How to Get the Broad Axe in Path of Exile

The Broad Axe is a reliable one-handed axe base type in Path of Exile, valued for its balance of power and attack speed in early- to mid-game content. This melee weapon can be used across various builds, especially those requiring fast, consistent physical damage. Whether you're a seasoned Exile or a newcomer fine-tuning your melee arsenal, the Broad Axe is a solid stepping stone on your path through Wraeclast.

Broad Axe Overview

In Path of Exile, the Broad Axe falls under the category of one-handed axes—a class of weapons favored for their versatility and speed. These axes are popular among characters that want to dual-wield or carry a shield for additional defense or utility. The Broad Axe delivers moderate physical damage with a dependable attack rate and is particularly useful for builds that benefit from consistent critical strikes or bleed effects.

Here are the detailed stats for the Broad Axe:

    Type: One-Handed Axe

    Physical Damage: 19–34

    Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%

    Attacks per Second: 1.35

    Weapon Range: 1.1 metres

    Item Level Required: 21

    Attributes Required: 54 Strength, 25 Dexterity

With a drop level of 21, this weapon starts appearing as loot relatively early in the mid-game, making it accessible to a wide range of characters progressing through Acts 3–5.

Weapon DPS Breakdown

For many players, one of the key indicators of a weapon's usefulness is its DPS (Damage Per Second). The Broad Axe delivers:

    Physical DPS: 35.8

    Total DPS (Phys + Chaos): 35.8

Since the Broad Axe does not inherently deal chaos or elemental damage, its total DPS is equal to its physical DPS. However, this makes it a prime candidate for modifications using crafting, support gems, or unique affixes that add bonus damage types.

How to Obtain the Broad Axe

There are a few ways you can acquire a Broad Axe in Path of Exile:

1. Loot Drops

The most straightforward way to get a Broad Axe is as a random drop from monsters or chests starting at character level 21. This generally corresponds to mid-Act 3 and beyond. Elite monsters, strongboxes, and boss encounters have higher chances of dropping better-quality gear, including weapon bases like the Broad Axe.

2. Vendor Recipes

Though there is no direct vendor recipe to guarantee a Broad Axe, you can manipulate vendor crafting recipes using magic or rare weapon combinations. Keep an eye on the item level and ensure you're trading in items that align with the 21+ threshold to increase your chances.

3. Crafting and Upgrades

If you find a white (normal) Broad Axe, you can use POE currency like Orbs of Transmutation, Alchemy, or Chaos Orbs to upgrade it to a magic or rare version with desirable stats. If you're deep into crafting, tools like Essences, Fossils, and Harvest mods can help fine-tune the axe for specific builds like bleed, crit, or elemental conversion.

4. Trade with Other Players

In trade leagues, Broad Axes can be easily acquired through player-to-player trading. Use the in-game trade board or external trade sites like poe. trade or the official Path of Exile Trade site. Make sure you're checking item level and modifiers if you're aiming for a specific stat combination.

Best Builds for the Broad Axe

Because of its balanced stats, the Broad Axe works well in early and mid-game builds focused on physical damage. Here are some archetypes where the Broad Axe shines:

    Bleed Gladiator: Thanks to its decent attack speed and base physical damage, the Broad Axe can be paired with Bleed support gems to trigger strong damage-over-time effects.

    Dual-Wield Slayer or Champion: These classes benefit from fast, dual-wield setups that focus on leech and sustained combat.

    Crit Berserker: The 5% base critical strike chance can be scaled with Increased Critical Strikes and multiplier passives, making it viable for crit-heavy melee builds.

Upgrading from the Broad Axe

As you progress through the Acts and enter endgame mapping and boss content, you'll eventually want to replace the Broad Axe with stronger one-handed weapons like:

    Abyssal Axe

    Decorative Axe

    Infernal Axe

These weapons offer higher base DPS, better stat scaling, and deeper potential through affixes. However, for levels 21 through 40, the Broad Axe remains a very efficient and reliable melee weapon base.

Conclusion

The Broad Axe is a dependable mid-game melee weapon in Path of Exile, perfect for players focused on physical damage builds or dual-wielding strategies. With solid base stats and versatility, it's easy to acquire and modify to suit your needs. Whether looted, crafted, or traded, the Broad Axe can help you carve your way through the hordes of Wraeclast with deadly efficiency.

MMOexp POE Team