The distribution of Ascendancy classes in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 has become somewhat unbalanced.
Players choosing Gemling Legionnaire account for approximately 37% of the total, whereas Martial Artist and Disciple of Varashta sit at only around 9%; meanwhile, several other Ascendancies - such as Invoker, Pathfinder, Ritualist, and Smith of Kitava - fall below 1% mark.
However, the issue isn't simply that Gemling Legionnaire is overpowered. Currently, one can find compelling reasons to choose this class for a wide variety of playstyles, ranging from Grenade and Twister builds to Flameblast ailment setups.
The fact that so many vastly different builds ultimately converge on a single Ascendancy is the real takeaway from that 37% figure.
Why Advanced Thaumaturgy Matters?
Advanced Thaumaturgy node plays a pivotal role in Gemling Legionnaire's immense popularity in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5.
This node allows Gem Quality to grant additional effects to skills, and for many skills, Quality directly alters the gameplay mechanics. Take Explosive Grenade, for instance: higher Quality results in a greater number of projectiles.
For Grenade builds, this kind of benefit is far more attractive than standard damage increases, especially once players have enough Path of Exile 2 currency to invest in higher-quality gems and supporting gear. It also puts Ascendancies that are thematically better suited for Grenades - such as Witchhunter and Tactician - in an awkward position.
The same applies to Flameblast. Its Quality boosts the magnitude of damaging ailments; when combined with mechanics like Oil Grenade, this can further amplify damage over time effects.
This is precisely what makes Advanced Thaumaturgy so appealing: it encourages players to actively seek out skills that benefit significantly from Quality and then develop new builds around them.
Grenade and Twister Are Just Symptoms
Playstyles like Gemling Grenade and Twister certainly dominate PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5 leaderboards. Twister itself may well undergo adjustments, and certain damage synergies that are clearly overperforming will probably need to be corrected.
However, simply addressing these specific popular skills won't solve the underlying problem. Right now, Explosive Grenade offers high returns on Quality, making Gemling a top pick for Grenade builds; if similar effects appear on other skills in the future, players will inevitably gravitate toward Gemling once again.
Gemling's popularity can also push up the cost of gear used by its strongest builds, meaning players may need to spend more PoE 2 currency to follow the current meta.
The strength of Advanced Thaumaturgy lies in its versatility - it doesn't require a build to be locked into one specific playstyle.
Why Older Ascendancies Fall Behind?
The popularity of Gemling Legionnaire in Patch 0.5.5 has highlighted the issues plaguing many older Ascendancies.
Pathfinder was originally well-suited for Concoction builds, but paths like Shattering Concoction, Bleed Concoction, and Explosion Concoction struggle to become mainstream choices today.
In contrast, PoE 2 players who choose Pathfinder often value the fact that their movement speed is unaffected by Slows or reduced movement speed penalties while using skills.
Ritualist faces similar issues. While features like the extra Ring slot and enhanced Rings and Amulets are highly practical, class-defining mechanics such as Blood Boil and Whispers Be Damned have failed to anchor viable builds on their own.
The disparity between Invoker and Martial Artist is even more apparent. The former primarily offers Spirit and elemental bonuses, whereas Martial Artist's Hollow Form Technique directly generates a Clone, enabling players to develop gameplay strategies centered on it.
Smith of Kitava features clear themes - such as Tempering, Manifest Weapon, and Fire Spell on Hit - but these mechanics currently lack mature synergies; many potential playstyles require convoluted setups to function effectively.
When a build needs several specific interactions just to become competitive, the extra PoE 2 currency required to assemble those pieces can make an already niche Ascendancy even less appealing.
Reworks Show The Right Direction
Interestingly, some Ascendancies recently added or adjusted in Patch 0.5.5 demonstrate a completely different approach.
Disciple of Varashta features mechanics tied to Djinn, giving players a clear incentive: if they want to build around Djinn, this Ascendancy becomes a natural choice. Yet, it doesn't pigeonhole players into playing only Djinn builds; other nodes remain useful for a variety of playstyles.
The same applies to Martial Artist. Hollow Form Technique provides a distinct starting point, allowing players to combine Clone with various skills. Similarly, the new mechanics for Acolyte of Shavronne further expand the potential for Poison stacking, albeit with a higher setup cost.
The changes to Oracle are particularly telling. Following adjustments to Ancestral Bond, Spell Totems function more naturally, and high-ranking Oracle Totem builds have already appeared on the leaderboards. A well-executed Ascendancy rework can indeed bring a previously overlooked class back into the spotlight.
Ascendancies Still Need Identity
GGG has previously expressed concerns about class-locked gameplay. If a shapeshifting build ultimately relies on one specific Ascendancy to be viable, it would indeed undermine the build freedom that PoE 2 emphasizes.
However, PoE 2 faces another issue now. To avoid locking players into a single playstyle, the unique features of some Ascendancies have been designed too conservatively; consequently, the only truly valuable traits left are generic damage boosts, movement speed, Spirit, or other quality-of-life benefits.
While there appear to be many choices on the surface, in actual build creation, players still gravitate toward the most versatile and high-yield classes.
Therefore, leading up to version 1.0, the priority shouldn't necessarily be nerfing Gemling Legionnaire down to a mediocre level - though Advanced Thaumaturgy certainly has aspects that need addressing.
Specific issues - such as Quality effects generating excessive projectiles or certain Ailment synergies exceeding reasonable limits - do need to be adjusted.
But if the approach is simply to keep lowering its benefits until Advanced Thaumaturgy becomes just another generic damage-boosting node, PoE 2 would lose an Ascendancy design that is currently highly successful.
Gemling Legionnaire highlights more than just a power-level issue; it reveals that many older Ascendancies struggle to give players a compelling reason to choose them.
If the focus for 1.0 is solely on nerfing Gemling, the underlying problem will probably persist. The real priority is ensuring other Ascendancies offer distinct playstyles and provide players with more room for build creativity, rather than funneling every build toward the same single answer.
