Path Of Exile 2: How To Choose The Best Skill Gems For Mercenary Build?
Posted: Dec 19, 2024
Posted: Dec 19, 2024
Source: IGGMMercenaries excel at using Crossbow and have a few unique skills that make them a powerful force on the battlefields of Path Of Exile 2. This article will highlight the best Skill Gems for Mercenary builds and share how to maximize their potential by pairing the best Support gems with passive skills.
12. Armor Piercing Rounds
- Tier: I
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: Projectile, Physical
- Best Support Gems: Overpower, Ruthless, Armor Explosion, Chain
- Best Passives: Projectile Damage, Chain, Projectile Speed, Pierce
This skill focuses on breaking enemy armor, can penetrate multiple targets, and can be adjusted to bounce between targets for an AoE, making it a reliable partner for mercenaries.
When the skill is released, it will fire a series of fast-flying bullets that first penetrate the first enemy hit, and then deal decreasing damage to subsequent enemies. In addition, it will apply Armor Breaking debuff to enemies, causing enemies affected by this effect to take more physical damage.
11. Explosive Grenade
- Tier: I
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: AoE, Elemental
- Best Support Gems: Fire Penetration, Fire Infusion
- Best Passives: Grenade Damage, Grenade Fuse reduction, Fire Damage
Explosive Grenade fires Elemental Fire, which detonates after 3 seconds, dealing a medium AoE fire damage, and ignites Gas and Oil, making it great for clearing large groups of enemies and getting more POE 2 Currency drops.
If you change to Grenade Fuse Time Reduction, the grenade will explode faster, increasing its lethality against normal enemies. In boss battles, it can be paired with other grenade to form a strong AoE, continuously reducing the boss’ health and helping to clear summoned minions.
10. Galvanic Shards
- Tier: V
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: Projectile, AoE, Elemental
- Best Support Gems: Lightning Infusion, Ammo Conservation, Innervate, Conduction
- Best Passives: Lightning Damage, Elemental Damage, Shock Increase, Crossbow Reload Speed
Galvanic Shards are a cone-shaped area attack that causes cumulative Shock and Electrifying. Enemies that are electrified are more vulnerable to projectiles and lightning elemental attacks.
Combined with Herald of Thunder and Support Gems that increase Shock build-up and Lightning Damage, you can quickly clear out groups of enemies. It is even more effective when paired with a crossbow equipped with two Storm Runes.
9. Herald Of Thunder
- Tier: V
- Requirements: 30 spirit (base)
- Type: Herald, Buff, AoE, Elemental
- Best Support Gems: Magnified Effect, Maim, Blind, Conduction
- Best Passives: Herald AoE Damage, Herald Reservation decrease
Herald Of Thunder is a skill that should be unlocked first for Mercenary. It can enhance the shock damage after shocking the enemy, triggering a powerful range explosion. It requires 30 Spirit to activate, but the benefits are significant. It can use support gems to improve the effect, but it will increase the spirit cost. To balance the cost, you can choose Herald AoE Damage Passive Skill and Herald Reservation.
8. Rapid Shot
- Tier: V
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: Projectile, Elemental
- Best Support Gems: Ignition, Fresh Clip, Martial Tempo, Primal Armament
- Best Passives: Elemental Damage, Projectile Damage
Rapid Shot fires fire elemental projectiles after a short cooldown that can set targets on fire. Combined with Ignition, Fresh Clip, Martial Tempo, and Primal Armament support gems, it can quickly eliminate bosses and increase your efficiency in farming POE 2 Exalted Orbs.
Paired with Elemental Damage, and Projectile Damage passives and Emergency Reload, it can form high-frequency fiery darts that can easily melt powerful enemies. Rapid shot also generates Heat, which can enhance the power of Grenades and add Fire Damage.
7. Gas Grenade
- Tier: V
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: AoE, Elemental
- Best Support Gems: Bursting Plague, Primal Armament, Ingenuity
- Best Passives: Grenade Damage, Grenade effect duration increase
After launching a lob that bounces off a surface, it explodes in 2.5 seconds to form a cloud of toxic that continuously damages and poisons enemies. The poison still affects targets that leave the toxic cloud for a short time. Combining Bursting Plague, Primal Armament, and Ingenuity allow Mercenaries to cover the battlefield with poison gas and ignite it with Explosive Shot or Explosive Grenade for a powerful combo.
6. Explosive Shot
- Tier: VII
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: Projectile, AoE, Physical, Elemental
- Best Support Gems: Envenom, Wildfire, Primal Armament
- Best Passives: Elemental Damage, Fire Damage
Explosive Shot charges Crossbow with a powerful single shot that explodes on contact, igniting Oil and Gas and knocking back enemies. Spread Ignition status with Wildfire support gems, or apply Envenom to turn it into a Poisonous Elemental explosion.
As a slow but powerful attack, it is recommended to invest in the Elemental Damage and Fire Damage passives in the skill tree and equip a crossbow that deals Fire Elemental Damage. Use an Artificer Orb and Desert Runes to optimize Explosive Shot’s damage output.
5. Ripwire Ballista
- Tier: VII
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: Totem, Physical
- Best Support Gems: Overabundance, Lockdown
- Best Passives: Totem Duration, Pin Down Debuff Duration
This is one of the most useful Mercenary Skill Gems, creating a totem that generates a Ballista, which periodically fires arrows attached with chains. At 100%, the enemy is immobilized for 5 seconds, giving Mercenary time to deal damage. With Overabundance modification, 2 Ballistas can be summoned. The duration is halved but Pin-Down accumulates faster, and Lockdown is completed at the same time.
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4. Stormblast Bolts
- Tier: IX
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: Projectile, AoE, Elemental
- Best Support Gems: Lightning Infusion, Ingenuity, Innervate, Conduction
- Best Passives: Lightning Damage, Elemental Damage
This is one of the most complex skills in Mercenary, but it can be a significant change if you master it. It fires arrows at a designated area, which creates a link when they land, and can be detonated by Exploding Arrow or Galvanic Shards, dealing powerful area-of-effect electric damage.
Choose Lightning Infusion, Ingenuity, Innervate, and Conduction, and pair it with the extra Lightning Damage and Elemental Damage from equipment and passive skills to maximize the effect.
3. Oil Grenade
- Tier: IX
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: AoE, Debuff
- Best Support Gems: Ingenuity, Encumbrance
- Best Passives: Grenade Effect Duration Increase, Cooldown Reduction
Fire a grenade that explodes on contact, releasing sticky oil, slowing enemies and increasing their vulnerability to Fire Damage and Ignite effects. Oil can be ignited by Grenades or Explosive Bolts, creating a short-lived fire curtain.
It is recommended to use Ingenuity to shorten the cooldown, Grenade Effect Duration to extend the slow/vulnerability effect, and Encumbrance to increase the slowdown effect. Combined with Gas Grenade, it can create a deadly trap for monsters and bosses.
2. Emergency Reload
- Tier: XI
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: Buff
- Best Support Gems: Ingenuity, Premeditation
- Best Passives: Buff Duration, Buff Effectiveness
This skill instantly reloads your crossbow with the latest arrows and increases damage by 15%. Very dangerous when combined with skills like Rapid Shot or Galvanic Shards. It is recommended to use Skill Gems and Passives to reduce the cooldown. With two Premeditation runes, it can increase damage by an additional 30%, which is deadly.
1. Plasma Blast
- Tier: XIII
- Requirements: Crossbow
- Type: Projectile, Charged, Elemental
- Best Support Gems: Lightning Infusion, Martial Tempo, Innervate, Conduction
- Best Passives: Lightning Damage, Elemental Damage, Projectile Damage
This skill fires a powerful laser beam that deals high lightning damage and knocks back enemies. It takes 2 seconds to charge and exposes the player. Pairing it with Martial Tempo Skill Gems can solve the exposure problem. Choosing Gem Studded passive in Gemling Legionnaire Ascendancy can reduce the charge time by 25%, greatly improving efficiency.
In summary, we have introduced the best Skill Gems for Mercenary in POE 2 and the best Support Gems and Passives to match them in great detail. This information is essential for players to build a powerful Mercenary and can help you maximize your potential on the battlefield. Finally, you can enter IGGM Discord to join POE 2 Orbs giveaway event. We will draw 10 players on December 20th to share 100 Exalted Orbs, 100 Chaos Orbs, and 200 Regal Orbs!
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