Reliable, high damage is key to clearing maps quickly and surviving tough endgame challenges in Path of Exile 2, like strong bosses or T15 and T16 maps. The 0.4 Version is coming soon with the Fate of the Vaal league. Here, we are going to break down some of the best DPS builds for PoE 2 0.4 with highest damage for different classes.
PoE 2 0.4 Best DPS Builds for The Last of the Druids
The Path of Exile 2 0.4 update and new Fate of the Vaal league bring substantial improvements to damage output and DPS potential. Significant buffs to ascendancy nodes such as Ritualist’s longer-lasting stolen modifiers and increased damage against enemies affected by ailments; enhancements to support gems that increase damage multipliers and ailment effects, including increased poison damage from Arakaali’s Lust and faster poison damage from Tacati’s Ire; numerous skill gem damage buffs and conversion changes improving elemental and chaos damage scaling; and unique item reworks that boost elemental, chaos, and critical damage, as well as improved attack speeds and damage scaling on many weapons. These changes collectively raise the overall damage capacity of builds while introducing new ways to optimize DPS, although some survivability mechanics have been slightly nerfed. All of these PoE 2 0.4 Fate of the Vaal builds deliver serious damage and shine in both clearing packs and boss fights.
1. PoE 2 0.4 Totem Warbringer (Warrior) Build
This Path of Exile 2 0.4 Warrior build centers around the Warbringer ascendancy and totem mechanics, offering a robust playstyle that combines tankiness with consistent damage output. It relies on placing totems that automatically attack enemies, turning combat into a mostly hands-off experience. The simplicity of this one-button setup makes it very accessible, especially for players new to Path of Exile 2 or those who prefer a less demanding gameplay style. Damage-wise, it delivers solid DPS through physical damage scaling and effective use of grenades launched by your totems. The build uses the Blood Magic keystone, meaning it doesn’t consume mana, which removes the need for complex resource management. This frees players to focus on positioning and movement, while their totems handle the fighting. Defensively, the Warbringer’s ascendancy provides unique layers of protection. Notably, 20% of the damage you take is absorbed by your totems, creating a defensive buffer that few other builds offer. This, combined with life regeneration, high armor, and elemental damage mitigation, helps you survive tough encounters. The build handles all Waystone 15 and 16 content smoothly and can be pushed further with better gear and investment to tackle endgame bosses like King of the Mists and Olroth at maximum difficulty.
Changes and Buffs in Patch 0.4.0
Ascendancy Improvements: Minor buffs to Warbringer nodes, especially the Ancestral Warhorn minion, now hits close enemies more consistently with its slam attack. No nerfs were applied.
Voltaic Grenade Buff: This skill, used for single-target damage, now has 3 charges with a faster cooldown, improving boss damage potential.
Mortar Cannon Buff: Slight increase in fire damage added to this skill, making overall damage output a bit stronger.
Gameplay Optimization: General improvements to loading times and FPS, making the game run smoother, especially on less powerful machines.
Campaign Damage Boost: Volcanic Fissure, used during leveling before switching to grenades, received a damage buff to smooth early progression.
Build Gear (Budget)
Helmet (Armor base): Prioritize maximum life, resistances, and armor that also applies to elemental damage. If possible, add an extra socket.
Body Armour (Ornate Plate): High life and armor with life regeneration. Resistances and elemental damage converted from armor are key.
Gloves (Armor): Physical damage to attacks, life, resistances, and elemental damage conversion from armor.
Boots (Armor): Movement speed, life, resistances, and armor to elemental damage conversion.
Weapon (Crossbow): Cannonade or Siege Crossbow with implicit “Grenade Skills fire an additional projectile” and high physical damage. Optional mods include +1 to maximum Ballista totems and +6 to all attack skills.
Amulet: Idol of Uldurn with Volatile Grenades instilled and flesh catalysts applied for faster grenade detonation.
Rings: Life, physical damage to attacks, and resistances. Applying catalysts boosts stats further.
Belt: Life, resistances, and increased charm slots.
Skill Gems and Support Gems
Main Skill: Mortar Cannon — a totem skill supported by Cluster Grenade for area damage.
Single Target Boss Skill: Voltaic Grenade — applies Shock, increasing damage enemies take; now has 3 charges with a faster recharge.
Support Gems: Rigwald’s Ferocity (placed in Weapon Slot II to avoid damage penalty), Cluster Grenade, and other damage-boosting supports.
Keystone: Blood Magic — mana is not used, allowing continuous skill use without resource constraints.
Aura: Time of Need — periodic healing and ailment removal, excellent for curse-heavy maps.
Ascendancy Order
Answered Call → Wooden Wall → Jade Heritage → Anvil’s Weight.
2. PoE 2 0.4 Gemling Legionnaire Zombies Minion Build
This 0.4 Mercenary build focuses on the Gemling Legionnaire ascendancy, combined with a powerful army of empowered zombies and other minions to deal substantial damage in Path of Exile 2. It is a minion-centered setup that emphasizes maintaining a strong zombie force supported by a mix of spectres and skeletons. The zombies serve as the main damage-dealing minions, especially effective against bosses and rare enemies, while the other minions help clear regular mobs efficiently and keep the action flowing. What makes this build particularly strong for DPS is its ability to generate empowered zombies without relying on corpses. This is made possible through power charges generated by the Gemling Legionnaire’s ascendancy nodes or alternative methods such as offering skills. Empowered zombies come with a significant damage multiplier, which, after the 0.4 patch, has more than doubled and now scales with the gem level, promising damage outputs exceeding 300%. Zombies take the lead on tough enemies, while spectres and skeletons fill in for map clearing, reducing downtime and ensuring the player always has a buffer of minions to attack and distract enemies. The build also benefits from the ability to use multiple support gems on minions simultaneously.
Changes and Buffs in Patch 0.4.0
Empowered Zombie Damage Buff: The damage multiplier for empowered zombies was increased. This multiplier now scales with the skill gem's level, which means the zombies become increasingly powerful as you level up the gem.
Build Gear
Sceptre: Look for rare sceptres with bonuses to +spirit and +minion skills. Additional presence AoE, attack/cast speed, or minion damage are excellent bonuses to enhance minion DPS.
Shield: For non-CI (Chaos Inhibition) players, using a Primordial Guardian can boost damage by adding extra minions. Otherwise, a rare shield with high block chance and triple resistances increases survivability.
Amulet: A rare Solar Amulet with +spirit and +minion skill bonuses offers the best damage gain. The unique mod Overflowing Power that increases maximum power charges to seven is highly valuable.
Helmet: Choose high Energy Shield (ES) rare helmets with +minion skills. Using a socketed Talisman of Ralakesh rune adds more minions to your army.
Body Armour: Prioritize rare armors with high evasion and/or ES, plus life and resistances. Bonus spirit and minion skill mods are a plus.
Gloves and Boots: High life and resistances are key. For boots, Bones of Ullr provide reservation efficiency, which helps with managing spirit reservation costs.
Belt: Darkness Enthroned (helmet version) with talisman runes can add damage but may come at a high opportunity cost. Otherwise, a rare belt with life and resistances is ideal.
Rings: Focus on high life and triple resistances. Mana regeneration and cast speed are nice extras. If you have an unreserved spirit, use unset rings to add more skeletal minions for additional support.
Grip of Kumelak: This unique item can provide valuable bonuses such as additional spirit, power charges, and cast speed per spirit, all of which synergize well with this build.
Skill Gems and Support Gems
1. Raise Zombie: Main damage dealers, especially empowered zombies that hit hard and sustain the boss fights.
Support Gems: Perpetual Charge, Muster, Rapid Attacks II, Minion Mastery, Feeding Frenzy II
2. Spectre — Frozen Mandibles (or alternatives): Fast-hitting minions that break enemy armor to boost zombie damage.
Support Gems: Armour Break III, Muster, Rapid Attacks II, Minion Mastery, or Uruk’s Smelting, Feeding Frenzy II
3. Skeletal Cleric x2: Keep minions alive and add valuable buffs through Brutu’s Brain.
Support Gems: Rapid Casting II, Brutu's Brain, Last Gasp, Prolonged Duration II (optional)
4. Skeletal Frost Mage: Shield other minions and increase survivability.
Support Gems: Prolonged Duration II, Bidding II, Rapid Casting II, Minion Mastery or Exploit Weakness, Muster (optional)
5. Pain Offering: Adds damage and synergy with skeletal minions.
Support Gems: Danse Macabre, Meat Shield II, Elemental Army
6. Skeletal Warrior: Feed Pain Offering and add to Muster support.
Support Gems: Sacrificial Lamb II, Deathmarch, Culling Strike II, Minion Mastery (optional), Feeding Frenzy II (optional)
7. Skeletal Sniper: Provide area damage and active skill utility.
Support Gems: Minion Mastery, Muster, Bidding II, Kurgal's Leash, Feeding Frenzy II or Magnified Area I
8. Spectre — Vaal Guard x2: Area damage and detonator for snipers.
Support Gems: Minion Mastery, Muster, Feeding Frenzy II, Magnified Area I
9. Skeletal Storm Mage: Apply shocks and buff Muster support.
Support Gems: Rapid Casting II, Shock, Overcharge, Shock Conduction, Muster (optional)
10. Spectre — Ribrattle: Adds survivability through curses.
Support Gems: Magnified Area II, Last Gasp, Rapid Casting II
Skill Tree and Ascendancy Nodes
Ascendancy: Gemling Legionnaire. Nodes taken include Crystalline Potential, Advanced Thaumaturgy (key for power charges), Neurological Implants, and either Gem Studded (for mana) or Adaptive Capability (for life).
Skill Tree: The passive tree focuses on energy shield, life, and minion support nodes. Currently set up for more energy shield, with options to tweak once unique items are available.
3. PoE 2 0.4 Poison Spear Ritualist Build
This PoE 2 0.4 Huntress build focuses on a poison-based damage-dealing playstyle using the Ritualist class. It revolves around the synergy between the Splinter of Loratta spear and the Plague Bearer skill, which inflicts massive poison stacks and a powerful poison nova effect. Unlike typical elemental or raw physical damage builds, this one exploits poison mechanics and flat damage scaling from gear and skill supports, making it a strong contender for all endgame content. The Ritualist class is a fitting choice because it can effectively overcome the low base damage of the core weapon (Splinter of Loratta) by stacking large amounts of flat elemental damage from rings and other gear. This, combined with poison scaling, results in high damage-over-time and burst potential. The build's damage primarily comes from poisoning enemies with Lightning Spear hits, then unleashing a poison nova from Plague Bearer to clear groups or finish off bosses. The build is flexible and viable across all content, including bosses, maps, and simulacrums.
Changes and Buffs in Patch 0.4.0
Ritual Sacrifice Stolen Modifier Duration increased significantly from roughly 15-20 seconds to 82-120 seconds at gem levels 1-20. Quality now adds +20 seconds (previously +2). This makes the skill much more worthwhile, especially with the two available unused ascension points to invest in it.
Corrupted Lifeforce now grants 15% more damage against enemies affected by Blood Boil. Since the build already applies Blood Boil, this translates to a substantial free damage boost.
Arakaali's Lust support gem damage buff increased from 6% per poison stack to 8%, with the maximum stacking bonus raised from 30% to 40%. This “more” multiplier significantly raises poison damage output.
Ghost Dance nerfed: maximum ghost shrouds capped at 3 (down from 5), and time between gaining ghost shrouds increased. Quality now provides reservation efficiency instead of defensive bonuses. This reduces survivability somewhat.
Tacati's Ire now causes poisons from supported skills to deal damage 2% faster per rage (up from 1%), which can be interesting for builds that stack rage.
Attrition reserve cost lowered from 60 to 30 spirit, making it more viable for budget setups, although not currently used in this build.
Build Gear
Weapon: Splinter of Loratta. This spear has a 100% chance to apply poison and unlimited poison stacking potential. It’s a level 1 item with very low base damage, but you compensate with flat damage from rings and other gear. Ideally, get one with 2 sockets; some players vaal it for additional rage on hit to improve single-target damage.
Gloves: Previously, Plaguefinger gloves were core, but with the "no elemental damage" affix on the spear, they are less used now. Instead, use gloves with elemental damage, attack speed, and the new Desecrated affix that boosts ailment magnitudes. The gloves should have 2 sockets, and you can run support gems or utility as needed.
Rings: Rings are vital for adding flat elemental damage and chaos damage bonuses to cover the weapon’s low base damage. The Original Sin Amethyst ring is essential because it converts all elemental damage to chaos damage, bypassing the spear’s elemental damage restriction. Quality on this ring should focus on chaos resist or damage modifiers.
Belt: Ingenuity. This belt increases damage from rings, amplifying your flat elemental damage gains. It's not mandatory, but recommended for better DPS. Alternatively, use a life/resist belt or a Headhunter for mapping efficiency once you have strong gear.
Sceptre: Provides spirit (mana) and increased area of effect for presence-type skills like Withering Presence, Blood Boil, and Malice. Palm of the Dreamer is BiS for mapping due to its ability to clear packs quickly by evaporating enemies, but it reduces minimap visibility. Omen Sceptre is better for bosses.
Amulet: Prioritize spirit and +projectile skill levels. Defensive stats like energy shield or evasion are beneficial. For anoint, Spiral into Insanity offers great chaos damage and defenses, while Inner Faith adds survivability. Lasting Trauma is also an option for increasing ailment magnitude and duration.
Body Armor: Choose armor with high life, resistances, and stats as needed.
Jewels: Focus on poison and ailment magnitude, attack speed, critical chance, critical damage, and poison duration.
Skill Gems & Support Gems
Main Attack: Lightning Spear. The spear is used to apply poison stacks quickly. Its hits fill the Plague Bearer buff to 100%, enabling the poison nova.
AoE/Nova: Plague Bearer. The nova deals massive poison damage in an area, clearing packs efficiently.
Single Target: Storm Lance. Used for bosses to deal focused damage. Note that Sniper's Mark must be cast manually now for gaining charges, as it lost its spell tag and cannot be automated with support gems.
Support: Arakaali's Lust for poison damage, Blasphemy/Despair for chaos damage boost, and Rune of Cruelty for magnitude buffs. Use Clarity and Cannibalism optionally if you have enough spirit.
Buffs/Debuffs: Use Herald of Plague to spread poison.
Ascendancy Nodes & Points
The build uses the Ritualist ascendancy to boost poison damage and sustain. There are two unused ascendancy points available to invest in Ritual Sacrifice, which now has a much longer stolen modifier duration, making it a powerful new option.