How to Get the Rusted Hatchet in Path of Exile

In Path of Exile, early-game weapon choices can significantly influence your build's momentum and progression. One such early-game weapon is the Rusted Hatchet, a humble one-handed axe that serves as an effective starting option for many melee characters. While it might not seem particularly flashy, understanding its stats, use cases, and acquisition can give players a smoother start in Wraeclast. Here's a breakdown of everything you need to know about obtaining and optimizing the Rusted Hatchet.

What Is the Rusted Hatchet?

The Rusted Hatchet is a one-handed axe in Path of Exile, categorized as a common base-type weapon. Though basic in design, it serves as the foundation for several unique items and can appear with random modifiers, making it a surprisingly versatile early tool.

Rusted Hatchet Base Stats:

    Physical Damage: 6-11

    Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%

    Attacks per Second: 1.50

    Weapon Range: 1.1 meters

    Drop Level: 2

With a weapon DPS (damage per second) of 12.8, the Rusted Hatchet delivers a respectable performance in early zones, particularly for characters relying on Physical or Chaos damage scaling.

Where and How to Get the Rusted Hatchet

The Rusted Hatchet is a natural drop from enemies beginning at level 2, meaning it can be found extremely early in the game, often within the first few zones, such as The Twilight Strand or The Coast on the starting island.

   1. Monster Drops

    The Rusted Hatchet can drop randomly from monsters beginning at level 2. Simply progressing through the early acts of the game, particularly Act 1, is often enough to encounter several of these.

   2. Vendors

    Weapons vendors in Lioneye's Watch and other Act 1 towns may stock Rusted Hatchets periodically. You can either purchase it with Scrolls of Wisdom or trade in gear for a chance at vendor recipes that yield one-handed axes.

  3. Crafting and Vendor Recipes

    Although the Rusted Hatchet itself doesn't have a direct vendor recipe, crafting basic weapons with Orb of Transmutation and later augmenting with Orbs of Augmentation can lead to usable magic versions early on.

  4. Loot Chests

    Many chests in early areas may contain low-level weapons, including Rusted Hatchets, especially those themed around weapons or melee gear.

Why Use the Rusted Hatchet?

While the Rusted Hatchet is not meant for late-game content, it serves several early-game functions exceptionally well:

 1. Fast Attack Speed: With 1.50 attacks per second, it's a quick weapon for builds that focus on hit frequency (e.g., Cleave, Dual Strike, or Reave).

 2. Low-Level Requirement: Its drop level of 2 means almost any class can equip it within minutes of starting a new character.

 3. Dual-Wield Compatibility: You can equip two Rusted Hatchets to benefit from dual-wielding bonuses such as increased attack speed or block chance.

 4. Useful Base for Crafting: While not optimal for mid- or end-game, Rusted Hatchets can be used as crafting bases for experimenting with low-level modifiers.

Unique Items Based on Rusted Hatchet

Several unique weapons in Path of Exile are derived from the Rusted Hatchet base type. While the base stats remain largely similar, these items come with predetermined modifiers that offer unique benefits, making them viable for specific builds.

Although unique versions of the Rusted Hatchet are rare, when they do drop or are obtained through deterministic crafting, they often provide unique effects such as:

    Life leech on hit

    Increased attack speed

    Added physical or elemental damage

    Bonus to early critical strikes

Some players seek these items early on for niche builds or simply for the fun of trying out off-meta setups during leagues.

Best Builds That Use Rusted Hatchet Early On

In the earliest stages of a character's journey, the Rusted Hatchet can support a wide range of builds, including:

 1. Dual-Wield Melee Builds

    Skills like Dual Strike, Cleave, and Double Strike benefit from the speed and availability of Rusted Hatchets.

 2. Bleed Builds

    Because of its base physical damage, the Rusted Hatchet works decently with early bleed-focused setups, although you'll eventually want to upgrade.

 3. Totem Attack Builds

    Early Ancestral Protector or Ancestral Warchief builds can use a Rusted Hatchet while progressing through Act 1 and beyond.

When to Replace the Rusted Hatchet

Although functional in the early game, the Rusted Hatchet is outclassed relatively quickly by higher-level axe bases such as:

    Jade Hatchet

    Boarding Axe

    Abyssal Axe (for higher-end builds)

Typically, players will start transitioning out of Rusted Hatchets by the time they reach The Cavern of Wrath or Merveil's Lair, depending on drops and vendor stock.

Final Thoughts

The Rusted Hatchet is not a flashy or powerful endgame weapon, but it remains a crucial tool for early-game melee characters in Path of Exile. Its low-level requirement, fast attack speed, and accessibility make it a go-to choice during the opening stages of any melee campaign. Whether you're racing through a fresh league start or experimenting with a new character, keeping an eye out for this humble axe can make those first few levels a lot smoother.

As with all POE currency and POE goods , what you do with the Rusted Hatchet is ultimately up to your build, your creativity, and your luck in Wraeclast.

MMOexp POE Team