PoE 2 Fate of the Vaal Class Ascendancy Meta - Pathfinder & Druids Dominate
Last updated on December 22, 2025 by MMOJUGG Team | Game: Path of Exile 2 Guide | Tags: Fate of the Vaal
Path of Exile 2's Fate of the Vaal league shows strong meta trends via poe.ninja's indexed builds—Pathfinder holds 17.4% in standard, while Druids (Shaman + Oracle) reach 31.3% combined. HC/SSF favor defensive stars like Lich. Percentages reveal popularity shifts across modes.
Editor's Note: Source: poe.ninja PoE2 Builds and PoE2 Steamdb.
PoE2 Patch 0.4.0 Population Data Overview
poe.ninja providing a snapshot of build distributions—not total players or all active characters. These figures reflect indexed data only.
For context, PoE2's Steam all-time peak hit ~578,000 concurrent (early December 2024); Patch 0.4.0 Steam peak: 290,305 (Dec 12 UTC). recent daily peaks hover around 150,000-170,000 (mid-December 2025 estimates).
Fate of the Vaal Full Ascendancy Shares
poe.ninja's standard league data highlights tight meta consolidation—top 3 ascendancies claim ~49%. Full ranked list below for complete visibility.
Rank | Ascendancy | Share |
|---|---|---|
1 | Pathfinder | 17.4% |
2 | Shaman | 16.7% |
3 | Oracle | 14.6% |
4 | Blood Mage | 7.3% |
5 | Stormweaver | 5.7% |
6 | Amazon | 5.3% |
7 | Disciple of Varashta | 5.0% |
8 | Titan | 4.5% |
9 | Invoker | 4.3% |
10 | Deadeye | 3.9% |
11 | Lich | 3.0% |
12 | Witchhunter | 2.0% |
13 | Ritualist | 2.0% |
14 | Warbringer | 2.0% |
15 | Tactician | 2.0% |
16 | Smith of Kitava | 1.0% |
17 | Infernalist | 1.0% |
18 | Chronomancer | 0.7% |
19 | Acolyte of Chayula | 0.5% |
20 | Abyssal Lich | 0.3% |
21 | Gemling Legionnaire | 0.2% |
Note: Tail-end shares aggregate the rest; check poe.ninja for live fluctuations.
Top Ascendancies: HC Fate of the Vaal
Hardcore mode prioritizes survival—Lich rises sharply for minion/DoT layering against Vaal Temple spikes.
Rank | Ascendancy | Share |
|---|---|---|
1 | Lich | 14.6% |
2 | Shaman | 13.2% |
3 | Disciple of Varashta | 9.4% |
4 | Oracle | 8.6% |
5 | Pathfinder | 7.9% |
6 | Titan | 6.2% |
7 | Smith of Kitava | 6.2% |
8 | Invoker | 5.5% |
9 | Infernalist | 4.2% |
10 | Witchhunter | 3.9% |
Top Ascendancies: SSF & HC SSF Fate of the Vaal
Self-found modes reward gear-independent scaling—Shaman dominates.
SSF Top 10
Rank | Ascendancy | Share |
|---|---|---|
1 | Shaman | 22.7% |
2 | Oracle | 13.6% |
3 | Titan | 10.0% |
4 | Pathfinder | 9.0% |
5 | Disciple of Varashta | 8.9% |
HC SSF Top 10
Rank | Ascendancy | Share |
|---|---|---|
1 | Shaman | 15.0% |
2 | Oracle | 10.6% |
3 | Disciple of Varashta | 10.0% |
4 | Lich | 8.6% |
5 | Smith of Kitava | 8.4% |
Meta Trends Across Modes
Standard: Pathfinder + Druids (~49%) drive flask mobility and spirit versatility for fast Temple progression. HC: Lich (14.6%) counters one-shots via minions/chaos DoTs. SSF/HC SSF: Druids surge to 30-36%+, with Titan/Smith adding physical tanks. Community notes self-sufficient builds thriving amid Vaal RNG.
Path of Exile 2 Fate of the Vaal FAQs
What ascendancy has the highest share in standard Fate of the Vaal?
Pathfinder at 17.4%—flask uptime and movement scaling excel in trade-enabled mapping. Strong for Vaal Temple rushing; prioritize essence crafts early.
Why do Shaman and Oracle total 31.3% in standard?
Combined totem efficiency and hidden passive ramps provide league-start flexibility into endgame bossing. Fury/spirit synergies handle T3+ content reliably.
How does the HC meta vary from standard?
Lich climbs to 14.6% with minion tanks absorbing destabilization bursts. Focus chaos DoTs for safer Atziri/uber runs; transition around level 80.
What dominates SSF Fate of the Vaal shares on day 10?
Shaman at 22.7%—totems scale without rare gear. Druids overall ~36%; push medallions aggressively for T3 rooms by mid-maps.
When to choose Lich in hardcore modes?
Post-level 75 Temple farming: 14.6%+ share highlights minion edge against RNG spikes. Offers 20%+ effective survival over pure speed builds.
Why do low-share ascendancies like Gemling Legionnaire appear?
Niche picks (0.2%) for experimental minion/legion hybrids, often SSF viable. Monitor poe.ninja for potential risers after patches.
Thanks for Reading
Poe.ninja data spotlights Pathfinder (17.4%) and Druid duo in PoE2 Fate of the Vaal—shares illuminate speed vs. defense balances across modes.
Stay tuned to MMOJUGG for ongoing ladder insights. Bookmark for quick checks—drop by our store for meta-inspired gear ideas.
You may also like: Master the core mechanics of the Fate of the Vaal League, from Temple building to Vaal currencies and boss fights.
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