Huntress and Ritualist classes in Path of Exile 2’s 0.2.0 update are suspected to have a significant edge.
The Ritualist’s unique nodes, Unfurled Finger and Mystic Attunement, make this class a powerful contender for deep endgame builds.
Players are likely to flock to the Ritualist for its potential power, though future updates may bring changes.
As next week’s update for Path of Exile 2, labeled 0.2.0, approaches, players are eagerly anticipating what Grinding Gear Games will unveil. Though the developers have teased some aspects, details remain sketchy. Dubbed “Dawn of the Hunt,” this update, dropping on April 2, promises a slew of content and modifications, particularly to the endgame mechanics. Among the new additions is the Huntress class and five fresh Ascendancies, making it a challenge to predict the optimal choice for the update—yet signs point to the best contender.
It’s quite plausible that players will be drawn to the Huntress class with “Dawn of the Hunt.” This isn’t just because it’s the newest addition, but also due to its thematic alignment with the game’s focus on the hunt for ancient spirits. The introduction of new spear skills looks promising, although they remain untested. However, the Ritualist Ascendancy appears markedly powerful, to the extent that Grinding Gear Games may consider nerfing it soon.
The Ritualist Ascendancy associated with the Huntress is presumed overpowered from the outset, due to its baseline nodes alone. Two specific nodes stand out for their capacity to supercharge endgame builds:
– Unfurled Finger: Grants an extra ring slot.
– Mystic Attunement: Enhances the bonuses from rings and amulets by 25%.
Rings in Path of Exile 2 offer impressive benefits such as increased Item Rarity, Life, Mana, Resistances, and damage. Having a third ring and amplifying all your equipped rings by 25% is a game-changer difficult to overlook.
It’s worth mentioning that choosing the Ritualist doesn’t limit players to spear skills; the extra rings can enhance any build style.
Take, for instance, Path of Exile 2’s Ingenuity Unique belt, a sought-after item in the game. Despite its modest cost relative to high-demand items like Astramentis, Ingenuity remains prized due to its 40-80% boost to bonuses from equipped rings—mirroring the Ritualist’s advantage. Couple a solid ring set with Ingenuity, and you have a priceless combo. Doubling down with a third ring and amplified bonuses makes the Ritualist almost too compelling.
With the surge in interest towards the Huntress and the overpowering potential of the Ritualist in the endgame, it’s reasonable to forecast that many gamers will lean towards this Ascendancy. The bonus of 3% increased Attributes from nodes leading to Mystic Attunement becomes even more alluring, especially if stat-stacking remains in its current state.
However, certain caveats exist for choosing the Ritualist. There’s a possibility Ingenuity might be adjusted, in its effect or its drop rate, if left unchanged, it could enable players to surge beyond 100% increased ring effects. Such an overwhelming synergy may prompt Grinding Gear Games to act. Furthermore, until the “Dawn of the Hunt” patch notes are out, it’s hard to predict how existing meta builds will react. The Ritualist’s potency could be vulnerable if skills like Herald of Thunder and Ice are weakened. For now, however, it reigns supreme among Ascendancies once players gather the right gear.
