Although Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients has just launched, the first day’s data already reveals a fairly clear meta trend. However, Return of the Ancients is still in its very early stages. As players level up, improve their gear, and discover more hidden mechanics, the current meta is likely to continue to evolve.
In the coming days, the performance of the final boss, higher-tier gear combinations, and the development of new Ascendancy will all likely influence the landscape of Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0. For players looking to climb the leaderboards, farm maps, or try new gameplay, now is the perfect time to observe the meta evolution and find the build that best suits them.
POECurrency.com will provide a detailed analysis of the most outstanding builds, popular Ascendancy, and weapon choices from the first day, interpreting them in conjunction with player data and early trends.
Popular Weapons
In POE 2 Patch 0.5.0, weapon selection significantly impacts build skill combinations and combat styles. Currently, Spear remains the most popular weapon type in Return of the Ancients, followed by Bow & Quiver, then Crossbow and Quarter Staff.
These four weapon types cover almost all builds in the early POE 2 meta. Other weapons such as Scepters, Wands, Talismans, and One-Handed Maces have very low usage rates. POECurrency.com believes players are trending towards more efficient and familiar weapon types.
Ascendancy Landscape
With the release of Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients, two new Ascendancy classes have become the focus of player attention.
With its unique combat mechanics and strong early-game progression capabilities, Martial Artist has quickly become the top choice for many players experiencing POE 2 Return of the Ancients. In the early stages of Patch 0.5.0, it boasted excellent leveling efficiency and a smooth combat experience, attracting a large number of players.
POECurrency.com found that Martial Artist is also one of Ascendancy classes with the most experimental builds. Many players are not in a hurry to climb the leaderboards, but instead focus on developing new skills, new mechanics, and different gear combinations, hoping to explore more potential gameplay in POE 2. However, as character levels gradually increase, Martial Artist begins to face challenges.
As you progress through the mid-to-late game of PoE 2, monster damage and survival pressure increase significantly. You’ll need to balance defensive attributes like Evasion, Energy Shield, and various elemental resistances, greatly increasing the difficulty of gear building. Therefore, while Martial Artist enjoys immense popularity during the early game, a relatively limited percentage of players successfully progress to higher levels and endgame content.
Unlike many early-game builds, Martial Artist demands higher gear quality in the later stages, often requiring players to invest significant Currency in affix enhancement and stat optimization. If you’re struggling with these aspects, you can buy cheap POE 2 currency at POECurrency.com; we offer competitive prices and secure trading services.
Unlike Martial Artist, Spirit Walker build is more suited to late-game power spikes. While relatively few players chose Spirit Walker for early game progression in PoE 2, its advantages as an ascendant become increasingly apparent. Whether it’s map clearing efficiency, sustained damage output, or adaptability to endgame content, Spirit Walker demonstrates exceptional competitiveness.
Therefore, in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients, it has been considered by many players as one of the most promising endgame ascendancy, especially suitable for players seeking efficient map clearing and high damage output. Besides the two new ascendancy classes, several traditional classes also maintained a strong presence on the first day of release.
Among them, Dead Eye maintained its popularity with ranged builds like Ice Shot and Snipe Build; Witchhunter benefited from various builds, performing consistently well during leveling and progression. Meanwhile, Lich also showed potential with various summoning and spellcasting builds.
Preferred Leveling Builds
Several build types stood out particularly in the first day of Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients meta update.
Whirling Slash and Twister Build
Currently, the most popular build in PoE 2 is undoubtedly Whirling Slash and Twister Build. This build primarily revolves around Spirit Walker Ascendancy. While some players have experimented with combining it with Martial Artist or Dead Eye, regardless of the chosen ascension, Spear is essential as the core weapon to unleash the full power of this build.
Whirling Slash and Twister Build’s rapid rise during the early stages of Return of the Ancients is due to its excellent map clearing efficiency, consistent damage output, and favorable growth curve. Furthermore, it has been fueled by extensive community discussion and recommendations from content creators.
According to statistics from POECurrency.com, on the first day of Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients release, over two thousand players using Whirling Slash and Twister Build had reached level 70 or higher, demonstrating its immense popularity and competitiveness in PoE 2 Return of the Ancients.
Ice Shot and Snipe Build
Following closely behind is Ice Shot and Snipe Build. This build is almost exclusively for Dead Eye Ascendancy, maintaining stable DPS even during the early stages of POE 2 Return of the Ancients thanks to the unique buffs provided by Endless Munitions and Point Blank.
Looking at player distribution at the start of the game, while the number of players choosing this build was significantly less than Whirling Slash/Twister Build, it still attracted a group of advanced players. POECurrency.com believes its unique ranged burst mechanics and excellent single-target DPS make it highly competitive in certain combat scenarios.
Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients meta showcased a combination of promotional impact and build prowess. As the league progresses, more players will explore optimal gear choices, upgrade paths, and niche builds, making POE 2 meta landscape clearer and providing endless possibilities for players who enjoy trying new playstyles.