So, Grinding Gear Games finally did it. They tore the whole thing down. If you've spent the last decade perfecting your Slayer or Deadeye in the original game, I’ve got some news that might be a bit of a shock to the system: those classes are basically gone in Path of Exile 2. Well, not gone, but evolved into something way more specific and, honestly, a lot more complex.
The biggest thing to wrap your head around is that Path of Exile 2 ascendancy classes are now tied to a much larger roster of base characters. In the first game, we had seven. Now? We’re looking at twelve. Since each of those twelve base classes has three unique Ascendancy specializations, we are talking about 36 distinct endgame paths. That is a massive amount of build diversity to balance, and GGG is taking a fundamentally different approach to how these subclasses define your playstyle. It isn’t just about "more damage" anymore; it’s about changing how the game's core mechanics—like the new spirit system or weapon swapping—actually function.
The New Foundation of Twelve
Before you can even look at an Ascendancy, you have to pick your base. In the original PoE, you had the Witch, Ranger, Duelist, Marauder, Templar, and Shadow, plus the Scion. PoE 2 keeps those but adds a "partner" class for every attribute combination.
Take the Strength/Intelligence slot, for example. In the first game, that was just the Templar. In PoE 2, we have the Templar and the Druid. If you want to play a Dexterity/Intelligence hybrid, you aren’t stuck with just the Shadow; you can also pick the Monk. This matters because your base class determines where you start on that massive passive tree, and more importantly, which three Path of Exile 2 ascendancy classes you can eventually unlock.
The Monk is a perfect example of the new design philosophy. It's built around internal mobility and the "Spirit" resource. While a Shadow might focus on traps or sabotage, the Monk's Ascendancies are likely to lean heavily into the new flow of combat, reward you for staying in the thick of it, and utilize the freezing mechanics GGG has been showing off in recent trailers.
Why Your Old Favorites Look Different
A lot of people are asking if the Necromancer is coming back. Short answer: yes. Long answer: she's not the same. In PoE 1, the Necromancer was the catch-all for anything that involved a corpse. In the sequel, because we have the Witch and the Sorceress, the roles are split. The Witch is now the dedicated occultist and minion master. If you want to raise a literal army of the undead, you're going to be looking at the Witch's Path of Exile 2 ascendancy classes.
On the flip side, the Sorceress is purely about elemental destruction. She doesn't care about zombies. She cares about mana. GGG has introduced a "Spirit" reservation system that handles permanent buffs and minions, leaving your Mana pool free for actual spellcasting. This change alone fundamentally reworks how an Ascendancy like the Elementalist (or its PoE 2 equivalent) functions. You aren't just stacking auras anymore; you're deciding if you want to spend your Spirit on a powerful Golem or a permanent frost shield.
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Breaking Down the Known Subclasses
We haven't seen all 36 yet, but the ones we have seen are wild. Let's look at the Warrior. He's the pure Strength class, the counterpart to the Marauder. While the Marauder might lean into ancestral themes and raw carnage, the Warrior's Ascendancies seem focused on heavy, impactful hits and the new "Mace" archetypes.
The Titan is one name that has floated around. It's built for those who want to be unkillable. But "unkillable" in PoE 2 doesn't mean standing still and ignoring damage. It means using the new defensive rolls and guard skills effectively. Another one we've seen glimpses of is the Beastmaster for the Ranger. Imagine a class where your pet isn't just a sidekick but a core part of your DPS rotation. That’s the level of integration GGG is aiming for.
The Weapon Swapping Revolution
One of the most overlooked aspects of Path of Exile 2 ascendancy classes is how they interact with the new dual-specialization system. In PoE 2, you can assign different passive points to different weapons. If you swap from a staff to a sword, your passive tree literally flips to a different configuration.
Certain Ascendancies are being built specifically to exploit this. There will likely be subclasses that give you massive bonuses immediately after a weapon swap, encouraging a playstyle that feels more like a character action game than a traditional "hold down one button" ARPG. This is a huge departure. In the past, weapon swapping was mostly for leveling gems or niche "snapshotting" bugs. Now, it's a core pillar of high-level play.
The Hunt for the Trial
Remember the Labyrinth? Most people hated it. GGG listened. You won't be running Izaro's gauntlet four times per character to get your points. Instead, the process of unlocking your Path of Exile 2 ascendancy classes is being integrated more naturally into the campaign and the world-building.
The developers have stated that they want the choice of an Ascendancy to feel like a narrative peak, not a chore. You'll still have to prove yourself, but expect something more boss-focused and less "dodging spinning sawblades in a hallway" focused. This shift is crucial because PoE 2 is much more difficult than its predecessor. The bosses have actual mechanics you can't just out-stat. Your Ascendancy choice will provide the tools to deal with those mechanics, whether it's through superior repositioning or specialized crowd control.
Complexity vs. Clarity
There is a common misconception that more classes means more confusion. It's actually the opposite here. By splitting the archetypes into twelve base classes, GGG has made it easier to understand what a class is supposed to do.
If you pick a Mercenary, you know you're playing with crossbows and grenades. You don't have to wonder if a bow-based Ranger tree is better. The Mercenary's Path of Exile 2 ascendancy classes will further refine that—one might focus on the "WASD" movement combat, while another might turn your crossbow into a heavy artillery piece that requires setup time but deletes screens. This specificity allows for much cooler, more thematic nodes that would have been too "broken" or "weird" in the generic PoE 1 tree.
What about the Scion?
The Scion is the elephant in the room. In a world with twelve highly specialized classes, does the "jack of all trades" still have a place? GGG has been tight-lipped, but the prevailing theory among veterans is that the Scion—if she exists in the same way—will be the ultimate reward for players who want to break the game's new rules. However, don't be surprised if she's replaced by something entirely different that fits the new "Spirit" and "Stamina" meta.
Practical Advice for Your First Character
When the early access drops, don't get married to your old PoE 1 builds. They won't work. The game is slower, more tactical, and rewards reactive play.
- Focus on the new attributes. If a class uses Spirit, learn how that resource works before you commit to an Ascendancy.
- Experiment with the "Partner" classes. Don't just roll a Marauder because you like Strength. Try the Warrior. The new mace skills have incredible "Stun" potential that can trivialized bosses in a way the old game never allowed.
- Read the "Trigger" nodes. Many new Ascendancy passives trigger off specific conditions, like "When you use a Guard skill" or "If you've moved 10 meters recently." These are the keys to the new combat flow.
The transition to Path of Exile 2 ascendancy classes is going to be the biggest learning curve in the genre's history. We are moving away from a game of spreadsheets and toward a game of execution. Your subclass isn't just a stat stick anymore; it's your toolkit for a much more dangerous world.
To prepare for the launch, keep a close eye on the official GGG class reveal teasers. They tend to hide specific keystones in the background of the UI during gameplay demonstrations. These small icons often reveal more about the mechanical identity of a class than the actual combat footage does. Look for symbols that suggest interaction with the new "Comet" spells or the "Shape-shifting" mechanics of the Druid, as these represent the cutting edge of what PoE 2 is trying to achieve. High-level play will likely revolve around maximizing the uptime of these unique class-specific buffs while navigating the significantly more aggressive enemy AI.