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PoE 2 Build

[0.4] Ice Shot Snipe Ranger Leveling

0.4 TLotD

Starter

Speed Leveling

Ranger

By GuyThatDies

Updated on Apr 26, 2026

Apr 26, 2026

Build Overview

This guide is for progressing through campaign. See the endgame version here (tbd).

This is one of the best builds for leveling Deadeye / Pathfinder as bows. I was able to complete campaign in 3:57.

Ice Shot is unlocked at Level 31. You'll start with Lightning Arrow + Lightning Rod.

Strengths and Weaknesses

ONE SHOT Bosses
Smooth, Satisfying Clear

Unlock Ice Shot at level 31
Must Time Snipe

Build Variants

Level 1-30

Level 31 (Swap)

Level 58 (Campaign End)

Pre-Ice Shot swap. You'll be starting with Lightning Arrow + Lightning Rod.

Equipment

Level 1-30

Level 31 (Swap)

Level 58 (Campaign End)

Set 1

Set 2

Equipment Priority

Vendor Regex: "bow|mov|[egdl] da.* to a"

Don't spend any Regals, Alcs, Runes, or Exalts until Act 2. You're saving them for the level 16 Recurve Bow

Weapon: Click here for a guide on how to get great weapons throughout campaign. Having a great/bad weapon drastically changes your damage.

Quiver: +# to Level of all Projectile Skills / Attack Speed / Flat Damage / Damage with Bow Skills

Boots: Movement Speed > Resists / Life / Evasion

Rings/glove: High flat damage > Resists / Life

Helmet/Body Armour: Resists / Life / Evasion

Amulet: Life / Resists / +# to Level of all Projectile Skills

Belt: Rawhide Belt with Resists / Life / Armour

Skill Gems

Level 1-30

Level 31 (Swap)

Level 58 (Campaign End)

Support Gem Requirements:

Str 10

Dex 5

Int 10

Expand all

Frost Bomb

Contagion

Lightning Arrow

Lightning Rod

Escape Shot

Herald of Thunder

Barrage

Electrocuting Arrow

Gem Priority

Act 1

Your first skill gem from Renly will be Lightning Rod. With Clearfell's gem, cut either Frost Bomb for bosses, or Contagion for clearing mobs for the first few levels.

You'll get another guaranteed Level 2 Skill Gem in The Red Vale from the league mechanic. Level up Lightning Rod.

First Level 3 Skill Gem (The Rust King): Lightning Arrow

Second Level 3 Skill Gem (Lachlann): Lightning Rod

Third Level 3 Skill Gem (Crowbell): Escape Shot

Upgrading priority: Lightning Arrow / Lightning Rod, both equal

Make sure to do Freythorn and pick up Herald of Thunder. This DRAMATICALLY improves your clear.

Tier 1 Support Gem Order:

Elemental Armament I for Lightning Arrow / Lightning Rod (Swap for clear / single target)
Rapid Attacks I for Lightning Arrow
Concentrated Area for Lightning Rod
Elemental Armament I for Lightning Rod (Now you don't need to swap it)
Concentrated Area for Herald of Thunder

For your Level 5 Skill Gems, level up Lightning Rod or Lightning Arrow if they're level 3. Otherwise, take Barrage.

Act 2

Tier 2 Support Gem Order:

Chain II for Lightning Arrow (Swap between Chain II and Elemental Armament for bosses / clear)
Elemental Armament II for Lightning Rod
Elemental Armament II for Lightning Arrow
Elemental Armament II for Herald of Thunder

You'll get a Lesser Jeweller's Orb from The Buried Shrines in Act 2. Save this for Snipe / Ice Shot at level 31.

Frost Bomb cannot apply exposure to enemies above a certain level depending on the level of the gem. When it's no longer applying exposure, drop it. For example a level 1 Frost Bomb only works on monsters level 20 and below.

IMPORTANT:

When you swap to Ice Shot, you'll need to have a few gems spare:

Level 7/8 Skill Gem for Freezing Mark
Level 7/8 Skill Gem for Freezing Salvo
Spirit Gem for Herald of Ice (You can pick this up from either the league mechanic in Mawdun Quarry, or the rare Sarcophagus in The Lost City)
Two Tier 1 Support Gems (or higher) for Rapid Attacks I on Ice Shot and Window of Opportunity I on Snipe

Passive Tree

Level 1-30

Level 31 (Swap)

Level 58 (Campaign End)

main:

123

set 1:

set 2:

Pay attention to the attributes. When you swap to Ice Shot, you'll be very tight on these. I've planned these out so you'll have just the right amount of each type at each level.

How it Plays

Level 1-30

For clearing, simply use Lightning Arrow.

For single target, start by stacking Lightning Rod.

Lightning Arrow can trigger up to 4 rods without chain. With Chain I it triggers 6 rods, and with Chain II it triggers 8.

When your rods expire, immediately replace them - aim to match the number of rods your Lightning Arrow can trigger. Use Barrage to generate Lightning Rods quickly.

Make sure to use Frost Bomb to keep exposure up.

The rotation will look like this:

Lightning Rod x (4/6/8)
Frost Bomb (make sure the boss always has exposure)
Electrocuting Arrow (feel free to skip this if you don't care about electrocution)
Lightning Arrow until rods expire
Use Barrage and repeat from step 1

Level 31+

In Act 3 at level 31, you get access to Ice Shot. Clear monsters with Ice Shot and use Freezing Mark every 20 seconds to keep up the buff.

For single target:

Cast Freezing Mark
Freeze the boss with Freezing Salvo and Ice Shot
Use Barrage and kill the boss with Snipe

In most cases, the boss should die with a single combo. If not, you'll have to wait 10 or so seconds to freeze again.

At level 41, you'll unlock Tornado Shot. For tanky rares and bosses:

Tornado Shot x2
Barrage + Ice Shot
Continue with Ice Shot or use Snipe if they're frozen

Ascendancies

Ascendancy:

This build doesn't require any ascendancy to clear campaign, so if you're planning to swap to another build in endgame, you can go straight into that.

If you do want to ascend, I recommend Deadeye for Projectile Proximity Specialisation (Point Blank). Gathering Winds (Tailwind) can mess with your Snipe timing.