10 Best Skill Gems For Mercenary Builds In Path of Exile 2

The Mercenary class in Path of Exile 2 is a flexible fighter that can shine in both melee and ranged combat. This makes it a great option for players who want to experiment with different playstyles. Whether you prefer dealing heavy damage up close, striking from a distance, or combining offense and defense, the Mercenary can adapt to your preferences.

However, to get the most out of the Mercenary, choosing the right skill gems is key. These skills shape how your character performs and help you handle tougher enemies and bosses. With so many options available, knowing which skill gems work best can save time and make your build stronger.

In this article, we’ll go over the 10 best skill gems for Mercenary builds in Path of Exile 2. Whether you’re just starting out or planning your endgame setup, these picks will help you create a powerful character that can handle any challenge. Let’s get started!

#10: Rapid Shot

Rapid Shot is a great skill gem for Mercenaries who focus on ranged combat. This ability fires a quick succession of projectiles, allowing you to deal consistent damage to enemies from a safe distance. It’s perfect for taking down groups of enemies or softening up tougher targets before closing the gap.

The strength of Rapid Shot lies in its speed and versatility. It pairs well with builds that emphasize attack speed and critical strikes, making it an excellent choice for players who want a fast-paced playstyle. Additionally, its ranged nature helps Mercenaries stay mobile and out of danger while still dishing out damage.

To maximize Rapid Shot’s effectiveness, combine it with support gems that enhance projectile damage, attack speed, or elemental effects if your build leans that way. It’s also great for builds that rely on generating Frenzy Charges, as its rapid-fire nature ensures you’ll keep them up consistently.

For Mercenaries who enjoy quick and efficient ranged attacks, Rapid Shot is a solid skill to include in your arsenal in Path of Exile 2.

#9: Galvanic Shards

Galvanic Shards is an excellent skill gem for Mercenaries who want to combine elemental damage with versatility. This skill fires a series of electric shards that explode on impact, dealing lightning damage to enemies in the area. Its mix of single-target and area-of-effect capabilities makes it ideal for clearing groups of enemies while still being effective against tougher foes.

What makes Galvanic Shards stand out is its ability to scale with both projectile and elemental damage, allowing players to customize it for their specific build. The shards’ explosions can chain through groups of enemies, creating a satisfying and efficient way to handle packs, especially in crowded areas.

To get the most out of Galvanic Shards, pair it with support gems that enhance lightning damage, critical strike chance, or projectile speed. It’s also a great option for builds that capitalize on shock effects, as it can help increase damage dealt to enemies by applying this status.

For Mercenaries looking to add some elemental flair to their combat style, Galvanic Shards offers a strong balance of power and flexibility in Path of Exile 2.

#8: Herald of Thunder

Herald of Thunder is a great utility gem for Mercenary builds that want to add elemental damage and enhance their overall offensive power. This skill provides a passive boost to lightning damage while activating a lightning storm effect whenever you kill a shocked enemy. The result is a consistent flow of extra damage that is especially effective for clearing packs of enemies.

What makes Herald of Thunder particularly useful for Mercenaries is its synergy with hybrid builds that combine melee or ranged attacks with elemental effects. The lightning strikes triggered by the skill can help deal with smaller enemies while you focus on bigger threats, making it a valuable addition to both AoE and single-target scenarios.

To maximize Herald of Thunder, pair it with builds that increase your chance to shock enemies or enhance lightning damage. Combining it with skills like Galvanic Shards or Rapid Shot can further boost your ability to trigger its effects and clear waves of enemies quickly.

For Mercenaries looking for an easy way to add consistent damage and elemental utility to their build, Herald of Thunder is a solid and versatile choice in Path of Exile 2.

#7: Ripwire Ballista

Ripwire Ballista is a highly effective skill gem for Mercenaries who want to incorporate traps into their combat strategy. This skill deploys a ballista that fires wires to pull and immobilize enemies, providing excellent crowd control while dealing physical damage. Its ability to lock down enemies makes it a valuable tool for keeping dangerous foes at bay while you deal with other threats.

The strength of Ripwire Ballista lies in its versatility. It can be used defensively to control aggressive enemies or offensively to set up devastating combos. For Mercenary builds that rely on fast-paced combat, the ballista provides a much-needed break from the action by slowing down enemies and giving you time to reposition.

To maximize Ripwire Ballista, pair it with support gems that enhance physical damage, increase trap duration, or boost your overall attack speed. Combining it with AoE or burst-damage skills allows you to take advantage of immobilized enemies for maximum efficiency.

For Mercenaries looking to balance offense and crowd control, Ripwire Ballista is an excellent choice that adds utility and power to any build in Path of Exile 2.

#6: Gas Grenade

Gas Grenade is a fantastic utility skill for Mercenaries who want to control the battlefield while dealing damage over time. When thrown, the grenade creates a cloud of toxic gas that lingers in the area, poisoning enemies caught within its radius. This makes it an ideal tool for softening up groups of enemies or slowing down tougher foes as they take damage over time.

The lingering poison effect is especially useful for kiting enemies or holding choke points, allowing you to maintain a safe distance while dealing consistent damage. Gas Grenade works particularly well in hybrid builds that combine physical attacks with damage-over-time mechanics, giving Mercenaries more options to handle different situations.

To maximize the effectiveness of Gas Grenade, pair it with support gems that enhance poison damage, increase area of effect, or boost the duration of its lingering cloud. It’s also a great addition to builds that rely on hit-and-run tactics, as it allows you to deal damage while repositioning for your next attack.

For Mercenaries who value tactical gameplay and damage over time, Gas Grenade is a versatile and powerful skill to include in Path of Exile 2.

#5: Explosive Shot

Explosive Shot is a powerful skill gem for Mercenaries who favor ranged combat and want to deal devastating area-of-effect damage. This skill fires an arrow that detonates upon impact, dealing high physical damage to the primary target and additional AoE damage to surrounding enemies. Its ability to clear packs of enemies while maintaining solid single-target damage makes it an excellent all-around choice for Mercenary builds.

The strength of Explosive Shot lies in its versatility. Whether you’re clearing maps or taking down bosses, this skill delivers consistent and reliable damage. It pairs particularly well with hybrid builds that convert physical damage into elemental damage, allowing you to take full advantage of scaling through elemental penetration or status effects like burning or shocking.

To maximize Explosive Shot, pair it with support gems that enhance AoE damage, critical strikes, or elemental conversion. It’s also effective when used alongside passives or gear that increase projectile speed and attack speed, further amplifying its destructive potential.

For Mercenaries who want a high-impact skill that can handle both mobs and tougher enemies, Explosive Shot is a must-have gem in Path of Exile 2. Its combination of raw power and versatility makes it a standout choice for any ranged-focused build.

#4: Oil Grenade

Oil Grenade is a versatile and tactical skill gem for Mercenaries who want to weaken enemies while maintaining control of the battlefield. This skill throws a grenade that creates an oil slick upon impact, slowing down enemies caught in its radius and reducing their mobility. It’s an excellent tool for controlling large groups of enemies or creating space during chaotic fights.

What makes Oil Grenade particularly effective is its synergy with damage-over-time or AoE builds. Enemies slowed by the oil slick become easier to hit with other skills, making it ideal for setting up combos. The slowdown effect also provides breathing room for Mercenaries to reposition or deal damage from a safer distance, especially in high-pressure encounters.

To make the most of Oil Grenade, pair it with support gems that increase the area of effect or duration of the slick. It also works well alongside poison or ignite-focused builds, as lingering effects like damage over time are amplified when enemies are stuck in the oil.

For Mercenaries who value crowd control and tactical combat, Oil Grenade is a fantastic skill that offers both utility and synergy with various build types in Path of Exile 2.

#3: Stormblast Bolts

Stormblast Bolts is a top-tier skill gem for Mercenaries who want to incorporate elemental damage into their arsenal. This skill fires a series of bolts that explode on impact, dealing lightning damage to enemies in the area. Its combination of single-target and AoE damage makes it effective for both clearing mobs and taking on tougher enemies.

What makes Stormblast Bolts stand out is its versatility and ability to scale with elemental and projectile damage. The lightning explosions not only deal significant damage but also have the potential to shock enemies, increasing the damage they take from all sources. This makes it a great choice for builds that focus on high burst damage or crowd control.

To maximize Stormblast Bolts, pair it with support gems that enhance elemental damage, increase projectile speed, or boost critical strike chance. Passive skills or gear that improve shock effectiveness or lightning penetration will further amplify its damage potential, making it a devastating tool in your Mercenary’s kit.

For players who want a skill that balances raw power with utility, Stormblast Bolts is a must-have for any Mercenary build in Path of Exile 2. Its combination of consistent damage and crowd control makes it one of the best choices for hybrid or elemental-focused setups.

#2: Plasma Blast

Plasma Blast is a devastating skill gem for Mercenaries who want a high-impact ability that excels at clearing enemies and dealing burst damage. This skill launches a concentrated plasma charge that explodes on impact, dealing a mix of physical and elemental damage in a large area. Its ability to scale with both physical and elemental builds makes it incredibly versatile and powerful in various scenarios.

The true strength of Plasma Blast lies in its ability to handle both mob clearing and single-target damage with ease. The wide explosion radius ensures you can eliminate groups of enemies efficiently, while its raw power makes it an effective choice against tougher bosses. Additionally, the plasma charge can inflict status effects like ignite or shock, adding even more value to elemental builds.

To maximize Plasma Blast, pair it with support gems that boost area damage, elemental penetration, or critical strike multiplier. Combining it with passives or gear that enhance physical-to-elemental conversion or amplify AoE effects can take its damage output to the next level.

For Mercenaries looking for a skill that combines explosive power with versatility, Plasma Blast is one of the best options in Path of Exile 2. Its ability to adapt to different builds and combat situations makes it a standout gem for any hybrid-focused player.

#1: Emergency Reload

Emergency Reload is the ultimate skill gem for Mercenaries in Path of Exile 2, offering a unique combination of utility and burst damage that can make all the difference in tight situations. This skill quickly reloads your ammo or skill charges while delivering a high-damage attack, allowing you to maintain your offensive momentum even during extended battles.

What makes Emergency Reload so effective is its versatility and ability to fit seamlessly into any Mercenary build. Whether you’re focused on ranged combat or hybrid melee-ranged setups, this skill ensures you never lose damage output due to downtime. Additionally, the attack itself deals significant damage, making it useful for both clearing mobs and hitting single targets hard.

To get the most out of Emergency Reload, pair it with support gems that enhance attack speed, critical strikes, or elemental damage, depending on your build. It also synergizes well with passives or gear that improve resource management or reduce cooldown times, ensuring you can use the skill as often as needed.

For Mercenaries looking for a reliable and powerful skill to maintain their offensive edge in any situation, Emergency Reload is an essential gem. Its combination of utility, damage, and adaptability makes it the top choice for maximizing your build’s potential in Path of Exile 2.

Conclusion

Building a powerful Mercenary in Path of Exile 2 starts with choosing the right skill gems. Whether you’re aiming for high burst damage, reliable crowd control, or tactical versatility, these 10 skill gems offer a range of options to suit different playstyles. From the explosive power of Plasma Blast to the tactical utility of Oil Grenade and the consistent damage of Rapid Shot, each gem can help you dominate the battlefield in your own way.

The Mercenary’s strength lies in its flexibility, allowing you to create hybrid builds that excel in both melee and ranged combat. By carefully pairing skill gems with support gems, passives, and gear, you can unlock the full potential of this versatile class and handle any challenge Wraeclast throws at you.

Experiment with these skill gems, refine your build, and take your Mercenary to the next level. No matter your preferred combat style, the right combination of skills will make your journey through Path of Exile 2 both exciting and rewarding!