Summary
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Path of Exile 2 offers various character creation options with different Ancestry classes and unique game-changing items.
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The lightning-based Electrocution and cold-based Freeze builds are dominating the current battle control meta.
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Electrocution stuns enemies with lightning strikes, while freezing freezes enemies in place, both providing effective ways to control the battlefield.
There are many ways to build characters Path of Exile 2and one could argue that the game's title is as much about the story the titular exile experiences as it is about the path players chart for their specific character in terms of how it works. With Path of Exile 2With the selection of six classes, each featuring two potential Ancestry classes, players have plenty of options to choose from in terms of builds, especially with unique items and Keystone passives that are game-changers. However, even in the face of potentially infinite choices, two playstyles dominate the current meta.
It's hard to say by how much Path of Exile 2The current content of will remain the same until the game exits Early Access, and GGG is already making changes to the game and fixing some outliers in terms of balancing abilities. Given that the game is meant to be slower and more methodical than its predecessor, it's fair to assume that some very fast builds might take a hit at some point to promote equality between them. However, the best strategies in the game aren't necessarily about being fast, but about stopping enemies from doing anything.

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Path of Exile 2 has many tools with which players can customize their builds, and a new one fulfills a very specific power fantasy.
Path of Exile 2's lightning-fast and cool builds are the best in the game
There are many ways in which Path of Exile 2 builds can render monsters unable to act or affect how they act, such as cursing them with time chains to make them much slower overall or using the Pin mechanic to stun them on the spot. However, currently the best ways to approach combat are widely considered to be two: Lightning-based Electrocution builds and Cold-based Freeze builds. These two strategies are similar in the results they achieve, but different in how they do it.
Why Path of Exile 2's Electrocution is at the top of the Meta
The goal in both cases is to stun enemies until they are defeated, often buying players precious time even against bosses to reposition themselves, heal themselves with flasks, or continue dealing damage. Electrocution is essentially the Lightning and Shock version of a stun and is mostly used in builds that use one Path of Exile 2 Unique item called Kitoko's Current. What this does is cause lightning strikes of all types, be they spells or attacks, to pile up stacks of electrocution on enemies until they are stunned on the spot. This is especially powerful when used at range, like the popular Stormweaver Spark or Deadeye Lightning Arrow build, as players are safe from damage in the meantime.
Electrocution lasts 5 seconds in PoE 2, meaning players have plenty of time to defeat electrocuted enemies or stay safe while being stunned.
Path of Exile 2 Freeze Builds Explained
The other popular strategy revolves around cold damage, which naturally builds freeze stacks. When Frozen, enemies are effectively frozen in place and stop performing whatever actions they were in the middle of, and on top of that they can be shattered to deal massive AoE damage. This is especially powerful in Path of Exile 2as frozen enemies will be unable to deal damage to players for the duration of the ailment.
Some builds use the Polcirkeln Unique Ring to shatter enemies in mass explosions via Freeze and Herald of Ice.
Electrocution and freezing are two sides of the same coin in PoE 2
In addition to this, potentially dangerous rare monsters in maps can be frozen in place for players to escape from and then kill from afar if they are hit by Path of Exile 2effects on death that might otherwise one-hit characters. Therefore, Electrocution and Freeze are equally powerful ways to control the battlefield, and for this reason, they are currently at the top of the meta for high-end content removal. Whether other strategies end up stealing the spotlight remains to be seen, but for now, Lightning and Cold are probably inherently better than Fire and Chaos.