PoE2 Mercenary Leveling Build for Dawn of the Hunt

Mercenary Basics: Crossbow Chaos

The Mercenary kicks off with a crossbow, and that's our bread and butter here. Press the attack button to fire bolts; run out and you'll have to reload manually - none of that auto-reload nonsense. Your starter skill, Fragmentation Rounds, is a shotgun-style blast that fires 10 shards at once - switch to it with a hotkey, then unload with your attack. Skip Cycle Rounds - it wastes time on basic ammo that you'll quickly outgrow. This setup is enough to smash the first boss and strut around Clearfell like you own the place.

Skill progression: Grenades and Lightning

Grab an uncut skill gem from Kubly in Clearfell, then raid the abandoned camp for another. Craft an explosive grenade first - this is your pack-clearing MVP. Next, dive into the occult tab for Contagion - yes, it's witch, but hear me out. Hit an enemy, and as they fall, it spreads, wiping out nearby enemies with beefier damage. Pair it with the Explosive Grenade and you'll be laughing as packs melt away.

After the Mud Burrow boss, grab a level 2 Skill Gem and an uncut Support Gem from Renley. Upgrade to Explosive Grenade, then visit Gruwood's Witch Hut for Support Gem #2 - blast the witch with your shotgun rounds, she's toast. At level 14 (after Freyturn), ditch Contagion for Gas Grenade and craft Galvanic Shards with a second level 5 gem if you're lucky. Gas Grenade creates clouds; Galvanic Shards turns your shotgun into a lightning-spitting machine gun. Add Herald of Thunder from the Freyturn Skull for Shocked enemy buffs and you're golden.

Support Gems and Combos: Boom and Zap

Support gems juice this build to the max. Explosive Grenade gets Scattershot (three grenades, baby) and Expedite (faster booms). Fragmentation Rounds rocks Double Barrel (two shots before reloading) and Marshall Temper (attack speed). Gas Grenade pairs with Corrosion (armour-breaking) and Scattershot for chaos. Galvanic Shards runs Lightning Infusion and Inner Might for shock power, while Herald of Thunder grabs Magnified Effect and Concentrated Effect for bigger, badder buffs.

The play? Gas Grenade to cloud, Explosive Grenade to detonate, Galvanic Shards to zap packs. Against bosses, pre-drop Gas Grenade to shred armor, then shotgun with Fragmentation Rounds—they stun easy, leaving you free to unload.

Passive tree: Damage Over Everything

Stick to projectile damage early—crossbow's two-handed, so grab the two-handed branch for stun and damage. Swing right for projectile and crossbow boosts, piling on the stun build-up and raw power. Skip the fancy crossbow-shaped cluster for now - too stat-heavy, too far. Later, dip into the ranger nodes for movement speed, or the bottom right for lightning and electrocution if you're feeling sparky. This will keep you campaign ready until level 60-65, no sweat.

Gear up: Reload Fast, Hit Hard

Merchants are your besties—check 'em every level. Crossbows need physical damage and fast reload times - highlight them with a shopping script (Discord's got the list). Gloves and rings want extra damage; other slots crave life. Dexterity and Strength armour match your levelling stats - keep it simple, keep it punchy. Elemental damage is nice, but not clutch - reload speed is the real king.

Why This Mercenary Rules

This build's all about staying ahead—big AoE clears with grenades, pinpoint boss melts with shotguns, and lightning zaps for flair. It's fast, fun, and doesn't mess around with slow setups like Permafrost Bolts (freeze is cool, but why wait?). From Act 1 to the maps, you're a one-man arsenal.

Thanks for Reading

The Mercenary in Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt is an explosive powerhouse - easy to pick up, a riot to play. Keep an eye on MMOJUGG for more builds and tips to dominate your hunt!