The first week of Path of Exile 2: Rise of the Abyssal has shaken up the meta with several standout builds dominating early rankings. Lightning Arrow Deadeye and Ice Shot Deadeye remain top choices for clearing maps quickly, while Spark Blood Mage, Flicker Shock Invoker, and Hollow Palm Invoker continue to rise thanks to high damage scaling and mobility.

Meanwhile, some mid-tier options like Explosive Shot Witch Hunter, Fire Demon Infernalist, and Warp Storm Weaver remain popular among players experimenting with unique playstyles. The meta shows signs of shifting weekly, meaning early trends may change as new strategies emerge.

Top 10 Builds in the Current PoE2 Meta

Early Access Patch Notes – 0.3.0b Patch Notes – Forum – Path of Exile
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1. Lightning Arrow Deadeye

Lightning Arrow Deadeye dominates the leaderboard thanks to unmatched mapping speed and AoE clearing efficiency. Each shot chains lightning across packs, erasing enemies instantly. Deadeye’s Ascendancy boosts projectile count and range, making this build perfect for farming, though heavy investment is needed for strong boss damage.

2. Hollow Palm Invoker

The Hollow Palm Invoker focuses on unarmed combat, scaling dexterity into massive melee damage. Its accessibility, high speed, and explosive output make it a reliable early and late-game pick. While simple to play, mastering cooldowns and positioning maximizes its full potential.

3. Flicker Shock Invoker

Known for its lightning-fast mobility, Flicker Shock Invoker teleports across maps while chaining melee and spell-based hits. This build offers one of the fastest farming speeds in the game but requires precise cooldown management and charge maintenance to perform consistently against bosses.

4. Three Element Storm Weaver

Storm Weaver combines fire, cold, and lightning damage into a synergized elemental powerhouse. Its adaptability against resistances and balanced DPS make it a highly versatile choice for both mapping and bossing. Strong scaling potential keeps this build relevant across all stages of progression.

5. Ice Strike Invoker

This hybrid melee-and-projectile setup freezes and shatters mobs efficiently while maintaining strong boss control. Invoker’s Ascendancy enhances the hybrid playstyle, giving it a unique edge over traditional melee archetypes. It’s a well-rounded option that remains competitive against top-tier setups.

Rising Builds Gaining Traction

Several mid-tier builds are steadily climbing as players refine strategies:

  • Spark Blood Mage — Overlapping ricocheting projectiles create devastating AoE effects, excelling in both mapping and bossing.

  • Black Flame Blood Mage — Combines chaos and fire damage for heavy degeneration scaling in prolonged encounters.

  • Explosive Shot Witch Hunter — Stylish, versatile, and fast-clearing, though overshadowed by Lightning Arrow and Ice Shot for raw scaling.

  • Fire Demon Infernalist — A fiery juggernaut with relentless AoE and sustainability through Infernalist synergy.

  • Warp Storm Weaver — A mobility-focused caster leaving explosive elemental storms behind, rewarding aggressive playstyles.

These builds offer variety for players who prefer experimenting with unconventional strategies while staying competitive within the evolving PoE2 meta.

Early Week Meta Takeaways

After the first week of Path of Exile 2: Rise of the Abyssal, the meta remains heavily influenced by projectile-based and elemental scaling builds. Lightning Arrow Deadeye leads the pack, but Hollow Palm Invoker and Flicker Shock Invoker are closing in fast, offering alternatives for players seeking faster clears or stronger melee setups.

With the developers expected to release balance changes and new endgame challenges in upcoming weeks, these rankings are likely to shift. Players focusing on scalability, survivability, and adaptability will have an edge as the meta develops further.