New Ascendancy Classes in Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt Overview

Path of Exile 2 promises an exciting array of 12 planned classes, each featuring three unique ascendancies. As the early access phase launched, players were introduced to six of these classes, each equipped with two ascendancies. The anticipation for more options is building as we look ahead.

As more classes and ascendancies are gradually unveiled during the early access period, the recent update titled “Dawn of the Hunt” introduces five brand new ascendancies. Below, we delve into the details of these fresh additions.

New Ascendancy Classes in PoE 2: Dawn of the Hunt

Dawn of the Hunt Classes — Image courtesy of Grinding Gear Games

Warrior’s Smith of Kitava

The Smith of Kitava ascendancy focuses on enhancing player attributes through body armor. A standout feature is the “Smith’s Masterwork” node, which uniquely allows for significant stat bonuses without the need for passive skill allocation.

Players can select from powerful buffs like “Kitavan Engraving, ” which grants a 15% increase to maximum life, or boost elemental resistances by a staggering +75%.While the ascendancy restricts the use of body armor to regular types, it presents interesting synergies with unique items like the Tabula Rasa.

Additionally, the “Forged in Flame” mechanic ensures players can match their maximum cold and lightning resistances to their fire cap, making this ascendancy one of the most resilient options available in the game for endgame activities.

Mercenary’s Tactician

New Ascendancy Tease — Image courtesy of Grinding Gear Games

The Mercenary’s Tactician appears to lean heavily towards support roles, with abilities that enhance banner skills and provide sustained buffs while using fewer reservation nodes. This class can also incorporate totem builds, gaining all the ascendancy buffs they provide.

A key skill, “Cannons, Ready!” enhances totem speed by 30%, albeit at the trade-off that totems will only fire when the player is actively using skills, potentially introducing intriguing tactics into gameplay.

Notably, the Mercenary class has largely remained unaffected by significant nerfs in this update, making it a viable choice for newcomers, as established builds demonstrate consistent performance throughout the early access phase.

Witch’s Lich

The Lich class is poised to attract considerable attention due to its potent synergy with the “Unholy Might” effect, which channels 30% of total damage as additional chaos damage. This boost effectively elevates overall damage output while favoring chaos analytics.

When combined with the Blackened Heart item—an artifact that augments maximum mana and thus the buff’s effectiveness—the Lich emerges as a strong contender for endgame builds. While many players are setting their sights on minion-centric setups utilizing Vis Mortis alongside the Blackened Heart, achieving this may prove challenging considering current minion survivability mechanics.

In addition to minion builds, the Lich excels in curse-centric strategies, further solidifying its appeal as a go-to ascendancy choice in the Dawn of the Hunt update.

Huntress’s Amazon

Dawn of the Hunt Gameplay — Image courtesy of Grinding Gear Games

The Amazon ascendancy, as part of the Huntress classes, emphasizes tactical weaknesses while offering a hybrid playstyle through the use of spears and shields.

Thanks to its compelling ascendancy nodes, players often adapt the Amazon for various bow and crossbow skill builds. Notable enhancements include Critical Strike, Predatory Instinct, In for the Kill, and Penetrate, all designed to maximize damage through accuracy and critical strike enhancements, alongside increased skill and movement speed.

As a result, this ascendancy has evolved into a hybrid for widely popular elemental builds, tapping into diverse stats to maximize effectiveness in the endgame.

Huntress’s Ritualist

Huntress Gameplay Trailer — Image courtesy of Grinding Gear Games

The Ritualist offers a contrasting gameplay experience to the Amazon class, opening avenues for unique builds through skills like Blood Boil and Ritual Sacrifice, derived from the Corrupted Lifeforce and As the Whispers Ask nodes.

This class utilizes sacrifices from slain foes to provide random yet potentially impactful buffs. Innovative build mechanics emerge from ascendancy nodes such as Mystic Attunement, Unfurled Finger, and Intricate Sigils.

With the potential for an additional ring slot and boosted bonuses from equipped accessories, the Ritualist could evolve into a formidable endgame build, especially when complemented by high-damage items like the Ingenuity Belt.

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