Exile Mercenaries: Leveling Guide for Path of Exile 2

This Path of Exile 2 guide focuses on efficiently leveling a Mercenary character, one of the game's easiest classes to progress with. While some builds struggle, the Mercenary's versatility allows it to handle various combat scenarios. However, effective play requires strategic skill and item choices. This guide details recommended skills, support gems, essential items, and passive skill tree priorities.

Optimal Mercenary Leveling Skills and Support Gems

Early-game success relies on Fragmentation Shot (effective close-range, multi-target damage, boosted by stun support gems) and Permafrost Shot (rapid freezing, amplifying Fragmentation Shot damage).

Later, after unlocking powerful grenades and Explosive Shot, the playstyle shifts dramatically.

Core Mercenary Leveling Skills	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

Key skills include:

• Gas Grenade: Large-area poison, detonable with a Detonation skill.
• Explosive Grenades: Explode after a delay or detonation.
• Explosive Shot: Detonates grenades for massive AoE damage.
• Ripwire Ballista: Distracts enemies.
• Glacial Bolt: Crowd control.
• Oil Grenade: Useful for AoE, but generally outperformed by Gas Grenade. Consider using Glacial Bolt instead, swapping to Oil Grenade for bosses.
• Galvanic Shards: Excellent for clearing hordes. Replace Fragmentation Shot with this.
• Herald of Ash: Ignited enemies on death.

Use Lesser Jeweller's Orbs to add support gem sockets to key skills.

Prioritized Passive Skill Tree Nodes

Focus on these passive skills:

• Cluster Bombs: Adds extra projectiles to grenades.
• Repeating Explosives: Chance for double grenade explosions.
• Iron Reflexes: Converts evasion to armor, mitigating Sorcery Ward's downside (best Ascendancy choice).

Other important nodes include cooldown reduction, projectile/grenade damage, and area of effect. Prioritize Crossbow Reload/Damage, Armor/Evasion only if necessary.

Recommended Items and Stat Priorities

Prioritize upgrading the weakest equipped item. A strong crossbow is crucial. Focus on these stats:

• Dexterity
• Strength
• Armor
• Evasion
• Elemental Resistances (excluding Chaos)
• Physical & Elemental Damage
• Mana on Hit
• Resistances

Additional beneficial stats include attack speed, mana/life on kill/hit, item rarity, and movement speed.

A Bombard Crossbow significantly improves grenade projectile count. Acquire and utilize them whenever possible.