PoE 2 Tier List - Best Class & Builds for Race Event

What to win a Demigod in the Path of Exile 2 first Race Event? Find the fastest classes and builds for the Race in this PoE 2 Tier List!

PoE 2 Best Class & Build Tier List for Race Event

Grinding Gear Games has announced a series of race events in March leading up to the release of Patch 0.2 for Path of Exile 2 Early Access. These races will challenge players to complete the campaign up to Dorani on Normal difficulty as quickly as possible using a fresh SSF character. The fastest player from each class will receive an exclusive helmet, while the final race winner will earn a high-end gaming laptop.

With these races approaching, I wanted to break down which classes have the best chances of completing the campaign the fastest. This ranking is based on three key factors: early-game damage, movement abilities and passives, and survivability. The class that excels in these areas will have the best shot at winning.

Since campaign progression is heavily influenced by boss fights, having strong early-game damage and mobility is essential. Boss encounters can be punishing, especially if you're under-leveled or poorly geared. Additionally, dying in the race results in a one-minute penalty where your character is completely immobilized, which is a major setback.

These rankings are based on our personal experience with over 600 hours in the game, much of which was spent playing SSF on fresh characters. This analysis assumes that each class will play within its intended design, utilizing weapon skills meant for them. While this may not reflect the exact race meta, it provides a structured comparison.

#1 - Monk: The Best Choice for the Race

At the top of the rankings is the Monk. Offensively, Monks deal massive damage early on with Glacial Cascade and Tempest Bell, both of which destroy bosses efficiently. This becomes even stronger with Ice Strike at level 14, which, when combined with Herald of Ice, allows for rapid clearing.

Mobility is where the Monk truly shines. He gains access to Killing Palm early on, which lets him teleport to enemies. This effectively allows him to blink between packs, making him the most mobile class in the race. Additionally, his passive tree provides several movement speed bonuses, further increasing his speed.

Defensively, Monks are initially fragile, but their reliance on Energy Shield and Evasion makes them much harder to hit as they progress. If they acquire a Spirit body armor early on, they can use Grim Feast or Wind Dancer in combination with Herald of Ice for even greater survivability.

Best Monk Build for Race - Ice Herald Speed Build

Monk is arguably the best class for speedrunning, thanks to its attack speed nodes and movement speed passives. Ice Herald enhances clearing potential while maintaining high mobility.

Skill Progression

• Level 1-10: Ice Herald

• Provides passive cold damage and AoE clearing.

• Level 10+: Improved Ice Herald

• Further increases clear speed.

• Level 20+: Rolling Strike (Optional)

• Can be useful for mobility.

Support Gems

• Cold Infusion (Boosts Ice Herald's damage)

• Momentum (Attack Speed & Movement Speed)

• Brutality (For extra damage if available)

Passive Tree Pathing

• Attack Speed & Cold Damage nodes for early scaling.

• Movement Speed for faster progression.

Strategy

• Keep moving while Ice Herald clears enemies.

• Avoid unnecessary fights—focus on bosses and key objectives.

• Use mobility skills effectively to reduce downtime between fights.

Based on my experience, the Monk is the strongest starting class in SSF, making him the best choice for the race.

#2 - Warrior: Surprisingly Strong Early On

Despite the general perception that Warriors are slow and clunky, they are actually quite powerful in the early game. Bone Shatter provides excellent pack-clearing potential, while Earthquake excels at dealing boss damage.

One of the biggest advantages of the Warrior is that he gains Perfect Strike at level 5, which significantly boosts his damage output. Additionally, he unlocks Shield Charge at level 3, one of the best movement abilities in the game. This early access to mobility makes him one of the fastest-moving classes in the campaign.

Defensively, the Warrior feels solid thanks to his armor and block chance, which work well in the early game. His naturally high HP from strength scaling allows him to tank some hits, reducing the risk of death. While his passive tree doesn’t offer much in terms of movement speed, Shield Charge more than makes up for it.

Best Warrior Build for Race - Earthquake Fast Forward Build

This build aims to solve Warrior’s biggest weakness—the inability to attack while moving. Earthquake + Fast Forward allows continuous AoE clearing while progressing through the map.

Skill Progression

• Level 1-10: Bone Shatter (Placeholder until Earthquake)

• Level 10+: Earthquake

• Drops Tremors that explode after a delay.

• Enables attack-and-move gameplay, crucial for speedrunning.

Support Gems

• Fast Forward (Reduces Earthquake delay)

• Magnified Effect (Larger AoE for better clear)

• Infernal Cry (Massive damage boost for bosses)

Passive Tree Pathing

• Prioritize Skill Speed nodes early (to improve Earthquake activation).

• Melee Damage & Stun Effectiveness for better boss damage.

Strategy

• Use Earthquake while moving to clear packs without stopping.

• Infernal Cry before bosses for extra burst damage.

• Two-handed weapons are crucial, but bad RNG can make this build rough.

#3 - Ranger: Strong Damage, Limited Mobility

The Ranger starts strong with Lightning Arrow and Lightning Rod, both of which remain viable throughout the campaign and into the endgame. Once she acquires her first Spirit gem, she can choose between Herald of Lightning for extra clearing speed or Wind Dancer for additional defense, both of which provide a notable early-game advantage.

A well-geared Ranger with a good bow and quiver can eliminate early bosses with ease. However, her biggest drawback is movement. While she has access to multiple movement speed bonuses in her passive tree and can gain Tailwind from the Deadeye ascendancy, she lacks a proper movement skill.

If the Ranger stacks too much movement speed, she risks sacrificing damage, which can slow down boss kill times. Defensively, she relies primarily on evasion, which can be unreliable. To compensate, she may need to incorporate Energy Shield into her build, adding complexity to her gearing process.

Best Ranger Build for Race - Bow Speedrun Build

Ranger has amazing mobility and high attack speed, making it an excellent class for speedrunning. Poison Ranger is a possible option, but elemental builds may be better for early-game damage.

Skill Progression

• Level 1-10: Lightning Arrow or Ice Shot

  Both offer solid AoE and clear speed.

• Level 10+: Rain of Arrows or Barrage

  Rain of Arrows for clearing packs.

  Barrage for single-target damage.

• Level 20+: Upgraded versions

  Whichever skill feels most effective.

Support Gems

• Piercing Arrows (For better clear)

• Momentum (Increases attack & move speed)

• Brutality (If available)

Passive Tree Pathing

• Attack Speed & Movement Speed nodes for efficiency.

• Bow Damage & Crit nodes for scaling.

Strategy

• Keep moving while attacking—never stop.

• Use movement skills aggressively.

• Prioritize high-damage bows to avoid DPS problems.

#4 - Sorceress: Slow Start, Strong Finish

While the Sorceress is a powerhouse in the late game, she struggles significantly in the early campaign. Her starting abilities are weak, and she is highly dependent on gear. If you don’t get lucky with a solid wand or staff early on, progression can feel sluggish.

Movement is another weak point - the Sorceress doesn’t get her first mobility skill, Lightning Warp, until level 9, which is around Act 3. Unlike other classes, her passive tree lacks meaningful movement speed bonuses early on. Blink is an option, but it requires a rare 30 Spirit body armor drop in Act 2, which is unlikely to happen consistently in a race scenario.

Defensively, she is quite fragile until she picks up Grim Feast, which significantly improves her survivability. Early bosses like Lan can be a nightmare for an undergeared Sorceress, making her one of the weakest choices for this race.

Best Sorceress Build for Race - Lightning/Ice Meta Build

Sorceress benefits from strong spell damage nodes and fast-casting abilities. Lightning and Ice spells are the best for speedrunning due to high damage and AoE potential.

Skill Progression

• Level 1-10: Ice Shard or Lightning Bolt

• Ice for better CC; Lightning for better clear speed.

• Level 10+: Arc or Ice Nova

• Arc provides consistent clearing.

• Ice Nova has strong AoE.

• Level 20+: Upgraded Versions

• Whichever skill is performing best.

Support Gems

• Elemental Overload (Boosts spell damage)

• Faster Casting (Speeds up DPS output)

• Brutality or Power Charges (If available)

Passive Tree Pathing

• Spell Damage & Cast Speed nodes for efficiency.

• Lightning or Ice scaling depending on the chosen skill.

Strategy

• Keep casting while moving to maintain clear speed.

• Use the best AoE skill available to clear groups fast.

• Minimize time spent looting—only grab spell damage gear.

#5 - Mercenary: Decent Damage, Lacking Mobility

The Mercenary performs slightly better than the Sorceress in the early game. His basic Crossbow Shot deals solid damage, and it's relatively easy to find a good crossbow early on. Grenades also provide strong burst damage against early bosses, which can speed up progression.

However, the Mercenary struggles with movement abilities. Fortunately, he has access to Adrenaline Rush, which temporarily boosts movement speed.

Defensively, he fares better than the Sorceress. With armor and evasion as his primary defenses, the Mercenary feels relatively sturdy, especially if he picks up Wind Dancer early on. This extra survivability helps avoid unnecessary deaths, which is crucial in a race setting.

#6 - Witch: Strong But Spirit-Dependent

The Witch has a rough start, making the early levels difficult. However, once she defeats King of the Mists and gains additional Spirit, her options expand significantly. This extra Spirit allows her to scale damage quickly, especially if she utilizes Raging Spirits and Firewall.

If she gets lucky and finds an Oathsworn early on, she can become incredibly powerful. However, her reliance on Spirit makes her inconsistent—if she doesn’t acquire enough Spirit gems, her damage output and survivability suffer.

Movement-wise, the Witch gains a slight edge thanks to Spiral into Depression, which provides a small movement speed boost early on. However, her lack of strong movement skills keeps her from climbing higher in the rankings.