PoE2 Warrior Leveling Build for Dawn of the Hunt

Warrior Basics: Slam and Stun

The Warrior in Dawn of the Hunt starts strong with Rolling Slam, a two-hit beast you'll wield from the get-go. The first slam creates a stun (check the yellow bar underneath enemy health), the second slam crushes stunned foes with multiplicative 'more' damage - think big numbers, not just a little extra. Combine this with animation-cancelling rolls (every class has them) to dodge attacks or skip recovery frames, and you're already outpacing the chaos of the early game. Master this trick early on - difficulty spikes quickly and you'll need the agility.

Skill progression: Building the Arsenal

Grab your first uncut skill gem from Renley in Clearfell, then hit the abandoned camp for another. Choose Bone Shatter as your second skill - it explodes heavily stunned enemies and clears packs when the stun is primed (look for the highlight). Add Frost Bomb from the Elemental tab - it detonates for bonus damage and cold exposure, softening up tougher targets. Early game is simple: Rolling Slam for stun, Bone Shatter for pop, Frost Bomb for boss fight.

After smashing the Wild Nest Worm, you'll get a level 2 Skill Gem, head back to Renley for an uncut Support Gem. Upgrade Rolling Slam to level 2, then slap Concentrated Effect on it. Less AoE, more damage - perfect for boss stomps. In Gruwood's Witch Hut, kill the rare monster for another support gem - slot Overpower into Rolling Slam for 50% more stun build-up, and give Bone Shatter Impact Shockwave to boost its splash.

At level 14 (the post-Freyturn boss), ditch Frost Bomb for Perfect Strike. It's a slow, fire-damaging mace hit that deals 6x damage when timed correctly - practice the flash release with Fire Infusion and Window of Opportunity for a tighter, harder-hitting window. Scream with Infernal Cry (level 3 gem) to boost your next slam, and you'll one-shot elites.

Support Gems and Combos: Power Up

Support gems make this build sing. Rolling Slam rocks Overpower for stun and Fist of War (later) for a red-charged slam every 6 seconds - massive AoE and damage. Bone Shatter keeps Impact Shockwave for clear speed, with Execute as an option for low health kills. Perfect Strike relies on Fire Infusion and Window of Opportunity for precision destruction. Add Herald of Ash (post-Freyturn Spirit Gem) to explode overkilled enemies and incinerate stragglers.

The combo? Rolling Slam stuns, Bone Shatter clears packs, Infernal Cry powers up, then Perfect Strike flattens bosses. Roll after the second Slam to stay mobile - keeps you alive when mobs swarm.

Passive tree: Stun and Survive

Start with melee damage and stun buildup nodes—30% increased stun is gold. Step up to 40% more melee damage against heavily stunned foes, then drop down for two-handed weapon damage (40% increase). Grab Strength for life, maybe a Dexterity node if your gear is light. Later, grab fire damage and burning enemies bonuses - Ashen Herald loves it. Stun threshold and max health nodes keep you from getting locked out, and Flawless Technique (no crits, always hits) comes in handy when your mace swings feel off. That gets you to level 60-65, campaign done, maps ready.

Gear up: Simple and Strong

Check the shop every level—Oak Great Hammer or similar maces with stun buildup implicits are your bread and butter. Prioritise physical damage; attack speed is a bonus. Armour is all about strength and health-heavy pieces keep you beefy. Boots need movement speed - this build is slow without it. Discord has a shopping list (link below) to highlight quality picks for reforging. DPS check weapons in your Skill Menu - higher is better.

Why This Warrior Rocks

This build's a brawler's dream—stun-lock bosses, shred packs, and laugh at the difficulty curve. It's not fancy, but it's reliable and scales from fist-pumping fun to map-ready power. Perfect Strike takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, nothing stands in your way.

Thanks for Reading

The Warrior in Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt is a stunning powerhouse - easy to learn, hard to stop. Keep an eye on MMOJUGG for more builds and tips on how to dominate the hunt!