What Classes Are Available in Path of Exile 2 Early Access?

While the full release of Path of Exile 2 will feature a total of 12 playable classes with 36 Ascendancies to choose from, the Early Access launch on December 6 will not. It will include access to six playable classes—a mere handful of the potential. By the time we’re done with EA, we’ll all have mastered these six classes. Here’s what you can play as!

Six Path of Exile 2 Early Access Classes

On Early Access launch, we’ll receive a nice variety of classes, from your Strength-based Warrior to the Intelligence-favoring Witch, along with the Monk and Mercenary, which should offer unique playstyles. But most players will likely opt for Ranger or Witch on their first playthrough. Both classes are staples of the franchise.

• Warrior
• Sorceress
• Ranger
• Monk
  • Invoker
  • Acolute of Chayula
• Mercenary
  • Witchhunter
  • Gemling Legionnaire
• Witch

So, six classes, each with two Ascendancies to test out. You can easily spend a few hundred hours playing through the most basic class builds across each playable class. Then, you can turn around and mess about with your very own build, mixing and matching skills and passives to create a workable prototype before full release!

Related: Where Can You Play Path of Exile 2 Early Access?

What Class to Play First in Path of Exile 2?

First and foremost, let’s get this out of the way. Path of Exile 2 is a massive ARPG offering countless viable build and playstyle paths, with every class in the game capable of pushing end-game content. As such, you should choose to play whichever class speaks to you, whether you want a high-damage glass cannon or a tank worthy of defeating any of the optional bosses in the game.

But if you’d like a recommendation, then we suggest you play as:

Witch is always a fan-favorite, Mercenary is new to the sequel and shows a lot of promise, and Ranger, while initially weak, winds up as a powerful and hard-hitting solo class that’s easy to manage from the jump.

Hop into our community forum to tell us which class you intend to play! Maybe—just maybe—you’ll find someone to party up with for the game’s six-player co-op!

If you know you’ll play PoE2 on launch, why not support the studio by checking out one of the many Path of Exile 2 Early Access Supporter Packs?!