PoE 2 Dawn of the Hunt Best Easy Mode Strength Solo Build Guide - Best Rake and Stomping Ground Build for Acts 1 to 3

Path of Exile 2 is a brutal ARPG, but sometimes, the right combo makes it feel like a walk in the park. This guide walks you through a build that’s so strong, it might just feel like cheating. Best part? It’s solo-self-found, friendly, gear-independent, and scales off one of the simplest mechanics in the game: strength. If you're looking to blast through Acts 1–3 without stress, this is your go-to build.

The new league blew economics out of the hole for most people. But don't worry, you can still get the currencies, gold, and orbs the easy way. How? You can buy PoE 2 Currency directly from MMOPixel, your gamer partner, where you can get them for cheap, with quick and safe delivery/payment options.

Solo Strength Build Core: Rake + Stomping Ground Combo

This is the beating heart of the build—the deadly synergy that carries you from a naked level 1 nobody to a pack-destroying powerhouse by the end of Cruel Act 3.

The Rake + Stomping Ground combo isn’t just good—it’s game-breaking good when executed right.

Why It Works

• Rake is your gap-closer, your main attack, and your bleed applier—all in one fast, spammable package.

• Stomping Ground is a support gem that unleashes a shockwave every time you move using a supported skill (like Rake).

• That shockwave scales off Strength—150% of your Strength as pure Physical Damage.
  Yes, every single jump is dropping a nuke on your enemies.

How It Feels to Play

You dash into a mob with Rake, a shockwave pulses out, and the screen just clears.

That’s not hyperbole—this combo can delete entire packs with a single button press, no crits needed, no fancy gear, just raw Strength stacking.

It’s fast, it’s visceral, and it works even when your weapon is garbage.

Scaling the Combo

• The more Strength you stack, the harder the shockwave hits.
  Early game? You might have 50 STR—cool, that's already +75 area damage.
  Mid-game? 150+ STR = 225+ free Physical AoE every jump.

• Unlike other builds, this doesn’t fall off until well past Cruel because both Rake and Stomping Ground scale cleanly with no gimmicks.

• Bleed support makes Rake even nastier while Stomping Ground handles the burst. Check out our Huntress Bleed Build if you want to go hardcore into the bleed mechanic with the new Huntress.

Tip

Slot in support gems like Magnified Effect to increase Rake’s range (which also boosts shockwave reach), and Rage Support to build damage over time with every strike.

Step-by-Step Best Easy Mode Strength Solo Build Setup

Let’s break this down into a clean, repeatable roadmap anyone can follow—no trading, no luck, just power.

1. Start with a Spear or Shield

Your weapon choice sets the tone, and Spear is the MVP here.

It pairs perfectly with Rake's fast animations and forward dash, giving you smooth, rapid hits and mobility.

• Spear = better reach and synergy with Rake’s leap mechanics.

• If you're more defensively minded, Shield works too (just swap in Shield Charge).

• Pro Tip: Buy or craft a Tier 3 Rake gem as soon as possible. This is your bread-and-butter skill, so level it up early and often.

2. Support Gems to Use

This is where the magic happens—slot the right support gems, and your Rake becomes a screen-clearer.

• Stomping Ground

  • The engine of this build. Every time you Rake, it blasts out a shockwave that scales with 150% of your Strength.

  • You’re not just dashing—you’re detonating.

• Rage

  • Stack damage with every melee hit.

  • Adds attack speed and physical damage, which boosts both Rake and your bleed effects.

  • More hits = more Rage = more power.

• Magnified Effect

  • Increases the AOE of Rake and the shockwave.

  • Helps you clear faster and hit more enemies per dash.

  • Bigger reach = more bodies on the floor.

• Herald of Blood

  • Adds flat physical explosions when enemies with blood loss die.

  • Perfect for chain reaction kills—bleed one, kill many.

  • Works insanely well with packs and elite mobs surrounded by trash.

3. Passive Tree Focus

The path is simple for your Rake and Stomping Ground Build for Acts 1 to 3 in PoE 2 Dawn of the Hunt: Strength is king, and Bleed is your crown.

• Stack Strength

  • Every point of Strength = more damage from Stomping Ground.

  • Bonus: Strength also boosts your life pool, giving you built-in tankiness.

• Bleed Magnitude Clusters

  • You’re hitting often with Rake, so make those hits hurt.

  • More bleed magnitude = higher bleed DPS = cleaner boss fights and elite kills.

• Don’t worry about defense nodes early—you’re tanky just from raw HP and Strength scaling.
  Focus on offensive scaling first; defense can come once you're cruising through content.

Best Gear Pick for Rake + Stomping Ground Strength Build

You don’t need rare uniques or high-end gear.

Just follow this golden rule:

If it has Strength on it, wear it.

Look for

• Helmet, Chest, Gloves, Boots with +STR

• Rings and Amulets with All Attributes or flat Strength

• Ignore evasion/armor values early — prioritize life and STR

Even white gear with Strength rolls will outperform fancy gear in this setup.

Herald of Blood + Bleed Explosion Loop

Herald of Blood applies blood loss, which causes an explosion on death.

Combined with:

• Bursting Plague + Envenom: Adds physical-based plague damage.

• Bleed chance in passive tree: Plague damage can reapply bleed, continuing the loop.

You essentially build a mini-explosion chain reaction every time something dies.

It's like a melee version of Herald of Ice, but bloodier.

Advanced Scaling Options for Easy Mode Best Solo Build

When you’re ready to take this build into late Cruel or maps:

Add

• Berserk: Consumes Rage to massively boost damage.

• Swift Affliction: Speeds up DoTs like Corrupted Blood.

• Physical Mastery: Reduces delay for Blood Boil triggers.

Weapon Upgrade

• Look for a spear with 180–200 physical damage at level 33+

• Still, even a weak weapon works thanks to the shockwave.

Recommended Classes for this Best Strength Build

The beauty of this build is that it can be adapted to various playstyles, but certain top classes are definitely a cut above the rest. 

Whether you’re looking for raw power, unique synergies, or specific playstyle benefits, these classes have what you need.

Top Picks

• Warrior

  • Why it’s great: The Warrior is hands down the best pick for this build. With strong access to Strength nodes and bleed clusters, you can hit the ground running from Act 1.

  • Strength Scaling: Maximize damage with the strongest strength buffs. You'll have all the tools to ramp up your Stomping Ground damage in no time.

  • Bleed Synergy: Built-in bleed clusters complement Rake and Stomping Ground perfectly, allowing you to scale your damage quickly.

• Mercenary

  • Why it’s great: Mercenaries have great early Strength access and solid melee synergies.

  • Offensive Power: With a strong early-game setup and easy access to damage-focused passives, you can quickly tear through enemies.

  • Flexibility: The Mercenary can adapt to various weapons (Spear, Sword, etc.), so you can easily swap based on your preferred playstyle.

• Smith of Kitava

  • Why it’s great: This class is excellent for strength-focused builds due to its built-in Strength bonuses.

  • Additional Buffs: The Smith’s bonus to Strength gives you a solid foundation for scaling your Stomping Ground damage and general tankiness.

  • Speed & Power: With fast melee abilities and strength buffs, the Smith is ideal for aggressive, fast-paced combat.

• Ritualist (Huntress)

  • Why it’s great: The Ritualist’s Blood Boil adds a unique damage-over-time (DoT) effect to your arsenal.

  • Corrupted Blood Synergy: Blood Boil applies corrupted blood to enemies, dealing 2% of their max HP per second as physical damage. This works wonders against packs, especially with Rake leading to chain explosions.

  • DoT Buffs: Combining Swift Affliction and Physical Mastery, you can quickly ramp up your DoT potential, making you even more deadly against packs and elite mobs.

Honorable Mentions

• Amazon

  • Why it works: Amazon can also work with this build, but requires extra gear investment to hit higher Strength levels.

  • Flexibility: Amazon’s natural Dexterity scaling might require you to spend more effort to get the Strength numbers needed to maximize your Stomping Ground damage. However, once you do, this class can hold its own.

• Monk

  • Why it works: The Monk’s fast attack speed makes the combo snappier, giving you more hits per second.

  • Speed Benefits: By increasing your attack speed, you can more quickly trigger Rage and Stomping Ground, allowing for more rapid damage scaling.

  • Speed vs. Damage: While the Monk can get the job done, the extra speed can sometimes reduce the overall damage per hit, so be prepared for a slightly different pace of play.

Campaign Performance of this Acts 1 to 3 Dawn of the Hunt Build

• Zero gear? No problem.

• 10-hour campaign clear as a self-found character.

• Only 162 Strength by Act 3 Cruel — already enough to destroy bosses.

• You don’t even need to dodge or kite; just Rake > Rake > Rake.

Final Thoughts

If you’re tired of early-game struggles in PoE 2, this Best Easy Mode Solo Build is your fast pass to domination. With just a few nodes, minimal gear, and a focus on Strength, you’ll be able to blow through enemies and bosses alike. The best part with this Rake and Stomping Ground Build is that once Stomping Ground falls off later in the endgame, simply swap it out for Incision or a higher-bleed skill. But until then? Just keep raking and dominating Acts 1 to 3 in PoE 2 Dawn of the Hunt.