.5.0.

So, what has changed? Here’s a rundown:

• Now and Again: Gives cascadable and repeatable spells a 20% chance to echo or repeat, respectively.
• Phased Form (New): Take 30% less damage. 4 seconds after being damaged by an enemy hit, take damage equal to 30% of that hit’s damage.
• Footprints in the Sand (Reworked): Temporal Rift (provided by this node) now has a shorter cast time of 0.1 seconds (down from 0.5 seconds) and now removes the delayed damage from Phased Form.
• Inevitability: Inevitable Agony (granted by this node) now has the following properties:
  • No longer considered a “Curse” skill, and now has a 2-second cooldown.
  • Debuff is now a “life loss” instead of a secondary hit damage. Now grants “Debuffed targets lose life equal to 25% of the hit damage dealt to them while affected by the debuff” (down from 50%).
  • Enemy curse effectiveness no longer applies to this skill.
• Quicksand Hourglass (Reworked): Sands of Time (buff provided by this node) now increases skill speed up to 60%. Previously, this was only done to cast speed.

With these changes, you can experiment with attack skills if you like, though spells would still be more powerful for the Chronomancer, especially with the newly buffed “Now and Again” ascendancy node.

Tactician

The Tactician is great for those who want to use totems in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients. This ascendancy class has breathed new life after the totem improvements made in Patch 0.5.0.

For those who were wondering, spell totems can now be used while moving. The Tactician can utilize this by socketing Comet into them, resulting in massive comets hitting everything on the screen!

Furthermore, the “Ancestral Bond” keystone has been reworked in Patch 0.5.0. It now doubles the totem limit (instead of being unlimited), but it still makes each totem reserve 75 Spirit. If you are bold enough to path all the way to the upper-left corner of the passive tree, you can make a PoE 2 Tactician build work in the Runes of Aldur League.

Ritualist

Among the ascendancy classes in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients, the Ritualist is one of the most well-balanced. This is largely because of her ascendancy nodes that grant an additional ring slot (Unfurled Finger) and additional charm slot (Intricate Sigils).

During league start, you can take “As Whispers Demand” to gain a random monster modifier via Ritual Sacrifice. As you get more PoE 2 Currency, you should start investing in items that improve various aspects of your build.

If you are going for an attack-based build like Flicker Strike or Ice Shot, go for items that increase critical hit chance and attack damage. For spellcasting builds, go for cast speed, spell damage, and spell critical hit chance.

The Ritualist truly embodies the saying, “Jack of All Trades, Master of None.” That is not to say that this ascendancy class is bad; it’s just that it doesn’t excel in one area. It’s just slightly above average.

Stormweaver

The Stormweaver is still the right ascendancy class for lightning-based builds in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients. That is why you can still play the Stormweaver and utilize Cast on Critical setups to automatically cast Comet upon critical hits.

Take note that although this ascendancy class is untouched in Patch 0.5.0, the same cannot be said for certain passive nodes that a typical Stormweaver build would take. A good example of this is the notable passive “Stormcharged,” which now provides 8% elemental damage penetration and 5% increased attack/cast speed with elemental skills (instead of 15% critical hit chance and 40% increased elemental damage if you’ve dealt a critical hit recently).

Functionally speaking, however, the Stormweaver is still largely the same as in the previous league. So, for those who want a familiar playstyle with identical ascendancy nodes, then go ahead and choose the Stormweaver for the Runes of Aldur League.

Lich

Lich builds that utilize Essence Drain, Contagion, and Dark Effigy are still viable in Patch 0.5.0. The ED Contagion Lich is a good leveling build, and many people have used it to get their starter pieces of gear with great success in the past couple of leagues. The Runes of Aldur League shouldn’t be any different, especially given that no nerfs have been made to chaos spells.

Just remember that most nodes that provide “Faster Start of Energy Shield Recharge” have been nerfed, so take extra caution if you’re going to allocate Chaos Inoculation in the endgame.

C-Tier Ascendancy Classes in PoE 2: Return of the Ancients

Witchhunter

The Witchhunter is in a rough spot in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients. Sorcery Ward, which used to be a potent and reliable defensive layer, now has a much higher penalty at -50% less armor and evasion rating when allocated.

As if that is not enough, Arjun’s Medal, a lineage support gem that is a staple among Witchhunter builds in PoE 2, now only has a 25% chance to load a bolt into crossbow skills when dealing a killing blow (instead of a guaranteed reload).

You could still make things work if you are willing to make a huge investment into crossbow skills, because the downsides just mentioned can be addressed by improving gear (in most cases).

Gemling Legionnaire

The Gemling Legionnaire received some improvements in Patch 0.5.0. First, Crystalline Potential, which was an ascendancy node that granted +10% to the quality of all skills, has been removed. In exchange, the Gemling Legionnaire got a new ascendancy node called Essence of Virtue.

Essence of Virtue grants the “Virtuous Barrier” skill, which conjures a glittering barrier that accumulates protective gemstone “motes” of each attribute type over time. It is unclear what type of protection this barrier provides, but based on the “attribute type” wording, it’s probably some additional armor, evasion, or energy shield.

Advanced Thaumaturgy has also been reworked in Return of the Ancients. It no longer grants the Thaumaturgical Dynamism skill. Instead, it now adds a new quality stat on all gems in Path of Exile 2, granting additional effects. These effects have not been revealed yet at this time, so RPGStash holds judgement of how powerful the Gemling Legionnaire has become when the Runes of Aldur league launches in a few days.

Warbringer

Fortifying Cry and Shield Wall are two of the most commonly used skills by Warbringers in the previous league. As discussed earlier, these were nerfed in Patch 0.5.0.

If there is any consolation, the Warbringer could work by using totem skills like Mortar Cannon or his very own Ancestral Spirits (granted by the “Answered Call” ascendancy node).

Assuming that the new Facebreaker unique item functions similarly to its PoE counterpart, then maybe you could experiment with that using the Warbringer ascendancy class. Certain slam skills with the Warbringer’s “Anvil’s Weight” and “Imploding Impacts” might get more traction in the Runes of Aldur League, given this particular setup.

Smith of Kitava

Armor (the defensive stat) on items has increased by at least 15% in Patch 0.5.0. This makes the Smith of Kitava more effective in dealing with incoming damage, especially when choosing the right nodes from Smith’s Masterwork. This is best exemplified by the “Dedication to Kitava” node, which makes the equipped body armor mitigate chaos damage as well. “Flowing Metal” does a similar thing, albeit it makes the equipped body armor reduce elemental damage instead of chaos damage (using 50% of its armor value).

Other than that, the Smith of Kitava’s offensive capabilities leave much to be desired, as no changes have been made to his other ascendancy nodes in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients. Be that as it may, the Smith of Kitava is good for SSF, since he can survive with just self-found gear.

Pathfinder

GGG always introduces balancing changes to shake up the meta in every new league. This is true for the Pathfinder, which used to be one of the most played ascendancy classes in PoE 2 prior to the launch of Return of the Ancients.

Pathfinder looks weaker after the adjustments—not only the ascendancy class itself, but also its commonly used skills. The Poisonburst Arrow Pathfinder is not going to be effective in Patch 0.5.0, mainly because its poison magnitude and poison duration have been reduced. Toxic Growth has been nerfed, too, in that it now has a limit of five pustules (instead of 12).

While the Poisonburst Arrow Pathfinder might not be the best option anymore for this ascendancy class in PoE 2 Runes of Aldur League, all is not lost. There may be some new interaction that involves some of the Concoction Skills available to the Pathfinder, along with some runes and unique items. If there is none, the Pathfinder still has improved mobility while casting with Running Assault, so you could experiment with Spark and Cast on Critical+Comet for a relatively smooth mapping experience.

Acolyte of Chayula

The Acolyte of Chayula has received a couple of minor improvements in Patch 0.5.0. The amount of life and mana leech he gains from the “Into the Breach” skill has been increased from 15% to 20%. On the surface, it looks like an improvement, but this is overshadowed by the limits imposed on the leech mechanic in general in PoE 2 Runes of Aldur League.

For one, only a single leech instance is active at a time. If there are multiple leech instances active, only the one that has the highest recovery rate will prevail. Additionally, the amount of mana or life leeched from enemies now has a damage ceiling of 40,000. This means that dealing more than 40,000 damage does nothing to improve leech whatsoever.

In Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients, the Acolyte of Chayula is likely only for niche builds. If you’re going to try this ascendancy class, consider using these skills:

• Flickering Strike
• Whirling Assault
• Whirling Slash + Twister
• Profane Ritual

Best PoE 2 Ascendancy Classes by Goal

Best for Beginners

• Titan
• Amazon
• Deadeye
• Invoker

Best for Fast Leveling

• Lich
• Deadeye
• Martial Artist
• Shaman
• Stormweaver

Best for Bosses

• Blood Mage
• Oracle
• Deadeye

Best for Mapping

• Deadeye
• Stormweaver
• Disciple of Varashta
• Blood Mage
• Lich

Best for Solo Players

• Smith of Kitava
• Titan
• Ritualist
• Deadeye

Best Low-Budget Ascendancy Class

• Warbringer
• Smith of Kitava
• Tactician

Best New 0.5.0 Ascendancy Class to Try

• Martial Artist

What Changed in PoE 2 Return of the Ancients 0.5.0?

Here is a list of the major changes that affect ascendancy classes in Patch 0.5.0:

• Martial Artist has been added as the third ascendancy class for the Monk.
• Spirit Walker has been added as the third ascendancy class for the Huntress.
• Gain the ability to add Runic Ward (new defensive layer) via Verisium Runeforging
• Gain the ability to augment unique items through Verisium Runeforging (unlocked in Act 3).
• Runic Ward (acquired from Verisium Runeforging) is a new defensive layer that acts as a “second life,” protecting you from sudden death.
• The Recombinator has been disabled (might be re-enabled in the future). The Omen of Recombination, however, has been removed from the game.
• The “Defences” keyword is no longer used. Instead, the defensive layer is now explicitly stated (armor, evasion, energy shield).
• Only a single leech instance is active at a time. If there is more than one instance of leech, the previous one will be overridden by the new one that has a higher recovery rate.
• Leech now has a damage cap of 40,000, which factors into the calculation (essentially, how much life, mana, or energy shield can be leeched from the enemy).
• Melee attacks can now only apply splash damage once per damaging area. This affects skills like Whirling Assault, which creates multiple damaging areas when moving.
• Ancestral Bond: Now doubles totem limit. Each totem still reserves 75 Spirit.
• Trusted Kinship: Now grants 30% more reservation efficiency for Companion skills, and 20% less reservation efficiency of non-Companion skills. No longer provides “You Have 30% less defenses” or “Companions have +1 to each defense for every 2 of that defense you have.”
• “Faster Start of Energy Shield Recharge” nodes have been nerfed across the board.
• Small nodes that granted “Energy Shield Recharge Rate” have been removed and have now been replaced with “Faster Start of Energy Shield Recharge” at lower values.
• All Command Skills (for minions) now have a 50% movement speed penalty during skill use (instead of 70%).
• Unleash, Expand, Salvo, and Freezing Salvo now use the same concept as Seals (a standardization change).
• Shock Conduction II has been removed from the game.
• Lesser, Greater, and Perfect Jeweller’s Orbs can now be used on items with skills to increase the number of sockets on the item’s granted skills. This includes things such as Rattling Sceptre, Font of Power, and Chiming Staff, among others.
• The amount of armor, evasion, and energy shield granted by items has increased as you get to higher levels.
• Base weapon range for certain martial weapons has increased, including one-handed maces, two-handed maces, and quarterstaves.
• The “+ to Level of All Melee/Projectile Skills” modifiers on two-handed attack weapons now have a value of +5 at Tier 1 (instead of +7).
• The “+ to Level of All Melee and Projectile Skills” modifiers on one-handed attack weapons now have a value of +4 at Tier 1 (Instead of +5).

If you want to learn more about the league and what it entails, refer to our Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients—league mechanic guide.

FAQ

What is the Best Ascendancy Class in PoE 2 0.5.0?

Martial Artist, Blood Mage, and Oracle.

What is the Best Ascendancy Class for Beginners in Patch 0.5.0?

Titan, Amazon, Invoker, and Deadeye.

Is the Martial Artist Good in PoE 2 Return of the Ancients?

The Martial Artist has the potential to be great from league start to endgame. Some of his ascendancy nodes grant him power through runes and some endgame gloves. This does not factor in the new unique items in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients, which may contribute more to the capabilities of the Martial Artist.

How Do the Changes to Energy Shield in Patch 0.5.0 Impact the Ascendancies?

Ascendancy classes that often relied on Chaos Inoculation (keystone) in the past may have to make huge investments in endgame gear to compensate for the slower start of energy shield recharge. This means that each piece of gear must have high amounts of energy shield.

If that is not possible yet, then consider not taking Chaos Inoculation until you have the currency to get good energy shield-based gear.

Will This Tier List Change After Launch?

Most likely. The information provided here is incomplete, as most of the new items and their respective values have not been revealed yet. However, the tier list was created based on the current patch notes for Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients.