Why Two Path of Exile 2 Strategies Dominate the Meta

Summary

  • Path of Exile 2 offers different character building options with different Ascendancy classes and unique items that change the rules of the game.

  • Lightning-based Electrocution and Cold-based Freeze builds dominate the current meta to control battles.

  • Electrocuting stuns enemies with lightning strikes, while Freezing locks enemies in place, both providing effective ways to control the battlefield.

There are many ways to build characters Path of Exile 2and one could argue that the game's title is tied to the story the titular exile experiences as much as it is about the path players carve out for their specific character in terms of how it works. With Path of Exile 2s selection of six classes, each equipped with two potential Ascendancy classes, players have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to builds – especially with Unique Items and Keystone passives that dramatically change the game's own rules. Still, even in the face of potentially endless choices, two playstyles dominate the current meta.

It's hard to say how much of Path of Exile 2s current content will remain the same all the way until the game comes out of early access, and GGG is already making changes to the game and tweaking some extremes in terms of balancing abilities. Given that the game is meant to be slower and more methodical than its predecessor, it's reasonable to assume that some very fast builds may take a hit at some point to promote parity between them. Still, the best strategies in the game aren't necessarily about being fast, but about preventing enemies from doing anything.

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How Path of Exile 2 Hits a Grand Slam with One Power Fantasy

Path of Exile 2 has many tools for players to customize their builds, and a new one fulfills a very specific power fantasy.

Path of Exile 2's Lightning and Cold Builds are the best in the game

There are several ways in which Path of Exile 2 builds can render monsters unable to act or affect how they act, such as cursing them with Temporal Chains to make them much slower overall or using the Pin mechanic to stun them in place. Still, the current best ways to tackle fights are considered to be two: Lightning-based Electrocution builds and Cold-based Freeze builds. These two strategies are similar in what they achieve, but different in how they do it.

Why Path of Exile 2's Electrocution is on top of the Meta

The goal in both cases is to stun enemies until they are defeated, often buying precious time for players even against bosses to reposition themselves, heal with pistons, or continue to deal damage. Electrocution is basically the Lightning and Shock version of a stun, and it's mostly used on builds that take advantage of a Path of Exile 2 Unique item called Kitoko's Current. What this does is land Lightning hits of any kind, be it spells or attacks, building up Electrocution stacks on enemies until they are stunned in place. This is especially powerful when used at range, such as the popular Stormweaver Spark build or Deadeye Lightning Arrow build, as players are safe from damage in the meantime.

Electrocution lasts for 5 seconds in PoE 2, meaning players have all the time they need to defeat Electrocuted enemies or stay safe when stunned.

Path of Exile 2's Freeze Builds Explained

The other popular strategy revolves around Cold damage, which naturally builds up Freeze stacks. When Frozen, enemies are effectively locked in place and stop performing whatever actions they were in the middle of, and can also be smashed to deal massive AoE damage. This is especially powerful in Path of Exile 2s end game, as frozen enemies will not be able to harm players for the duration of the disease.

Some buildings use the Arctic Circle's unique ring to crush enemies in mass explosions via Freeze and Herald of Ice.

Shocking and freezing are two sides of the same coin in PoE 2

Exile 2 Stormblast Bolts

In addition to that, potentially dangerous rare monsters in maps can be frozen in place allowing players to run away from them and then kill them from afar if affected by Path of Exile 2s on-death effects that can otherwise one-shot characters. As such, Electrocution and Freezing are equally powerful ways to control the battlefield, and for this reason they are currently at the top of the meta for clearing advanced content. It remains to be seen if other strategies will steal their spotlight, but for now, Lightning and Cold are arguably better than Fire and Chaos.

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