Torrentgame – Monk is one of the six classes available in the early access of Path of Exile 2. This class combines both melee and ranged attacks, with various builds that are highly effective when used correctly. While the Monk may seem weak at the start of the game, its power grows exponentially as you progress, eventually becoming a formidable character in the endgame.
If you need tips on how to build your Monk or suggestions on which skills to use, this guide has everything you need.
Overview of Monk in Path of Exile 2
When you first start playing as a Monk, you have access to melee attacks using a short staff, as well as basic elemental ranged skills. The Monk can use lightning and ice damage, as well as air abilities that can deal damage or stun enemies. In the early game, you can use any of the skills provided without worrying too much about the damage types.
However, as you level up your Monk, you should focus on one or two damage types to optimize your build. This will help you determine a clear path for your passive skill tree and make it easier to select your Monk’s Ascendancy later on.
Regardless of your level, make sure to prioritize Dexterity and Intelligence. The Monk is a very mobile class that relies on avoiding both melee and ranged attacks. Dexterity helps with mobility, while Intelligence ensures you have enough mana to use all your elemental skills.
After some time, you might want to abandon basic melee attacks using the staff and fully focus on elemental skills. However, in the early stages, these melee attacks deal the most damage to enemies, so use them when necessary. Staff attacks also don’t require mana, which is a significant advantage in the early levels. As you progress, you’ll likely have enough mana to use other skills while still having a mana reserve.
Best Monk Skills in Path of Exile 2
Now that you understand the Monk class better, let’s dive into the best skills you can use. Currently, the optimal path for the Monk is to use most of the available lightning skills. However, you’ll also want to combine these with one or two air skills.
In the early game, mixing lightning and air skills with ice skills is a good idea, as you’ll have room on your hotbar. Glacial Cascade is the best ice skill for Monk, making it an excellent boss killer. This ranged skill creates an ice line on the ground that explodes after reaching a certain point. Using this skill against bosses from a few meters away can deal significant damage and freeze the boss, opening opportunities for additional attacks.
However, Glacial Cascade won’t be used in our final build, as this build focuses on lightning and air skills that punish enemies from both melee and ranged distances. Here are the skills we recommend for Monk in Path of Exile 2:
- Falling Thunder
- Killing Palm
- Staggering Palm
- Tempest Bell
- Tempest Flurry
- Whirling Assault
- Gathering Storm
- Flicker Strike
Your build truly starts when you reach level 12 and unlock the Tempest Flurry skill. This skill can replace basic staff attacks, as it’s a melee combo skill that deals lightning damage. After completing the combo, the skill finishes with an AoE lightning strike.
You can use Tempest Flurry in conjunction with Tempest Bell, which relies on you to land a four-hit melee combo. After completing the combo, you throw a large bell that deals damage every time you strike it. This bell deals air damage by default, but if you hit it with lightning attacks, it will deal the same type of damage.
Placing Tempest Bell and standing still to hit it requires full HP protection, as enemies will continue attacking you. If there are too many enemies, using Falling Thunder to clear large groups is an effective strategy. Falling Thunder relies on the power charge system, granting you stronger attacks when fully charged. Once enemies are at low health from your attacks, finish them off with Killing Palm or Staggering Palm.
At higher levels, you’ll unlock skills like Whirling Assault, Gathering Storm, and Flicker Strike. Flicker Strike is especially useful as it allows you to jump from enemy to enemy to deal damage. This adds extra mobility to the Monk for avoiding danger. If you just want to clear large groups of enemies, Whirling Assault is the best option.
Best Support Gems and Spirit Gems for Monk
Once you’ve chosen your skills, you’ll want to complement them with the right Support Gems. You’ll also start receiving Spirit Gems that provide additional buffs to your Monk.
Here are some recommended Support Gems for various skills, as well as the best Spirit Gems for Monk:
Support Gems:
- Perpetual Charge (for Falling Thunder)
- Lightning Infusion (for Falling Thunder)
- Ruthless (for Tempest Bell)
- Magnified Effect (for Tempest Bell)
- Life Drain (for Killing Palm)
- Profusion (for Killing Palm)
- Overpower (for staff attacks)
- Conduction (for Tempest Flurry)
Spirit Gems:
- Herald of Thunder
- Lingering Illusion
Generally, you want to use Support Gems that focus on Dexterity when completing your Monk build. There are many solid choices for all skills that increase elemental damage, enhance charge potential, and provide larger areas of effect.
Best Passive Skills for Monk
Every time you level up your Monk, you’ll receive points to allocate in the passive skill tree. Most of the time, you’ll focus on nodes related to lightning damage, but there are a few specific nodes you should grab as soon as possible:
- Conservative Casting
- Killer Instinct
- Flow Like Water
- Step Like Mist
- Essence of the Storm
- Immortal Infamy
Best Ascendancy for Monk
Finally, after reaching a high enough level, you’ll need to choose an Ascendancy for your Monk. Like all classes in early access, there are only two Ascendancy options available for Monk in Path of Exile 2: The Invoker and Acolyte of Chayula.
For this build, The Invoker makes the most sense. This Ascendancy supports elemental attacks and power stacking, meaning you’ll deal more damage with lightning strikes and have a higher chance to shock enemies. Specifically, The Invoker has a passive ability called I Am Thunder, which boosts lightning damage and allows you to shock the ground around you.
With this build, your Monk will become a lightning machine that devastates enemies from all directions.
