Path of Exile 2: What are the best Huntress Skills for smooth leveling?

Path of Exile 2’s Huntress is a bit confusing at first and could even come across as incredibly weak at first glance. However, with a bit of time and a few skill gems, you can turn that clunky hybrid class into something truly terrifying. Once I found a specific combo of Gem/Support Gems, no group of enemies could get in my way. It was even useful in boss battles, though a little risky. There are a few things you can do to get through groups of enemies with turbo speed.

There are plenty of ways to play a Huntress in Path of Exile 2. The following combos are more for clearing waves of enemies, and not especially skills you will likely build around. They are, nonetheless, exceptional for demolishing groups.

What are the best skills a Huntress has to level with in Path of Exile 2?

Rake + Stomping Ground
Parry + Disengage + Explosive/Lightning Spear
Whirling Slash (repeated) + Twister
Lightning Rod + Lightning Arrow
Spear Stab + Martial Tempo + Rage

Explosive and Lightning Spear are both excellent clearing options (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Until I had Rake + Stomping ground, I used this method. It requires you to use the Parry skill and use it effectively. Parry + Disengage + Explosive/Lightning Spear needs you to get that Frenzy Charge from parrying. This means you can’t use it on ranged enemies, so it’s not perfect. However, when clearing hallways and open areas, it’s incredibly useful.

Parry an enemy hit, and immediately Disengage. From there, use whichever of the two attacks fits you best. Explosive Spear immediately explodes, ignites the ground and shoots flames in four directions. Lightning Spear causes the blast to split into multiple copies on impact, and each of those then burst. It is an amazing hallway clearer, that’s for sure.

Although Huntress can start a little weak in Path of Exile 2, it still has the potential to be a top-tier class as the 0.2.0 meta shakes out. I want to highlight a few combos as a possibility for smooth leveling and map clearing. My personal favorite has to be Rake + Stomping Ground. You need a Level 3 Gem and Level 1 Support Gem to set this up, so it won’t take long to get.

Dive in, make 'em bleed, and watch 'em drop (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

The way it works for Path of Exile 2 Huntress players is simple. Stomping Ground is a Travel Skill Support Gem and makes a shockwave hit when you take a step while using the Supported Skill. Rake has you dash/leap toward an enemy and do an AoE bleed physical attack. The farther you are, the harder it hits. It also always inflicts Bleed, so even better. If you want, you can Disengage and then use it again for enemies you didn’t hit.

Whirling Slash (repeated) + Twister is probably what I used the most until I had Rake+Stomping Ground. You do a few Whirling Slashes, get some whirlwinds on the board, and then you cast Twister.

It’s even better if you have some elemental ground on hand, because the Twisters that go through it will carry that elemental damage with them. When a Twister goes through your whirlwinds, it will create more Twisters that deal more damage. It’s an excellent starting combo until you get the better ones.

If you aren't a Spear purist in Path of Exile 2, and want another leveling option for your Huntress, grab a Bow as a weapon to swap to, and use Lightning Rod, followed by Lightning Arrows. It works for Rangers, it will work just as well for Huntresses.

If you’re in a one-on-one fight and want solid damage, it’s likely that you’re going to want Spear Stab + Martial Tempo + Rage as a Huntress in Path of Exile 2. It’s just a simple, powerful stab attack that also builds rage and goes faster due to the Support Gems. Personally, I just play dangerously and keep making bosses bleed, but I have this in my back pocket too, just in case.

Check out our other Path of Exile 2 guides and features

About the author

Jason is an Esports and Gaming journalist at Sportskeeda holding an amazing 11 years of experience under his belt. Having put out 4000-plus articles and amassing over 12 million reads for Sportskeeda, he is among the company’s most experienced writers. Jason holds a Bachelor's degree in English from UNC Pembroke and was inspired to become a gaming journalist very early on in life after reading Nintendo Power.

Jason is a jack of all trades when it comes to gaming journalism. He’s a key writer in Sportskeeda's MMO department, but he also likes to help out in other categories, like streamers, RPG, card games, and whatever else is needed. A solo gamer at heart, Jason's favorite titles include Earthbound and Dragon Warrior.

Jason places high value on accuracy and relevance in his write-ups. He achieves this with thorough research to sift facts from rumors. One of the biggest highlights of his career is his interview with Canadian pro wrestler Kenny Omega about his inclusion in the Like a Dragon game series. He is also good friends with journalist Kazumo Hashimoto, who he admires for the kind of stories he works on and his deep ethics.

A true cinephile, one of Jason’s primary hobbies involves enjoying cinematic experiences. He also loves reading, be it fiction or manga, when not working. Additionally, he streams on Twitch and posts his gaming insights on YouTube.

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Edited by Angad Sharma