Summary

  • Witch: Master the elements or command an army with high intelligence and access to spells and summons.
  • Templar: Smash enemies with righteous fury as a hybrid class focusing on magic, melee, and support roles.
  • Duelist: Master weapons and evasion with high strength and dexterity, able to use any weapon effectively.

With a fresh seasonal League currently underway and a much-anticipated sequel on the horizon, now seems as good a time as any to give Path of Exile a try - especially if there's a Diablo 2-shaped itch that only a particular type of ARPG can scratch. Originally released in October 2013, Grinding Gear Games' behemoth is a massive labor of love with over a decade of updates behind it. Needless to say, that means it can be a little intimidating for new players, which is part of the reason we're all getting a fresh start with Path of Exile 2.

For now, though, the original world of Wraeclast in all its gruesome grim dark glory remains freely available to download and dive into, complete with an overwhelming amount of content to decipher. But don't be put off by the sheer size of the first skill tree (yes, there are multiple). Below are some of the best classes to start with as a fresh exile.

Witch

Master The Elements Or Command An Army

Key art featuring the three Witch Ascendancy classes from Path of Exile.
  • Starts with the highest Intelligence.
  • Access to elemental spells and summons.
  • Ascendancy classes focus on raw power and necromancy.

As a pure Intelligence-based character with easy access to a variety of spell-boosting nodes early in the skill tree, the Witch is a great choice for brand-new players to get a feel for the game. She can become extremely powerful in a few different ways. Players who favor ranged combat can opt for a pure caster build, while the minion masters and puppeteers out there will find tons of options for summoning a horde of skeletons, zombies, ghosts, and everything in between.

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Path of Exile: Best Armor for Witch Builds

Path of Exile players looking to make the most out of their Witch build should keep an eye out for these incredibly helpful armor pieces.

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For defense, the Witch's high Intelligence stat means she can generate and maintain a substantial Energy Shield. Having an army of meat shields to keep your enemies busy while concentrating on buffing and casting is a fantastic way to prevent being overwhelmed by the denizens of Wraeclast.

Templar

Smash Your Enemies With Righteous Fury

A Templar in armor from Path of Exile.
  • A hybrid class that starts with high Strength and Intelligence.
  • Focuses on a mix of magic and melee.
  • Ascendancy classes bolster auras, spells, or attacks.

While he may look and feel like a Paladin archetype initially, the Templar has lots of different paths available to him thanks to Path of Exile's open-ended skill system. Boasting high Strength and Intelligence stats from the start, the Templar can comfortably fit into a melee, ranged, or support role quite easily, giving players a variety of options to play around with.

A popular choice for high damage and survivability focuses on summoning and empowering totems, essentially turning the Templar into a shamanic warrior who harnesses the forces of nature. Of course, there are also more traditional knightly builds that focus on defensive auras available, as well as devious inquisitors that conduct magical elements to rip through waves of enemies. He truly is a jack of all trades.

Duelist

Master Of Weapons And Evasion

A Duelist character standing on some temple steps in Path of Exile.
  • A hybrid class that starts with high Strength and Dexterity.
  • Equally competent with most weapons and evasion.
  • Ascendancy classes focus on two-handed or duel-wielding.

The Duelist is a perfect pick for players who want the freedom to effectively use any type of weapon. As a hybrid Strength and Dexterity character, he is equally competent at both dealing and avoiding damage thanks to his starting stats being tied to the dodge and parry mechanics. He also starts close to plenty of life nodes on the skill tree, which is always handy for any type of build.

Path Of Exile: 10 Pro Tips For The Duelist Class

Everything you need to know to get started as a Duelist in Path of Exile.

There are also options to make him extremely bulky while dishing out pain with attack speed and raw damage buffs. Later on, he's even able to branch out into spell casting and even a few minions to shore up both his offensive and defensive capabilities even further.

Ranger

Destroy Enemies While Staying At A Safe Distance

Key art of the Ranger class from the Necropolis League in Path of Exile.
  • Starts with the highest Dexterity.
  • Early skills focus on attack speed.
  • Ascendancy classes empower arrows with magic.

If peppering enemies from afar with arrows while staying at a safe distance sounds like a fun way to experience Wraeclast for the first time, then the Ranger is the perfect choice. While initially focusing on physical damage and dodging thanks to her high starting Dexterity, the Ranger can also branch out into magical abilities to devastating effect - particularly lightning.

The early nodes in the Ranger skill tree also lend themselves to offense and defense in equal measure, with easy access to plenty of attack speed and evasion. She is an agile class that excels at critical strikes and can further specialize in projectiles or evasion with truly destructive results toward the endgame.

Marauder

Charges Into Battle Doing As Much Damage As They Take

A Marauder battling Vaal in Path of Exile.
  • Starts with the highest Strength.
  • Boasts lots of health and damage mitigation.
  • Ascendancy classes bolster tankiness, damage, or fire magic.

Pure, hulking barbaric rage and impenetrable tankiness define the Marauder class. He's a Strength-based powerhouse that can take as many hits as he dishes out, absorbing punishment while focusing on melee strikes and area-of-effect skills to bolster himself and his allies. Starting out with such high Strength also has some defensive benefits, as it allows the Marauder to take advantage of heavier armor and bigger shields much earlier.

maurader class characters swinging axes, swords and hammers in path of exile
Path Of Exile: Best Weapons For Marauder Class

Fans of the Marauder Class in Path of Exile can expect some great weapons to swing and brutalize their foes with.

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Veteran players swear by the sheer bulk and raw power of the Marauder's advanced skills. That's because he's able to generate additional endurance charges, shrug off slows and stuns, or boost his warcries to mulch through wave after wave of monsters. There's even something for the more magically orientated player with specific builds around totems that deal fire damage.

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Path of Exile
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Released
October 23, 2013
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Developer(s)
Grinding Gear Games
Platform(s)
PC, Xbox One, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Genre(s)
Action RPG