![[0.5] PoE 2 MERCENARY LEAGUE STARTER – EXPLOSIVE SHOT - RETURN OF THE ANCIENTS - PoE 2 Builds](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nZhPfZ02-1k/maxresdefault.jpg)
Overview
This is an Explosive Shot Witchhunter league-starter guide for the Mercenary, built around the crossbow’s Explosive Shot as the core skill. It is positioned as an accessible early-league option: the creator pairs the build with a dedicated leveling guide and a full written guide, walking through equipment, gem links, jewels, the passive tree, and the ascendancy so a fresh character can follow it from the campaign into early mapping.
Explosive Shot is a ranged crossbow skill that lobs explosive rounds for area damage, giving the Witchhunter a straightforward point-and-clear playstyle that doesn’t lean on expensive uniques to function. The Witchhunter ascendancy adds reliable damage and clear against rares and packs, making it a comfortable first character for the 0.5 (Return of the Ancients) league. The source video also covers a single-target combo for tougher targets alongside the general clear setup.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Designed as a league starter — cheap to get going and beginner-friendly
- Comes with a dedicated leveling guide for the campaign
- Explosive Shot offers easy ranged AoE clear without mandatory uniques
- Witchhunter is a forgiving, well-rounded Mercenary ascendancy for early league
Cons
- This wiki entry is built from the video’s description and chapter list, so deep mechanics are summarised rather than detailed — confirm specifics against the source
- As a starter, single-target damage and scaling into deep endgame are lighter than dedicated bossing builds
- Crossbow ammo/reload management adds a small amount of friction to the playstyle
Key Skills
- Explosive Shot — core crossbow skill providing ranged area damage and clear
- Single-target combo — a dedicated rotation the creator shows for tougher enemies and bosses
- Witchhunter ascendancy skills — round out damage and survivability for early league
Gear & Anointments
The video covers equipment, gem links, jewels, and the passive tree in sequence, with a leveling section for the campaign. As a league starter the build is intended to work on cheap, easily-obtained gear rather than mandatory uniques. Specific item choices and gem links should be confirmed against the creator’s written guide and the source video, which include both a standard and a member-only leveling path.
Credits & Source
Build credited to Path of Exile Builds. See the source video and the creator’s written guide for the full equipment, gem, and leveling breakdown: 0.5 PoE2 Mercenary league starter — Explosive Shot Witchhunter.