Path of Exilehas always been known to be a rather uninviting game for beginners, mainly because the free-to-play original had next to no onboarding process to make it easy for newcomers.
However, the good news is that the sequel, now in early access, adds a lot of tutorials and explanations to complex systems, allowing you to hop into this well-known series and see what you’ve been missing for all of these years.
Suffering From Success: Path Of Exile 2 Scrambling For Support Capacity After Surprise Release
Turns out you can overperform in the market.
However, one thing you won’t be able to know without trying them all firsthand is how each class plays in this game. There are six starting classes to choose from each with their own skills and playstyles.
None are necessarily the wrong choice, but there are definitely options that suit veterans, and those that suit beginners.
So, to help you identify which classes are best for complete newbies, here is every Path of Exile 2 class ranked based on how good they are for beginner players.
A Tough Starting Class
If you’re a newbie starting your adventure in Path of Exile 2, in my humble opinion, the worst option you could pick is the Monk class. The Monk class is a melee character somewhat like the Warrior, only this class uses a Quarterstaff.
This means that they don’t have the armor or shield that the Warrior has at their disposal, nor the brute force. What they have is higher mobility, a better evasion rate and a number of skills that require careful use to evade attacks.
The Monk can be a powerful class in the hands of a skilled player, but because this class requires you to be so close to the action with minimal protection other than situational skills, choosing this class puts you on the back foot early. If this class really speaks to you, it’s worth learning, but if you want an easy time, there are much better options.
Brute Force
The Warrior class is slightly better than the Monk for beginners but suffers from a lot of the same problems. Being an out-and-out melee character, you will need to be up close and personal with enemies if you want to deal consistent damage.
Which puts you in reach of enemies and at risk of getting swarmed. However, unlike the Monk, you’ll have a shield for protection and a number of powerful skills to deal huge damage fast.
If you don’t mind being in the thick of it at all times, then this isn’t the worst choice. But it’s a class that gives you no real evasive options, meaning you have to rely on strength and brute force to win the day.
So, in short, it’s a rather boring and one-note class, and it’s one that constantly puts you in harm’s way, so it’s not ideal if you’re just starting out.
Fresh Out The Coven
The Witch class is admittedly the one I believe to be the coolest class of the bunch as a concept. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the easiest to pick up and play for a beginner.
The Witch class relies on players using the power of the undead to do their bidding. Sure, you will be able to fire off spells from your Wand, but the majority of your damage will come from your skills and summons.
You’ll be initially able to summon skeletal minions, infect the dead who, in turn, infect more enemies causing a chain reaction, and as time goes on, you’ll gain access to stronger minions that survive longer and hit harder.
However, this one does demand a decent understanding of positioning, asks you to monitor more on the busy battlefield than just your own avatar, and makes you a squishy character when your minions are no more.
It’s a very interesting class and one worth checking out, but if it doesn’t instantly click for you, I would suggest a more straightforward option.
A Sure Shot, Even For Beginners
The Ranger class is exactly how it sounds. This puts you in the shoes of a hero with a bow and arrow, and in this role, you are most effective when picking off enemies from range.
You have the power to use status effects on your arrows to thin out the crowd. Your build focuses mainly on projectile damage and evasiveness, and your skills also give you a number of ways to get out of a jam and back into a safe, ranged position again.
When used well, this class can be a very effective one that allows you to clear loads of enemies without ever needing to be anywhere near them.
However, this one does require some strong evasive abilities to play well, because if you’re overwhelmed, you’ll go down pretty quickly. Just be mindful of your positions and cooldowns, and this can be a decent beginner option.
2Sorceress
Simple Spellcasting
Our runner-up is the Sorceress Class, which is one of the two classes that I would consider to be completely beginner-friendly.
This one is a typical spellcaster build that allows you to shoot magical projectiles from your staff while doubling up with magical skills that provide elemental effects.
It’s a really straightforward class that allows you to stay at mid-range, pick off enemies, and use skills to apply AOE damage for crowd control.
The only reason why this class doesn’t make it to the top of the pile is that this class does require you to understand the various types of elemental damage, this class is very reliant on Mana and keeping that topped up, and you’re rather squishy due to the lack of decent armor.
But in terms of the ease with which you can pick up and play this class, it’s an easy one to learn fast.
1Mercenary
Most Like A Traditional Top-Down Shooter
Of all the classes, there is none easier to play right from the offset than the Mercenary, which was the class I decided to go for, if you were wondering.
The main appeal for me about this one, and what will appeal to most beginners, is that this class plays most similarly to a typical top-down shooter character. With your crossbow, you have skills that represent different types of shots, whether it be fragmentation, rapid-fire, or straight bolt action.
It’s all very easy to understand, doesn’t require a lot of focus on Mana as it’s all physical attacks, and you’ll also gain access to grenades and other skills that will help with crowd control.
The only downside to this class is that aside from constantly backing up, there are not many evasion options, and when you’re swarmed, you’re as good as dead.
But there are a lot of ways to avoid that happening, and it’s the easiest class to understand, making the Mercenary Class the best for beginners in Path of Exile 2.
Path of Exile II
WHERE TO PLAY
Elden Ring: Nightreign Not A Live Service Game Confirms FromSoftware
Elden Ring: Nightreign won’t be a live service game, according to its games director Junya Ishizak.
