The meta for Path of Exile 2 has been completely shaken up following the launch of the Patch 0.5: Return of the Ancients expansion. Introducing new ascendancies, extensive passive tree overhauls, a reworked leech system, and the powerful new Runic Ward survival mechanic, the early league leaderboards have established a clear group of dominant classes.



The most playedascendancy classes in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5 excel by exploiting new skill combinations, superior defensive layering, and flexible itemization. If you are trying to figure out what to reroll or planning your next big push into the endgame, here is a look at the current state of the ladder.



The Top Tier Ascendancies in Patch 0.5

The early endgame leaderboard is highly centralized around a few powerhouse choices that offer immense clearing potential or unbreakable defenses.



Spirit Walker (Primary Archetype: Twister Hybrid / Companions) — Core Strength: Massive Runic Ward and minion scaling



Deadeye (Primary Archetype: Ice Shot / Ranged Projectiles) — Core Strength: Screen-wide clear and safety



Martial Artist (Primary Archetype: Hollow Form Whirling Assault) — Core Strength: Screen-wide AoE quarterstaff scaling



Tactician (Primary Archetype: Flexible Crossbow / Grenades) — Core Strength: Universal utility and gear independence



Smith of Kitava (Primary Archetype: Shield Wall Titan / Heavy Armor) — Core Strength: Simplified Life, Armor, and Resistance stacking



1. Spirit Walker (The Premier Huntress Hybrid)

The Spirit Walker is a brand-new Huntress hybrid ascendancy introduced directly in Patch 0.5.0, and it has immediately sky-rocketed to the top of the level 70+ leaderboards.



Why it dominates: Patch 0.5 brought significant baseline companion buffs, making minion and hybrid builds incredibly potent right out of the gate.



The Secret Weapon: It leverages the patch's new Runic Ward mechanic—a reverse-energy-shield system that acts as a second life buffer—better than almost any other class, allowing players to scale aggressive damage without becoming glass cannons.



Top Build: Spirit Walker Twisters.



2. Deadeye (The Unrivaled Ranged Clearer)

Despite the structural systems overhaul, the classic Deadeye remains a staple choice at the top of the leaderboards due to its sheer speed and projectile multiplication.



Why it dominates: It bypasses many early-league gearing struggles because it faces very little gear competition and naturally excels at one-shotting white and blue monster packs.



The Secret Weapon: High movement speed combined with freeze mechanics ensures the Deadeye stays safe from Patch 0.5’s brutal new endgame bosses, such as the Arbiter of Divinity.



Top Build: Ice Shot Deadeye.



3. Martial Artist (The Quarterstaff Powerhouse)

The Martial Artist has seen a massive surge in popularity, effectively cannibalizing other spell-based classes like the Invoker, which plummeted to a mere 0.2% pick rate.



Why it dominates: It offers unparalleled "bang for your buck" regarding the raw offensive power gained per ascendancy point.



The Secret Weapon: It scales exceptionally well with quarterstaff builds. The current favorite skill combo delivers screen-covering sweeping area-of-effect (AoE) damage that deletes packs in dense league mechanics like Ritual and the new Breach Fortresses.



Top Build: Hollow Form Whirling Assault.



4. Tactician & Smith of Kitava (The Strategic & Defensive Heavyweights)

For players who prefer methodical setups or indestructible frontline defenses, these two classes round out the top tier.



Tactician: The go-to choice for crossbow users. It is incredibly versatile, letting players seamlessly swap between active skill gems without entirely rebuilding their characters. It pairs explosive grenades and resource-bypassing mechanics to melt high-health targets.



Smith of Kitava: Mechanical adjustments in Patch 0.5 made stacking Life, Armor, and Elemental Resistances far easier. It functions as a massive defensive pillar, often utilizing Shield Wall Titan configurations to comfortably survive endgame spikes.



The Patch 0.5 Losers: Who Fell Off?

While some classes are living the high life, others have taken a massive hit this patch:



Pathfinder: Downgraded heavily to one of the worst league-starting options. A massive nerf to the Plague Finger node now prevents the application of generic ailments while applying poison, severely capping its damage ceiling.



Invoker: Completely abandoned by players due to the martial arts meta offering vastly superior scaling for less investment.



Chronomancer & Acolyte: Despite receiving substantial reworks and power adjustments, players are still actively testing and optimizing them, leaving them mostly absent from the day-one and week-one leaderboards.



If you plan to push the endgame or farm the new pinnacle ecosystem efficiently, picking a Spirit Walker or Martial Artist is your fastest ticket to success in the Return of the Ancients league.