PoE 2 Best Spectres Tier List (0.2.0 Dawn of the Hunt)

With the Dawn of the Hunt expansion and Patch 0.2.0, Raise Spectre returns to Path of Exile 2 in a more robust and dynamic form. While traditional summoner builds remain a staple, the new mechanics, spirit system, and expanded monster database bring a refreshing layer of strategy for minion enthusiasts. With this PoE 2 0.2.0 Spectre Tier List, we'll go through the current state of the Raise Spectre skill, highlight the most powerful spectres, and recommend the best summoner builds to take advantage of them.

PoE 2 Dawn of the Hunt Spectre Tier List - Best Spectres for Minion & Summoner Builds (Early Game)

Spectres in PoE 2 0.2.0 Dawn of the Hunt league are shaping up to be just as impactful as they were in the first game. Community members have put in extensive work analyzing over 400 monsters from the datamined PE2DB info, preparing for what could become a massive shift in summoner play.

In particular, ranged spectres that deal elemental damage are standing out. Their ability to benefit from elemental debuffs like exposure and negative resistance makes them appealing. Additionally, their AI tends to avoid the common problems that plague melee spectres, such as awkward positioning and getting stuck behind doors.

Based on early access and datamining through PoE2DB, several spectres stand out for their performance, utility, and Spirit efficiency. 

PoE 2 Best Spectres for Leveling in Dawn of the Hunt

1. Frost Wraith (Act 1)

• Strengths: High energy shield from life (35%), 160% life modifier.

• Abilities: Fires area-damage projectiles that can shotgun, applies freeze, and has a powerful AoE explosion tied to proximity.

• Why It’s Good: Great clear speed and crowd control. Strong contender for early leveling and utility in endgame.

2. Forsaken Miner (Act 2)

• Strengths: Fires two grenades per cast, solid base damage.

• Abilities: Projectile-based explosions with potential for reduced cast time and increased projectile count via support gems.

• Why It’s Good: Excellent burst damage. Good synergy with AoE and fire support gems.

3. Priest of the Sun (Act 3)

• Strengths: 200% life modifier, 20% ES from life.

• Abilities: Beam attack similar to a “Kamehameha,” burning ground AoE.

• Why It’s Good: Visually satisfying and potentially high DPS with cooldown reduction. Works well with fire scaling and duration supports.

4. River Hag

• Strengths: Homing orbs and cold damage over time (DoT).

• Abilities: Cold vortex and drowning orb, good for area denial.

• Why It’s Good: Offers consistent cold DoT and AoE control. Best used as a utility spectre in hybrid or DoT-focused builds.

5. Brutal Transcendent

• Area: Found in The Ziggurat Refuge and The Black Chambers.

• Abilities: Lightning Lance (area spell), grenade lob + explosion (projectile-based AoE).

• Stats: 250% base damage, 620 attack/spell damage at level 70, 20,000+ life.

• Why It’s Good: Strong lightning-based spectre with multiple AoE skills. Good AI and consistent attack patterns. Ideal for builds leveraging lightning penetration or shock application.

PoE 2 Best Melee Spectres in Dawn of the Hunt

PoE 2 Best Ranged & Caster Spectres in Dawn of the Hunt

PoE 2 Best Utility Spectres in Dawn of the Hunt

PoE 2 Best Hybrid Spectres (Damage + Support)

NOTE: The tier lists will be updated with more spectres tested in the Dawn of the Hunt league.

PoE 2 0.2.0 Best Summoner Build with Spectres for Dawn of the League Starter

Based on the info we know so far, here we suggest the best class to set up the spectre summoner builds at the early time of the Dawn of the Hunt league:

Lich Ascendancy - The Meta Pick

Currently, Lich is heavily favored for spectre-focused builds. Its synergy with Chaos Damage, Unholy Might, and high mana stacking makes it a powerhouse:

• Unholy Might Scaling: Converts 30% of physical damage to chaos. This can scale up to 60% with 2500 mana.

• Explosions: Lich provides massive AoE via corpse explosions, ideal for clearing.

• CI Compatibility: Chaos immunity makes energy shield builds viable and more resilient.

Lich builds can also benefit from Rupture the Soul, potentially supporting Infernal Legion-style autobomber setups using chaos or fire minions.

Infernalist – Tankier, Spirit-Heavy Option

While Lich excels in offense, Infernalist may still find a place in the meta — especially if changes to Grim Harvest and energy shield lead to new defensive scaling approaches. It offers:

• Higher base Spirit pool.

• Potential synergy with life stacking and minion quantity.

• Better survivability in prolonged fights.

However, if Infernalist receives nerfs in the final patch, it may fall behind Lich in both flexibility and raw power.

Raised Spectres in Path of Exile 2 (Patch 0.2.0)

Raise Spectre allows players to reanimate nearly any enemy in the game as an undead ally. Unlike in PoE 1, spectres in PoE 2 are summoned by binding their spirits. Each spectre costs Spirit, a new resource, and if they die, they automatically revive as long as the summoner has enough Spirit remaining. Spectre AI has been improved, and they retain their original monster skills and stats — making corpse selection a meaningful choice.

Spectres can now include a wide range of enemies - from generic mobs to campaign bosses. While some players have even witnessed prompts to bind bosses such as Jamandra the Risen King, it remains unclear if this is intended or a bug. Nonetheless, the variety is immense: hundreds of monsters are available, and more are being added with each patch. This gives summoners vast options to build a defensive wall, a high-damage ranged team, or a blend of utility and offense.

Bind Spectre System in Path of Exile 2 (Patch 0.2.0)

The spectre system in PoE 2 is coming with Bind Spectre, a skill that unlocks with a level 7 uncut gem. The Spirit cost depends on the spectre type, and the only known modifier so far is a small boost to elemental resistance. This suggests the gem might follow the PoE 1 model, where quality adds resistance.

However, many mechanics remain unclear. For example, can we rebind new spectres using the same gem, or are we required to craft a new gem each time? If it's the latter, this could make experimentation expensive due to the cost of Jeweller’s Orbs. Still, the potential of spectres—especially ranged ones—makes the effort worthwhile.