In Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2), mercenaries play an essential role in both combat and progression. The Explosive and Gas Grenade build is one of the POE 2 Currency most unique and strategic ways to level up your mercenary. This guide will break down how to maximize your mercenary’s potential with these explosive gadgets, focusing on efficient leveling techniques and tips for the best results.

Choosing the Right Mercenary for the Explosive and Gas Grenade Build

To effectively use explosive and gas grenades, you’ll want a mercenary with high damage potential and elemental resistances. The Tactician is an ideal choice for this build due to its specialization in ranged explosive weapons. Additionally, mercenaries that have strong synergy with poison, elemental damage, or debuffing enemies can also work well for this setup.

Key Skills and Gems

Explosive Grenade: The core of your build, the Explosive Grenade skill deals massive area-of-effect (AoE) damage, perfect for clearing large packs of enemies. Focus on increasing your mercenary’s damage output and AoE radius. Support gems like Increased Area of Effect and Trap and Mine Support can significantly enhance your damage potential.

Gas Grenade: This grenade creates a cloud of poisonous gas that lingers over time, dealing damage to enemies caught in its radius. It's especially useful for controlling groups of enemies and applying a steady source of poison damage. To maximize its effectiveness, pair it with gems like Poison Support and Increased Duration for longer-lasting gas clouds.

Trap and Mine Support: These support gems allow your mercenary to throw grenades at long distances, making them more versatile and effective in various combat scenarios. Combining Trap and Mine Support with Explosive Grenade significantly enhances its damage.

Leveling Tips

Focus on Area Damage: Prioritize gear and passive skills that boost AoE damage to ensure your grenades hit multiple enemies at once. This will speed up the leveling process by quickly clearing mobs.

Use Grenades for Crowd Control: Gas Grenades are invaluable for controlling larger mobs, especially when combined with AoE abilities that debuff enemies. Use the gas cloud strategically to apply poison over time while your mercenary targets higher-priority threats.

Efficient Gear Choices: Look for equipment that boosts your mercenary’s elemental resistances and physical damage mitigation, ensuring they can survive while dishing out explosive damage. Items that grant increased dexterity, energy shield, or health will also enhance survivability.

Upgrade Your Grenades: Throughout your leveling journey, focus on upgrading your explosive and gas grenades for higher damage and effectiveness. Be sure to upgrade your gems and gear accordingly.

By following these strategies and focusing on explosive and poison damage, your mercenary will be a formidable force on the cheap POE 2 Orbs battlefield, steadily progressing through Path of Exile 2’s brutal challenges.