Path of Exile 2 Huntress Class Guide: The New Class Explained

The Huntress is the most addictive class I've played in Path of Exile 2. Other classes either stand still and blast or hide behind summons, but the Huntress runs the whole field with a spear, stabbing up close one second and hurling the thing the next, the rhythm is something else. She also gets a pleasure no other class has: taming beasts as companions, basically a little squad of her own. This guide walks through the new class from top to bottom: what she is, how the three ascendancies compare, how to level her, and how to unlock that ascendancy.

What Is the Huntress in Path of Exile 2?

The Huntress is a dexterity-based class added in the 0.2.0 Dawn of the Hunt update, her main weapon is the spear with a small buckler in the off-hand. Her identity is hit-and-run, switching between melee and mid-range throwing, not standing still and tanking like a warrior. Once you get into her, you'll find the fun is all in the rhythm.

• Spear is her main weapon: It stabs and throws, covering mid and close range.
• She has a built-in parry: Time it right and you counter.
• Frenzy charges build up: She generates them in combat, key skills spend them to burst.
• She can tame beasts: Capture beasts as companions, a few extra hands in the fight.

This kit means the Huntress isn't built to stand there and eat hits, you have to keep moving and switching range. The most common beginner mistake is playing her like a melee berserker, and dying fast for it. The right way is to back off while throwing to pressure the enemy, then close in for a full combo when the opening shows.

How Do You Choose Between the Three Huntress Ascendancies?

The Huntress has three ascendancies, Amazon, Ritualist, and Spirit Walker, and they play quite differently. There's no single right answer, it depends on what you want. Simply put, Amazon is the classic spear damage dealer, Ritualist spreads Corrupted Blood and sacrifices corpses for monster modifiers, and Spirit Walker runs spirit beasts and totems, the hottest pick this patch.

• Amazon: The classic choice, crit and accuracy scaling, reliable for league start.
• Ritualist: Scales with ring and amulet bonuses, uses Blood Boil to spread Corrupted Blood, and gains monster modifiers through corpse sacrifice.
• Spirit Walker: Spirit beasts and totems, the strongest league starter right now, best for newcomers.

If I had to give a new player one line, start with Spirit Walker. It's strong, smooth to level, and the Twister build is very capable right now. Once you're comfortable, swap to Amazon for the classic spear feel, or touch Ritualist if you enjoy tinkering with gear and Corrupted Blood mechanics. Since patch 0.5, switching ascendancies is more accessible, but you still need to refund your allocated ascendancy points and meet the trial requirements, so don't be too afraid of picking wrong.

How Do You Level the Huntress?

There's a trick to leveling the Huntress. Don't force spear skill combos from the start, use Lightning Spear with Lightning Arrow as a transition, the pair melts single targets and carries you through the weak early stretch. Once your ascendancy points come online, steer toward your chosen build.

• Start with Lightning Spear: Pair it with Lightning Arrow for smooth early single-target.
• Don't invest in companions yet: Hold off on beast points until after your first ascendancy.
• Stack attack speed, accuracy, crit: Then add life and evasion.
• Use the parry often: Catch heavy hits with it.

For gear, remember one thing: physical or elemental damage, attack speed, accuracy, and crit are your damage core, life and evasion keep you alive, you need both, don't stack pure damage. Resources are tight while leveling, so don't chase expensive gear. Just make sure you can take a hit, the spear's whole advantage is mobility, and if you refuse to stand still, you already outlive half the players.

How Do You Unlock the Huntress Ascendancy?

Ascendancies aren't there from the start. You have to reach Act 2 and defeat Balbala in Traitor's Passage, then complete the Trial of the Sekhemas. Alternatively, you can complete the Trial of Chaos in Act 3 to unlock your ascendancy. There are eight ascendancy points total, earned through the campaign and endgame. The good news is that since patch 0.5, switching ascendancies is more accessible, though you still need to refund your allocated ascendancy points and meet the trial requirements, so new players don't need to stress too much about picking the wrong path. Just follow the main story naturally, no need to detour, and knock out the trial when you reach it in Act 2.

The Huntress is, for me, the most distinctive-feeling class in Path of Exile 2. She's not a one-trick class, the spear's near-far switching, the parry counters, and the fun of running with beast companions all give her a lot of depth. Don't let the mechanics scare you off as a beginner, start with Spirit Walker, transition with Lightning Spear, and the rhythm will come. Once you've gotten this class down, you'll find it hard to go back to the classes that just stand there and swing.