Path of Exile 2 encourages players to explore innovative combinations of classes and builds. Among the available early access classes, the dynamic Monk stands out for its versatility. Players can choose from six distinctive classes, namely Mercenary, Sorceress, Witch, Ranger, Warrior, and the agile Monk. The Monk class fits the conventional fantasy trope of a nimble fighter, delivering swift melee attacks while operating with relatively low health and defense mechanisms.
However, Path of Exile 2 takes an exciting twist on this archetype: Monks have the ability to harness a variety of elemental spells to produce diverse damage types. Excelling in close-quarters combat while skillfully managing ranged magical attacks, mastering the Monk class hinges on achieving the perfect balance between aggression and strategy. Below, we provide comprehensive guidance on optimizing your Monk build in PoE 2.
Optimal Equipment for a Monk Build in PoE 2
Equipment Essentials: What to Keep & What to Sell
To optimize your Monk’s performance, prioritize lightweight gear. The Monk’s emphasis on mobility necessitates not wearing heavy, burdensome armor. Focus on equipping armors described as “Garb”or “Robe,”and utilize simple Linen Wraps for your hands, complemented by Crowns, Masks, or Hoods for headgear.
Given that loot in PoE 2 is randomized, specific armor recommendations can’t be pinpointed. Instead, prioritize gear that enhances your character’s speed, damage output, evasion, and energy shield. Speed and damage enhancements will amplify your offensive capabilities, while evasion and energy shield will help offset the Monk’s inherent vulnerabilities.
Items collected will fall into four different rarity categories: Normal (white), Magic (blue), Rare (yellow), and Unique (orange). Regarding weapon choices, while Monks are renowned for their hand-to-hand combat skills, Quarterstaves can also be effectively wielded. Opt for weapons that enhance your physical and elemental damage, particularly if your build leans toward lightning or cold damage.
As you progress through Path of Exile 2, expect to acquire numerous items, including those unsuitable for your character. You have choices—sell, disenchant, store in your account-wide stash for alternate characters, or trade with other players.
Top Skill Gems for a Monk Build in PoE 2
Killing Palm
In Path of Exile 2, players unlock new skills through the use of Uncut Skill Gems. Killing Palm, available at level 1, is an essential skill for Monks. This ability allows you to leap forward to strike an enemy, instantly defeating them if their health is low. Successful execution of Killing Palm rewards you with a Power Charge, paving the way for more formidable abilities.
Tempest Bell
At level 6, utilizing a level 3 Uncut Skill Gem, Monks should acquire Tempest Bell. This skill initiates a combo meter, and upon filling it, a bell drops onto the battlefield. Subsequent attacks on the bell unleash damaging shockwaves, effectively decimating enemies within its radius.
Staggering Palm
Also starting at level 6, Staggering Palm offers an alternative to Killing Palm by stunning enemies instead of eliminating them. Successfully stunning with this ability provides a buff that facilitates projectile attacks through melee strikes, enabling you to better target Tempest Bell or Frozen Locus, should you choose to incorporate that skill.
Recommended Passive Skills for a Monk Build in PoE 2
Critical Hit Chance, Power Charges, & Damage
As you ascend in levels within Path of Exile 2, you earn skill points to allocate across an expansive skill tree. Fortunately, the Monk’s skill tree allows for considerable flexibility, enabling you to carve your own path. Ensure you select skills that enhance critical hit chance and damage (such as Deadly Force), along with those that increase your Power Charges.
It’s advisable to concentrate on enhancing either lightning or cold damage, rather than spreading improvements evenly across both. And don’t overlook the Overload skill, which lets you bypass enemy resistances to your elemental attacks.
Top Spirit Gem for a Monk Build in PoE 2
Lingering Illusion
As you venture through the game, you’ll encounter Spirit Gems that enhance your abilities. If survivability becomes a concern, consider adopting the Lingering Illusion Spirit Gem. This gem creates a spectral decoy of your character to distract enemies while you roll-dodge. Additionally, destroying the Illusion can reward you with a Power Charge.
Charge Infusion
At level 58, the Charge Infusion Spirit Gem increases your critical hit chance by 15% whenever you possess a Power Charge. Pairing this with other abilities or items that boost critical hits can provide a robust power-up.
Combat Frenzy
For those focusing on cold or lightning builds, Combat Frenzy is key. It grants additional effects when you freeze or shock adversaries, resulting in a Frenzy charge that synergizes well with Charge Infusion, boosting your skill speed by 8%. This gem becomes available at level 36 and requires a level 8 gem to utilize.
Ascendancies for a Monk Build in PoE 2
Invoker
Ascendancies, akin to subclasses, become available after conquering the Trial of the Sekhemas in Act 2. The Monk class has two unique Ascendancies, with Invoker being the initial choice. This subclass is heavily focused on elemental damage with various defensive capabilities, often regarded as the stronger choice. Below is a table outlining Invoker skills available in PoE 2:
| Scatter Them to the Winds | Grants Elemental Expression on melee crit, creating AoEs |
|---|---|
| Faith Is a Choice | Meditate to double energy shield |
| I Am the Blizzard | Deals an extra 10% cold damage, freezing enemies causes Chilled Ground AoE |
| I Am the Thunder | Deals an extra 10% lightning damage, shocking enemies creates Shocked Ground AoE |
| And I Shall Rage | Gaining Unbound Fury on inflicting a status effect fills a meter for an ascended state |
| And Protect Me from Harm | Evasion rating is decreased by 40%, but provides equivalent physical damage reduction |
| Lead Me Through Grace | Grants 1 Spirit for every 6 energy shield and 15 evasion on your body armor |
| Sunder My Enemies | Crits ignore most elemental resistances |
| The Soul Springs Eternal | Meta skills gain 35% more energy |
Acolyte of Chayula
The other Ascendancy option for Monks is the Acolyte of Chayula, which embraces themes of darkness and chaos, utilizing mana leech and the Flames of Chayula skill. Here are the available skills:
| Chayula’s Gift | Increases maximum Chaos resistance by 10%, doubling chaos resistance |
|---|---|
| Consuming Questions | Mana leech replaces natural energy shield recharge |
| Embrace the Darkness | Sets base maximum Darkness to 100, earning 5 additional per level, acting as energy shield |
| Grasp of the Void | For every 20 unreserved Darkness, gain 1% extra Chaos damage |
| Inner Silence | Halves Darkness reservation duration |
| Lucid Dreaming | Doubles Flames of Chayula skill duration |
| Ravenous Doubts | Instantly castable mana leech |
| Reality Rending | Chance to gain significant extra chaos damage on hit |
| Waking Dream | Grants Into the Breach, skill to manifest Flames of Chayula |
Remember, the freedom to experiment is crucial. Feel free to mix and match skills and gear as you explore the game’s vast landscapes. Should your build need recalibration, you can always respec with the Hooded One. Note that the Monk class is currently under evaluation and may undergo adjustments before the full release of Path of Exile 2.