There are tons of changes coming to the Path of Exile Mirage League, including minion buffs, totem placement overhauls, slam nerfs, and the introduction of the new Scion Ascendancy: Reliquarian. Today, this PoE 3.28 Ascendancy tier list ranks the best class to the weakest one based on buffs and nerfs in the content update.
PoE 3.28 Mirage Best Ascendancy Class Tier List
With the addition of Reliquarian in Path of Exile 1, there are a total of 20 Ascendancy classes in the game now. This PoE Mirage tier list breaks down every Ascendancy class in the 3.28 League, ranked from the strongest to the weakest, along with top-tier builds recommended for each Ascendancy.
1. Necromancer (Witch) - S Tier
Without a doubt, the Necromancer stands as 3.28’s undisputed S-Tier champion and the biggest winner of the Mirage League. While it didn’t receive any direct Ascendancy tweaks, the league’s game-changing minion buffs—including new support gems, adjusted gem scaling, and the game-breaking level 30 minion power spike—have catapulted it to meta dominance. Spectre minions, in particular, become unstoppable once they hit level 30: level 85 Spectres paired with level 30 gem power boast exponential defensive and damage growth, turning even casual builds into map-clearing machines. The Dominating Blow Necromancer build is insane, it offers snowballing map clear (thanks to chaining dominated enemies) and top-tier bossing capabilities, while Absolution—one of the Necromancer’s core minion skills—transitions smoothly from leveling to endgame with strong early damage and steady scaling. What makes this Ascendancy so great? It delivers high rewards with minimal investment, requires almost no skill to “faceroll” content, and offers a wide range of versatile minion options. The only minor hiccup is some awkwardness when pairing level 30 gems with coin supports, but that’s a small issue easily worked around.
Top 3.28 Necromancer Builds
Spectre Necromancer (strongest league start)
Dominating Blow Necromancer (clear king)
Absolution Necromancer (smooth progression)
2. Guardian (Templar) - S Tier
Right alongside the Necromancer, the Guardian secures its spot in S-Tier, all thanks to four major direct buffs that make it a force to be reckoned with in both solo and party play. The most game-changing adjustment is to Sentinel of Radiance: it’s now a permanent minion (no more tedious re-summoning) with a 36% boost to Movement Speed, making it ideal for long boss fights and slow-paced map clears. But that’s not all—shrine buffs from Harmony of Purpose and The Golden Charlatan now upgrade to Greater Shocking, Freezing, and Skeletal Shrines (far more powerful than their regular counterparts), Time of Need now clears all Curses and Ailments every 4 seconds (up from only elemental ailments), and a brand-new 2-point Notable—Marshal of Divinity—adds Hallowing Flame to melee hits and extra lightning damage from recent Hallowing Flame removals. When paired with the league’s minion buffs, these changes make the Guardian one of the most comfortable and powerful Ascendancies in the game. Its key strengths include the permanent Sentinel of Radiance, full curse and ailment protection, new damage synergies, and top-tier party support. The only tiny flaw? The Sentinel doesn’t persist between areas—but that’s a small price to pay for such overwhelming power.
Top 3.28 Guardian Builds
Sentinel of Radiance Guardian (league start)
Minion Support Guardian (party play)
Melee Guardian with Marshal of Divinity (solo damage)
3. Reliquarian (Scion) - A Tier
The Reliquarian—3.28’s brand-new Scion Ascendancy—climbs to A Tier, driven by overwhelming community interest and its S-Tier endgame potential. Its Notable Passive Skills borrow powers from PoE Unique items (exclusive to Mirage League) and offer unique build opportunities, even with its “messy first iteration” (plenty of weak nodes and minrolled Unique perks). Reliquarian nodes like Grace of the Goddess (twice the power of the weapon without occupying a weapon slot), Warped Timepiece (eases Beacon of Madness breakpoint requirements), and Astral Projector (grants increased AoE instead of the Unique’s less AoE, freeing a ring slot—a massive boon for high-investment builds). Its structure—split between spell and attack, no mix-and-match—is a limitation, and weak base nodes make early-game tough (why it’s not S Tier), but endgame builds can hit 80+ million DPS with life stacking. Its strengths include league-unique Unique item perks, insane endgame DPS potential, fresh build archetypes, and two strong core builds. The downsides: a messy first iteration, no mix-and-match spell/attack perks, high investment for endgame potential, and poor league start (though community interest remains high).
Top 3.28 Reliquarian Builds
Life Stacking Impending Doom Reliquarian (best option)
Tri-Elemental Stacking Poise Prism Reliquarian (bow/spell build)
Astromentus Stacking Reliquarian (high investment endgame)
4. Assassin (Shadow) - A Tier
The Assassin climbs to A-Tier courtesy of a major buff that fixes one of its biggest pain points: its Opportunistic Notable now grants full Damage Cannot be Reflected, a massive upgrade from the previous critical strike damage-only reflect protection. This change eliminates a huge headache for crit builds, making the Assassin safe to run in reflect maps and against reflect-heavy bosses—critical in 3.28’s caster and attack meta (where reflect mechanics are more prevalent than ever). Its core crit and poison scaling remain untouched, and players praise its flexibility: it excels with both spell and attack builds, though it’s a less popular league start (only 1.37% of votes) due to its squishiness. Its greatest strengths are full reflect immunity, top-tier crit and poison scaling, and unmatched build versatility. That said, it’s not without flaws: low base defense means it’s squishy without proper gear, and attack builds require careful crit and accuracy gearing.
Top 3.28 Assassin Builds
Toxic Rain Assassin (chaos damage meta staple)
Vortex Assassin (cold spell crit mayhem)
Blade Flurry Assassin (melee crit with reflect safety)
5. Saboteur (Shadow) - A Tier
The Saboteur earns its A-Tier spot through three impactful buffs that breathe new life into trap, mine, and triggered spell builds—garnering 3.65% of league start votes. Perfect Crime now only reduces damage with Triggered Spells by 30% (down from 35%), softening the penalty for trigger-focused setups. Like Clockwork gets a 10% boost to Cooldown Recovery Rate (now 50% increased), allowing for faster skill rotations and more consistent damage. Most importantly, Calculated Risk now makes enemies hitting you have Unlucky Damage—a game-changing defensive buff for the typically squishy spell and trap builds. Combine these changes with 3.28’s currency reworks (which make rare crafting far more meaningful), and the Saboteur becomes a top pick for trap and mine enthusiasts. Its key strengths include improved damage output, faster cooldowns, better defense, and versatility that works for both league start and endgame. The only minor downsides: trap and mine placement requires a bit of skill, and its low base life can make solo play tricky.
Top 3.28 Saboteur Builds
Explosive Trap Saboteur (blistering fast map clear)
Mine Saboteur (bossing specialist
6. Hierophant (Templar) - A Tier
The Hierophant jumps to top ranks, as it is one of the best totem Ascendancies. Explosive arrow totems get a massive boost from improved totem placement (faster appearance scaling), and the Hierophant’s totem damage and mana synergy make it a competitive pick for both league start and endgame. Spell totems, in particular, now activate “fast AF,” according to player feedback, making the Hierophant a top choice for totem enthusiasts. The totem playstyle—kiting while your totems ramp up damage—is extremely valuable in the Mirage League (packed with mechanics that demand mobility). Its key strengths include top-tier totem damage and mana synergy, meta synergy with explosive arrow and spell totems, a safe kiting playstyle, and smooth league start progression. The drawbacks: it’s squishy (relying on energy shield), totem placement requires a bit of skill, and it has slow clear speed with low gear.
Top 3.28 Hierophant Builds
Explosive Arrow Totem Hierophant (league start)
Arc Totem Hierophant (lightning spell clear)
Divine Ire Hierophant (bossing powerhouse)
7. Inquisitor (Templar) - A Tier
As for the Inquisitor Ascendancy, Flame totems received significant leveling and scaling buffs (smoother early game, stronger mid game), and totem placement changes make them more satisfying to use than ever before. The Inquisitor’s fire/holy damage scaling and crit synergy pair perfectly with flame totems, making it a top A-Tier league starter—clean, safe, and efficient. It also has strong endgame potential for Uber bosses, with smooth scaling and no major weaknesses. Its strengths include flame totem meta synergy, top-tier fire/holy damage scaling, crit support, a safe league start, and excellent totem play. However, it’s squishy (relying on energy shield), has limited build diversity (mostly fire/holy focused), and is outclassed by the Guardian for support and minion play.
Top 3.28 Inquisitor Builds
Flame Totem Inquisitor (league start)
Holy Relic Inquisitor (bossing)
Smite Inquisitor (melee caster)
8. Gladiator (Duelist) - A Tier
The Gladiator shines in A-Tier, riding the wave of 3.28’s new holy hammer slam meta. Unlike many other Ascendancies, it didn’t get any direct changes—but that’s okay, because the holy hammer slam build leverages fresh mechanics that don’t rely on the broken pre-3.28 weapon crafting. This build pairs perfectly with the Gladiator’s defensive perks (block and fortify) and melee damage scaling, allowing it to avoid the worst of the slam nerfs thanks to its build diversity (think bleed, strike, and the new slam options). For melee players, this makes the Gladiator a competitive choice for both league start and endgame. Its strengths lie in strong defensive layers, synergy with the meta-dominant holy hammer slam, and solid clear and bossing potential with moderate investment. The catch? It needs better weapons than it did in pre-3.28 (no more Genesis tree early DPS spikes), and it’s less flexible than the Slayer for non-slam builds.
Top 3.28 Gladiator Builds
Holy Hammer Slam Gladiator (meta adjacent)
Bleed Strike Gladiator (casual league start)
Frost Blades Gladiator (fast clear)
9. Occultist (Witch) - A Tier
The Occultist secures A-Tier status without any direct buffs, instead thriving off 3.28’s chaos damage meta and caster improvements. As indirect competition gets nerfed, the Toxic Rain Occultist steps back into the spotlight, offering blistering clear speed, consistent chaos damage, and excellent league start progression. What sets it apart is its curse synergy and energy shield scaling, which keep it flexible for both spell and attack builds—making it the perfect pick for players who want a caster build that isn’t minion-focused (unlike the Necromancer). Its key strengths include top-tier chaos damage scaling, curse synergy, build flexibility, and smooth league start potential. The only downsides: it’s squishy (relying on energy shield, which got a minor adjustment this league) and it’s outclassed by the Necromancer when it comes to caster-minion hybrid builds.
Top 3.28 Occultist Builds
Toxic Rain Occultist (league start)
Hexblast Occultist (chaos spell bossing)
Essence Drain Contagion Occultist (DoT clear)
10. Deadeye (Ranger) - A Tier
The Deadeye excels in A-Tier, thriving in 3.28’s bow and currency meta despite no big changes. With rare crafting becoming more meaningful this league, the Deadeye’s exceptional projectile scaling pairs perfectly with Toxic Rain—one of the top A-Tier builds. The Kinetic Fossilate Deadeye is a standout meta-adjacent option, boasting strong projectile scaling, fast map clear, and excellent bossing potential—only made better by the league’s currency reworks (which make rare gear far more valuable). For bow build enthusiasts, the Deadeye is a no-brainer, offering smooth progression from league start to endgame. Its strengths include top-tier projectile scaling, meta synergy with Toxic Rain and Kinetic Fossilate, blistering clear speed, and flexible bow options. The drawbacks? It’s squishy (relying solely on evasion), accuracy stacking nerfs hit some build archetypes, and it requires moderate investment in bow gearing.
Top 3.28 Deadeye Builds
Toxic Rain Deadeye (league start)
Kinetic Fossilate Deadeye (bossing)
Lightning Arrow Deadeye (fast clear)
11. Warden (Ranger) - A Tier
The Warden is easily the most improved Ranger Ascendancy in 3.28, earning its A-Tier spot through two major buffs. Lesson of the Seasons now grants -25 Damage taken of each Damage Type from Spell Hits per Bark—up from -15 fire/cold/lightning only—delivering a massive defensive boost against PoE’s most common damage type. Avatar of the Wilds also gets a buff, now granting 100% more Elemental Damage while Unbound (up from 80%), ramping up elemental damage scaling for its core builds. Pair these buffs with 3.28’s meta shift (where mobility and speed matter more than ever), and the Frost Blades Warden becomes a top A-Tier option—offering fast clear speed, efficient single-target damage with proper gear, and far more tankiness than in previous leagues. Its key strengths include major defensive and damage buffs, synergy with the Frost Blades meta, high mobility, and better tankiness than other Ranger Ascendancies. The only flaws: it’s still evasion-based (making it squishy to physical hits) and requires elemental gearing for its core builds.
Top 3.28 Warden Builds
Frost Blades Warden (league start)
Elemental Arrow Warden (fast clear)
Bear Trap Warden (defensive hybrid)
12. Slayer (Duelist) - B Tier
The Slayer falls into B-Tier this league, not because of any direct nerfs, but because it’s been hit hard by 3.28’s slam nerfs and Genesis tree reworks. In previous leagues, Slayer could craft insane axes on day one for air shatter slams—but that’s no longer possible, making early-game progression slower and far more challenging. It still scales well for endgame Tier 16 maps, but it’s lost the “brainless meta” appeal that made it a fan favorite. That said, its core perks—leech, melee damage, and rampage—keep it consistent for melee enthusiasts, and the Cyclone Slayer build remains a stable mapper with smooth movement and damage synergy. Its strengths include consistent melee performance, Cyclone build stability, and good endgame scaling. The main issues: early-game feels significantly weaker than before, and it requires precise gearing and defensive planning (no more facerolling content).
Top 3.28 Slayer Builds
Cyclone of the Tumult Slayer (league start)
Frost Blades Slayer (moderate gear)
Non-slam melee builds (avoid air shatter)
13. Trickster (Shadow) - B Tier
The Trickster lands in B-Tier, but it benefits indirectly from the meta shift away from overpowered slam and stacker builds. Its core perks—evasion, energy shield, spell sustain, and damage over time scaling—keep it viable for Blade Vortex and DoT builds. Blade Vortex, in particular, gains value as bossing options get toned down and minions rise to dominance. The Trickster is solid, but it’s not meta—lacking the direct buffs of the Assassin and Saboteur, and getting outclassed by S/A-Tier caster builds like Penance Brand. Its strengths include build flexibility (spells, DoT, or attacks), good evasion/ES defense, synergy with the Blade Vortex meta, and stable league start potential. The downsides: no direct buffs, slower endgame scaling than the Assassin and Saboteur, and squishier than other caster Ascendancies (like the Occultist).
Top 3.28 Trickster Builds
Blade Vortex Trickster (moderate gear)
Poison Concoction Trickster (league start)
Hexblast Trickster (spell bossing)
14. Champion (Duelist) - B Tier
The Champion is a classic “safe but unexciting” pick in 3.28. Its aura and fortify synergy keep it viable for both melee support and self-play, but it’s outclassed by the Gladiator (for new slam builds) and the Slayer (for Cyclone). It scales well for endgame, but it lacks the early-game power or meta synergy to break into A-Tier. What makes it worth considering? Unmatched aura support for party play, strong fortify and defensive perks for solo melee, and consistent damage for Tier 16 maps. The main flaws: low early-game DPS, no league-specific buffs to make it stand out, and being outclassed by other Duelist Ascendancies for solo play.
Top 3.28 Champion Builds
Aura Stacking Champion (party support)
Fortify Melee Champion (solo casual play)
Sunder Champion (tanky bossing)
15. Juggernaut (Marauder) - B Tier
The Juggernaut would be the PoE’s tankiest melee Ascendancy. It offers unbeatable physical damage reduction, fortify, and life regeneration—making it a great pick for casual players who prioritize survival over speed. Unfortunately, it suffers from the same indirect slam nerfs as the Slayer: early-game DPS is slow, and Genesis tree reworks make it harder to craft powerful weapons on day one. While it’s outclassed by meta builds for clear speed and bossing, it’s still a reliable choice for players who hate dying. Its strengths include unmatched tankiness, physical damage reduction, fortify for melee, and stable endgame scaling. What makes it not top tier is its low early-game DPS, slow clear speed, average efficiency.
Top 3.28 Juggernaut Builds
Sunder Juggernaut (tanky bossing)
Earthquake Juggernaut (slow but tanky clear)
Frost Blades Juggernaut (hybrid tank/damage)
16. Berserker (Marauder) - B Tier
The Berserker holds onto B-Tier, remaining PoE’s highest-damage melee Ascendancy—but also its squishiest. The league’s slam nerfs hit its core air shatter slam build hard, making early-game progression risky (low defense plus reduced DPS). It scales well for endgame Tier 16 maps and Uber bosses with high investment, but it’s not a recommended league starter (too much risk for too little early reward). What makes it worth the investment? Top-tier melee damage scaling, frenzy charge synergy, fast clear speed with good gear, and Uber boss potential. The main flaws: extreme squishiness (no base defense), a punishing early-game, and reduced core build viability due to slam nerfs.
Top 3.28 Berserker Builds
Rage Berserker (endgame bossing)
Cyclone Berserker (moderate gear league start)
Frost Blades Berserker (fast clear with evasion)
17. Elementalist (Witch) - B Tier
The Elementalist drops to B-Tier thanks to a minor direct nerf: Liege of the Primordial no longer grants 50% increased Effect of Buffs from Golems. This hits golem builds hard, as the Elementalist’s core synergy with golems is significantly reduced. That said, the Ascendancy still boasts strong elemental damage scaling for non-golem builds (like Fire Totem and Shock Nova), and it benefits from 3.28’s caster meta (reflect is easier to handle, and defensive changes help casters). The Shock Nova Elementalist is a promising meta-adjacent build, but the golem nerf and lack of other buffs keep it in B-Tier—viable, but not meta. Its strengths include strong elemental damage scaling, synergy with the Shock Nova caster meta, and good league start potential for fire/cold/lightning builds. The downsides: the golem build nerf, squishiness (low base defense), and being outclassed by the Necromancer and Occultist for caster/minion play.
Top 3.28 Elementalist Builds
Shock Nova Elementalist (meta adjacent)
Fire Totem Elementalist (league start)
Ice Spear Elementalist (cold spell clear)
18. Pathfinder (Ranger) - B Tier
The Pathfinder has been hit hard by the Viper Strike of the Mamba nerf—a 70% effect cut to the build’s damage scaling and interactions, turning what was once a meta S-Tier build into a C-Tier afterthought. The Pathfinder itself is still solid (its potion synergy remains unchanged), but the loss of its core build and indirect accuracy stacking nerfs make it a viable but unexciting pick. It can still clear maps and scale to endgame with other builds (like Toxic Rain), but it’s outclassed by the Deadeye and Warden for bow play, and by other Ascendancies for chaos damage. Its strengths include unmatched potion synergy (both defense and damage), solid performance for Toxic Rain/chaos builds, and moderate league start potential. The main flaws: the Viper Strike/Mamba nerf (lost core build), accuracy stacking nerfs, and being outclassed by the Deadeye and Warden for bow play.
Top 3.28 Pathfinder Builds
Toxic Rain Pathfinder (moderate gear league start)
Chaos Arrow Pathfinder (endgame bossing)
Flask Stacker Pathfinder (high investment endgame)
19. Ascendant (Scion) - B Tier
The Ascendant received a minor direct buff: its Assassin Notable now grants full Damage Cannot be Reflected, matching the Assassin Ascendancy’s own buff. As always, the Ascendant remains PoE’s most flexible Ascendancy, able to borrow perks from every other class—but it lacks the raw power of meta S/A-Tier picks. The new reflect immunity makes it more versatile for crit builds, but it still requires high investment to reach its full potential (a core flaw of the Scion class). It’s a fun pick for build enthusiasts, but not a meta league starter. Its strengths include unmatched flexibility (borrow perks from all classes), the reflect immunity buff, viability for any build archetype, and high endgame potential with investment. The downsides: low base stats (Scion’s core flaw), high investment for raw power, and being outclassed by meta Ascendancies for efficiency.
Top 3.28 Ascendant Builds
Crit Ascendant (reflect immunity, league start)
Aura Stacking Ascendant (party support)
Melee Ascendant (borrow Duelist perks)
20. Chieftain (Marauder) - C Tier
The Chieftain is currently the only C-Tier Ascendancy in 3.28, thanks to a minor change that results in a net nerf. Its Hinekora, Death's Fury Notable now gives enemies you or your totems kill a 10% chance to explode (up from 5%), but explosion damage is cut in half—down to 250% of their maximum Life (from 500%). The higher explosion chance doesn’t come close to offsetting that massive damage cut, and the Chieftain’s totem/fire damage scaling remains untouched. It’s outclassed by other totem Ascendancies (like the Hierophant) for totem builds, and by other Marauders for melee play. The only saving grace is its fire damage synergy, but that’s not enough to make it viable for league start—it’s only playable with heavy endgame investment. Its strengths include fire damage/totem scaling, a minor explosion chance buff, and decent party play aura support.
Top 3.28 Chieftain Builds
Fire Totem Chieftain (high investment endgame)
Fire Melee Chieftain (casual party play)
Molten Strike Chieftain (low clear speed league start)