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

The introduction of the Tame Beast skill in Path of Exile 2 brings a unique twist to gameplay—capturing rare beast-type enemies and turning them into powerful, reusable companions. These companions offer a wide array of utility and support options, making them valuable additions to many builds. This Path of Exile 2 0.2.0 Companions Tier List outlines how the Tame Beast system works, where to find the best tame beasts, and which companion modifiers are most effective in the Dawn of the Hunt league.

How does the Tame Beast Gem Skill Work in Path of Exile 2?

The Tame Beast skill gem becomes available around level 31, typically in Act 3. When used, it sends out Asmary wisps that hinder a rare beast-type enemy for a short duration. If the enemy is killed while under the effect of the wisp, it is captured, and the gem transforms into a Summon Companion gem.

Each captured beast retains its modifiers, abilities, and appearance, becoming a permanent companion linked to that gem. These companions are account-bound and can be used across other characters in the same league. However, the gem cannot be traded with PoE 2 Currency once a beast is captured.

Mechanics of Tame Beast Companions in PoE 2 Dawn of the Hunt

Companions reserve a portion of your spirit, with the percentage based on the beast’s type and power. Smaller beasts might cost around 30–35%, while larger ones like quadrillas can go over 40%. Quality does not reduce the reservation cost.

Companions are designed to be resilient. With Last Gasp, they remain active for 4 seconds after dying, and they respawn approximately 1 second later. Their pathfinding keeps them close, and they teleport to you if they fall behind.

Support gems like Loyalty, Meat Shield, Elemental Army, and Blind can be linked to enhance survivability or utility. Companions can also apply effects such as blind, shock, or chill on hit, depending on their modifiers.

PoE 2 Companions Tier List - Best Tame Beast Modifiers To Get in Dawn of the Hunt

The Tame Beast system in Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt has introduced a new way for players to gain powerful utility and support through captured beast companions. These summoned allies can carry rare modifiers that provide combat advantages ranging from auras to ground effects. Choosing the right companion can have a noticeable impact on your gameplay. Here's a tier list ranking the top-tier and useful companion mods (aura, buffs) based on their modifiers.

S-Tier Tame Beast (Companion Mods)

These tame beast mods offer the most impactful benefits and are highly sought after for both offense and defense across many builds.

1. Haste Aura

This is widely regarded as the single best Companion mod. It grants 20% increased attack and cast speed along with 10% increased movement speed, making it a top choice for nearly every build. One example companion came with Haste Aura, Cold Explosions, Extra Cold Damage, and Extra Crits - a powerful utility beast that not only speeds up the player but also freezes and damages enemies. Haste Aura alone is enough to justify capturing, especially when paired with other offensive effects.

2. Temporal Bubble

Companions with Temporal Bubble are excellent for slowing down enemies. This aura reduces enemy action speed, cooldown recovery, and extends the duration of debuffs on them. It also prevents damage originating outside the bubble, making it extremely valuable for survivability. While not offensive on its own, it provides massive control in fights, particularly useful in boss content or dense enemy waves.

3. Elemental Resistance Aura

This type of Companion gives +35% to all elemental resistances, benefiting both the player and nearby allies. It's highly useful during leveling and in resistance-capped builds. While not always essential in softcore, it's a strong defensive option, especially in hardcore or when gearing is limited. However, players should be cautious—if the beast dies or runs too far, the benefit is temporarily lost.

4. Invulnerability Aura

A rare and potent modifier, this aura grants a brief period of invulnerability every 10 seconds while near the beast. It’s particularly useful in high-damage encounters or during intense moments in boss fights. The aura refreshes periodically and can be game-saving when timed correctly. Although rare to find, it's absolutely worth capturing when available.

5. Energy Shield Aura

Converts a portion of your maximum life into additional energy shield. This is especially beneficial for hybrid life/ES builds or characters focusing on high effective HP pools. It also synergizes well with ES-based ascendancies or gear.

6. Periodic Invulnerability Aura

Grants brief immunity to damage at regular intervals while near the companion. This effect is extremely valuable during boss phases or spike damage situations. It can act as a safety net and reduce the need for reactive defense mechanics.

A-Tier Tame Beast (Companion Mods)

These tame beast mods provide strong utility or damage boosts that benefit specific builds or situations.

7. All Damage Shocks / Ignites / Chills

When this modifier is present, all hits from the companion apply shock, regardless of damage type. This is excellent for increasing enemy damage taken, especially for builds that don’t naturally apply shock. It can be further enhanced with support gems to apply other on-hit effects, such as Blind or Elemental Army.

8. Trail of Lightning / Fire / Ice

This beast leaves behind shocked ground for 4 seconds, applying shock to enemies standing in it. It’s an excellent support for builds like Twister or Whirlwind, where enemies consistently follow your path. It pairs well with other modifiers like Haste Aura or Hinder Aura, creating a powerful combination of speed and crowd control. One example had Trail of Lightning, Hinder Aura, and another aura effect, making it ideal for slowing and shocking large packs.

9. Extra Physical / Fire / Cold / Lightning / Chaos Damage

Cold-themed companions like this one bring Extra Cold Damage and Periodic Cold Explosions. These explosions deal AoE cold damage and freeze enemies, offering both crowd control and bonus damage. When paired with Haste Aura, this combination becomes a reliable offensive and utility companion for cold-based builds or general clearing.

10. Healing Nova

This companion periodically heals allies in a radius and applies a debuff to enemies that reduces their recovery rate. It’s particularly helpful in party play or for tanky solo builds that benefit from sustain. While the healing effect doesn’t apply to the beast itself or minions, it offers a unique survival benefit.

11. Exploding Corpses

This type uses a corpse explosion attack that deals physical AoE based on the monster's maximum life. It’s effective for clearing tightly packed enemies and synergizes well with builds that leave corpses behind, like summoners or self-detonating builds.

B-Tier Tame Beast (Companion Mods)

These tame beast mods provide niche advantages or are secondary effects that complement other mods well.

12. Flame Wall

This beast creates flame walls periodically, adding fire damage and blocking projectiles. It’s especially useful for projectile builds that can shoot through the wall, gaining added fire damage. While it’s not a top-tier pick, it can be a nice secondary effect when combined with other stronger modifiers.

13. Siphons Mana (Mana Ring Aura)

This companion surrounds itself with a mana-draining ring that damages enemies and suppresses mana recovery. It’s a situational pick, best used against caster-heavy enemies or in specific encounters where mana control is critical.

14. Shroud Walker

Shroud Walker companions teleport to distant enemies, creating a smoke cloud that likely blinds enemies. This offers some crowd control and mobility, which can be helpful in fast-paced combat environments. It’s better as a support effect rather than a core mechanic.

15. Conjures Lightning Storm / Mortars / Cold Explosions

These companions offer periodic AoE elemental attacks. While the damage is not particularly high, they synergize well with ailment-focused builds. They are best used as secondary effects alongside a strong aura like Haste or Elemental Resistance.

16. Blind on Hit (via Support Gem)

While not a mod on the companion itself, linking a Blind Support gem is a very good utility option. It causes the companion's hits to blind enemies, reducing their accuracy and increasing your survivability.

C-Tier Tame Beast (Companion Mods)

These tame beast modifiers are generally outclassed or offer limited benefit depending on your setup.

17. Hasted (not an aura)

Some beasts come with the Hasted modifier, which boosts only their own movement and attack speed. Unfortunately, this has no benefit for the player and is generally not worth capturing unless it comes bundled with stronger auras like Haste Aura or Trail effects.

18. Prevent Recovery / Evasive / Tanky-only Traits

Modifiers like Armored, Evasive, Takes Damage from Minions First, or Prevents Recovery are often not impactful enough to justify capturing. They may offer brief moments of survivability, but they don’t contribute to offense or player-wide support, making them less valuable overall.

19. Proximal Tangibility

Can only be damaged at close range. While it might help the companion survive longer, it doesn’t provide meaningful benefits to your character.

How Many Beast Modifiers Should You Aim For?

In normal difficulty, beasts often have 1-2 modifiers. In cruel and higher, you can find beasts with up to 4. The ideal companion usually has at least two strong modifiers, such as a haste aura combined with trail of lightning or cold explosions.

How To Find and Farm Good Beasts (Companions) in PoE 2 Dawn of the Hunt?

To efficiently search for companions with valuable traits, players are farming specific zones in Act 3. Here are the two primary beast locations in PoE 2 Dawn of the Hunt:

• Jungle Ruins: Features a guaranteed quadrilla spawn at the Troubled Camp. Quadrillas are tanky and possess strong leap attacks, ideal for applying effects.

• Infested Barons: Has two rare beasts, offering more chances per reset to find desirable mods.

The farming method involves loading into the zone, locating the camp, and checking the modifiers on the rare beasts. If the mods are unsatisfactory, players can reset the checkpoint without killing the beast to reroll it. This allows for quick iteration and hunting for optimal combinations.

PoE 2 Tame Beast Not Working? Reasons & Solutions

If you're experiencing issues with the "Tame Beast" skill in Path of Exile 2, you're not alone. Many players have reported difficulties in successfully taming beasts. Here are some common reasons and tips to help you troubleshoot the problem:

1. Beast Type Requirement: Ensure that the creature you are trying to tame is indeed a Beast type. The skill only works on specific beasts, so if you're attempting to tame a non-beast creature, it will not work.

2. Health Threshold: You need to lower the beast's health to a certain threshold (typically around 10% or lower) before using the Tame Beast skill. Some players have reported needing to get the beast's health below 5% for successful taming.

3. Skill Activation: Make sure you have the Tame Beast skill equipped and activated. You should see a purple or pink icon appear under the beast's health bar when the conditions are right. If this icon does not appear, the taming attempt will fail.

4. Spirit Requirement: Check that you have enough spirit to use the skill. Generally, around 40 spirit is needed to perform the taming action.

5. Potential Bugs: Some players have speculated that certain beasts may be bugged or that recent patches may have altered the taming mechanics. If you find that a specific beast cannot be tamed, it might be worth checking community forums or waiting for a patch from the developers.

6. Repeated Attempts: If you are spamming the tame button and it still doesn't work, it might be due to the beast being too strong or a bug. Try taming different beasts to see if the issue persists across various types.