Path Of Exile 2: How to Build The Smith Of Kitava

Path of Exile 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to Grinding Gear Games' beloved action RPG. While it will share many core gameplay mechanics with the original game, it introduces new skill gems, passive tree updates, and exciting class refinements. Among the diverse and creative builds, the Smith of Kitava stands out as a powerful, versatile melee build that focuses on using Kitava-themed weapons and devastating physical damage.

If you want to crush your enemies with brutal melee strikes, wield the might of Kitava, and dominate the endgame content, this Smith of Kitava build guide is for you. In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover everything from the core concept of the build, skill choices, gear recommendations, passive skill tree, ascendancy options, and gameplay tips.

What is the Smith of Kitava Build?

The Smith of Kitava is a melee-focused build centered around the lore and weaponry of Kitava, the god of destruction in Path of Exile's world. The build channels the power of heavy-hitting axes or maces that are themed around Kitava's brutal nature. It focuses on dealing massive physical damage and leveraging the build's defensive layers to survive in the toughest fights.

The Smith of Kitava thrives on:

High melee physical damage output

Strong area of effect damage with cleave or heavy swings

Good survivability through armor, life, and sometimes block or dodge mechanics

Reliable crowd control and boss-killing potential

This makes the build a solid choice for both new and experienced players who want a straightforward yet effective melee character in Path of Exile 2.

Class and Ascendancy Choice

Class: Marauder / Duelist Hybrid

The build can start from either the Marauder or Duelist classes in PoE 2. Both classes provide strong melee foundations.

Marauder offers excellent base life, armor, and physical damage nodes, which align perfectly with the Smith of Kitava's heavy melee theme.

Duelist grants better attack speed and critical strike chance, useful if you want to focus on faster hits or critical damage scaling.

Ascendancy: Juggernaut (Marauder) or Slayer (Duelist)

Juggernaut is recommended if you want to maximize survivability. Juggernaut ascendancy provides strong physical damage reduction, armor bonuses, endurance charges, and stun immunity-ideal for tanking hits while dealing heavy blows.

Slayer is better if you prefer an aggressive, high-damage approach with life leech and critical strike mechanics. Slayer ascendancy excels in offensive power and sustain, with powerful modifiers to damage and speed.

Key Skill Gems and Mechanics

Smith of Kitava build revolves around specific melee skill gems that bring out the best in heavy weapons.

Main Skill: Cleave or Heavy Strike

Cleave is excellent for dealing area damage and clearing groups quickly, perfect for farming and mapping.

Heavy Strike packs a massive single-target punch, ideal for bosses and tougher enemies.

Support Gems:

Melee Physical Damage Support: Boosts your physical damage output significantly.

Fortify Support: Grants defensive buffs, reducing incoming damage.

Increased Area of Effect Support (for Cleave): Expands the area your attacks cover.

Multistrike Support (if available in PoE 2): Allows multiple attacks per trigger for faster damage.

Brutality Support (if available): Converts your damage to pure physical, sacrificing elemental damage for raw power.

Life Leech Support or Leeching Support: Provides sustain during fights.

Passive Skill Tree Overview

The passive skill tree for Smith of Kitava focuses on the following:

Physical Damage nodes: These increase your melee physical damage, weapon damage, and general attack damage.

Life and Armor nodes: To maximize survivability, focus on increased life, armor, and endurance charge nodes.

Weapon-specific nodes: Pick nodes that enhance axes or maces, depending on your weapon choice.

Attack speed and critical strike nodes: Optional, based on your preferred playstyle.

Area damage or AoE nodes: If using Cleave or other AoE skills, prioritize these.

A rough example route could be:

Starting at Marauder: take life, armor, and melee physical damage nodes near the starting area.

Move toward nodes enhancing your weapon type (axes or maces).

Cluster around endurance charge nodes for survivability.

Extend toward area damage nodes if using Cleave.

Pick up attack speed and leech if desired.

Weapon and Gear Recommendations

Weapon

Your weapon choice is critical in this build.

Kitava's Signature Axe or Mace: These unique weapons (or similar-themed items in PoE 2) synergize with the Smith of Kitava theme, providing bonuses to physical damage, attack speed, or life leech.

High Physical Damage Two-Handed Axe or Mace: Two-handed weapons benefit from the build's heavy-hitting nature.

Crafted Weapons with Physical Damage and Attack Speed: Prioritize weapons with modifiers like "+ to Physical Damage," "Increased Attack Speed," and "Life Leech."

Armor

Chest: Aim for high life, armor, and resistances.

Helmet and Gloves: Look for life and increased melee damage.

Boots: Movement speed and resistances.

Belt: Stygian Vise or leather belt with life and resistances.

Rings and Amulets: Increased physical damage, life, and resistances.

Jewels

Physical damage or life jewels placed near key nodes in the passive tree enhance the build significantly.

Bandits and Pantheon Choices

Bandits

Help Alira (for critical strike and resistances) if playing Duelist Slayer.

Kill All (for the extra passive points) if you want more customization.

Help Oak (for life and physical damage reduction) if survivability is priority.

Pantheon

Soul of Lunaris: Provides movement speed and physical damage reduction.

Soul of Shakari: For poison immunity and chaos resistance.

Soul of Brine King: For crowd control reduction.

Choose the Pantheon souls based on your playstyle and map challenges.

Gameplay Tips and Strategies

Leveling

Early game, focus on upgrading your weapon and increasing your life pool.

Use skills like Heavy Strike or Cleave with lesser supports until you can equip better gems.

Prioritize survivability to reduce downtime.

Endgame

Keep upgrading your weapon with better physical damage rolls.

Optimize your defensive layers with armor and life.

Use flasks effectively: instant life flask, basalt flask (for armor boost), and diamond flask (for critical strike if applicable).

Learn boss mechanics and use positioning to your advantage.

Playstyle

Engage enemies directly; use your high life and armor to tank damage.

Position to maximize Cleave's area for clearing packs.

Use movement skills (like Leap Slam or Whirling Blades if available) to quickly close gaps.

Keep your Fortify buff up for damage mitigation.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

Strong physical damage output.

Excellent survivability through armor, life, and endurance charges.

Good AoE for fast map clearing.

Straightforward gameplay, great for new players.

Weaknesses

Can be vulnerable to elemental or chaos damage without proper resistances.

Relies heavily on good weaponry for optimal damage.

Movement speed may be lower than ranged or caster builds.

Requires careful management of defenses against elemental burst damage.

Conclusion

The Smith of Kitava build in Path of Exile 2 is a powerful melee option that channels the god of destruction's raw might. It offers a balanced mix of offense and defense, making it both accessible to new players and rewarding for veterans - get more POE2 Currency and Path of Exile 2 Items easy. By focusing on heavy physical damage, solid survivability, and versatile skill setups, the Smith of Kitava can blaze through maps and bosses alike.

If you enjoy smashing enemies up close with brutal two-handed weapons and want a thematic build rooted in Path of Exile's lore, the Smith of Kitava is an excellent choice. With proper gear, a well-planned passive skill tree, and smart gameplay, you'll wield the hammer of destruction and leave your foes in ruins.

MMOexp POE 2 Team