Path of Exile Guide: Rundown on Ascendancies in PoE

Path of Exile presents players with an incredibly deep character customization system featuring extensive Passive Tree options and hundreds of skill and support gems. Focusing on just one class provides enough build variations to sustain gameplay for hundreds of hours. The addition of 2-3 Ascendancy specializations per class introduces powerful new mechanics, buffs, and abilities that dramatically expand possibilities. When you multiply these choices across all seven base classes, the result is an ARPG enthusiast’s ultimate fantasy realized.

With such an overwhelming array of excellent choices, players inevitably face decision paralysis when selecting optimal Ascendancies. To simplify this process, we’ve compiled a comprehensive ranking of all class specializations from least beginner-friendly to most effective for currency farming, where position 19 represents the lowest ranking and position 1 indicates the highest performing option.

19 – Guardian

The Guardian Ascendancy specializes exclusively in support capabilities, performing exceptionally well in group scenarios but proving underwhelming for solo adventuring. Its signature auras can provide substantial benefits to minion-based builds, though dedicated summoner alternatives like the Necromancer consistently outperform it for this purpose. New players should note that Guardian’s Radiant Faith and Unwavering Faith nodes primarily enhance party members rather than the character itself.

Common mistake: Attempting to build Guardian as a primary damage dealer rather than embracing its support role. Optimal strategy involves pairing with high-damage allies who can capitalize on your defensive auras and energy shield sharing. For players determined to make Guardian work solo, focus on hybrid builds that combine minion damage with personal survivability through the Bastion of Hope node.

18 – Hierophant

Recent league updates delivered substantial nerfs to Hierophant’s totem capabilities, particularly affecting builds that previously deployed multiple totems simultaneously. While Arcane Surge enhancements received buffs, these improvements proved insufficient to elevate this Ascendancy above competitors. Players seeking totem or spellcasting gameplay will find superior performance with Chieftain for fire-based totems or Elementalist for pure spell damage.

The Lake of Kalandra expansion introduced quality-of-life improvements for totem mechanics, and specific support gems now enable additional totem deployment. However, the meta requires further stabilization before Hierophant can be considered truly viable for endgame content. Advanced players should monitor patch notes for potential totem buffs that might restore this Ascendancy’s competitiveness.

Pro tip: If committed to Hierophant, leverage the Sanctuary of Thought node for massive mana pool scaling combined with Mind Over Matter for exceptional effective health pool.

17 – Juggernaut

Juggernaut serves as the definitive tank specialization, capable of absorbing enormous amounts of damage and enduring prolonged engagements while typically dealing modest damage output. The diversity of elemental damage types and enemy attack patterns makes creating a build that mitigates all damage varieties exceptionally difficult, and this limitation becomes critically apparent during boss encounters.

Surviving complex boss mechanics presents significant challenges for Juggernaut builds. Abilities like Sirus’s Storms, Maven’s memory game sequence, and nearly all of Oshabi’s attacks can bypass even the most robust defenses. This makes the specialization poorly suited for players focused on endgame boss farming.

Most experienced players consider Juggernaut designed primarily for Hardcore league starters until sufficient currency accumulates for alternative characters. For Softcore enthusiasts and skilled Path of Exile veterans, the Ascendancy offers limited appeal beyond specific defensive niche builds.

16 – Berserker

Berserker represents one of the most formidable damage-scaling specializations in Path of Exile, with damage output increasing dramatically as rage accumulates. Their substantial damage multipliers make them favorites among players prioritizing offensive power, though this comes with significantly higher mortality rates compared to other classes.

While many players demonstrate sufficient dodging skill to sustain Berserker through standard content, numerous dungeons and boss encounters present scenarios where pure berserker builds cannot survive. The specialization proves particularly ill-suited as a starter choice for Hardcore leagues where character death carries permanent consequences.

Critical consideration: Berserker’s Rite of Ruin node, while providing massive damage, also increases damage taken substantially. This trade-off requires exceptional mechanical skill and game knowledge to manage effectively.

No reproduction without permission：GameCDjnh » Path of Exile Guide: Rundown on Ascendancies in PoE Essential Path of Exile Ascendancy guide ranking the bottom four classes with expert strategies and pitfalls to avoid