Use your favourite features in-game with our Desktop App

PoE 2 Build

Lundburgerr's 0.5 Shield Wall Smith Leaguestarter

Warrior

Smith of Kitava

Starter

Speed Leveling

0.5 RotA

Mirror Tier

Verified

Trending

By lundburgerr

Updated on Jun 14, 2026

Jun 14, 2026

Build Overview

Contrary to popular belief, Shield Wall didn't actually get nerfed that much this league and is still going to be one of the strongest league starts, and arguably the best league start because of how extremely simple it is to gear in maps. In 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4, there have been a Smith of Kitava at the very top of the XP ladder the first few days (In 0.2 it was me :)).

The base damage nerfed on shield wall and fortifying cry was simply to compensate for the base armour buff on Shields. We will however do around 30% less damage at worst case against single target in endgame due to the Fortifying Cry changes which prevents it from shotgunning.

But Shield Wall was already exceptionally strong in 0.4 and the strongest build during the first weekend of the league. It was obliterating bosses already so a 30% nerf for single target might be warranted.

PASSIVE TREE CHANGES IN 0.5

For the be most part, just use the same tree as listed here for the 0.4 tree. If you want to try something new, grab vaal pact and the leech nodes that gives attack speed while leeching, these could be very strong. Note that instant life flasks should still work with Vaal pact (not tested), so an Olroth flask is very good if you go vaal pact.

REGEX:

Strengths and Weaknesses

Easy to cap resistances in campaign and end game due to Smith of Kitava Ascendency
Very tanky in campaign after you ascend the first time
Screen wide clear with the endgame setup
Can immediately start stacking rarity on gear when you reach maps because of how easy it is to max your resistances
Can do all content and bosses very early on league start

Main skills not accessible until lvl 22
Damage and clear does not scale as hard when you get giga juiced gear compared to other builds. Might want to consider a second build to swap into once you farmed initial currency. Typically after one week depending on how much you play

Build Variants

Act 1 - Rolling slam/Boneshatter

Act 2 Before lvl 22 - Rolling slam/Boneshatter

Act 2 - Shield Wall Swap

Act 3

Act 4

Interludes

Maps

Giga Endgame

In act 3 we will unlock Fortifying Cry and Sunder with our first T9 skill gems.
Exploding the Shield Walls with Fortifying Cry will Boost our damage slightly and give us a little bit of guard.

We use Sunder just to proc Sundered Armour on bosses after we break their armour, this will make the bosses take 40% increased physical damage taken instead of just 20%

Equipment

Act 1 - Rolling slam/Boneshatter

Act 2 Before lvl 22 - Rolling slam/Boneshatter

Act 2 - Shield Wall Swap

Act 3

Act 4

Interludes

Maps

Giga Endgame

Set 1

Set 2

Equipment Priority

On one handed maces you are looking for + to melee skills, it's normal to not get one because they are little bit rare.

On Gloves you are looking for flat damage, attack speed, +melee levels and leech. Typically you will only have gloves with 1 or 2 good mods.

On rings you want resistances, flat damage and leech.

Make sure you pick up any normal rarity body armour (ideally strength absed of course) as soon as you enter Act 2. We wanna make sure we have this after we ascend.

Make sure to use armourer scraps on your shield, you get most of them back if you salvage the shield when you find an upgrade. Every 5% quality will give you one armourer scrap from salvage.

Skill Gems

Act 1 - Rolling slam/Boneshatter

Act 2 Before lvl 22 - Rolling slam/Boneshatter

Act 2 - Shield Wall Swap

Act 3

Act 4

Interludes

Maps

Giga Endgame

Support Gem Requirements:

Str 45

Dex 25

Int 20

Fortifying Cry

Shield Wall

Herald of Ash

Sunder

Shockwave Totem

Attrition

Infernal Cry

Freezing Mark

Shield Charge

Leap Slam

Gem Priority

+18

Guaranteed lesser jewelers orb in Sandswept marsh, At the end of the zone there is a small area with 2 rare monsters and a chest. Kill the rares and loot the chest for the lesser jewelers orb, save it for Fortifying cry.

You will first cut Fortifying Cry then Sunder from your first two lvl 9+ skill gems.

Your skill slots will be full, so you can slot out Leap Slam temporarily until we can remove Freezing Mark in Act 4.

T3 support gems should be cut in this order:

If you don't already have extra of these supports, cut them for Fortifying Cry:
1. Raging Cry
2. Fire Attunement

Then cut these:
1. Close Combat I (For Fortifying Cry)
2. Magnified Area II (Shield Wall)
3. Magnified Area II (Herald of Ash)
4. Prolonged Duration II (Sunder)
5. Rapid Attacks I (Sunder)
6. Font of Mana (Shockwave Totem), Prolonged Duration II if you already have mana leech on gear.

If you drop extra lesser jewelers orbs, put it on Shockwave Totem and then Infernal Cry first.

Spirit gems:

After killing the boss in Azak you will get 30 extra spirit. You can either cut Attrition or War Banner, your choice. War Banner is typically more damage on bosses but it means you have to actively put down a banner.

IMPORTANT:

Make sure that that the warcries are on weapon set 2 (assuming you allocated the warcry nodes on weapon set 2) and everything else is on weapon set 1.

Passive Tree

Act 1 - Rolling slam/Boneshatter

Act 2 Before lvl 22 - Rolling slam/Boneshatter

Act 2 - Shield Wall Swap

Act 3

Act 4

Interludes

Maps

Giga Endgame

main:

123

set 1:

set 2:

Ascending in Act 3 is optional, it will significantly improve your defenses. But Shield wall warrior is strong enough to skip this and just get the second and third ascend at the same time when doing a lvl 60 Barya. You are guaranteed to drop a lvl 60 Barya in Interlude 2 from the boss in Sel Khari Sanctuary.

Quest Rewards

Check which quests you’ve completed on your character

Clearfell — Beira of the Rotten Pack

Not Specified1 choice

Hunting Grounds — The Crowbell

Not Specified1 choice

Freythorn — The King in the Mists

Not Specified1 choice

Ogham Farmlands — Una's Hut

Not Specified1 choice

Ogham Manor — Candlemass, the Living Rite

Not Specified1 choice

Keth — Kabala, Constrictor Queen

Not Specified1 choice

Valley of the Titans — Medallion

Not Specified2 choices

Deshar — Final Letter

Not Specified1 choice

The Spires of Deshar — Sisters of Garukhan

Not Specified1 choice

Jungle Ruins — Mighty Silverfist

Not Specified1 choice

The Venom Crypts — Venom Draught

Not Specified3 choices

Jiquani's Machinarium — Blackjaw, the Remnant

Not Specified1 choice

The Azak Bog — Ignagduk, the Bog Witch

Not Specified1 choice

The Molten Vault — The Molten Vault

Not Specified1 choice

Aggorat — Blood Sacrifice

Not Specified1 choice

Journey's End — Captain Hartlin

Not Specified1 choice

Eye of Hinekora — Navali's Rest

Not Specified1 choice

Halls of the Dead — Yama The White

Not Specified1 choice

Halls of the Dead — Tawhoa's Test

Not Specified2 choices

Abandoned Prison — Goddess of Justice

Not Specified2 choices

Halls of the Dead — Tasalio's Test

Not Specified2 choices

Halls of the Dead — Ngamahu's Test

Not Specified2 choices

Wolvenhold — Oswin, the Dread Warden

Not Specified1 choice

The Khari Crossing — Akthi and Anundr

Not Specified1 choice

The Khari Crossing — Molten Shrine

Not Specified1 choice

Qimah — Tabana's Pillar

Not Specified7 choices

Kriar Village — Lythara, the Wayward Spear

Not Specified1 choice

Howling Caves — The Abominable Yeti

Not Specified1 choice

How it Plays

When clearing:
Drop Shield Wall and either use a warcry or Shield Charge. Once you get to endgame, the more you can use Shield Charge, the faster your map clear is.

Against bosses:
1. Freezing mark (can be skipped after you get armour break from other sources)
2. Place Totem
3. Infernal Cry + Fortifying Cry (When you get it)
4. Spam Shield Wall
5. Sunder after armour is broken (When you get Sunder)
6. Repeat