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PoE 2 Build

[0.5.5] Grenades Gemling League Starter (Level 1 to Endgame)

Mercenary

Gemling Legionnaire

Starter

End Game

Speed Leveling

0.5 RotA

Verified

Featured

By DEADRABB1T

Updated on Aug 31, 2026

Aug 31, 2026

Build Overview

This Build is a Setup for the Gemling Legionnaire Ascendancy using Grenades all the way from Level 1 onwards and into the Endgame. This Build is especially suited as an incredibly effective League Starter due to its easy progression through the Campaign and very smooth transition into the early Endgame without having to rely on Gear at all.

Main Skills this Build utilizes are Explosive Grenade, Flash Grenade, Gas Grenade, Oil Grenade and Cluster Grenade which gets boosted heavily by Nodes on our Passive Tree like Demolitionist, Grenadier and Repeating Explosives.

The Gemling Legionnaire offers incredible Bonuses to this Build, especially with the Advanced Thaumaturgy Ascendancy Node.

Explosive Grenade gets up to 2 extra Projectiles

Flash Grenade gets Damage as extra Lightning

Oil Grenade gets extra Exposure

and Cluster Grenade gets -40% Detonation Time

On top of Advanced Thaumaturgy, the Gemling also provides us with Gem Studded, giving the Character complete immunity to Crit, 30% less Skill Cost and 40% less Movement Speed Penalty from using Skills while moving. The last Ascendancy Node is taken by Implanted Gems Gems, giving most of our Skills +2 to their Gem Levels.

Overall, this is probably one of the strongest League Starters in the Game, making the Campaign Playthrough as easy as it gets and the transition into the early Endgame super fast and smooth as well.

To stay up to date on this Build and if you ever have any Questions come visit my Twitch Stream at: twitch.tv/DEADRABB1T

Strengths and Weaknesses

Damage in both Campaign and Endgame
Fast and Tanky
Versatile
Cheap to Build

Visual Clutter

Build Variants

ACT 1

ACT 2

ACT 3/4

Interludes

We start off Act 1 immediately by using Explosive Grenade for both Clear and Single Target DPS. Frost Bomb will also be used early on to apply Exposure to any Monsters. We also add Flash Grenade and Gas Grenade as soon as we get them.

Equipment

ACT 1

ACT 2

ACT 3/4

Interludes

Set 1

Set 2

Equipment Priority

Starting in Act 1, your Priority in terms of Gear always starts with your Weapon, make sure to always look for Upgrades to you Crossbow as often as you can.

Small Tip for Act 1: Make sure to click all the Weapon Racks in the Red Vale to get a Tense Crossbow

Other big Priorities in the early Stages of the Campaign here are your Boots, Gloves and Rings. Make sure to check Vendors as often as possible to get Boots with Movement Speed, Gloves with Flat Damage on them or Iron Rings with even more Flat Damage to massively boost your Damage early on.

Stat Priority on Gear during Act 1:

Crossbow: High Physical or Elemental Damage (Flat or %) -> +Level of Projectile Skills
Gloves: Flat Physical or Elemental Damage -> Maximum Life -> Resistances -> Attack Speed
Boots: Movement Speed -> Maximum Life -> Resistances
Body Armour / Helmet: Maximum Life -> High Armour -> Resistances
Rings: Flat Physical or Elemental Damage -> Maximum Life -> Resistances
Amulet: +Level to Projectiles
Belt: Maximum Life -> Strength -> Resistances

Heavily Focus on Armour Base Gear for the Camapaign since that is by far the strongest defensively.

Vendor Regex: "!(uiv)" "cross|mov|[egdl] da.* to a"

Skill Gems

ACT 1

ACT 2

ACT 3/4

Interludes

Support Gem Requirements:

Str 10

Dex 20

Int 5

Explosive Grenade

Frost Bomb

Flash Grenade

Gas Grenade

Herald of Ash

Pounce

Gem Priority

Skill Gem Order:

Explosive Grenade (Level 1 Skill Gem from Renly's Quest)
Frost Bomb (Level 1 Skill Gem from Mysterious Campsite in Clearfell)
Flash Grenade (First Level 3 Skill Gem)
Pounce (Second Level 3 Skill Gem)
Herald of Ash (Spirit Gem from Freythorn) (You can also use Attrition if you want)
Gas Grenade (Level 5 Skill Gem from Leitis Quest)

Support Gem Order:

Multishot I -> Explosive Grenade
Elemental Armament I -> Explosive Grenade
Multishot I -> Flash Grenade
Multishot I -> Gas Grenade
Elemental Armament I -> Gas Grenade
Magnified Area I -> Herald of Ash
Swift Affliction I -> Herald of Ash

Skill Gem Level Priority:

Explosive Grenade
Flash Grenade
Gas Grenade

If you have enough Intelligence, you can also Level up Frost Bomb to keep applying exposure until you get Oil Grenade later on.

Pounce is mainly used for faster Movement, but will later on also be utilized to apply a Mark Skill to get more Damage and Mana Leech later on.

Passive Tree

ACT 1

ACT 2

ACT 3/4

Interludes

main:

123

set 1:

set 2:

For Attributes, get as much Dexterity and Intelligence as you need to satisfy all your Attribute Requirements for Gear and Skills and put the rest all into Strength.

Quest Rewards

Check which quests you’ve completed on your character

Clearfell — Beira of the Rotten Pack

+10% to Cold Resistance

Hunting Grounds — The Crowbell

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Freythorn — The King in the Mists

+30 to Spirit

Ogham Farmlands — Una's Hut

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Ogham Manor — Candlemass, the Living Rite

+20 to maximum Life

Keth — Kabala, Constrictor Queen

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Valley of the Titans — Medallion

30% increased Charm Charges gained

+1 Charm Slot

Deshar — Final Letter

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

The Spires of Deshar — Sisters of Garukhan

+10% to Lightning Resistance

Jungle Ruins — Mighty Silverfist

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

The Venom Crypts — Venom Draught

25% increased Stun Threshold

Jiquani's Machinarium — Blackjaw, the Remnant

+10% to Fire Resistance

The Azak Bog — Ignagduk, the Bog Witch

+30 to Spirit

The Molten Vault — The Molten Vault

Reforging Bench

Aggorat — Blood Sacrifice

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Journey's End — Captain Hartlin

Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Skill Gem(Lv 13)

Delirium Drop

Whakapanu Island — Great White One

+30% increased Global Armour, Evasion and Energy Shield

Eye of Hinekora — Navali's Rest

5% increased Maximum Mana

Halls of the Dead — Yama The White

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

Halls of the Dead — Tawhoa's Test

+5% to Lightning Resistance

Abandoned Prison — Goddess of Justice

30% increased Mana Recovery from Flasks

Halls of the Dead — Tasalio's Test

+5% to Cold Resistance

Halls of the Dead — Ngamahu's Test

+5% to Fire Resistance

Halls of the Dead — Tribal Medicine

+30% increased Global Armour, Evasion and Energy Shield

Wolvenhold — Oswin, the Dread Warden

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

The Khari Crossing — Akthi and Anundr

Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

The Khari Crossing — Molten Shrine

5% increased Maximum Life

Qimah — Tabana's Pillar

3% increased Movement Speed

Kriar Village — Lythara, the Wayward Spear

+40 to Spirit

Howling Caves — The Abominable Yeti

Grants Two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points

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1. Build Overview 2. Strengths and Weaknesses 3. Build Variants 4. Equipment 5. Skill Gems 6. Passive Tree 7. Quest Rewards

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