PoE 2 Dawn of the Hunt: Ascendancy Buffs & Nerfs

Path of Exile 2’s Dawn of the Hunt update introduced 5 new ascendancies to the game alongside a slew of updates to the older ascendancies, but how have these changes impacted the meta? Read on to find out!

1. Gemling Legionnaire

Nerfs to Attribute Stacking: The 20% less Attributes modifier is a major hit to the Gemling Legionnaire’s build potential. The archetype relied heavily on stacking attributes, and now that it’s less effective, it’s not surprising this ascendancy has dropped from its former popularity. With the nerfs to items like Pillar of the Caged God, it’s going to struggle in the current patch.

2. Invoker

Skill Nerfs (Tempest Bell): The Invoker was a powerhouse in patch 0.1 with its quarterstaff setups, but Tempest Bell’s nerf has slowed down. It’s not totally out of the meta, but it’s certainly no longer the top contender. Still, it seems to have a respectable share compared to the Stormweaver and Gemling Legionnaire in patch 0.2.

3. Infernalist

Minion and Spell Casters Hit Hard: The removal of the Loyal Hellhound damage transfer mechanic and changes to Demon Form have made the Infernalist’s popular archetypes a lot weaker. The Lich has now overshadowed it in popularity, pushing the Infernalist into a pretty poor position with just 1% of the character share in patch 0.2. Feels like the class needs a major overhaul to find a niche again.

4. Ritualist

Underperforming but Potential: Despite being a new addition, the Ritualist class has yet to meet expectations. The extra ring slot is a cool feature, but it requires strong gear to use it fully. The Unfurled Finger and Mystic Attunement notables are good, but without top-tier gear, they don’t shine. Expect it to gain popularity later as players accumulate better gear.

5. Acolyte of Chayula

Still Struggling: The Acolyte of Chayula has fallen into the “niche” territory. Its unique mechanics, such as the Embrace the Darkness branch, aren’t usable at the moment, and changes like the Ravenous Doubts being adjusted for other damage types don’t seem to fix its underlying issues. A full redesign may be needed for this ascendancy to see any meaningful use.

6. Tactician

Lackluster Start: As a defensive, support-focused class, the Tactician hasn’t hit the ground running in patch 0.2. Skills like Cannons, Ready! and Unleash Hell! could see some buffs to make this class more viable, but as of now, it seems like players aren’t flocking to it.

7. Other Ascendancies (Titan, Witchhunter, Pathfinder, etc.)

Mixed Results: A lot of these classes are fighting for the scraps in patch 0.2. The Titan and Blood Mage received some strong buffs, but it still feels like melee and self-cast spells, in general, are struggling in this patch. The Chronomancer’s loss of the Life Recoup node and the rework to the Flood of Echoes suggest that it may gain traction as spell builds are further buffed. The Pathfinder received a mixed bag of changes, with some nerfs and reworks, which have left it worse off than in the previous patch.

On the other hand, the Pathfinder had a mixed bag in the Dawn of the Hunt update, with some significant nerfs to the Concoction Skills, a rework to the movement branch, and two entirely new notables, but this class finds itself worse off in patch 0.2 compared to the previous update.

If you’re sitting on some PoE 2 currency and PoE 2 items and wondering what to do now that Pathfinder is in a weaker spot in patch 0.2.