Best Ranger starter build in Path of Exile 2

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(Image credit: Grinding Gear Games)

Path of Exile 2 Ranger build

Jump to:Best skills and support gemsStat prioritiesPassive skillsGear

Path of Exile 2 istough, a much more challenging affair than most other ARPGs. TheRangerwas the third class I played, and let me tell you—if you’re looking for a leg up to handle the difficulty, you’ve come to the right place. After being on the struggle bus for days, especially with my Chronomancer, playing a Ranger was easy breezy and I thoroughly enjoyed blasting everything to bits.

The community’s had enough time now to come to a few conclusions about how Rangers should be built, and honestly it’s very straightforward. You get your main damage gem in the very first zone, and can easily ride it all the way to the endgame with very little difficulty. Here’s how.

Path of Exile 2 Sorceress build: Making magicPath of Exile 2 Monk build: Flow like waterPath of Exile 2 Warrior build: Shock and awePath of Exile 2 Witch build: Summoned army

Path of Exile 2 Sorceress buildPath of Exile 2 Monk buildPath of Exile 2 Warrior buildPath of Exile 2 Witch build

Path of Exile 2 Sorceress build: Making magicPath of Exile 2 Monk build: Flow like waterPath of Exile 2 Warrior build: Shock and awePath of Exile 2 Witch build: Summoned army

Best Ranger skills and support gems for the early game

(Image credit: Grinding Gear Games)

Path of Exile 2 Ranger build - Jumping over enemies

These are the skills and support gems I recommend grabbing for the Ranger.

Lightning Arrow

You pick up Lightning Arrow in the very first area of the game, and it’s your main damaging skill. It converts some of your physical damage to lightning, and then chains to a couple other targets, doing full lightning damage. Martial Tempo adds attack speed and makes the skill more cozy to stick and move with, in addition to boosting DPS. It also offsets the reduction you’ll get from Heavy Ammunition later.

Pierce lets us vastly improve our damage against packs, as not only will you be piercing, but every time you pierce through and hit another monster it’ll trigger more chains.

Lightning Rod

Lightning Rod acts as a force multiplier for Lightning Arrow, and is the one in your one two punch. It shoots an arrow (three with Scattershot) that sticks in the ground, and any chaining lightning effects in the area create bursts of lightning damage. With this you create nasty killing fields—drop one or two casts of this down, then spam Lightning Arrow and watch everything disintegrate.

Escape Shot

This ability is your get out of jail free card. With it, you’ll jump up in the air and sail away from all those beetles or skeletons that just surrounded you, freezing them in place and creating chilled ground. With Holy Descent socketed, you’ll also create a nice little zone when you land that will help you regenerate the health you just lost. Use this if you get in too deep and it’ll give you some breathing room to hit a potion and get back in the action.

Herald of Thunder

When you kill the King in the Mists in act one and unlock your first chunk ofspiritand spirit gem, use it to get Herald of Thunder. This adds additional damage in the form of bolts from the sky when you kill shocked enemies, which you’ll do a lot. Lightning Infusion adds more damage, and despite the confusing wording Innervatewillproc off Herald kills, adding another layer of damage in the form of a temporary buff.

Freezing Salvo

At level 12 you’ll unlock a new tier of skill gems, including Freezing Salvo. You’ll use this as an additional damage source but only periodically—it accumulates charges over time, only hitting for full strength every ten seconds or so. This makes it a natural fit for the Hourglass support, since you’re waiting to use it anyhow. Slam this on big packs or staggered bosses for huge damage.

Orb of Storms

Ranger stat priorities

Here are the stats you’ll need from gear and passives to destroy the game as a Ranger:

Swipe to scroll horizontallyRegular stats1. Dexterity2. Intelligence3. Strength

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Regular stats1. Dexterity2. Intelligence3. Strength

This list should essentially read dexterity, dexterity, dexterity. You’ll need a ton for your skills, it adds to your evasion rating, and increases your accuracy. Get enough intelligence to use Orb of Storms, and if you find some strength randomly on stuff at least it’ll give you a bit more life.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyDefensive stats1. Movement speed2. Life3. Resistances4. Evasion

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Defensive stats1. Movement speed2. Life3. Resistances4. Evasion

Movement speed on boots should be your absolute first priority when it comes to defenses. It makes traversing huge areas quicker, helps you evade skillshots, and gives you better damage windows once you scoot to safety. You’ll be looking for the usual life and resistances on most of your gear, preferably on evasion bases.

Ranger takes good advantage of evasion, and later on you can use Wind Dancer to multiply it further and the Acrobatics keystone on the tree to dodge even undodgeable slams from bosses and rare monsters.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyOffensive stats1. Increased physical damage2. Attack speed3. + to level of all projectile skills4. Bow attacks fire an additional arrow5. Adds physical or cold damage

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Offensive stats1. Increased physical damage2. Attack speed3. + to level of all projectile skills4. Bow attacks fire an additional arrow5. Adds physical or cold damage

Lightning Arrow, despite being a lightning oriented skill, predominantly scales off physical damage. Ideally you’ll want some combination of the above skills on your bow to really take advantage of that. Attack speed increases damage and helps us avoid getting stuck in attack animations, and having extra arrows is a huge force multiplier.

Best Ranger passive skills to grab early

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Path of Exile 2 Ranger build - Firing arrows

My mantra, established in the swirling mists of the distant past, is that dead mobs do no damage. The best defense is a good offense, and our passive points will almost exclusively be used on damage. Movement speed, resistances, and good positioning will be all the defense you need.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Grab Vile Wounds and Clean Shot first, before passing through Eagle Eye on your way to the cluster with Heavy Ammunition and Careful Aim. It’s worth noting that you won’t get any benefit from the pierce chance on Clean Shot since you’re socketing the Pierce support, but it’s still worth it for the projectile damage. Then head over to Ricochet, passing through Remorseless. I also recommend picking up the four projectile small nodes to the north of Remorseless for even. More. Damage.

Best Ranger gear

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Path of Exile 2 Ranger build - Character in Clearfell

There are two main things to consider with your gear after making sure you have as much movement speed on your boots as you can. Is my bow good enough? And am I continuing to get life and resistances? Make sure you’re looking for bows with the affixes I listed above, and remember that the vendors restock every time you level up, so check them often. If you’re having a really tough time you can gamble on a bow, but be careful not to incinerateallyour gold.

The dualstring base is an incredible upgrade, adding an additional arrow from the implicit. Try and find a decent one of these as soon as you can, and it’s worth spending your first few exalted orbs on thetrade siteto secure one if you don’t find it in the wild.

Movement speed boots are a must, keep your flasks up to date, and get life and resistances on all your gear. The closer you are to max res in fire, cold, and lightning the better, and any chaos res you can find is huge. Now go out there and zap some monsters.

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Best Ranger skills and support gems for the early game#

Lightning Arrow#

Lightning Rod#

Escape Shot#

Herald of Thunder#

Freezing Salvo#

Orb of Storms#

Ranger stat priorities#

Best Ranger passive skills to grab early#

Best Ranger gear#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

Best Ranger skills and support gems for the early game

Lightning Arrow

Lightning Rod

Escape Shot

Herald of Thunder

Freezing Salvo

Orb of Storms

Ranger stat priorities

Best Ranger passive skills to grab early

Best Ranger gear

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals