The Huntress was added to Path of Exile 2 as part of the Dawn of the Hunt expansion. Here’s the best build to try for this dangerous class while the game is in early access.
While not available when Path of Exile 2 launched, the Huntress leaped onto the scene in the game’s first major DLC and has already become a community favorite character class. Taking inspiration from other Amazonian characters from classic ARPGs, the Huntress is a Dexterity class that manages to be different from what’s come before.
Here’s the best build in early access and how to put it together to dominate the monsters who lurk in Atlas.
What’s The Best Huntress Build in Path of Exile 2?
The best Huntress build we’ve played in Path of Exile 2 so far is almost certainly the Bleed Rake Amazon, one that not only lets you level through the campaign but also works wonders in endgame.
As you’d expect, every major update to PoE 2 will shake up the meta, and this may see another build rise to overtake the Bleed Rake, but for now, this is the best build we’ve tried so far.
What’s The Best Ascendancy in Path of Exile 2?
When picking your Ascendancy for this build, select the Amazon.
This Ascendancy will put you on the correct path for this build, giving you access to the right skills you need to become a true powerhouse.
However, it’s worth pointing out that once an Ascendancy has been chosen, you won’t be able to change it. If you decide to respec your Huntress, you’ll need to stay within the bounds of this Ascendancy. If you want to try a different one, you’ll need to start a new character.
What Are The Best Passive Skills for Huntress Build in POE 2?
Now that you’re clear on which Ascendancy you’ll be picking, you’ll now need to choose the key Passive Skills for this build that boost melee damage like Maiming Strike and Versatile Arms.
So, for the Blood Rake Amazon, select the following passives from the Skill Tree:
- Maiming Strike
- Versatile Arms
- Roll and Strike
- Precise Point
- Pinpoint Shot
- Falcon Drive
- Polymathy
You’ll soon get to add more passives from the Skill Tree. When you do, try to pick nodes that buff your Dexterity. This way, you can make your Huntress even more deadly in combat.
Which Skills And Support Skills Should You Pick?
As this is essentially a bleed build that focuses on Rake, we want to use skills like Blood Hunt and Bloodhound’s Mark.
Once you’ve got your Key Passives locked in, you’ll now want to pick your main Skills and the potential Support Skills/Gems to cut to boost them even further.
Below are the best Main Skills for this build and the up to five Support Gems/Skills that should be used alongside them:
| Main Skill | Support Gem 1 | Support Gem 2 | Support Gem 3 | Support Gem 4 | Support Gem 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herald of Blood | Magnified Effect | Haemocrystals | Reach | Execute | Physical Mastery |
| Rake | Brutality | Heft | Momentum | Deep Cuts | Overextend |
| Blood Hunt | Persistance | Twofold | Innervate | Conduction | Coursing Current |
| Bloodhound’s Mark | Single Out | Rupture | Overpower | Inevitable Critical | – |
| Spearfield | Incision | Martial Tempo | Bludgeon | Blood In The Eyes | Rearm |
| Disengage | Ingenuity | Shocking Leap | Culling Strike | Blind | – |
| Wind Dancer | Precision | Cannibalism | Maim | – | – |
| Ghost Dance | Fast Forward | – | – | – | – |
You can add more Support Gems later if you have points left over, and as you grow the character.
What Are The Best Items to Equip?
The weapons and armor you find in Path of Exile 2 are a big factor when assembling your build. This is due to the buffs they provide, which are often even more useful than the item’s base defensive/offensive stats. This is why we go after certain items like Corpse Edge and Lycosidae.
You may find one of these items early on and soon become too powerful for it. Don’t worry, you may find a more powerful version of that same item later.
| Item Type | Item Name | Key Buffs |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Corpse Edge | Boosts Physical Damage, Attack Speed, and Melee Skills |
| Offhand | Lycosidae | Boosts Armor, Black Chance, and Accuracy Rating |
| Helm | Sol Veil | Boosts, Dexterity, Strength, and Accuracy Rating |
| Armor | Dragon Cloak | Boosts Dexterity, Evasion, and Resistances |
| Gloves | Tempest Touch | Boosts Physical Damage, Attack Speed, and Resistances |
| Boots | Demon Dash | Boosts Movement Speed, Life, and Resistances |
| Belt | Mail Belt | Boosts Life, Strength, and Resistances |
| Ring 1 | Damnation Turn | Boosts Life and Resistances |
| Ring 2 | Vortex Spiral | Boosts Life and Resistances |
| Amulet | Entropy Braid | Boosts Life, Evasion, Strength, Dexterity, and Resistances |
| Charm 1 | Drizzling Stone Charm of the Surgeon | Mana regen |
| Charm 2 | Blooming Thawing Charm of the Practitioner | Life recovery |
| Charm 2 | For Utopia Stone Charm | Immune to Stun |
Remember, it’ll take time to find them all, so don’t panic if you have to use other gear in the meantime. Just keep an eye out for the above items or consider them as examples of what works with this build.
Will you be using the Huntress class when you make your next Path of Exile 2 build? Let us know over on the Insider Gaming forum.
While you’re here, check out our other Path of Exile 2 best builds, such as the Monk, Warrior, Witch, Sorceress, Mercenary, and Ranger.
