In *Path of Exile 2*, the Mercenary class is renowned for its versatility and ease of leveling. Unlike some classes that may struggle with managing hordes or maintaining effectiveness at melee range, Mercenaries come equipped with a suite of tools that enable them to handle various combat scenarios with finesse. However, mastering the Mercenary class requires strategic knowledge and the right build. This guide will walk you through the optimal skills, support gems, passive skills, and items to prioritize for a smooth leveling journey to endgame as a Mercenary in *Path of Exile 2*.
Best Mercenary Leveling Skills & Support Gems
When starting out with a Mercenary in *Path of Exile 2*, you might notice that the class takes time to reach its full potential. Many players make the mistake of focusing solely on Crossbow bolts and ammo types, rather than adopting a Grenade-centric playstyle. Crossbows have a natural disadvantage due to their reload time, but once you unlock Grenades, your Mercenary's combat prowess significantly improves.
In the early stages, before gaining access to skills like Explosive Grenade, Gas Grenade, and Explosive Shot, 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** quickly freezes enemies, setting them up for devastating follow-ups with Fragmentation Shots that can shatter the frozen targets.
As you progress and unlock more powerful Grenades and the Explosive Shot ability, your approach to combat will evolve. Here are the core skills and their recommended Support Gems for a Mercenary leveling build:
| Core Mercenary Leveling Skills | |
|---|---|
| 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** inflicts poison over a large area, which can be detonated using a Detonation skill, while **Explosive Grenades** detonate after a delay or upon impact with a Detonator skill. **Explosive Shot** synergizes with these Grenades to deliver massive area-of-effect and single-target damage. **Ripwire Ballista** serves as a distraction for enemies, and **Glacial Bolt** helps manage overwhelming hordes. Consider replacing **Permafrost Shot** with **Glacial Bolt** for better crowd control.
**Oil Grenade** can be effective against hordes and in AoE scenarios but is generally outclassed by **Gas Grenade**. Use **Oil Grenade** for boss fights and **Glacial Bolt** for general exploration and leveling. **Galvanic Shards** is ideal for clearing weaker enemies without setting up multiple Grenades, replacing **Fragmentation Shot** in this context. **Herald of Fire** causes enemies to ignite nearby foes upon death, dealing damage over time based on the overkill damage inflicted.
The listed Support Gems are accessible at Level 1 or 2 and should be obtained before reaching far into Act 3. The synergy between the base skills and these Support Gems is key to the potency of this Mercenary leveling build. Utilize any available Support Gems until you acquire the recommended ones. Use a Lesser Jeweller's Orb to add a Support Gem socket to your Explosive Grenade, Explosive Shot, and Gas Grenade skills to accommodate all three recommended Support Gems.
Best Mercenary Passive Skills For Leveling
As you navigate the Mercenary Passive Skill Tree, focus on three pivotal 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 as you increase Projectile count.
- **Iron Reflexes** converts all Evasion into Armor, countering the effects of the powerful **Sorcery Ward** Ascendancy skill from the Witchhunter tree, which is optimal for leveling Mercenaries.
**Sorcery Ward** offers a significant barrier against non-Physical damage at the cost of reduced Armor and Evasion. **Iron Reflexes** mitigates this downside by converting Evasion to Armor, enhancing your defense against Physical attacks. Prioritize **Iron Reflexes** after reaching the edge of the Mercenary Passive Skill Tree.
Additional skills to prioritize 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 pursued based on necessity. If your Grenades are performing well, delay investing in Crossbow skills until they are needed. Similarly, prioritize **Armor & Evasion** only when survival becomes an issue.
Recommended Items & Mercenary Stat Priority
As you level your Mercenary, constantly upgrade your gear, focusing on items with impactful modifiers. The **Crossbow** is your primary weapon, unlocking essential Mercenary Skill Gems. Always replace the lowest-level gear with upgrades, with Crossbow upgrades being the most significant boost to your power.
Mercenaries require a balance of **Dexterity** and **Strength**, along with a mix of **Armor** and **Evasion**. Seek gear that boosts these stats to build a solid defensive foundation and meet the Attribute requirements for powerful Skills and Weapons.
Beyond these core stats, prioritize **Physical and Elemental Damage**, **Mana on Hit**, and **Resistances**. **Rarity of Items**, **Movement Speed**, and **Attack Speed** enhance your leveling experience but are not essential for reaching 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** significantly enhances your leveling experience by adding an extra Grenade projectile to your skills, increasing the minimum to three per skill. Collect every Bombard Crossbow you find to potentially craft a powerful weapon using *PoE 2*'s upgrade currencies.
