Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 Top 5 Summoner Builds | League Start to Endgame
Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 will be released on September 4th. Have you chosen your starter build yet? This guide provides five builds suitable for the early stages of the league. See if there's one you love!
If you're choosing a suitable summoner build for the upcoming Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5, which launches on September 4th, then the five builds we're about to introduce are worth considering.
These builds are selected based on practical performance, progression path, and late-game transition potential, and can help you get off to a good start and finish in Patch 0.5.5:
- Grenadier Gemling Legionnaire
- Spirit Walker Companion
- Djinn Commander Disciple of Varashta
- Acolyte of Chayula Minion
- Spectres: Gargantuan Wasp
Grenadier Gemling Legionnaire
This build is probably one of the most fun and well-balanced summoner builds in PoE 2 right now, with good defense and damage output. Its biggest advantage is that you don't need to rely on summoner skills to survive the story.
It is strongly recommended that you use Explosive Grenade for your early leveling. This skill's monster-clearing efficiency and safety in early maps far surpass most minion skills, especially for your first character without any gear.
Once you've progressed to the end of the story in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 or entered Atlas map, seamlessly switch to Gemling Legionnaire summoner build centered on Unearth.
Another highlight of Grenadier Gemling Legionnaire is its exceptionally solid defensive mechanics, making it equally capable of tackling difficult content in the late game. It rarely experiences significant weaknesses throughout its progression.
More importantly, Gemling Legionnaire class is very flexible. If you want to try other non-summoner builds later, you can easily switch using the same character without having to level up again.
Considering that Grenadier Gemling Legionnaire is likely to be nerfed in PoE 2 Patch 1.0, now is the perfect time to experience the full strength of this build!
Spirit Walker Companion
If you're looking for the thrill of one-shotting bosses with just one or two skills, then Spirit Walker Companion is the way to go.
In the early stages of leveling, you can use Twister skill as a transition, though it will take some getting used to.
Once you finish your first Ascendancy Trial, you can tame the bear from Act 3 as a temporary ally and keep using Twister to push forward; then, after your second Ascendancy, you swap to the real game-changer - the monkey companion - and your damage will undergo a massive transformation.
This build is powerful in the early and mid-game, but if you want to tackle higher difficulty content later, you might need to invest time and PoE 2 currency to acquire a crit monkey, a rather tedious and time-consuming process.
If you're not comfortable with this farming method, then Spirit Walker Companion might not be for you. However, once fully developed, you can destroy a boss with just one or two attacks.
Djinn Commander Disciple of Varashta
This summoning system based on Sorceress Ascendancy is perfect for early game progression in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5 because its progression is smooth, without any bottlenecks requiring specific gear to regain power.
With each small upgrade, you'll feel a tangible increase in damage or survivability, without any significant dips in power.
Players should note that Entropic Incarnation, At your Command, and Splintering Force are extremely important passives.
Entropic Incarnation provides additional Chaos damage, a primary source of late-game Kelari damage growth.
Furthermore, At your Command allows Djinn to use Spirits to summon Skeletons instead of consuming them.
As for Splintering Force, it ensures substantial physical damage output by using Kelari to break enemy armor.
These three passives support your damage amplification, resource allocation, and overall damage output.
Acolyte of Chayula Minion
Next is a minion build based on Monk's Acolyte of Chayula Ascendancy, boasting an impenetrable defense.
During the leveling phase, it's recommended to use Shattering Palm to clear monsters until you meet the gear and passive requirements in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5. Then, switch your character's skills and setup to a pure summoner build.
Once you successfully transition to Raging Reavers Acolyte of Chayula endgame build, its core mechanic lies in using Ascendancy passives to inflict additional Chaos damage on summons. This allows your main damage dealers - Raging Reavers - to have an additional layer of damage on top of physical damage that monsters struggle to resist, significantly increasing your overall damage output.
Defensively, Acolyte of Chayula Minion should combine evasion, energy shield, and deflection to form a triple buffer system, achievable through gear affixes and Passive Skill Tree.
In terms of overall gameplay feel, Acolyte of Chayula Minion belongs to the top tier of Path of Exile 2.
Spectres: Gargantuan Wasp
If you don't want to be tied to a specific Ascendancy, or want to play a summoner with another class, then Spectres build is the most flexible option.
Spectres can be used with any Ascendancy, and its performance won't disappoint.
Specifically, Spectres: Gargantuan Wasp performs excellently in trials and regular map clearing, and can even handle boss fights when the damage is sufficient.
If you're using it in the upcoming PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5, then Spectres: Gargantuan Wasp is sufficient for map clearing and progression.
However, if you want to pursue ultimate single-target damage later, then Powered Zealot paired with Spark's Spectres combination is currently recognized as the game's damage ceiling, making boss fights a breeze.
The only downside is the excessive visual effects, making it almost impossible to see the monsters' movements clearly, which ironically proves its damage output is extremely high.
Players should be aware of builds that might be nerfed in future Patch 1.0 and try them out fully in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5 as soon as possible. Have fun!