0.5.5 Grenade Gemling League Starter

Check the Changelog for updates

This is my league starter for the PoE 2 0.5.5 Forbidden Rites event. I ran this build in SSF from Act I to Arbiter of Divinity and it was incredibly simple, smooth, and tanky. This is a perfect beginner league starter build for people who either want a safe and comfy league start, or for those who plan to reroll into a more expensive and complex Gemling build after farming some Currency in the endgame

Act 1-3 Campaign Run Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/kqIAdrPJs_E?si=lKp7grE7fKPNh4NO&t=1555

Important

If Oil Grenade is too laggy, use Voltaic Grenade instead to get extra power from your Essence of Virtue and Demolitionist

If your Explosive Grenade is dealing only Fire Damage, you can instead opt for Fire Penetration II if you aren't using Oil Grenade instead

If you have a lot of Cold and Lightning Damage, don't use Fire Attunement and use Deliberation on Explosive Grenade instead.

Skill Rotation

Clear

For clear, simply use Explosive Grenade and throw in some Flash Grenade for additional clear. Cluster Grenade can also be used for improved clear, especially on tanky Rares. Don't forget that Dodge Rolling will trigger Cluster Grenades linked on your Mirage Archer

Voltaic Grenade isn't really used for anything other than granting Motes from Essence of Virtue and balancing Supports with Gem Studded

Bossing

Use Gas Grenade and detonate the clouds with Explosive Grenade. Throw in some Cluster Grenade for extra damage and Flash Grenade to Stun the boss more easily. In most cases, Explosive and Gas Grenade will be enough to take down most Map Bosses

Mana Solutions

If you keep running out of Mana, here are some ideas. Once we ascend and take Gem Studded this is a non-issue for the most part:

• Have you been upgrading your Mana Flasks?
• Roll your Mana Flasks with modifiers that grant 0.20 Charges per Second or increased number of Charges, or Reduced Charges per Use
• Jewels can roll modifiers that grant #% Mana gained on Kill
• Do you have too many + to Projectile Levels on your character?
• Mana Gain on Kill is a decent modifier early on and can be found on many different gear pieces
• Clarity II or even Clarity I is great to assist Mana Regen
• Mana Regeneration on gear
• Inspiration Support can be used to reduce the Mana cost of Skills
• Lavianga's Spirits with Lavianga's Brew Instil on Amulet

Quality Order

• Explosive Grenade: additional Projectiles
• Cluster Grenade: with Short Fuse I this will explode immediately on a target
• If you have Brutus' Brain on Pounce, Quality that up next
• Mirage Archer: Reservation Efficiency if you lack Spirit
• Gas Grenade for more Fire Damage
• Cluster Grenade linked to your Mirage Archer

Advanced Pro Tips

Campaign Permanent Buffs: https://mobalytics.gg/poe-2/guides/campaign-loot-normal

Act 1

• In the Cemetery of the Eternals, find the Sarcophagus by the Checkpoint and you will be granted either an Iron Ring (best) or Lazuli Ring. Use a Transmute on it - if you get a Prefix, you have a 1/3 chance to get a Damage prefix. Use an Augmentation if you don't hit a prefix
• In Area Level 8+, start picking up Magic and Rare Gloves - you can find a higher tier of flat Added Damage to Attacks (this is around Tomb of the Consort/Tomb of the Praetor)
• Level 10, check Vendors for Stout Crossbow, but don't go all in on this base yet.

Act 2

• The goal here is to get a good Varnished Crossbow ASAP. Once you get one with good modifiers such as flat added damage, #% increased Physical Damage and at item level 18+, +2 to level of Projectile Skills; you will be able to use this all throughout Act 2 until you get to Act 3 where we equip a Bombard Crossbow
• In Mastodon Badlands, the league mechanic often grants a Lesser Jeweller's Orb. Note: this may also be in Keth/Lost City/Valley of the Titan or one of the areas preceding Deshar)

Act 3

• In the Sandswept Marsh seek out the Orok Campfire and defeat the two Rare enemies - behind them is a Chest with a guaranteed Lesser Jeweller's Orb
• Jungle Ruins: seek out the Troubled Camp - there is a Chest with a guaranteed pair of Rare Gloves that can be a big upgrade
• Area Level 35+: you can now find Crossbow bases that can roll +3 to Projectile Skills

19 September 2026

Added a Min-Max Variant

12 September 2026

Added my current Level 97 character as a new build variant. Don't forget you can check my character at the top of the guide under Live Seasonal Characters

08 September 2026

Updated the Fourth Ascendancy Build Variant

• Explosive Grenade
• • Removed Fire Attunement and Fire Penetration II
  • Added Concentrated Area and Deliberation
• Oil Grenade
• • Removed Voltaic Grenade
  • Added in Oil Grenade (RIP frames)
• Mirage Archer
• • Changed to Explosive Grenade (don't forget to add quality)
  • Added Payload and Short Fuse I (can also use Deliberation for extra damage instead of Short Fuse)
• Gas Grenade
• • Supports changed
• Lingering Illusion
• • Added and removed Attrition
  • Use this to generate Power Charges so that you can use Rend
• Rend
• • Added. Use when you have Power Charges from Lingering Illusion to gain 50% of damage as extra Lightning
• Changed Tree slightly to add Prolonged Assault on Weapon Set 2 for extra duration on Rend. Weapon Set 1 Points go to Grenadier
• Make sure to balance Support Gems after swapping things around for Gem Studded

06 September 2026

• Changed 5th Link on Explosive Grenade in Arbiter of Ash Variant to Concentrated Area instead of Multishot II
• Added a suggested Talisman for your Second Weapon Set (+# to Level of Melee Skills to increase level of Pounce and Intelligence so you can meet the Level Requirement)

05 September 2026

• Added in Giantslayer in Act III Tree onwards. This and the Passives leading up to it are way too good to pass up
• Added in Mirage Archer from Act 3 - take this after completing Ignagduk in the Azak Bog. Drop Attrition if you don't have enough Spirit for both, which is likely.
• Using Explosive Grenade in Mirage Archer in Act 3 and 4. You can even keep it into Maps instead of Cluster Grenades as it assists with your Single Target
• Added Oil Grenade back in and changed Fire Penetration II to Deliberation (can also use Multishot II if you're not on a Siege Crossbow or Cannonade Crossbow)
• Changed some Support Gems around on Explosive Grenade to account for the re-adding of Oil Grenade. I have also suggested alternatives if Oil Grenade is too laggy

Once I reach the deep endgame, I will provide a more expensive version of the build. If you do want to check out a version of a deep endgame version, check out Dal7k's version below:

• Ultra Endgame Variant (dal7k): https://poe.ninja/poe2/profile/1896-0927/runesofaldur/character/dalGL (https://www.youtube.com/@dal7k/videos)