How to Get the Arming Axe in Path of Exile
In Path of Exile, choosing the right weapon is a critical step in optimizing your build's effectiveness. Whether you're slicing through hordes of monsters or focusing on single-target boss damage, your weapon base type determines your performance ceiling. For melee characters, axes offer a balanced mix of attack speed, critical potential, and raw physical damage. One standout early-to-mid game axe is the Arming Axe, a reliable and powerful one-handed weapon that becomes available around level 25.
This guide covers how to acquire the Arming Axe, its core stats, what makes it special among axe types, and where it fits in a typical build progression.
Arming Axe Overview: Balanced and Deadly
The Arming Axe is a one-handed axe base type, ideal for melee builds that prioritize quick attacks with strong physical damage scaling. It provides a healthy boost in damage while allowing flexibility in off-hand itemization-perfect for pairing with a shield, totem, or another weapon in dual-wielding builds.
Base Stats
Weapon Type: One-Handed Axe
Physical Damage: 14-42
Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
Attacks per Second: 1.40
Weapon Range: 1.1 metres
Required Level: 25
Required Strength: 58
Required Dexterity: 33
These base stats strike a strong balance between speed and damage output, making the Arming Axe suitable for builds focused on high Physical DPS (Damage Per Second). The relatively low Dexterity requirement makes it accessible for Strength-based characters who have picked up just a few Dexterity nodes along the passive skill tree.
Weapon DPS Breakdown
Physical DPS: 39.2
Chaos DPS: 0
Total DPS: 39.2
While it has no elemental or chaos base damage, this works in favor of builds that scale pure physical damage, allowing maximum synergy with support gems like Brutality, Melee Physical Damage, and Impale.
Acquisition: How and Where to Get the Arming Axe
Natural Drop
The Arming Axe has a drop level of 25, which means it starts appearing naturally in the game world from this level onward. Monsters, chests, and weapon-based loot containers from Act 3 and beyond can drop the Arming Axe randomly.
To maximize your chance of obtaining one naturally, focus on areas in Acts 3 and 4 such as:
The Docks
The Solaris Temple
The Imperial Gardens
The Harvest
The Belly of the Beast
Higher-level areas will drop a wider variety of weapon base types, so farming specifically for an Arming Axe becomes less reliable beyond Act 5. If you are set on acquiring one for a specific build, crafting or trading becomes a smarter route.
Vendor Recipe Method
Although there is no guaranteed vendor recipe to generate an Arming Axe specifically, you can influence the base type of crafted weapons by vendoring magic/rare one-handed axes of similar item levels and affixes. If you're targeting this item base, keep a lookout for:
One-handed axes with item level between 25 and 34
Vendor three rare axes of the same base to potentially reset the base type via the 3-to-1 vendor recipe
Still, relying on this method for specific results can be hit or miss. Crafting or using a weapon-based filter may improve your odds.
Crafting an Arming Axe
If you manage to find a white (normal) Arming Axe, you can use crafting POE currency like Orb of Alchemy, Essences, or Fossils to turn it into a powerful, rare weapon. Here's a sample progression:
Use a POE chaos Orbs of Alchemy to make it rare.
If needed, reroll affixes using Orbs of Alteration and Augmentation.
Once it has good prefixes or suffixes, consider using Regal Orbs, Exalted Orbs, or crafting benches to fine-tune the stats.
Stats to aim for:
Increased Physical Damage
Added Physical Damage to Attacks
Attack Speed
Critical Strike Multiplier or Chance
Quality (via Blacksmith's Whetstone)
Ideal Builds for Arming Axe
Due to its physical damage scaling and fast base speed, the Arming Axe fits nicely in several archetypes:
1. Dual-Wield Physical Slayer/Champion
Dual-wielding Arming Axes can quickly clear mobs and apply strong single-target pressure. Use support gems like Multistrike, Melee Physical Damage, and Ruthless.
2. Shield-based Gladiator
For survivability, pair the Arming Axe with a shield for added block chance. Combine with bleed-based skills such as Lacerate, Sunder, or Cleave for potent sustained damage.
3. Totem Berserker
Skills like Ancestral Warchief or Ancestral Protector benefit from weapon physical damage. A high-DPS Arming Axe can significantly boost your totem's output.
Tips for Maximizing Arming Axe Effectiveness
Upgrade weapon quality with Blacksmith's Whetstones to boost physical damage.
Craft "+X to Physical Damage" on a crafting bench if the axe is magic or rare.
Combine with passive tree nodes that scale One-Handed Weapon Damage, Axe Damage, or Attack Speed.
Use Herald of Purity or Pride to increase your overall physical output.
Final Thoughts
The Arming Axe is a versatile and reliable weapon choice in Path of Exile's mid-game. With strong physical damage, balanced speed, and straightforward stat requirements, it's an excellent fit for many melee builds focused on clean, efficient combat. Whether dropped, traded, or crafted, securing a good Arming Axe can carry your character through several acts and help establish a strong endgame foundation.
MMOexp POE Team