Path of Exile 2: Mastering Mercenary Leveling

In *Path of Exile 2*, the Mercenary class stands out for its ease of leveling, thanks to its versatile tools that can handle various combat scenarios effectively. Unlike some classes that may struggle with hordes or need to stay in melee range, Mercenaries offer a dynamic playstyle that can be challenging to master without the right approach. This guide will walk you through the best skills, support gems, passive skills, and items to focus on as you level your Mercenary character to prepare for the endgame.

Best Mercenary Leveling Skills & Support Gems

Leveling a Mercenary in *Path of Exile 2* can feel slow initially, especially if you focus solely on Crossbows and their ammo. The key to unlocking the full potential of the Mercenary class is to shift towards a Grenade-oriented playstyle, which significantly enhances your effectiveness once you have the right skills.

In the early stages, before you unlock powerful skills like Explosive Grenade, Gas Grenade, and Explosive Shot, you can rely on **Fragmentation Shot** and **Permafrost Shot**. **Fragmentation Shot** excels in close-range combat against both single and multiple targets, particularly when enhanced with Support Gems that boost its Stun damage. **Permafrost Shot** freezes enemies swiftly, allowing your Fragmentation Shots to deal additional damage as the frozen enemies shatter.

As you progress and unlock your more potent Grenades and the Explosive Shot ability, your playstyle will evolve significantly. Here's a table of core Mercenary leveling skills and their recommended Support Gems:

Skill Gem	Useful Support Gems
Explosive Shot	Ignition, Magnified Effect, Pierce
Gas Grenade	Scattershot, Fire Penetration, Inspiration
Ripwire Ballista	Ruthless
Explosive Grenade	Fire Infusion, Primal Armament, Magnified Effect
Oil Grenade	Ignition, Magnified Effect
Flash Grenade	Overpower
Galvanic Shards	Lightning Infusion, Pierce
Glacial Bolt	Fortress
Herald of Ash	Clarity, Vitality

**Gas Grenade** poisons enemies over a large area and can be detonated with a Detonation skill, while **Explosive Grenades** detonate after a few seconds or when hit with a Detonator skill. **Explosive Shot** synergizes with these Grenades, causing massive area damage and excelling in both AoE clearing and single-target damage. **Ripwire Ballista** distracts enemies, and **Glacial Bolt** helps manage hordes. Consider replacing **Permafrost Shot** with **Glacial Bolt** for better crowd control.

**Oil Grenade** is effective against hordes and in AoE situations but is generally outclassed by **Gas Grenade**. Use **Oil Grenade** against bosses instead of **Glacial Bolt**. **Galvanic Shards** is excellent for clearing low-threat hordes without setting up multiple Grenades, replacing **Fragmentation Shot** in this role. **Herald of Fire** causes enemies to ignite nearby foes upon death, dealing damage over time based on overkill damage.

The listed Support Gems are accessible early in the game, up to Level 2, and should be obtainable before reaching Act 3. The synergy between base skills and these Support Gems is crucial for a powerful Mercenary leveling build. Use any available Support Gems until you can equip the recommended ones. Utilize a Lesser Jeweller's Orb to add a Support Gem socket to your Explosive Grenade, Explosive Shot, and Gas Grenade skills to maximize their potential.

Best Mercenary Passive Skills For Leveling

As you navigate the Mercenary Passive Skill Tree, prioritize these three key skills: **Cluster Bombs**, **Repeating Explosives**, and **Iron Reflexes**.

• **Cluster Bombs** increases the time before Grenades explode but adds an extra Projectile, ensuring at least two Grenades per skill use.
• **Repeating Explosives** gives a chance for Grenades to explode twice, which becomes more frequent with additional Projectiles.
• **Iron Reflexes** converts all Evasion into Armor, countering the effects of the **Sorcery Ward** Ascendancy skill in the Witchhunter tree, which reduces Armor and Evasion in exchange for a barrier against non-Physical damage.

The Witchhunter Ascendancy is recommended for leveling Mercenaries, and **Sorcery Ward** provides a strong defense against non-Physical damage. **Iron Reflexes** mitigates the downside of **Sorcery Ward** by converting Evasion to Armor, enhancing your defense against Physical attacks. While not your first priority, **Iron Reflexes** is crucial to pick up near the edge of the Passive Skill Tree.

Other beneficial skills to acquire include **Cooldown Reduction**, **Projectile & Grenade Damage**, and **Area of Effect** to amplify your Grenade effectiveness. **Crossbow Reload Time**, **Crossbow Damage**, and **Armor & Evasion** nodes are valuable but should be prioritized based on your current needs. If your Grenades are performing well, you can delay investing in Crossbow-related skills until necessary. Similarly, if you're not dying frequently, you can postpone picking up **Armor & Evasion** nodes.

Recommended Items & Mercenary Stat Priority

As you level your Mercenary, continuously upgrade your equipment, focusing on items with powerful modifiers. Your **Crossbow** is the cornerstone of your kit, enabling access to Mercenary Skill Gems. Always aim to replace the lowest-level gear with upgrades, but remember that a strong Crossbow will significantly boost your character's power.

Mercenaries require a balance of **Dexterity** and **Strength**, as well as a mix of **Armor** and **Evasion**. Seek gear that enhances these stats to build a solid defensive foundation and meet Attribute requirements for powerful Skills and Weapons.

Beyond these core stats, prioritize **Physical and Elemental Damage**, **Mana on Hit**, and **Resistances** as you progress into more challenging areas. **Rarity of Items**, **Movement Speed**, and **Attack Speed** can enhance your leveling experience but are not essential for reaching the endgame.

• Dexterity
• Strength
• Armor
• Evasion
• All Elemental Resistances (except Chaos)
• Increased Physical Damage
• Increased Elemental OR Fire Damage
• Attack Speed
• Mana On Kill OR Hit
• Life on Kill OR Hit
• Rarity of Items Found
• Movement Speed

A **Bombard Crossbow** can significantly ease Mercenary leveling by adding an extra Grenade projectile to Grenade Skills, increasing the minimum from two to three per skill. Collect every Bombard Crossbow you find to craft a powerful weapon using *PoE 2*'s upgrade currencies.