Every Path of Exile league, thousands of players wait for that one critical moment-the release of the tier lists from their favorite creators.
So buckle up. Here's the full deep-dive into 3.27 build tier list-from S-tier monsters to D-tier disasters.
S-TIER: The Builds That Will Carry Your League POE currency
- Kinetic Blast Warden -"Only Level With Literally Anything Else"
But-and this is crucial-you are absolutely not allowed to level with Kinetic Bolt. Trying to league-start with the skill is equivalent to self-inflicted psychological damage. The projectiles don't hit, the damage is a lie, and you will uninstall before Act 3.
Once you reach Act 3, though, you gain access to Kinetic Blast and Kinetic Rain, which are the core engines of the build. Kinetic Rain was reworked so the initial hit deals almost nothing, while the anomalies deal the real damage. This creates a strange loop: you must scale reduced skill effect duration or other tech to instantly detonate anomalies. Otherwise, your explosions sit there like sad, delayed fireworks.
But with tinctures-one of the most powerful systems added in the recent expansions-the Warden's damage spikes dramatically. Once it's online, it's everything you want from an S-tier league starter: fast, explosive, and hilariously efficient with mid-budget gear.
- Fubby's Budget Kinetic Blast Deadeye
It uses no chase uniques, no transfigured gems, and no expensive gear. It's weaker than the Warden version.
1.It's cheap
2.It's smooth
Good enough.
- Physical Spell Elementalist (Reap / Exsanguinate)
Rounding out S-tier is a surprisingly powerful pick: Physical Spell Elementalist.
If there's a perfect build for Breach content, this is it. With Reap (or Exsanguinate) you get enormous clearing, shock scaling, multiple golems, and the ability to level easily with Fire DoTs. It's tanky, budget-friendly, and strong even before gear upgrades.
In reality, he claims, everyone else copied him. Classic Dan.
A-TIER: Strong, Reliable, and Great for League Start
- Siege Ballista Pathfinder -"Pooping Totems Everywhere"
Siege Ballista excels in Ultimatum, delivers consistent damage, and feels satisfying for players who don't want to press many buttons. It's only A-tier because it isn't as explosive as the S-tier options and remains overshadowed.
- Palsteron's Hierophant Totem Build (A+)
Calling him "Mr. Palestine" and praising his totem builds as some of the best for new league starters. The upcoming 3.27 variant looks promising.
Still, if you want a safe, reliable league start, this one's a winner.
B-TIER: Good Builds With Some Caveats
- Dex-Stacking Cyclone (Hollow Palm + Dancing Dervish)
Cyclone's buff adds 20% more damage. It uses Dancing Dervish, a unique sword most players hide in their loot filters. When triggered, the sword disables your weapon slots-counting you as "unarmed," enabling Hollow Palm scaling.
The result?
Infinite attack speed
Permanent rampage
Zoomy gameplay
Surprisingly good mapping
It's not S-tier because the setup is unusual and it lacks massive top-end ceiling, but for a league starter? Extremely solid.2. Flicker Strike Slayer - "If You Value Sanity, Avoid This"
Flicker Strike always delivers top-tier map speed, screenwide explosions, and total visual chaos. Dan's version is strong, well-documented, and beginner-friendly-except for one issue:
If you suffer from motion sensitivity or any known mental health conditions, Dan recommends staying far, far away.
Still, mechanically? It slaps.
- Viper Strike of the Mamba Pathfinder
C-TIER: Playable, But You Need Experience (Or Pain Tolerance)
- Pox's Righteous Fire -The Only Viable RF Left
Dan is blunt: every other Righteous Fire guide is bait.
The skill was heavily nerfed, and only one man-Pox-has spent enough time solving it.
RF has:
Terrible single target
Good clear
Chill gameplay
But to fix its weaknesses, you need batch after batch of micro-optimizations. If you're following Pox, you're fine. If you're following anyone else?
Rest in peace.
- Raised Spectre Necromancer (Gazzy)
It's extremely strong in late game, but tricky to start and gear, which places it squarely in C-tier.
D-TIER: Builds You Absolutely Should Not Play
- Molten Strike of Zenith
On paper, it's a melee powerhouse. In practice:
No block
No spell suppression
Full melee range
Requires two mirrors to function
A good glass cannon kills enemies before they can hurt you-like his Kinetic Blast. A bad glass cannon has to walk up to enemies and pray. Zenith falls into the latter category.
- Animate Energy Blade
Despite being interesting, Mr. Lance's low-budget version looks painful:
Two-handed weapon variant (no block)
Little suppression
Poor survivability
Struggled with Minotaur in testing
There are simply better summoner and melee hybrids to play this league.
The Final Warning: Avoid All Builds From One Particular Channel
Your sanity-and your league start-depend on it.
Conclusion: Choose Wisely, Exile
If you want raw power:
Play Kinetic Blast.
If you want ease and safety:
Play Siege Ballista or Palsteron's totems.
If you want fun chaos: buy Path of exile currency
Flicker Strike.
If you want pain:
Anything in D-tier.