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PoE 2 Build

[BUFFED 0.2] Fresh Clip WitchHunter

Mercenary

Witchhunter

Verified

FearlessDumb0

End Game

0.2 DotH

By FearlessDumbo

Updated on Apr 4, 2025

Apr 4, 2025

Build Overview

An incredible combination of durable and high DPS for Witch Hunter. This build scales up to instantly deleting +4 pinnacle bosses and can comfortably tank huge hits while providing an excellent mapper. Extremely well rounded and can do all content and comes with a thorough explanation of every mechanic utilized to make the build slap along with trade links for every conceivable budget.

In patch 0.2 this build received huge numeric buffs to skills/weapons/ascendency, reduced mana cost of skills, quality of life improvements (lower reload speeds!), and nerfs to Howa in the very late-game setup. Overall this build is one of the few big winners of Patch Notes.

LEVELING GUIDE IS HERE: https://mobalytics.gg/poe-2/builds/mercenary-leveling-build

Changes for 0.2 - MOSTLY BUFFS

Buffs

42% MORE damage, roughly, from 2H rolls on Crossbows from improved base damage and flat rolls.
Attack Speed local to the crossbow now affects Reload Speed. This is huge in the context of Fresh Clip and quality of life as slow reloads were the primary downside for the power that Crossbows give.
Buffs to the Witch Hunter ascendency No Mercy which now gives 40% more damage instead of 30% more damage
Reduced cost of Attack Skills across the board. This is a massive improvement and will make the build feel a lot smoother. At level 20 the gem costs 107 mana vs 132 previously, this is a HUGE win.
Top end damage is roughly 15% higher. A level 27 Gem provides 228% Attack Damage, up from 199%. At lower gem levels this value is similar.

Bugfixes that improve DPS

Emergency Reload wasn't correctly empowering attacks

Nerfs

Howa at the top end was gutted, but it's still likely the best in slot item. It will now provide roughly 50% less damage than before. Combined with the other buffs this looks like a wash for high-end builds though we'll have to see once we're in game.
Curse effectiveness of Conductivity has been reduced, as has the support Strip Away's improvement on Exposure.

Build Variants

Default

Very Low Budget

Equipment

Default

Very Low Budget

Set 1

Set 2

Equipment Priority

Helmet

Chain Tiara

Main Hand

Bombard Crossbow

Left Ring

Gold Ring

Right Ring

Ring

Amulet

Lunar Amulet

Body

Expert Waxed Jacket

Gloves

Expert Jewelled Gloves

Belt

Utility Belt

Boots

Expert Silk Slippers

Crossbow Priorities

Attack Speed
Projectile Skill Levels
Elemental Damage to Attacks
Flat Lightning
Dexterity/Strength/Physical Damage

Runes can be replaced, you want Attack Speed runes in your crossbow even if one you purchase has Physical Damage

Gloves

Look for Flat Added Damage and Attack Speed on gloves. This is one of the few places you can get it, and it's a substantial damage increase.

Rings

For the budget version prioritize high flat Lightning Damage to Attacks, then Lightning Damage, then Mana. Get any other good things you can too but only as a bonus (don't prioritize them). Int, Dex, Resistances are great to have.

Boots / Helm

Fix any resistance issues you have, get as much movement speed as possible. Ideally you'd have Energy Shield and Evasion bases to take advantage of Ghost Dance. Flat Intelligence is also an important stat to look for.

Amulet

Look for All Attribs / Int / Dex in as much as you can get. %Increased Evasion and Energy Shield can roll in high amounts on an amulet, this is a great place to get it. Implicit on amulet makes a big difference too, look for Jade/Lapis/Stellar or the ES bases.

Morior Invictus

This chest was dramatically changed in patch notes, TBD on what it will look like for endgame but it still looks like the best option. There are seven new rolls we'll have to wait for the game to be released to see for sure; until then I'd run a big Evasion / Energy Shield chest as I've setup in the gear section.

Annoint options: Branching Bolts for clear, Step Like Mist for movement speed, Insightfulness for damage / int

Skill Gems

Default

Very Low Budget

Support Gem Requirements:

Str 25

Dex 70

Int 35

Expand all

Shockburst Rounds

Galvanic Shards

Stormcaller Arrow

Voltaic Mark

Conductivity

Emergency Reload

Herald of Thunder

Wind Dancer

Ghost Dance

Gem Priority

+26

Support Gems

I've listed the gems in what I feel are priority order, so if you are on a 5L you can drop the last support.

Fork and Ricochet

I've added Fork and Ricochet to the links for Galvanic after someone in the video comments suggested it. It gives 2x additional projectiles which Galvanic's skill coalesces together for what feels like excellent clear, better than just dumping additional damage into the links.

Scattershot in Shockburst Rounds

DONT DO THIS. It will scuff your damage severely. I've run numerous tests and Scattershot delays the additional projectiles, and in empirical tests where I compare the damage output by analyzing frame by frame damage it's worth about the same as NOT having a support gem at all. This is easily testable and you should verify for yourself if you are uncertain at all.

Stormcaller Arrow

You need an off-hand bow for this to work. Search trade for a low cost bow with reasonably high Physical damage and/or Lightning damage. Ideally 200-300 or so. I searched with a cap of 10 exalted orbs and reverse sorted by Physical Damage to purchase mine.

You will ALSO need a Quiver. I only prioritized one stat on my Quiver, Flat Lightning Damage Added to Attacks. Get the best one you can for 10 exalted orbs. !!IMPORTANT!! - Make sure your Quiver does NOT have pierce or chance to pierce on it. This will completely brick your ability to Shock.

Passive Tree

Default

Very Low Budget

main:

123

set 1:

set 2:

Weapon Swap Passives

The Weapon Swap set is Green for your off-hand bow and Red for your Crossbow. If you need a primer on how Weapon Swap passives work, check the Guide section in the weapon specialization guide.

Stat Priorities

I was looking for around 250 Dexterity and 400 Intelligence to start. Intelligence provides defense, flat damage, and %increased damage and is the highest value stat by a lot. As you progress further with better gear I stopped getting Dexterity around 450 and just pushed Intelligence as high as I could.

Jewels

Look for Shock Magnitude, Crossbow Reload Speed, OR %Increased Evasion and any combination of %Increased Damage that will improve your damage (Projectile, Crossbow, Lightning, Elemental, Hits against Uniques). Shock Duration is also useful.

In order for you to get to 9-10k Evasion, you NEED to have some %Increased Evasion on jewels.

Trade Link for Jewels - You can find this in the description of the video on the sidebar

How it Plays

It's a one-button build during maps, using Galvanic Shards and Herald of Thunder for clear with considerable protection from Electrocute locking up mobs mid-stride.

For bossing it's a two-button rotation to trigger a Shock on enemies with Stormcaller Arrow and then burning them down with Shockburst Rounds

How it Works

Mapping

Blast with Galvanic Shards Everything dies.

Bossing

1. Spam Shockburst Rounds for a few seconds before the boss phases in

2. Conductivity / Voltaic Mark

3. Stormcaller Arrow to apply a huge and durable Shock

4. Hold down Shockburst Rounds until they die

5. Optionally: Use Emergency Reload when your bolts get low for an additional boost to damage, this will Empower a full clip worth of for a substantial amount of additional damage.