Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict - 7 Best Melee Builds for Patch 0.3.0

Are you tired of being one-shot by enemies in Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict (TTE)? Whether you want a high-mobility melee specialist or a tanky bruiser capable of soaking hits, this guide covers the 7 best melee builds for the TTE League. Prepare to dominate mobs, bosses, and everything in between!

If you want to maximize these builds, equipping the right gear is crucial. Our PoE 2 Store has every POE 2 currency and POE2 items you'll need to get the most out of your characters without endless grinding.

What Makes a Top Melee Build in PoE 2?

Before diving into builds, let's define what separates a strong melee character from a mediocre one:

Reliable Damage Output: Melee builds need enough firepower to obliterate mobs quickly. Surrounded by enemies? Without sufficient damage, death comes fast.

Strong Defenses: PoE 2 is fast-paced. High armor, evasion, and energy shield allow your build to survive chaos in the thick of battle.

Mobility: Even tanky builds need ways to escape dangerous situations. Boss slam attacks can decimate the unprepared.

Gear Progression: While top-tier items amplify effectiveness, a good melee build should remain viable without expensive investments.

The 7 Best Melee Builds in Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict

7. Flicker Strike Invoker

Love teleporting from enemy to enemy? The Flicker Strike Invoker lets you do exactly that. Flicker Strike teleports you to enemies, with distance determined by your Power Charges. Power Charges are primarily generated through Profane Ritual, which marks corpses for chaos damage and then consumes them for charges.

For bosses, the combination of Rattling Sceptre, Sacrifice, and Profane Ritual ensures a constant flow of charges. Storm Wave or Ice Strike can supplement Power Charge generation during mapping.

Gear highlights:

Collapsing Horizon or high physical damage Sinister Staff for massive attack speed and crit.

Kamasan Tiara or INT-based helmets for a high energy shield to survive Chaos Inoculation.

Focus on evasion and energy shield across all gear.

Invoker melds offense with defense, with ascendancy nodes like I am the Blizzard, I am the Thunder boosting damage and Lead Me Through Grace providing Spirit for persistent buffs. Fast, engaging, and extremely fun, this build can clear content in under three minutes with proper investment.

6. Titan Thor Mjölner

Ever wanted to feel like Thor? Titan Thor Mjölner lets you channel the God of Thunder's power. Using Mjölner, each melee hit can trigger Lightning Spell on Melee Hit and teleport you via Lightning Warp.

Core skills: Earthquake and Ancestral Warrior Totem (with Rolling Slam) handle both mobs and bosses.

Gear essentials:

Mjölner (high-cost, but purchasable via PoE 2 Store)

The Vertex to meet Mjölner's INT requirement.

Titan ascendancy increases AoE and enhances Earthquake, making this a satisfying and visually powerful build. Fun, destructive, and cinematic.

5. Boneshatter Smith of Kitava

If survivability is your priority, the Boneshatter Smith of Kitava is virtually immortal. Its combination of Leap Slam, Boneshatter, and Earthshatter/Hammer of the Gods ensures you can facetank even pinnacle bosses.

Ascendancy perks:

Smith's Masterwork boosts body armor.

Coal Stoker and Forged in Flame handle resistances.

Gear:

Corrupted Ornate Plate with three sockets.

Affordable Infernoclasp belt for fire resistance.

Two-handed mace with “+ to Level of All Melee Skills” for max damage output.

SSF-friendly and extremely tanky, this build excels at slow, deliberate combat while dishing massive damage.

4. Whirling Slash Amazon

The Whirling Slash Amazon is a “spin-to-win” build perfect for AoE destruction. Unlike Lightning Spear-focused Amazons, this build emphasizes Whirling Slash or Whirlwind Lance for continuous area damage.

Gear highlights:

Seaglass Spear for crit, attack speed, and flat lightning damage.

Wake of Destruction boots for Lightning Damage to Attacks and Shocked Ground.

The Deepest Tower helmet unlocks the build's true potential.

Crit-focused, AoE-heavy, and fluid, this build may take some practice but is extremely rewarding once mastered.

3. Bleed Blood Mage

Want a hybrid melee and ranged build? The Bleed Blood Mage uses Rake and Blood Hunt for bosses and Lightning Spear for clearing mobs.

Gear and synergy:

Tangletongue for crit.

Crown of Eyes and Threaded Light to boost spell damage and Spirit.

Bleed damage scales with critical hits, and ascendancy nodes like Blood Barbs and Gore Spike maximize single-target devastation.

2. Primal Strikes Amazon

A versatile hybrid, the Primal Strikes Amazon combines Lightning Spear for mapping with Primal Strikes for devastating melee combos. The build relies on inflicting Shock before engaging with Primal Strikes.

Supporting skills:

Storm Lance or Thunderous Leap for consistent Shock.

Gear essentials:

Tangletongue and Hand of Wisdom and Action for boosting INT and critical damage.

High damage output, accessible gear options, and effective mapping make this build a strong alternative to standard Lightning Spear Amazons.

1. Wind Serpent's Fury Deadeye

The crown jewel of melee builds, the Wind Serpent's Fury Deadeye can one-shot T4 pinnacle bosses with proper positioning.

Core skills: Wind Serpent's Fury with Frenzy Charges.

Gear recommendations:

Tangletongue for critical strikes.

Sacred Flame sceptre for bonus fire damage.

Beacon of Azis amulet to ignore elemental resistances.

Deadeye ascendancy nodes Avidity and Thrilling Chase maximize Frenzy Charge usage, making this build the pinnacle of burst damage in PoE 2.

Final Thoughts

These seven builds showcase the best melee strategies in Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict. High-mobility builds like Flicker Strike Invoker and Titan Thor Mjölner shine in mapping speed, while Boneshatter Smith of Kitava offers unparalleled durability. Hybrid builds like Bleed Blood Mage and Primal Strikes Amazon provide versatility, and Wind Serpent's Fury Deadeye reigns supreme for raw burst damage.

No matter your playstyle, these builds are designed to make melee combat in PoE 2 both effective and exciting. All the items mentioned can be purchased from our PoE 2 Store, saving you countless hours of grinding and letting you focus on mastering these incredible builds.

MMOexp POE 2 Team