If you’re new to Path of Exile or moving from Diablo 3 looking for an alternative, you may find some things in PoE to be quite difficult.
One of the reasons the game and its leveling system may seem difficult to you is because of the class you pick and the build you go for.
So, instead of choosing a random class, you should choose a stronger tanky class for your first playthrough.
Here’s why.
Follow A Build Guide
Choosing a character class to play is usually a simple decision you can make when playing an ARPG. It’s simple, you just go with your favorite. But, in Path of Exile (PoE) it doesn’t work that way.
I loved playing as Demon Hunter in Diablo 3. The ranged attack was perfect for me to handle hordes of enemies and I didn’t even have to follow a build guide to survive the game.
So, when I switched over to Path of Exile, I went with its archer class. Makes sense, right? And boy was I wrong.
The combat system in PoE works differently than Diablo 3 and it just made me rage quit the game before even I got through the first act of the game.
I got back into the game after I discovered a video tutorial series from a YouTuber named Wolfian. I followed his build guide and found out that I actually loved playing PoE.
Go With Marauder
Your first playthrough of Path of Exile is going to be a learning experience. It’s all about learning to use skill gems, abilities, missions, beating bosses, etc. Above all, it’s mostly about surviving the 10 acts.
And the best class you can use for that job is Marauder. He’s a tanky character that does a better job at surviving. He can take a few hits too.
More importantly, Marauder has some of the best attacks you can use to take down enemies with an area of effect (AoE) skills. As you’ll see in the video, once you get your hands on Saunder, Ground Slam, and Tectonic Slam skills, you’ll find it much easier to beat enemy hordes without an effort.
Ground Slam attack gem is really easy to find early on in the game. Use this to get through the early acts until you can get Saunder. Follow a build to get the most out of your playthrough.
I recommend following this Tectonic Slam build. Don’t worry about finding the specific gear items. Just focus on acquiring the right skill gems and the skill tree.
Try Other Classes Later
Once you use a tanky character to familiarize yourself with Path of Exile, you can create a new character with a different class to have some fun.
I’ve been having so much fun with a Vaal Arc Witch build lately. With this build, you can clear the screen in just a few clicks. It’s highly satisfying to play this build.
So be sure to try different builds and classes to find a build that’s the most fun for you to play the game.
In Conclusion
To sum up, go with Marauder. Use Ground Slam and then Saunder. And follow a build guide. Check out the tutorial series by Wolfian for a step-by-step guide.
I hated PoE the first time I played it and I wished someone would’ve told me to go with Marauder instead of choosing another character. Hope you’ll have a much better experience with the game.