In Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2), one of the most exciting and anticipated changes from the original Path of Exile is the expansion of the mercenary system. Mercenaries, which are AI-controlled allies you can summon to fight alongside you, provide an entirely new way to approach combat. Whether you're running through dungeons, tackling bosses, or simply clearing mobs, a well-built mercenary can make all the difference between victory and defeat.

This article will guide you through creating the best mercenary build in Poe 2 trade. We'll look at the mechanics behind mercenaries, the skills that synergize with them, and how to optimize your mercenary for both solo play and team-based content.

What Are Mercenaries in Path of Exile 2?

In PoE 2, mercenaries are hired NPCs that accompany you on your journey, aiding you in combat by either attacking enemies directly or providing buffs and support. The new mercenary system is more advanced than the minions from Path of Exile 1, and players can tailor their mercenaries to fit different playstyles and combat strategies.

Mercenaries in PoE 2 can be customized with different gear, abilities, and even playstyles that suit the player's main character build. While mercenaries are AI-controlled, they are far more intelligent and versatile compared to their predecessors. They can use powerful abilities, support your damage output, or tank damage for you, depending on your needs.

Understanding Mercenary Stats and Roles

Before we get into the best mercenary build, it's crucial to understand how mercenary stats work and the different roles they can fill:

1. Tank

Mercenaries can act as tanks by focusing on survivability and damage mitigation. These mercenaries have higher defense, armor, and life regeneration to absorb hits from powerful bosses and enemies. Tank mercenaries are particularly useful if you want to take on tougher content and need a reliable bodyguard to keep you alive.

2. Damage Dealer (DPS)

These mercenaries focus on dealing as much damage as possible. Their builds are optimized for offensive stats such as attack speed, critical hit chance, and damage multipliers. DPS mercenaries can be crucial for boosting your damage output and speeding up mob clears or boss fights. However, they usually lack strong defenses and may need you to provide additional protection for them.

3. Support/Utility

Support mercenaries focus on boosting your performance through buffs, debuffs, or healing. These mercenaries can enhance damage through auras, improve life regeneration, or reduce enemy resistances. Their main role is to support your character by improving the overall efficiency of combat, particularly during difficult encounters or when dealing with high-resistance bosses.

The Best Mercenary Build in PoE 2: The Hybrid DPS-Tank Support Mercenary

When selecting a mercenary build in PoE 2, one of the most efficient and versatile strategies is to go for a Hybrid DPS-Tank Support Mercenary. This build will allow your mercenary to take the heat in battle, deal significant damage, and offer vital support for you and your team. Here's how you can optimize this build:

1. Role and Stats Focus

The first step in creating your mercenary is deciding on the primary roles your mercenary will play. A hybrid approach allows the mercenary to fill multiple roles, ensuring they are useful in a variety of situations.

Tank Stats: Focus on high life, armor, evasion, and block chance to ensure the mercenary can withstand damage. Increasing resistances and life regeneration will also help keep them alive longer in difficult encounters.

Damage Stats: While your mercenary is designed to tank, having a healthy amount of damage output is crucial for efficiency. Focus on attack speed, critical strike chance, and flat damage increases for either melee or ranged builds, depending on your character and desired synergy.

Support Stats: The mercenary should also provide key buffs or debuffs for your character. Increasing their ability to cast aura skills, curses, or heal over time can turn the tide of battles, especially in group play. For example, giving your mercenary the ability to cheap POE 2 Divine Orbs cast Vaal Haste or Vitality can significantly boost your survivability and clear speed.

2. Mercenary Class Selection

In PoE 2, mercenaries come in different classes, and choosing the right one can significantly impact your build. Here are the top classes for a Hybrid DPS-Tank Support mercenary:

Sentinel: The Sentinel class is a perfect fit for this hybrid mercenary build. They have great survivability, defensive buffs, and access to powerful aura skills. Sentinels can use a mix of melee and ranged combat, making them versatile both in terms of offense and defense. With access to block and evasion, they can serve as a reliable tank while also dealing decent damage. Sentinels can also apply useful debuffs like Vulnerability or Enfeeble to enemies,increasing your damage and survivability.

Gladiator: Gladiators are known for their ability to dual wield and maximize both offense and defense. Their natural access to block and armor combined with damage output from dual-wielding makes them a fantastic choice for hybrid builds. Gladiators can also provide physical damage reduction and area-of-effect (AoE) attacks, which are useful for clearing mobs and damaging bosses.