Strife Pick: A One-Handed Mace Base Type in Path of Exile 2

In the grim and unforgiving world of Path of Exile 2, the choice of weapon can define a player's build, shaping their combat style and survivability against Wraeclast's relentless horrors. Among the arsenal of weapons, the Strife Pick, a one-handed mace base type, stands out for its unique blend of offensive and defensive potential. As players navigate the game's complex economy, utilizing POE 2 Currency to craft or acquire powerful gear, the Strife Pick offers a compelling option for melee builds, particularly those centered on physical damage and crowd control. This article explores the Strife Pick's characteristics, crafting potential, acquisition methods, strategic applications, and its role in the broader meta of Path of Exile 2, providing a detailed guide for players looking to wield this versatile weapon.

Overview of the Strife Pick

The Strife Pick is a one-handed mace base type in Path of Exile 2, notable for its balanced stats and accessibility across various stages of the game. With a base attack speed of 1.45 attacks per second and a critical strike chance of 5.50%, it offers a solid foundation for builds that prioritize consistent damage output. Its implicit modifier, which grants a 15% chance to stun enemies on hit, makes it particularly appealing for melee characters focused on crowd control, such as Marauders, Duelists, or Templars. The Strife Pick requires level 37, 81 Strength, and 27 Dexterity, making it a mid-game weapon that bridges the gap between early progression and endgame power.

Unlike two-handed weapons, the Strife Pick's one-handed nature allows players to pair it with a shield, significantly boosting survivability through block chance and additional defensive modifiers. This flexibility makes it a favorite for tanky builds that need to balance offense and defense in high-stakes encounters like Pinnacle bosses or high-tier maps. Its physical damage range (typically 45-68 at its base level) is respectable, but the true potential of the Strife Pick lies in its ability to be crafted into a powerhouse through the game's intricate crafting system.

Acquisition: How to Get a Strife Pick

Acquiring a Strife Pick is relatively straightforward, as it can drop from enemies, chests, or specific encounters throughout Wraeclast. Its level 37 requirement places it in the mid-game, with a higher drop chance in areas like Act 5 and beyond, particularly in Cruel or Merciless difficulties. Players can also target specific zones or mechanics, such as Strongboxes or Delve chests, which have elevated chances of dropping rare weapons. The Atlas Passive Tree further enhances acquisition by allowing players to allocate points toward increased drop rates for maces or rare items, making farming more efficient.

For those who prefer trading, the Strife Pick is a tradable item and can be purchased from other players through the in-game trade market or the Currency Exchange NPC, available after completing Act 3 on Normal difficulty. The cost of a Strife Pick varies depending on its quality, modifiers, and market demand, but it is generally affordable compared to higher-tier bases like the Warlord's Mallet. Alternatively, players can use third-party services like ChaosBoost or InstantCarry to buy POE 2 Orbs or directly purchase a Strife Pick, ensuring quick access to a well-rolled version without the grind.

Crafting the Perfect Strife Pick

Crafting is where the Strife Pick truly shines, as its base stats provide a strong foundation for creating a weapon tailored to specific builds. Using Path of Exile 2's currency items, such as Orbs of Alchemy, Chaos Orbs, or Exalted Orbs, players can transform a Strife Pick into a high-damage or utility-focused weapon. The crafting process often begins with an Orb of Alchemy to convert a normal Strife Pick into a rare item with random modifiers, followed by Chaos Orbs to re-roll unwanted mods. For precision crafting, players can use Omens like the Omen of Dextral Exaltation to target high-tier suffixes, such as increased physical damage or attack speed.

Popular prefixes for a Strife Pick include increased physical damage, added physical damage, or increased critical strike chance, while desirable suffixes might include attack speed, critical strike multiplier, or elemental resistances for added survivability. For endgame crafting, players may use Fossils or Essences to force specific modifiers, such as the Dense Fossil for increased armor or life-related mods when paired with a shield. The Omen of Dextral Erasure can also be employed to remove unwanted suffixes while preserving valuable prefixes, streamlining the crafting process.

For example, a Marauder build focused on Ground Slam might aim for a Strife Pick with +1 to Level of All Physical Skill Gems (a prefix) and increased attack speed (a suffix), maximizing both damage and clear speed. The stun implicit further enhances this build by improving crowd control, making it easier to lock down enemies during tough encounters. The flexibility of the Strife Pick allows it to support a wide range of skills, from Cyclone to Earthquake, making it a versatile choice for melee players.

Strategic Applications and Build Synergies

The Strife Pick's implicit stun chance makes it an excellent choice for builds that rely on stunning enemies to control the battlefield. Skills like Heavy Strike or Ground Slam, which already have high stun potential, pair exceptionally well with the Strife Pick, allowing players to chain stuns and prevent enemies from retaliating. This is particularly valuable in endgame content, where enemies like those in T16 maps or Pinnacle bosses have high health pools and dangerous mechanics.

For defensive builds, pairing the Strife Pick with a high-block shield, such as a rare Colossal Tower Shield, creates a formidable combination. The shield can roll modifiers like increased life, resistances, or block chance, complementing the Strife Pick's offensive capabilities. Passive skill tree nodes that enhance mace damage, stun duration, or block chance further amplify this synergy, making the Strife Pick a cornerstone of tanky melee builds.

The Strife Pick also supports hybrid builds that blend physical and elemental damage. For instance, a Templar using Smite can benefit from the weapon's base physical damage while adding elemental modifiers through crafting or skill gems. This versatility allows the Strife Pick to fit into a variety of playstyles, from pure physical bruisers to elemental-focused Inquisitors.

Role in the Player Economy and Meta

In the Path of Exile 2 economy, the Strife Pick is a mid-tier base that balances accessibility and power, making it a popular choice for players transitioning from early to endgame content. Its trade value is moderate, with well-rolled rare versions commanding higher prices due to their crafting potential. The introduction of new mechanics in updates like The Third Edict has increased the demand for reliable mid-tier weapons, as players seek to optimize their builds for challenging content like Uber bosses or deep Delve runs.

Community discussions on platforms like Reddit highlight the Strife Pick's niche but valuable role in the meta. While it may not compete with top-tier bases like the Tyrannical Scepter for raw damage, its stun implicit and affordability make it a practical choice for budget-conscious players or those experimenting with new builds. The Strife Pick's synergy with Omens and other crafting currencies further cements its place in the crafting meta, as players use it to bridge the gap to higher-tier weapons.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite its strengths, the Strife Pick has limitations. Its mid-tier status means it lacks the raw damage potential of endgame bases, and players may eventually upgrade to weapons like the Void Scepter for higher damage output. Additionally, the stun implicit, while useful, is less effective against bosses with stun immunity, requiring players to adapt their strategies. Crafting a high-end Strife Pick can also be resource-intensive, as Chaos Orbs and Omens are rare and costly, especially for casual players.

Conclusion

The Strife Pick is a versatile and accessible one-handed mace base type in Path of Exile 2, offering a balance of offensive power, crowd control, and defensive potential. Its implicit stun chance, combined with the flexibility of pairing it with a shield, makes it an excellent choice for melee builds navigating the dangers of Wraeclast. Through strategic crafting with POE 2 Currency and Omens, players can transform the Strife Pick into a weapon that rivals higher-tier bases, supporting a wide range of skills and playstyles. Whether acquired through drops, trading, or third-party services, the Strife Pick is a reliable companion for mid-game progression and beyond. For players looking to streamline their journey, options to buy POE 2 Orbs from trusted platforms like mmoexp can accelerate the process, ensuring a well-crafted Strife Pick is ready to conquer the challenges of Path of Exile 2.