Stop Making These Mistakes in Path of Exile 2-They Could Ruin Your Build

Path of Exile 2 is an unforgiving, complex action RPG that rewards knowledge, planning, and precision - but punishes oversight harshly. For new players and veterans alike, the sequel brings a host of new systems, mechanics, POE 2 Currency Orbs and design philosophies that can trap even the most seasoned exile. If you're wondering why your character feels underpowered or if you've hit a wall in progression, chances are you've made one of these critical mistakes. Let's break them down so you can avoid building a doomed character.

1. Picking the Wrong Ascendancy - And Being Stuck With It

In Path of Exile 2, ascendancy decisions are permanent. This is arguably the most impactful early-game choice you can make, and if you pick the wrong one, your entire build might be fundamentally compromised.

Every class has two ascendancy paths. For example, the Warrior can choose between Titan and Warlock, each offering unique skill trees and identity-defining active skills. Once you make your selection in Act 2's Trial of the Seemas, that's it - there's no respec, no going back, and no undo button. If you ascend as a Warlock while planning a Titan-based heavy armor build, you're going to have to remake your character from scratch.

To avoid this mistake:

·Read all ascendancy skill descriptions carefully. Many skills have dramatic effects on your gameplay loop (such as altering your mobility, survivability, or damage type).

·Don't ascend blindly. Just because a trial lets you ascend doesn't mean you should click through it immediately.

2. Failing the Trial of the Seemas

The Trial of the Seemas is how you access your ascendancy, but it's also a challenging dungeon-like instance with punishing mechanics. Here's how it works:

·You insert a relic item to enter the trial.

·Each section has an objective to complete while avoiding hits.

·Taking damage reduces your honor bar, and if you lose it all, the trial fails.

·Optional paths let you collect Bronze, Silver, and Gold Keys for bonus loot.

·Replenish honor by choosing side paths with the honor icon.

·Pro tip: Don't rush. If your honor is low, prioritize replenishment over loot. And always go in with your strongest gear and skills active.

3. Hoarding Orbs Instead of Using Them

Currency in POE is more than just a trade medium - it's also a powerful crafting system. One major mistake new players make is hoarding common orbs like Orbs of Augmentation, Orbs of Transmutation, and Orbs of Alchemy, fearing they'll need them "later." The reality? You'll be swimming in these by level 40.

Here's a quick breakdown of what you should do:

·Use Orbs of Transmutation on normal (white) items to turn them magic (blue).

·Use Orbs of Augmentation to add a second affix to magic items.

·Use Orbs of Alchemy when you hit a progression wall and need to boost a good item to rare (yellow).

·Don't waste Exalted Orbs or Regal Orbs early - those are rare, endgame-tier crafting tools.

·Remember: early progression is often gear-gated. Don't wait until a boss is impossible - gear up now and move forward faster.

4. Not Understanding Gem Leveling and Upgrades

Skill and support gems are your build's backbone. But many players misunderstand how gem leveling works in POE 2:

·As you level up and explore higher-level areas, the game drops uncut skill gems at appropriate levels. A level 10 uncut gem can upgrade any lower-level skill gem to level 10 - don't save them, use them immediately.

·Same logic applies to support gems. They only upgrade skills at or below their level. Hoarding level 1 or 2 support gems when you're getting level 3 drops is pointless.

·Spirit Gems are unique buffs that need to be manually activated through your skill menu. Many players forget to right-click to activate them, missing out on major passive power boosts.

·Tip: Don't stockpile low-level gems unless you're making alts. Use uncut gems to boost your current build, and always upgrade your key skills ASAP.

5. Using Support Gems Inefficiently

Support gems are a nuanced system, and Path of Exile 2 doesn't always explain it clearly. Here are some key rules:

·When applying support gems to a skill, the UI defaults to recommended options. Uncheck the "Show Recommended Gems" box to see all compatible gems.

·Support gems have stat requirements. Each green gem (Dexterity), blue gem (Intelligence), or red gem (Strength) adds to your total stat cost.

·Example: If you want to equip two Dexterity-based support gems and each needs 5 Dex, your character must have at least 10 total Dexterity.

·If you're missing stats, you must either:

·Equip gear that boosts your attributes.

·Spend passive skill points on +10 Strength/Dex/Int nodes.

·Visit the Hooded One NPC in town to refund and reallocate points if needed.6. Failing to Plan Your Build Ahead

You only get so many skill slots and gem combinations. You can't just slap every support gem onto every skill. For example, a Bone Shatter build can deal good damage on its own, but becomes an elite screen-clearing nuke when paired with Impact Shockwave and buffed by Herald Vash (a spirit gem).

Use build planners to test interactions and optimize support choices:

·Stack damage-boosting support gems with AoE skills.

·Prioritize mobility and survivability skills in boss-heavy builds.

·Don't double up on conflicting modifiers or ones you can't support with your stats.

7. Vendor Mistakes: Selling, Buying, and Identifying Gear

Early in POE 2, your stash will overflow with loot. Knowing how and when to sell or equip gear is critical:

·Identify everything before selling. Some items sell for better currency when identified (like rares that return orbs).

·Don't hoard garbage rares unless you're looking for specific modifiers.

·Sell non-upgrade gear often to build your gold pool. You'll likely need to buy a weapon or piece of gear that gives you a damage spike for tough content.

·If you're holding onto a weak weapon and can't progress, buying one from the vendor - even if it's blue or rare - can save you hours of frustration.

8. Ignoring Stat Thresholds on Passive Tree

Your passive skill tree gives you incredible freedom, but many overlook key attribute clusters. If your build needs:

·30 Strength for red support gems

·50 Dexterity for green skills

·25 Intelligence for spirit gems

·and you don't allocate those stats, you may find your character unable to equip key items or gems.

Check your stat distribution in the character menu. You can manually path to +10 stat nodes or equip attribute-boosting gear as a workaround. Keep this in mind especially for hybrid builds using multiple colors of gems.

Final Thoughts: Play Smarter, Not Harder

Path of Exile 2 offers enormous freedom, but with that freedom comes the responsibility to understand its systems. Making just one or two of the mistakes above - like picking the wrong ascendancy, hoarding orbs, or using unlevelled gems -can dramatically undercut your power and turn a great build into a nightmare to play.

Avoiding these pitfalls means you'll spend more time carving through Wraeclast and less time rerolling dead characters.Also,you can get more 
POE 2 Divine Orbs. Whether you're aiming for casual clearing or high-end bossing, knowledge is your best gear.