The Ascendancy Classes: Specialization and Power in POE 1

[NoodlePirate]

When players first create a character in POE 1, they choose from seven base classes. Each class has a starting location on the passive skill tree and a certain bias toward strength, dexterity, or intelligence. But these base classes are only the beginning. The true identity of a character is determined by their Ascendancy, a specialized subclass that unlocks after completing the Labyrinth. Choosing an Ascendancy is one of the most important decisions in the game, one that shapes every aspect of how a character plays.

Each base class has three Ascendancy options, for a total of nineteen distinct subclasses. The Marauder can become a Juggernaut, focused on physical damage and unstoppable durability. He can become a Berserker, trading defense for overwhelming offensive power. He can become a Chieftain, mastering fire damage and totems. Three different Ascendancies, three completely different playstyles, all from the same starting point.

The Ranger's Ascendancies offer similar variety. The Deadeye specializes in projectiles, chain, and accuracy. The Raider focuses on onslaught, phasing, and elemental damage. The Pathfinder excels at flasks, poison, and elemental proliferation. A Ranger player can build a bow character, a melee character, or even a spellcaster by choosing the right Ascendancy and pathing appropriately on the tree.

The Witch's Ascendancies lean into the arcane. The Elementalist masters the elements, with bonuses to shock, ignite, and freeze. The Occultist focuses on curses, energy shield, and chaos damage. The Necromancer commands armies of the dead, with unparalleled minion scaling. Each Ascendancy transforms the Witch into something completely different.

The Duelist offers the Slayer, a leech-focused powerhouse; the Gladiator, a block and bleed specialist; and the Champion, an aura and impale expert. The Shadow can become the Assassin for critical strikes, the Saboteur for traps and mines, or the Trickster for speed and recovery. The Templar's Ascendancies include the Inquisitor for elemental balance, the Hierophant for totems and brands, and the Guardian for support and minions. The Scion, unlocked later, has her own unique Ascendancy that offers flexibility at the cost of specialization.

What makes Ascendancies so compelling is the power they grant. Ascendancy nodes are not small bonuses; they are build-defining mechanics. The Juggernaut's Unstoppable node makes him immune to stuns and slows. The Deadeye's Far Shot node grants up to sixty percent more damage based on distance. The Necromancer's Commander of Darkness grants damage and attack speed per aura. These nodes fundamentally change how a build functions, enabling strategies that would be impossible otherwise.

The choice of Ascendancy also determines a character's endgame potential. Some Ascendancies excel at mapping, clearing screens of monsters with ease. Others specialize in bossing, with single-target damage that can melt Uber bosses. Some are generalists, capable of handling all content with balanced power. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each Ascendancy is essential for players pushing the highest tiers of content.

For players who want to experience everything POE 1 has to offer, multiple characters are inevitable. Each Ascendancy offers a unique playstyle, a new way to engage with the game's systems. A player who has only played a Juggernaut has not truly experienced Path of Exile. The game's depth is revealed through its diversity, through the nineteen different ways to approach its challenges.

The Ascendancy classes of POE 1 Items represent the game's commitment to player choice. They ensure that no two characters need to be the same, that every league can be a chance to try something new, and that the possibilities for build creation are nearly infinite. In a game defined by its depth, the Ascendancies are the deepest cut of all.