Path of Exile 2: League Starter Tactician build guide

The Tactician in Path of Exile 2 is one of the fun League Starters. While it takes time to build up towards high damage numbers, it boasts great defense, and the DPS is just enough to take you through the campaign and early endgame without any issues. Additionally, the Skills we use provide great AoE mob-clearing with Grenades.

This build uses the Mortar Cannon and Mirage Archer to shoot Explosive Grenades. Both Skills are getting a minor buff, and it’s time to make use of them. Here’s everything you need to become a Grenadier Tactician in Path of Exile 2.

Tactician build setup in Path of Exile 2 and how to play

With a proper setup, the Tactician can scorch the entire screen (Image via GGG)

As a Tactician, you’ll be leveling the area with Grenades, but you can choose to go the trusty Lightning Arrow route. Using Skills like Mortar Cannon and Mirage Archer, you can automate the process and swoop in for the final kill. However, both skills are available a little later in the campaign, so you’ll be starting with Explosive Grenade and Explosive Shot.

For Mirage Archer, you’ll need an Uncut Skill Gem level 8, and Mortar Cannon requires an Uncut Skill Gem level 11. You’ll have access to them both by level 40. Note that with Path of Exile 2’s patch 0.4, Mirage Archer will have a 10-second cooldown; you can have multiple of them active at once.

Here’s what the final setup will look like. Feel free to change support gems as per the changes in the patch notes:

Explosive Shot: Streamlined Rounds - Nova Projectiles - Fork - Magnified Area - Ratha’s Assault
Mortar Cannon: Explosive Grenade - Elemental Armament - Urgent Totems - Payload
Voltaic Grenade: Elemental Armament - Lightning Attunement - Payload - Multishot
Mirage Archer: Explosive Grenade - Lightning Attunement - Elemental Armament - Prolonged Duration
Wind Dancer: Blind - Maim - Knockback - Pin
War Banner: Prolonged Duration - Daresso’s Passion - Clarity

Mortar Cannon will do half of the work (Image via GGG)

Mortar Cannon is a Totem Skill on Path of Exile 2, and will be dealing the majority of the damage in the build. However, since Grenades have a fuse and take time to explode, you’ll speed up that part using Explosive Shot. Mortar Cannon will also use a separate Weapon Swap setup, which is necessary for maximizing the damage. You can skip the weapon swap process if you want and use the build with a single setup.

Since you’ll also be dodge rolling to reload, equipping Mirage Archer with Explosive Grenades will only add to the DPS. For bosses and stronger Rare enemies, use Voltaic Grenade to build up Eloctrocution and interrupt enemy attacks. War Banner is there to increase your attack speed and damage by 25%, and Wind Dancer acts as an additional layer of defense.

Check the box at the bottom to link Skills to a Weapon Set in Path of Exile 2 (Image via GGG)

To set up Skill for different weapons, open your equipped Gem stats by pressing ‘G’. At the bottom, you’ll find ‘Used With Weapon Set’. Click on the one you want your character to swap while using a particular Skill. The following section will show you how to do the same for the passive tree.

Setting up Weapon Swap passive for Tactician in Path of Exile 2

Complete quests to get the Book of Specialisation (Image via GGG)

To make your main attacks stronger, you’ll need to set up a secondary weapon, along with a few different passive and Skill Gems tied to it for maximum damage. If you haven’t used the feature yet or are new to the game, using it is pretty simple.

As you complete main and side quests in Path of Exile 2, you’ll gain Weapon Set Passive Skill Points through Books of Specialisation. These are different from the points you get when you level up.

The shade of different Weapon Set passives will be different (Image via GGG)

Throughout the campaign, you’ll get a total of 24 Weapon Set Passive Skill Points. What you can do is assign them separately for both weapons, allowing you to have different stats when using Skills assigned to their respective weapon sets.

Once you have a Weapon Set Point, open the passive skill tree and look in the upper right corner to find Weapon Set I and II. Click the arrow to start assigning the passives. You’ll also notice that both Weapon Sets will have a different color on the passive tree for differentiation.

Best itemization for Tactician in Path of Exile 2

First off, you’ll need two weapons if you’re using the Weapon Swap trick. Having similar Crossbows is recommended, but if you have to choose, use the better one for the Mortar Cannon, as Explosive Shot is mostly for detonating the Grenades.

As for Armor, there are a few uniques that will make the build a lot more effective. These are: Constricting Command, Valako's Vice, and Idol of Uldurn. Here’s everything you’ll need on your gear to have a smooth mapping experience with Tactacian in Path of Exile 2:

Gear	Affixes
Weapon 1	- Flat Physical Damage - Increased Physical Damage - Flat Fire Damage - Attack Speed - Attack Damage Leeched as Life
Weapon 2	- Flat Physical Damage - Flat Fire Damage - Level to all Attack Skills - Increased Physical Damage - Attack Speed
Amulet	Idol of Uldurn
Belt	- Life/Mana - Elemental Resistances - Increased Flask Recovery - Increased Charm Effect Duration
Rings	- Elemental Resistance - Added Fire Damage to Attacks - Item Rarity - Evasion Rating
Helmet	Constricting Command
Body	- Resistances - Increased Evasion Rating - Mana/Life - Evasion
Boots	- Movement Speed - Resistances - Life/Mana - Item Rarity
Gloves	Valako's Vice

Passive tree and Ascendancy options for Tactician in Path of Exile 2

Passive tree setup along with Weapon Set nodes (Image via PoB || GGG)

Having a good Passive Setup is the key to maximizing damage and survival in Path of Exile 2. Since the build uses Constricting Command, the main passive tree will focus on improving the effects of Surrounded.

The red nodes represent Weapon Set I on the passive tree. Keep it active at all times by equipping Explosive Shot, as it has the most utility linked on the tree, like Evasion, Deflection, and Movement Speed. The Weapon Set II is the green nodes that focus on Totem nodes and improve Mortar Cannon damage.

Half of the Skills mentioned in the build reserve Spirit. Throughout the campaign, you’ll get 100 Spirit, but since you’re a Tactician, allocating ‘A Solid Plan’ will reduce all reservation costs by 50%. The next Ascendancies you’ll want are Supressing Fire, Right Where We Want Them, and Polish That Gear.

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Edited by Mayank Singh Rathour