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Discover a Comprehensive Guide about Mercenary Class in Path of Exile 2 including skills and how to play as Mercenary Class.
Path of Exile 2 has received an initial release on December 6, 2024. The full-release schedule is still TBA, but the developers have confirmed that we will be getting 6 out of the 12 planned Classes in the Early Access itself. Grinding Gear Games has already decided which ones we will see in the Early Access. The Mercenary is a crossbow-wielding character Class in Path of Exile 2. This Class has shooter-like gameplay, swapping crossbows and ammo types on the fly to inflict deadly combo attacks on his enemies. Unfortunately, the Classes in Path of Exile 2 are gender-locked, meaning you cannot choose the gender of a specific Class as it is predetermined. Explore the Mercenary Class in Path of Exile 2 and see how she redefines summoner gameplay!
Mercenary Class Overview in Path of Exile 2
The Mercenary Class in Path of Exile 2 offers ranged battles while focusing on crossbows, ammo, and attachments. It is a Strength/Dexterity hybrid Class that is centered around crossbows. This Class offers an experience that feels more than any other RPG. This Class doesn’t depend on skills or passive nodes. You can customize your playstyle by choosing different crossbows, ammo, and attachments. Each one of them influences how to tackle enemies.
Crossbows
At the heart of the Mercenaries, the gameplay is the crossbow system, which provides different weapons archetypes mimicking real-world firearms. Choose crossbows that favor sniper rifle playstyle for precision and long-range combat. Assault rifles type crossbows are usually used for rapid-fire projectiles and shotguns for close-range bursts. SMGs like crossbows are well suited for high-speed attacks. Each crossbow type offers its mechanics in the game. However, they are best for either clearing mobs or defeating bosses.
Attachments
The attachments offer enhanced versatility and most of the crossbows can equip underslung attachments. Grenade launchers allow you to deal devastating area damage in combat. Use fire-firing grenades with your crossbows to provide AoE attacks to clear large clusters of enemies in closer areas. These attachments aren’t just for show, they are integral parts of the Mercenaries’ build, giving you the ability to handle complex combat scenarios with creativity.
Ammos System
What truly elevates the Mercenaries’ customization is the ammo system. This introduces another layer of depth to its combat mechanics. Ammo isn’t just about dealing with damage, it’s about controlling the battlefield, applying utility effects, and amplifying your overall strategy. Each type of ammo offers unique effects, such as armor-piercing rounds for tackling heavily armored foes or elemental ammo like incendiary and frost rounds for additional utility and crowd control.
For example, the frost ammo mechanics are different, depending on the weapon it’s paired with. If you use it with a shotgun-type crossbow then it creates a misty, frost-covered area to reduce the movement of enemies. If paired with an assault rifle-style crossbow then it chills enemies and controls the area. The Forst ammo generates massive ice walls to create defensive barriers to trap the foes when paired with a sniper crossbow. These different combos allow the players to change their approach, making loadout more effective and unique.
Key Features and Mechanics of Mercenary Class
This Strength/Dexterity hybrid Class is centered around crossbows. It wields crossbows with different firing nodes and each one grants a different playstyle. Crossbows allow the players to fire weapons that act like guns. The crossbows grant a specific firing skill to your character that they can utilize in intense battles.
- Rapid Shot- An assault rifle-type crossbow, ideal for consistent damage output.
- Burst Shot- A sniper rifle-type crossbow, firing multiple projectiles in a spread.
- Power Shot- A shotgun-type crossbow, that deals massive damage to single targets.
You can equip two crossbows simultaneously, allowing for swapping between firing nodes to adapt various playstyles. This Class also specializes in ammo skills to change crossbow attacks for strategic versatility. Equip ammo skills to grant your shots unique buffs.
- Armor Piercing Rounds- Penetrate enemy armor and allow you to hit mobs of enemies.
- Incendiary Rounds- Ignite foes and also enable explosive interactions and cause fire damage in combat.
- Permafrost Rounds- Freeze enemies and provide control control by reducing enemies’ movement.
The ammo types in this Class can be attached with firing modes to modify strategies. Attachments also work as skill gems, granting additional abilities. This is great for those who look to use the firing skills and ammo skills. You can also support attachments with other supported gems to empower their skills.
- Explosive Grenade- Deals massive damage after a short amount of time.
- Flash Grenade- It Stun enemies and is useful for crowd control.
- Oil Grenade- Covers the enemies and area in oil, reducing the enemy’s moving speed.
Witchhunter and Gemling Legionnaire are two Ascendancy options in the Mercenary Class. The Witchhunter increases defenses against magic and Gemling Legionnaire boosts elemental resistances. This unique Class offers an adaptable and dynamic playstyle that combines ranged attack with elemental effects and tactical versatility.
How to play as Mercenary Class in POE2?
Mercenary in Path of Exile 2 involves unique mechanics and strategic versatility. This Strength/Dexterity hybrid Class allows you to use heavier gear and attack speed. Use only those gear that complements both attributes and increases the utility skills and crossbow damage output. Choosing the right Ascendancy is crucial as it customizes your playstyle to the next level. Positioning is important while playing in this Class, so use crossbows to maintain distance from melee enemies and swap between your two equipped crossbows.
Upgrade your attachments and ammo skills but begin with basic crossbow skills. Look for unique gear that also enhances elemental damage, cooldown speed for grenades, and ranged attack damage. Invest in those nodes, ensuring you increase projectile damage, attack speed, and utility effects. You need to practice switching between crossbows and ammo types to maximize the Class potential.
Mercenary Class Skills
The Mercenary Class in Path of Exile 2 offers 22 skills that players can use. The Mercenary Class specializes in utilizing firing nodes with the ammo skills to adapt to any type of damage for any critical situation. This Class is a jack-of-all-trades, using elemental ammunition to crowd-control enemies and build up different status ailments. Here is the list of all active skills for the Mercenary Class in Path of Exile 2.
- Permafrost Bolts
- Explosive Grenade
- Flash Grenade
- Armour Piercing Rounds
- High Velocity Rounds
- Herald of Ice
- Rapid Shot
- Gas Grenade
- Explosive Shot
- Oil Grenade
- Fragmentation Rounds
Permafrost Bolts
Load your crossbows with icy bolts that fire in a burst, damaging enemies on hit and in a small cone behind their final target. The icy coating on the bolts makes them extremely potent at freezing enemies. Converts 80% physical damage to cold damage. Knocks back enemies with multiple bolts from one burst can hit the same target, combining their damage into a single hit. It fires 10 bolts per burst.
Explosive Grenade
Fire a bouncing grenade that unleashes a devastating blast when its fuse expires. Converts 80% of physical damage to fire damage. The explosion radius is 1.9 meters and the fuse duration is 2.5 seconds.
Flash Grenade
Fire a bouncing grenade that unleashes a blinding, stunning explosion when its fuse expires. This explosion can build allies and enemies. The explosion radius is 2.7 meters and the fuse duration is 0.85 seconds.
Armour Piercing Rounds
Loads your crossbows with a clip of bolts that can be fired rapidly and break enemy armour. Using this skill again reloads the clip. It can fire 12 bolts before reloading and knocks back enemies.
High Velocity Rounds
Loads your crossbow with piercing bolts that can consume fully broken armour on enemies to deal extra damage. It cannot break armour but knock back enemies.
Herald of Ice
While active, shattering an enemy with an attack hit will cause an icy explosion that deals attack damage to surrounding enemies.
Rapid Shot
Loads your crossbow with a large clip of heavily modified bolts that cause heat to build up on your crossbow, before unleashing a stream of flaming bolts that gain fire damage based on your heat. Heat also grants bonus damage to grenades you fire, but dissipate rapidly when not building up. Using this skill again reloads the clip. It converts 60% of physical damage to fire damage and can fire 70 bolts before reloading. Rapid shots gain 10% of damage as fire damage per heat. Charges for 800% of attack time before firing if used when you have no heat. Gain heat 4 times per second while firing and grenades gain 6% of damage as fire damage per heat.
Gas Grenade
Fire a bouncing grenade that causes a burst of poison gas when its fuse expires, damaging enemies and leaving behind a growing poison cloud. Burning effects or detonator skills will cause the cloud to explode in a fiery blast. The impact radius is 1.6 meters and the fuse duration is 2 seconds.
Explosive Shot
Loads your crossbow with flaming bolts that explode on impact. The explosion will cause any grenades in its area of effect to also explode.
Oil Grenade
It covers the enemies and ground in oil, reducing their movement and approach. You can set enemies on fire when they’re covered in oil. This is the best attachment with a Rapid-shot crossbow with Incendiary Rounds. It catches fire rapidly when fired.
Fragmentation Rounds
Loads your crossbows with piercing bolts that can fire in a burst. Bolts that hit a frozen enemy consume the freeze and cause an explosion of shrapnel. Bolts that hit an ice crystal cause it to explode. Multiple bolts from one blast can hit the same target, combining their damage into a single hit. It fires 10 bolts per burst and cannot cause freeze buildup.
Mercenary Class Ascendancies
Ascendancies are the specializations for your character, granting you additional options to customize them to your playstyle. Path of Exile has three Ascendancy Classes for every Class. At the beginning of the game, only two will be available per Class. As you progress you will unlock powerful ascendancy options to refine further and enhance your build.
The Witch Hunter focuses on critical strikes, utility, and crowd control. This is the best choice for taking down the magic user’s enemies. It boosts your defense against magic but offers less defense against physical attacks. This Ascendancy disrupts spell casters, slowing their cast interval. It can explode enemies and doubles for undead enemies and demons.
The Gemling Legionnaire emphasizes gem-based mechanics build flexibility. They can gain additional skill slots and enhance elemental resistance without bypassing attribute requirements for skill gems.
Witch Hunter
- Obsessive Rituals- Grants Skill: Sorcery Ward. 50% less Armour and Evasion Rating. (Defend against Spells)
- Zealous Inquisition- 10% chance for Enemies you Kill to explode, dealing 100% of their maximum Life as Physical damage. Chance is doubled against Undead and Demons.
- Judge, Jury, and Executioner- Decimating Strike (Your initial hit can deal up to 30% of an enemies Maximum Life, “if you’re lucky”)
- Witchbane- Enemies have a Maximum Concentration equal to 40% of their Maximum Life. Break enemy Concentration on Hit equal to 100% of Damage Dealt. Enemies regain 10% of Concentration every second if they haven’t lost Concentration in the past 5 seconds. (Used to prevent enemies from casting spells)
Gemling Legionnaire
- Crystalline Potential- +12% Quality of all Skill Gems.
- Integrated Efficiency- Grants 3 additional Skill Slots.
- Thaumaturgical Infusion
- +1% to Maximum Cold Resistance per 3 Blue Support Gems Socketed anywhere
- +1% to Maximum Fire Resistance per 3 Red Support Gems Socketed anywhere
- +1% to Maximum Lightning Resistance per 3 Green Support Gems Socketed anywhere
- Adaptive Capability- Attribute Requirements of Gems can be satisfied by your highest Attribute.
FAQs: About the Mercenary Class in Path of Exile 2
Q1: Is Mercenary a Good Class in Path of Exile 2?
Mercenary is the best Class because it is a Strength/Dexterity hybrid Class that is centered around crossbows. This Class offers an experience that feels more than any other RPG.
Q2: Should you choose the Mercenary Class in Path of Exile 2?
Mercenary is one of the best Classes to choose from because it customizes your playstyle by choosing different crossbows, ammo, and attachments. Each one of them influences how to tackle enemies.
Q3: What Gender is the Mercenary Class in Path of Exile 2?
The Mercenary Class is a female character by default in Path of Exile but the gender choice does not affect gameplay mechanics or Class capabilities.
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