Path of Exile 2: Mercenary Leveling Guide

This Path of Exile 2 Mercenary leveling guide outlines optimal skills, support gems, passive skills, and item choices for a smooth progression to the endgame. While the Mercenary class is relatively easy to level, strategic skill selection is key to maximizing its potential.

Optimal Skills and Support Gems

Early-game success hinges on Fragmentation Shot and Permafrost Shot. Fragmentation Shot excels at close-range multi-target combat, especially with Support Gems boosting stun damage. Permafrost Shot's freezing effect synergizes well with Fragmentation Shot's shattering damage.

The late-game meta shifts dramatically with the unlock of powerful Grenades and Explosive Shot.

Gas Grenade's area-of-effect poisoning and Explosive Grenade's delayed detonation, both detonated by Explosive Shot, provide immense AoE clearing and single-target damage. Ripwire Ballista and Glacial Bolt offer crowd control and survivability. Oil Grenade is situationally useful, outperformed by Gas Grenade generally; Glacial Bolt is preferable during leveling, swapping for Oil Grenade against bosses. Galvanic Shards provides a low-risk AoE option. Herald of Ash triggers ignite on enemy death. Use available Level 1 or 2 Support Gems until acquiring the recommended ones. Enhance Explosive Grenade, Explosive Shot, and Gas Grenade with a Lesser Jeweller's Orb for additional support gem slots.

Prioritized Passive Skills

Focus on these key passive skill nodes on the Mercenary Passive Skill Tree: Cluster Bombs, Repeating Explosives, and Iron Reflexes.

Cluster Bombs increases Grenade projectile count, while Repeating Explosives provides a chance for double explosions. Iron Reflexes converts Evasion to Armor, mitigating the Armor/Evasion penalty of the Sorcery Ward Ascendancy skill (recommended for leveling). Other valuable nodes include Cooldown Reduction, Projectile/Grenade Damage, and Area of Effect. Prioritize these over Crossbow-related or Armor/Evasion nodes unless necessary for survivability.

Itemization and Stat Priorities

Gear upgrades should focus on replacing the weakest piece of equipment. A powerful Crossbow is paramount.

Prioritize Dexterity, Strength, Armor, Evasion, Elemental Resistances (excluding Chaos), Physical and Elemental Damage, Mana on Hit, and Resistances. Useful but non-essential stats include Attack Speed, Mana/Life on Kill/Hit, Item Rarity, and Movement Speed. A Bombard Crossbow significantly boosts Grenade projectile count, making it a highly sought-after item.

This comprehensive guide ensures a powerful and efficient Mercenary leveling experience in Path of Exile 2. Remember to adapt your strategy based on available items and encountered challenges.