PoE 2 0.3 Best Class & Starter Builds Tier List (The Third Edict)

Here we update the PoE 2 0.3.0 Best Class & Build Tier List to rank all ascendancies for the massive patch, and present the best league starter builds for Rise of the Abyssal league based on the massive changes and new content in The Third Edict. 

Main Class Changes in Path of Exile 2 0.3.0 Patch (The Third Edict)

Path of Exile 2 0.3.0 Patch, known as The Third Edict, is a game-changer for both new and experienced exiles. Sadly, no new class, but every class is getting reworked, improved, buffed in some way, with the following changes:

• Support Gem System Rework: The previous restriction of one support gem type per character is gone. Multiple copies of the same support can now be used on different skills, enabling much broader build diversity. Support gems also have multiple tiers, adding a sense of progression and endgame chase with new "lineage" supports dropping from bosses.

• Class Buffs and New Keystones: Every class received buffs, new skills, and a huge passive tree expansion, over 100 new notables, often themed around ascendancies. For example, the monk now gains access to the hollow palm technique for unarmed martial arts, while warrior shield skills are much more fluid and impactful.

• New Lineage Supports: They're also adding lineage support gems, which are giga endgame versions of support gems. And these you can only get as drops. Some will be rarer than others. Some will only drop from certain bosses. Some are completely build defining, some are simply uh power upgrades, and some are going to be rarer to find than others. There are 40 zero lineage support gems being added.

• Major Defense Reworks: Evasion gains the new "deflection" mechanic, allowing 40% less damage taken on successful deflects, with a possible 100% cap. Armor can now mitigate elemental damage via new modifiers. Block and parry have become much more reliable, and ailments such as shock, chill, and freeze now last longer, encouraging multi-element builds.

• Minion and Spectre Improvements: Minions no longer require accuracy and always hit. Spectres are cheaper and stronger, and new minion command skills and jump abilities have been added for better clear and bossing.

• Crafting and Itemization: New crafting orbs with higher tiers guarantee better modifiers. Exceptional items can drop with extra sockets or quality, and essences have more impactful tiers for powerful early-game upgrades. The addition of omens and sanctified items further expands endgame crafting depth.

Also, this massive update brings sweeping changes to nearly every system in the game, new acts, support gem overhauls, rebalanced defenses, an innovative trade system, and a new league. New classes and build meta situations are going to be shaped in the new league! Which ascendancy to play in The Third Edict? And which starter build to set up for the new bosses and Rise of the Abyssal League? Let's find out now!

PoE 2 0.3 Class Ascendancy Tier List

The Third Edict patch introduces a staggering number of changes to classes and ascendancy, which will obviously bring buffs and nerfs. Here’s how the ascendancies stack up this patch, factoring in the new skills, defense, gear, and passive tree changes:

1. Blood Mage (Witch) - S Tier

Now enabled to access its core power right away, with Sangmancy made free. This opens up strong, self-sustaining, high-damage builds using both life-based spellcasting and bleeding mechanics.

2. Warbringer (Warrior) - S Tier

Warbringer dominates with its totem improvements. The updated system lets you summon multiple powerful ancestral totems, and new support options make it easier to generate and spend endurance charges. Defensive buffs to block, parry, and shield skills keep Warbringer safe while clearing and bossing.

3. Deadeye (Ranger) - S Tier

Deadeye is a top choice this patch. Evasion now features the deflect stat, allowing up to 100% deflection (40% less hit damage). Evasion, in general, or evasion builds are getting a buff with the introduction of a new mechanic called deflect. So, evasion could only avoid certain kinds of damage. Deflect can avoid any kind of damage. And if you get a successful deflect, you take 40% less damage. There's also no limit to your deflect chance, so you can reach 100% deflect chance. The deflect roll happens in addition to the evasion roll. So you're stacking these two basically.Improved cold and poison skills, better movement, and a denser passive tree make Deadeye fast, tough, and deadly.

4. Chronomancer (Sorceress) - S Tier

Chronomancer benefits from instant weapon swap, expanded elemental infusions, and new keystones. The ascendancy thrives on juggling multiple spells and elements, with high flexibility and strong burst or sustained spell damage.

5. Titan (Warrior) - A Tier

Titan’s improved scaling with skill effect duration and armor that now mitigates elemental damage make it much tougher than before. The ascendancy works well with lingering skills and duration-based effects, providing a robust, versatile playstyle.

6. Stormweaver (Sorceress) - A Tier

Stormweaver is empowered by the new elemental infusion system, multi-tier support gems, and global curse/exposure mechanics. This ascendancy can easily mix elements and adapt to encounters, offering high damage and creative builds.

7. Pathfinder (Ranger) - A Tier

Pathfinder takes full advantage of the new toxic growth and poison stacking mechanics. The passive and support gem updates mean Pathfinder can scale both clear and bossing potential more easily.

8. Amazon (Huntress) - A Tier

Amazon gains from new evasion and deflection, as well as potent Gas Arrow builds that quickly clear maps. Amazon’s toolkit is more comfortable and effective for both early and endgame mapping.

9. Infernalist (Witch) - A Tier

Demon form now retains weapon stats, making it a much more attractive transformation. Fire stacking skills pair well with new passives and spirit cost reductions, but a little less flexible compared to S-tier options.

10. Gemling Legionnaire (Mercenary) - A Tier

Gemling Legionnaire shines with new support gem flexibility, strong defenses, and an expanded passive tree. Combo and multi-element builds are very viable, making this a solid all-rounder.

11. Smith of Kitava (Warrior) - B Tier

Smith of Kitava is improved for slam/hammer skills, especially with the new Forge Hammer and warcry synergies. While fun and powerful in the right hands, it’s more niche than the other Warrior ascendancies.

12. Lich (Witch) - B Tier

Lich can now combine whirlwind and incinerate for a hybrid spell/melee playstyle. It benefits from new weapons and support gems, but requires more setup and is less versatile than Blood Mage.

13. Invoker (Monk) - B Tier

Invoker’s biggest addition is the hollow palm keystone, unlocking true martial arts builds. Wind skills and energy shield/evasion scaling are improved, though Invoker still lags behind the top-tier classes.

14. Acolyte of Chayula (Monk) - B Tier

Acolyte of Chayula is now able to apply all elemental ailments with chaos damage, and chaos leech is stronger. Grasp of the Void adds new flavor, but this ascendancy remains more specialized.

15. Tactician (Mercenary) - B Tier

Tactician benefits from better banners and a more consistent support playstyle, but lacks the firepower or flexibility of Witchhunter and Gemling Legionnaire.

16. Witchhunter (Mercenary) - B Tier

Witchhunter enjoys smoother crossbow mechanics and new grenade-based skills, yet is still outperformed by more aggressive ascendancies.

17. Ritualist (Huntress) - B Tier

Ritualist is bolstered by improved minion AI, leap abilities, and command skills. Minions always hit and spectres are stronger, though Ritualist remains slower than Amazon for most content.

PoE 2 0.3.0 Best Starter Builds for Rise of the Abyssal League

With a massive overhaul of skills, passive trees, new league mechanics, and the introduction of asynchronous trade, the game offers more build diversity and creativity than ever before. In the following section, we are going to sort out the standout build concepts that are poised to shine in this massive 0.3.0 patch. Here are the best starter builds for Rise of the Abyssal league, based on accessibility, power, and ease of gearing:

1. Unarmed Evasion Specialist Hollow Palm Invoker

The Hollow Palm Monk build has finally come into its own with this patch. Previously, unarmed builds struggled to compete, but the new version of Hollow Palm allows the use of quarterstaff skills while unarmed. This opens up skills like Ice Strike and Wind Blast, both of which benefit from the Monk’s natural synergy with evasion and energy shield stacking.

The playstyle revolves around stacking as much evasion and energy shield as possible, translating those stats into extra attack speed and critical chance. This approach enables a high-damage, fast-paced melee build without relying on a weapon. The updated animations and skill effects make playing an unarmed Monk visually impressive and mechanically rewarding. Heralds, especially Herald of Ice and Herald of Thunder, remain potent in this patch. While Herald of Thunder saw a reduction in radius, it still provides strong clear potential. The combination of Hollow Palm’s scaling and these heralds helps the Monk excel in both mapping and bossing.

A key defensive mechanic for this build is the new deflect system, which provides a chance to reduce incoming hit damage by 40%, scaling with evasion. This acts as a robust layer of protection, similar to spell suppression from PoE1, but now more integrated into the Monk’s natural defensive toolkit.

The Hollow Palm Monk is an attractive option for players who enjoy fast, melee-focused gameplay and want to take advantage of the new evasion and deflect synergy.

Check out how to set up the Evasion Hallow Palm Invoker Build for PoE 2 0.3.0

2. Multi-Elementalist Sorceress: Infusions & Elemental Weaving Stormweaver

The second new meta build you should take a try in the 0.3.0 patch is the Multi-Elementalist Sorceress, which leverages the new elemental infusion system and a reworked suite of elemental skills. Arc, a classic fan-favorite, is now a primary skill again, no longer just a finisher or trigger. The new mechanics encourage alternating between multiple skills, using elemental infusions generated by skills like Frost Bomb.

When you trigger an infusion, such as by detonating a Frost Bomb, you can then pick up the infusion and apply it to another elemental skill for additional effects. For example, Spark can consume a cold infusion for chill and added lightning damage, while Firestorm can consume all three infusions to unleash a barrage of fiery meteors. This system rewards weaving between different skills and elements, creating a more interactive and strategic caster experience.

Passive tree and ascendancy changes further support this playstyle. The overhaul to exposure and curses—now applying to all elements rather than being split by type—makes building around multiple elements much easier. Nodes like Tempest Caller and Rain Dancer increase skill limits and cooldown recovery, allowing for more complex spell rotations. Mana management is improved with changes like Force of Will, letting you channel more resources into offensive and defensive play.

Bonuses for generating extra infusions or double remnants add another layer of depth. With the ability to accumulate and deploy multiple infusions, the Multi-Elementalist Sorceress can stack buffs and adapt to different combat scenarios.

If you enjoy flexible, hybrid spellcasting and want to experiment with the most mechanically involved build archetype this patch offers, the Multi-Elementalist Sorceress promises a fresh and rewarding experience.

Check out how to set up the Multi-Elementalist Sorceress Build for PoE 2 0.3.0

3. Fire Warrior: Forge Hammer & Warcries Smith of Kitava

One of the most exciting build directions highlighted is the Fire Warrior, taking advantage of the reworked mace skills and the new Forge Hammer. This skill lets you throw a hammer and recall it, but the real synergy comes from using warcries: when you use a warcry near the hammer, it explodes into several fiery fissures, creating huge damage zones. Rolling Slam and other slam skills interact beautifully with this, triggering multiple explosions—especially effective against bosses.

Ancestral Cry is another centerpiece, acting as a new glory skill that creates massive fire eruptions as you move, leaving volcanoes of flames in your wake. The overall visual and mechanical identity of the build feels more dynamic and satisfying than previous iterations of the Warrior.

Passive tree changes also support this archetype. Over a hundred new notables have been added, with around 20-25 per class start. For the Fire Warrior, new nodes allow armor break to apply to fire damage and enable breaking enemy armor below zero, further boosting damage output. Warbringer ascendancy appears to be a strong direction, especially with merged warcry effects and the removal of warcry cooldowns, making for a very active and explosive playstyle.

Defensively, the build benefits from updates to block and armor mechanics. Block now works on nearly all attacks except unavoidable boss slams, with the trade-off of a lower base maximum block chance, but certain notables allow you to push that cap higher under specific conditions. Armor mods can now contribute to elemental mitigation, leveling the playing field with evasion and energy shield.

All these pieces combine to create a Fire Warrior build that offers powerful clear speed, strong single-target potential, and solid defenses, a great choice for starting a new league.

Check out how to set up the Fire Warrior Build for PoE 2 0.3.0

4. Spark Blood Mage

Spark Blood Mage stands out as one of the easiest and most effective league starters. It’s described as a completely onebutton play style, allowing you to simply cast Spark while moving, with no need for flame walls, curses, or timing. This setup is perfect for farming and for players who prefer a simple, stress-free approach. The entire build can operate on a cheap four-link and yellow items, yet achieves millions and millions of DPS. It’s highly accessible for solo self-found and forgiving for new players.

5. Gas Arrow Amazon

The Gas Arrow Amazon is a powerhouse for rapid mapping and effortless farming. The approach is to stack as many gas arrows on the ground as possible, then detonate them with fire for a massive explosion. The build is described as super chill, and comfy to play, making it ideal for those who want smooth progression and fast clear. Budget alternatives exist if you can’t acquire the main uniques, such as using a rare dual string bow or boots that ignite on step. This versatility and reliability place it firmly in S tier.

6. Flicker Strike / Shock Burst Deadeye/Huntress

Flicker Strike is fast, smooth, and can permanently freeze and stun enemies for great safety. For those who prefer a ranged approach, Shock Burst with Galvanic Shards and Herald of Thunder offers excellent clear and single target. Both builds benefit from the improved evasion and deflection defenses.

4. Whirlwind Incinerate Lich King

Whirlwind Incinerate Lich King combines mobility and area damage for a potent league start. The setup uses weapon swap mechanics and can begin with yellow items, upgrading to cheap uniques as you progress. The build’s complexity is balanced by very high damage and scalability, with endgame setups way above what’s needed for progression. Its accessibility and high ceiling earn it a strong A tier placement.

5. Shock Burst & Galvanic Shards Deadeye

This Deadeye build focuses on fast clear with Galvanic Shards and bossing with Shock Burst Rounds. The system requires shocking the target first, solved by using a weapon swap—one setup for stacking ailments and another for pure damage. The build is pretty straightforward and unchanged in the current patch, making it a reliable choice for early progression. Its speed and flexibility give it an A tier rank.

6. Mortar Cannon Mercenary

Mortar Cannon Crossbow is a highlight among Mercenary builds following the patch. The fluidity of crossbow skills is improved; reload no longer penalizes movement, enabling true run-and-gun play. Mortar Cannon summons a totem that launches grenades at a rapid pace, with any grenade skill available for socketing. The totem’s cooldown recovery is much improved, supporting a dynamic and strategic playstyle. Banners have also been strengthened, now offering longer duration and not disappearing when moving out of range. These updates make Mercenary mapping and bossing much faster and smoother, placing this build in A tier.

7. Ember Fusilad Warrior Titan (Cast on Crit Comet)

This Titan build revolves around skill effect duration and cast on crit mechanics using Comet for massive burst. Weapon swap setups are used for toggling between reduced and increased duration, and a couple of uniques make it as smooth as you see here. The build is affordable, scalable, and offers a fresh approach for Titan fans. Its synergy with new support gems and passive tree changes put it in A tier.

8. Bleed Rake Bloodhunt Blood Mage

Rake Bloodhunt is a potent bleed-based build. It is described as an insane one-shotter build capable of destroying the hardest pinnacle bosses using aggravated bleed with Rake and Blood Hunt. The build is decently tanky and easy to level, especially if you stack strength and use Stomping Ground early. The main damage source is aggravated bleed via the Blood Barbs ascendancy, with Blasphemy used to apply curses on bosses. Its single-target power and ease of use give it an A tier ranking.

9. Bayer’s Anguish Ball Lightning

This is a unique, high-concept build using a charm called Bayer’s Anguish, paired with a special belt for cast on charm use. By combining with the right armor (making charms have no use cost), you gain near-constant uptime. The strategy is to stack as many curses as possible, obliterating everything nearby. The setup is described as pretty OP but not that simple, requiring specific gear and planning. Its complexity and setup time place it in B tier, but it has a very high ceiling for advanced players.

10. Totem Forest Warbringer

With changes to endurance charge generation and the ability to summon multiple totems, Warbringer can now play as an army general, overwhelming bosses with a forest of ancestral warriors.

11. Hollow Palm Martial Artist Monk

Monk finally gets its own martial arts identity with the hollow palm keystone, enabling unarmed combat that scales with energy shield and evasion. This opens up a unique, fast-paced melee playstyle.

12. Chaos Ailment Stacker Acolyte of Chiula

With chaos damage now able to apply all elemental ailments, this build can maximize shock, chill, and freeze uptime for both clear and bossing. Leech and void explosions round out a powerful, tanky setup.

The above rankings are based on the known 0.3.0 patch notes. More accurate rankings and meate builds will be updated here soon. Stay tuned.