The Monk class in Path of Exile 2 is an incredibly dynamic and fun class to level, especially for new and veteran players alike. With a mix of elemental damage, high mobility, and stunning abilities, the Monk offers a blend of offense and defense that excels in both clear speed and boss encounters. This guide will walk you through the best leveling build for the Monk, including your skill rotations, passive tree, and key equipment to get you through the campaign and into the endgame!

Build Overview

This Monk leveling build is lightning-focused, designed to clear mobs quickly while also dealing substantial single-target damage during boss fights. You'll start by using Glacial Cascade to manage packs of enemies, but you'll quickly transition to Tempest Flurry, Siphoning Strike, and Falling Thunder for high damage output. Tempest Bell will become your go-to ability for boss DPS, providing massive damage and stagger effects.

Leveling Skills & Support Gems

Early Game (Acts 1-3):

Glacial Cascade: This skill will be your primary tool for clearing packs of enemies. It freezes enemies in place and causes them to shatter when hit by subsequent attacks, allowing you to clear large packs efficiently. You'll use it in combination with Falling Thunder on tougher enemies.

Falling Thunder: Once you've gathered enough Power Charges, you'll use Falling Thunder to deliver massive single-target damage. Focus on generating Power Charges and use Killing Palm to execute enemies at low HP, setting them up for a Falling Thunder slam.

Killing Palm: Use this to execute enemies at low HP, ideally in combination with Glacial Cascade to weaken them. Then, follow up with a Falling Thunder hit for huge burst damage.

Mid to Late Game (Acts 4-6):

Tempest Flurry: Once you reach the mid-game, transition to Tempest Flurry to apply shock consistently. It will be crucial for applying shocks and leveraging Herald of Thunder, which will unleash lightning on your next two attacks after a kill.

Tempest Bell: This skill is perfect for boss fights and high-health monsters. It creates a stationary target that echoes all damage dealt to it, allowing you to enhance your DPS, especially when paired with Glacial Cascade or Tempest Flurry for sustained damage.

Storm Wave: For more lightning-focused gameplay, Storm Wave provides consistent shock and lightning damage, complementing Tempest Flurry and Herald of Thunder.

Passive Tree

For the Monk, you'll want to focus on Evasion/Energy Shield hybrid nodes early on for survivability. Evasion will be crucial for dodging attacks and staying alive during tougher encounters, while Energy Shield acts as a buffer for massive hits from bosses.

Here's a breakdown of key nodes:

Dreamer: This mana regeneration node restores a portion of mana on kills, helping you sustain your skills early on without worrying too much about mana issues.

Blinding Strike: A great choice for the Monk, this node gives a 10% chance to inflict Blind on hit, reducing enemy accuracy and making it easier to dodge attacks.

Power Charge Nodes: Path toward Power Charge nodes to increase the damage scaling of Falling Thunder. These will significantly boost your single-target DPS, especially when combined with Tempest Flurry and Siphoning Strike.

Quarterstaff Nodes: If you plan on using a Quarterstaff as your primary weapon, be sure to grab these nodes for added damage and survivability. It's located near Evasion and Herald nodes, which will synergize well with your overall build.

Ascendancy

The Invoker ascendancy is a top choice for the Monk, as it offers great utility and smooth gameplay for the leveling process while maintaining scalability for the endgame.

I am the Thunder: This node gives you easy access to shocked ground, helping you apply shock with a Siphoning Strike to generate Power Charges for big damage bursts.

And I am the Storm: This is your boss-fight DPS node, providing an increased damage spike for more significant encounters.

Lead Me Through Grace: This node will be useful in endgame content, offering a substantial increase in Spirit once you acquire your endgame gear, giving you more survivability in tougher fights.

Equipment

Quarterstaff: The Quarterstaff is essential for this build. Aim for one with percent physical damage and flat physical damage to maximize your damage output. If you don't have access to an ideal staff right away, any flat damage roll weapon will serve you well during leveling.

Armor: Gear up with Evasion and Energy Shield bases. For your helmet, use one with Energy Shield if you've spent into Subterfuge Mask on your passive tree. If you haven't yet spent into it, a flat HP helmet with resistance will suffice.

Resistances: Early on, focus on resistances and flat HP to help you survive the tougher mobs, especially in the mid-game and boss fights.

Build Tips

Tempest Bell is crucial for boss fights and rare monsters. Don't forget to activate it for the massive DPS boost it provides.

Glacial Cascade and Storm Wave are great tools for dealing with dangerous enemies you can't approach directly. Use them to damage from a distance and weaken enemies before jumping into melee.

Generate Power Charges when possible to enable Falling Thunder during 1v1 boss encounters.

Stay Mobile: The Monk excels at high mobility, so take advantage of it by staying on the move and dodging enemy attacks while dealing damage.

Conclusion

The Monk in Path of Exile 2 is a powerful and dynamic class that combines lightning damage, high mobility, and strong single-target capabilities. By focusing on Evasion, Energy Shield, and Power Charges, you'll be able to breeze through the campaign while being prepared for the endgame.

As for acquiring PoE 2 currency and PoE 2 items, remember that mapping, crafting, and trading are great ways to fuel your character's progression. Keep an eye on those Waystones, Distilled Emotions, and valuable loot drops that will help refine your gear and help with your build's growth.