Path of Exile 2: Ritualist Huntress Deep Dive

Patch 0.2.0, Dawn of the Hunt, arrives on the 4th of April 2025, bringing with it a beastly new addition to Path of Exile 2: the Ritualist Hunter. This dark twist on the shiny new Hunter class is oozing with potential - think blood, sacrifice and some seriously wild mechanics. Whether you're a map-clearing fiend or an endgame theorist, this deep dive into the Ritualist's toolkit will get you ready for the hunt. Let's dissect his nodes, explore his strengths, and find out how he's going to shred Wraeclast!  

First up, Corrupted Health is your pack-clearing buddy. This passive causes nearby monsters to sprout boils, which pop when they die, spraying Corrupted Blood on their buddies. It's physical damage over time, stackable up to 10, and refreshes with each new hit. Unlike Bleed, it's not an affliction, spell, or attack - so scaling is tricky. The Hunter passive tree doesn't seem to be giving it much juice yet, so it's more of a 'set it and forget it' deal for clearing trash mobs. Bosses with add-ons might get a tickle, but don't expect it to melt pinned enemies unless the numbers are secretly insane.  

Next, As the Whispers Ask hands you Ritual Sacrifice, a skill that lets you snack on the modifiers of a slain rare monster. The reveal trailer left us scratching our heads - Jonathan says you can grab one modifier, but the footage shows a Huntress devouring all four from a single rare. If it's the latter, this could be a game changer - imagine grabbing extra projectiles, resistance auras or AOEs on demand. If it's just a random selection, it's a roll of the dice that might not stick. Either way, it's a juicy twist on Headhunter vibes - perfect for spicing up your map chaos.

As the Whispers Demand allows you to sacrifice 20% of your maximum health for a single random modifier. It's a gamble - some mods, such as Soul Eater or extra resists, might get you through a fight, but the pool is huge and the chances of hitting a dud are high. Without cooldown details, it's hard to say whether you'll be able to catch a good one mid-boss. For now, it feels underwhelming for two ascent points - unless you're a masochist who loves RNG roulette.  

The Intricate Sigils branch is all about charms. The base node gives you +1 charm slot and 20% more charm charges gained - a solid defensive boost. Stack an extra immunity or mitigation effect and you're laughing. With the unique charms teased for Dawn of the Hunt, there could be some juicy options for slots. The sequel, Mind Flayer, lets you burn 25% of your maximum mana to trigger charms when they're out of charge. Mana is easier to sustain than charges (flasks, regeneration, you name it), so this could keep a clutch charm-like freeze immunity-up during a boss slog. It's not flashy, but it's reliable.  

Wildwood Persistence is a sleeper hit: 5% increased health regeneration for every 5% of health lost. This buffs life regeneration, leech (non-instant), and recharge - not flasks or instant heals. The lower you drop it, the harder it kicks in, making it a lifeline for Blood Magic builds or anyone flirting with death. If PoE 2's endgame doesn't one-shot you into next week, this two-point wonder could keep you ticking through the chaos.  

Now for the crown jewel: Unfurled Finger and Mystic Attunement. You'll have to eat a downside to get here - 30% reduced max mana, 25% reduced spirit, or -15% elemental resists - but the payoff? An extra ring slot. Rings in PoE 2 are stat goldmines: health, resists, attributes, mana, you name it. Combine that with Mystic Attunement's 25% increased bonuses from rings and amulets, and you'll be boosting everything in those slots. Unique amulets like Defiance of Destiny (more health regeneration) or Astramentis (attribute overload) also get a massive boost.  

The catch? Ingenuity's broken 40-80% ring bonus may be nerfed in 0.2.0, leaving Ritualist as the new ring stacking champion. This branch screams late-level power - grab it when you've got top gear to juice. It's so strong that you're basically locked into taking both nodes, which is a bit of a design bummer, but the raw power is hard to argue with.  

The Ritualist is a blank canvas with a bloody edge. It's not pigeonholed into a play style - Corrupted Vitality nudges you towards the Physic/Bleed card, but the Ring and Charm stuff opens the door wide. Early League, Spear, or Quarterstaff builds might lean towards its clear speed. Later, bow or spell setups (think mana-stacking Archmage Spark) could move up the tree to take advantage of the extra ring slot. It's a reroll candidate - it shines brightest when you have the gear to back it up.  

The Ritualist Huntress in Dawn of the Hunt is shaping up to be a wild card—part map blender, part gear-scaling monster. Whether you're popping boils or stacking rings, she's got endgame potential that's hard to ignore. Keep an eye on MMOJUGG for more as we head towards the 4th of April - time to hunt!