There are a few different ways to level up a Mercenary inPath of Exile 2. You can use Galvanic Shards to chain lightning, freeze enemies in place with Permafrost Bolts, or set everything on fire with Gas Grenades. While it is not the fastest leveling build out there, tossing grenades everywhere you go, and watching enemies explode is pretty satisfying.

The only downside of leveling up a Mercenary using grenades is the multiple-button playstyle. However, it can easily be fixed with a few Uniques that are very cheap in the Trade League — SSF is another story. Here is everything you need to know about leveling up a Mercenary using grenades in POE 2.

The world map for Act-1 of Path of Exile 2 with all the completed quests including the Mad Wolf of Ogham.

Act 1

Act-1 is probably the hardestone, since we do not have any AOE clear. Start withHigh Velocity Roundspaired withDouble BarrelandScattershot— this should be your single-target DPS. Once youunlockGalvanic Shards, use it withLightning InfusionandPierceas your main clearing tool. We also recommend slotting in Flash Grenade to get out of a tricky situation.

If you do not like Galvanic Shards, you can alsotryPermafrost Boltspaired withIce Bite. This will help youfreeze enemiesfollowed by ashatter that deals massive damage.

The map of Act-2 of Path of Exile 2 where you unlock the Gas Grenades for the Mercenary Grenades build.

Act 2

Once you reach Act-2, you will getExplosive Shotto detonate yourExplosive Grenade,Gas Grenade, etc. We also recommendswitching toHerald of Ashwhen you switch to this setup. You should also slot inOil Grenadewhenever you get it toapply Fire Exposureandslow enemies down.

Act 3 To Mapping

You will get your firstLesser Jeweller’s Orb— use it on yourGas Grenade. To use it, you will need toprovide a source of Ignite. One of the ways is to burn theOil Grenadeusing anExplosive Shotfollowed byspamming Gas Grenadesontop of the burning ground. Your rotations require you to press multiple buttons. However, if you’re able to getBirth of FuryorRadiant Grief, you will essentially turn it into a one-button build — you just run around throwing Gas Grenades everywhere.

We alsorecommend keeping theFlash Grenadeslotted somewhere, as it is a free get-out-of-jail card. Once you get more than 100 Spirit, linkClarityandVitalitywith the Herald of Ash. By this time, youshould also useWind Dancer, as it is a fairly good defensive layer. You should be able to take this exact setup onto maps.

Atlas in Path of Exile 2 where you indulge in mapping to reach the Pinnacle Bosses, grind Currency, and do endgame mechanics.

If you arein the Trade League, there area few Uniquesthat you’re able to use to make your leveling a lot smoother. Here are some of our recommendations:

How to Use

Birth of Fury

The cheapest one is the Birth of Fury. These boots allow you todrop Ignited Groundwhile moving, which lastsfor eight seconds. It completely removes theneed to manually ignite your Gas Grenades. Since you need to move to drop Ignited Ground, the loop is tofind a pack,fire your Gas Grenades, androll into themto create a massive explosion.

Aside from this, you also getHP, a bit ofFire Resistance, andsome Movement Speed. However, some of you may find itannoying to play with less than 30% MS, or rolling whenever you fire a Gas Grenade.

Radiant Grief, the best-in-slot Helmet for a Mercenary Grenade build in Path of Exile 2.

Radiant Grief

A bit expensivecompared to Birth of Fury, Radiant Grief is a helmet thatignites all the surrounding enemies. This makes the leveling process a lot smoother since you simplyfire the Gas Grenades,watch everything explode, andmove to the next pack.

With the helmet, you are free touse your best Movement Speedboots during the campaign. It also provides us withsome Evasion Rating, which isone of our defensive layers.

An example of a Bombard Crossbow that is needed for the endgame of Mercenary Grenade build in Path of Exile 2.

Death Rush

Movement Speed is arguably one of the most useful stats in POE 2.As a Mercenary, our onlysource of Movement Speedison the boots. We do not have access to MS nodes on the Passive Tree, and do not get Tailwind like Ranger. If youhave your Elemental Resistancessorted, we highly recommendhaving Death Rushas one of your rings.

It will give you a lot ofHP leech,flat Evasion Rating, andOnslaught.

The Ascendancy nodes that you should take while leveling up a Mercenary Grenade build in Path of Exile 2.

Gear Stat Priority

While leveling, remember toregularly check the vendorsfor any potential gear upgrades. Vendors usuallyrefresh their inventoriesafterevery few levels, so it is generally recommended to pay them a visit whenever you can. Also, youdo not need a rare itemin every single slot. If you see a magic item with some HP, resistances, or Attributes, keep it on unless you get something better.

Crafting in Path of Exile 2isnowhere near as complicatedas it was in the first game. Be sure touse your Regal Orb,Orb of Alchemy,Exalted Orb, etc. to hit something nice.

Passive Skill Tree that you need to follow while leveling up the Mercenary Grenade build in Path of Exile 2.

During the Campaign, you shouldonly focus on getting HP,Elemental Resistances,Mana, and maybesome Attributeson your gear. Remember that yourDPS scales directly with your weapon, so always look for a better Crossbow.

Stats to Look for

Crossbow

Bombard Crossbow, Expert Bombard Crossbow, Advanced Bombard Crossbow

Increased Physical Damage, Flat Physical Damage, Flat Elemental Damage, Attack Speed

Death Rush and an Amethyst Ring

N/A

Elemental Resistances, Chaos Resistance, Increased Armor and Evasion, Physical Damage

Do not forget topick up items with Quality,Rune Sockets, etc. You canSalvage these itemsat any Town to getArtificer’s Orb,Armourer’s Scrap, andBlacksmith’s Whetstone.

Ascendancy Order

Our choice ofAscendancyis theWitch Hunter. With this Ascendancy, you getbuilt-in explosions,Culling Strike,increased AOE, increaseddamage against low-life enemies, and even some defenses. While doing the Campaign, you will most likely complete the first two Ascendancies. However, if you wish toscale it into the endgame, here is the order of Ascendancies you should take:

Effect

Zealous Inquisition

Explosions from this nodewill turn theleveling into a breeze. attempt to get it as soon as you can.

Pitiliess Killer

This willboost your clear speedas well assingle-target DPS. Culling Strike from this node willinstantly kill enemiesafter theyreach a specific HP threshold.

Judge, Jury, and Executioner

This node provides you withDecimating Strike, which lets your initial hit on a full-HP enemyremove a portion of their HP. This is incrediblypowerful against bosses. However, do note that itdoes not work withRadiant Grief, so verify that you arenot within the distance to apply an Ignite.

Witchbane or Obsessive Rituals

If youneed defenses, you should definitelytake Obsessive Rituals. Before you do that, however, be sure tohave around 10K combined EvasionandArmor. Alternatively, you can also choose Witchbane.

Passive Skill Tree

The endgame skill tree can be seen in the screenshot above. However, at the start of the Campaign,travel to Instant Reloadbefore anything else. After youunlock Gas Grenades, only then take up nodes such asCluster Bombs,Repeating Explosives,Volatile Grenades, andGrenadier.