Path of Exile 2 free weekend: 5 easiest builds for cruising through the campaign

Path of Exile 2 is getting its first-ever free weekend. Starting August 29, 2025, everyone will be able to play the latest update, The Third Edict, without any gameplay restrictions. If this is your first time playing the game, the campaign itself can be a little challenging, especially if you’re trying to make your own build. The character Passive Tree can be overwhelming on its own, let alone crafting the armor you need or the large number of skills you have access to.

That said, it isn’t impossible to learn Path of Exile 2 by yourself, but the process may take well over three days.

Note: This is not a build guide but simply a list of recommended builds.

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5 easiest builds for cruising through Path of Exile 2’s campaign

Since you only have three days to experience the entire game, it’s better to follow something that has already been tried and tested. That way, you’ll be able to enjoy the game without stressing about its workings too much. Here are five build suggestions that will help you complete the campaign without any fuss.

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1) Spark Sorceress

Stormweaver is the best pick for elemental spell builds (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Spark is one of the easiest builds you can play in the game, which was effective but boring before patch 0.3. However, following some recent changes, while using this build, you’ll be mixing different elements like never before by combining Ice with Lightning, Fire with Lightning, or even all three elements together.

As for the character choice, Sorceress is the way to go, but a Witch can also use a Spark build just as effectively, if not better. We have a Spark League starter guide if you’re looking for one. All you need to do is choose the Sorceress instead of the Witch and Ascend as Stormweaver after completing the Trial of the Sekhemas.

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2) Lightning Arrow Deadeye

Deadeye can deal a lot of damage (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Lightning Arrow is perfect if you like a glass cannon build. However, it is much safer compared to the 0.2 update, due to the Deflect mechanic. Regardless, it’s a high-octane build that deals a large amount of damage by chaining multiple attacks.

The benefit you get from choosing Deadeye is the ease of generating Frenzy Charges and using them to trigger various effects. Additionally, Deadeye also gains the best mobility in the game, allowing you to zoom through large maps, and with the addition of Sprint, you will be unstoppable.

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3) Minion Army Lich

The Lich Minion build is easy and tanky (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Minions aren’t locked to a single class in Path of Exile 2, but a few of them can build around it better than others. At the moment, the best Ascendancy you'll want for a minion build is Lich, available with the Witch character class.

Having a small arm removes a lot of survivability issues during the early game, and with Lich, you won’t have to worry about Chaos Resistance. The build also provides a stress-free leveling experience with a lot less to worry about. For a Minion Lich leveling build, follow this guide.

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4) Ice Strike Invoker

Sunder your enemies with Invoker (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

If you still want to play around with elemental damage, but now as a spell caster, then Ice Strike Invoker is your next stop. While it isn’t the fastest when it comes to clearing mobs in the early game, it scales well as you progress towards the endgame.

Similar to other Ascendancies, the Invoker also received some buffs. They aren’t as extensive as others, and mostly a change in the numeric values; that said, the Invoker is powerful enough to melt all bosses in the campaign.

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5) Ancestral Cry Warrior

Take enemy hits like a warrior (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Ancestral Cry is a new Skill Gem that boasts great synergy with the ones that can create fissures on the ground in patch 0.3. It is a Warcry that you can only activate by acquiring Glory, after which the skill empowers your other abilities.

Once you activate Ancestral Cry, the interaction between the skill and the fissure is chaotic. While empowered, any fissure you create will activate just by walking over it and deal damage to the enemies. Pairing this build with Warcaller’s Bellow present in the Warbringer Ascendancy for the Warrior, you can become a walking nuke.

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Check out our other Path of Exile 2 guides and features:

• Path of Exile 2 0.3 patch notes: Everything new in The Third Edict
• Path of Exile 2: 5 biggest changes in patch 0.3.0
• Path of Exile 2’s Support Gem rule change in 0.3 is a big buff to all builds
• Path of Exile 2 The Third Edict: 0.3 walks back all the Skill nerfs in 0.2, and then some