Path of Exile 2 patch 0.5.5 and the Forbidden Rites event launches on September 4th at 1 p.m. PDT. Grinding Gear Games said there are no character balance changes in this patch. That means the starters people already trust in 0.5 still work. The new event adds Rituals through the campaign, Viridian Wildwood in endgame, a bigger Trial of Chaos, and a fresh economy if you roll a new character.
Mobalytics is packed with 0.5 and 0.5.5 tags right now. A lot of creators have put out starter videos aimed at this reset. The list below mixes the most-followed planner pages with those videos. It is not a ranking of who will print the most divine orbs on day three. It is ten builds that are cheap to start, documented, and popular enough that they can carry you to the end game quickly and be effective at most if not all stages of the game.
Follow a live planner for gem links. Patch notes closer to launch can still tweak skills even if GGG skipped a full balance pass, so we will see what happens.
1. Martial Artist Whirling Assault / Falling Thunder Monk
This is the one showing up at the top of almost every 0.5.5 starter conversation. Ronarray’s Whirling Trinity Martial Artist page on Mobalytics has more than 10,000 favorites. FGKorbyn21 has a 0.5.5 "Giga Bonk" Flicker / Falling Thunder version updated August 30. Scorpius’s spin-to-win Martial Artist guide is the one Talkative Tri highlighted.
The idea is simple. Whirling Assault generates charges. Falling Thunder spends them. Hollow Palm is a common leveling path until you put a quarterstaff on. Campaign feels fast. Maps scale if you keep the staff upgrades coming. If you want one melee starter and do not want to think too hard, this is the default pick.
2. Twister Spirit Walker Huntress
Twisters sit next to Whirling Assault on most tier lists. Snoobae85’s Twister Spirit Walker page is featured on Mobalytics and was updated August 30. SiahZ has a Spirit Walker Twister league starter as well. Spirit Walker is the Huntress ascendancy added in 0.5, built around Azmerian Wisps and spirit possession.
Easy screen clear is the selling point of this build. You throw twisters, walk, and let the screen die. Budget is low compared with bow setups that need a perfect quiver on day one. If you want ranged without living on a Deadeye bow, start here.
3. Ice Shot Deadeye
Fubgun’s 0.5 Ice Shot Deadeye leveling guide is still on Mobalytics’ featured starter row. Ice Shot plus freeze is an old reliable for campaign. Deadeye keeps the projectiles and movement comfortable while you hunt a real bow.
It is not the cheapest unique-hungry endgame bow build when you start mapping. But at the beginning as a starter it is straightforward: shoot, freeze, move. If bows are what you came to PoE 2 to play, this is the cleanest documented on-ramp.
4. Plant Oracle Druid
Raxxanterax’s Plant Oracle leveling guide is one of the first things Mobalytics puts in front of new 0.5 players. Plant Lich and Plant Oracle both show up in S-tier starter talk. The loop is Entangle through Thunderstorm so the vines overgrow and pop.
It is two skills for a rotation, which is why casual write-ups keep recommending it. Oracle is the usual ascendancy on the popular planner. You can play the same plant package on other witchy or primal setups, but Raxx’s page is the one people are actually clicking.
5. Essence Drain / Contagion Lich
The chaos DoT pick is DEADR4BB1T’s Contagion and Essence Drain Lich. Mobalytics also has the 0.5.5 ED Contagion Lich league starter tagged from level 1 to endgame, updated August 31.
You spread Contagion, drop Essence Drain, and let packs melt while you stay back. It is slower than Twister or Whirling Assault and much safer on bad gear. If you die a lot in campaign, this is the "I would like to live" starter and clear the game on easy mode.
6. Shield Wall Smith of Kitava
Lundburgerr’s Shield Wall Smith league starter and Lexd’s Shield Wall plus Avatar of Fire Smith of Kitava guide are both sitting on Mobalytics creator lists. Warrior starters are not topping the flashy tier lists, but Smith of Kitava is the tanky melee people keep recommending when they want a shield and a wall, not a spin.
Leveling is slam and plant a wall. Single target takes more setup than a Monk. Defense is the reason to pick it. If Forbidden Rites Ritual rooms get messy, a Smith that does not fall over is a sane campaign plan.
7. Mercenary Galvanic Shards / Stormblast Bolts
This one I have personally done twice in previous leagues and it works pretty well. Woolie’s 0.5.5 Run and Gun Witchhunter on Mobalytics is solid. Here is how it works: Galvanic Shards for clear, Stormblast Bolts for bosses, Sorcery Ward for a bigger health pool. You can also rotate into grenades if you are not liking it or the playstyle.
GuyThatDies also posted a 0.5.5 Twister Mercenary leveling guide on August 29 if you would rather shoot twisters than shards. Grenade Tactician pages exist too, including BlazeworksTV’s SSF pin-to-win grenades guide. Crossbow Merc is the "I want guns" starter. You can't go wrong no matter how you play this class.
8. Spark Stormweaver
Spark Stormweaver league starter pages are all over the Mobalytics homepage, including some that have updates recently. Spark is still the caster clear people know. Stormweaver is the usual ascendancy for it. Here is the one from Animeprincess:
It is not the top of the 0.5.5 starter tier lists. Some lists even park generic Spark/Firewall Sorceress lower than Twister and plants. It remains popular because the planner pages are mature and the play pattern is familiar. If you already have Spark muscle memory from 0.5, you do not need a new class for this event.
9. Arctic Wolf / Werewolf Druid
Woolie’s 0.5.5 Wolfman guide is tagged as leaguestart friendly on Mobalytics. There is also Screamheart’s Arctic Wolf. Some also run a werewolf Druid with Lunar Assault from the Icy Veins / PoE Vault writers.
The kit is Shred, Pounce, Lunar Assault, Lunar Blessing. Woolie’s notes call out freeze, move speed, and a hungry mana pool until Blood Magic. Pounce’s cooldown was already nerfed once in the past, but it is still good.
10. Spirit Walker Beast Master / Companion Huntress
CaptainLance9’s Spirit Walker Beast Master is a Mobalytics featured build. The Spirit Walker companion leveling path built around a strong monkey minion is very strong, simple and easy to pull off. Plus, you can get some crazy monkey slams and fun packs of companions to make the game easy. I have played this one and it is very fun.
You level with Twister and Whirling Slash into Act 3, then lean on tamed beasts. It is more setup than throwing Twisters yourself at the start, but once you get the right companions it is a breeze. This build is the one people pick when they want a pet doing the scary part and fighting in the front.
How to choose which class to play before September 4
If you want speed and a guide with a huge favorite count, take Martial Artist Monk or Twister Spirit Walker. If you want to die less, take ED/Contagion Lich or Shield Wall Smith. If you want a bow, take Ice Shot Deadeye. If you want plants or a wolf, take the Druid pages above. Spark and Merc shards are there if that is already your comfort class.
Forbidden Rites is an event league next to the regular 0.5 economy. Ritual shows up in campaign zones. Trial of Chaos now goes to room 30. Runes of Aldur is going to the eternal realm.
Are you rolling Monk, Huntress, or something tankier for 0.5.5? Let us know which class or build you are going and let us know how you liked the article in the comments below.