This page requires the browser to support (enable) javascript

As excitement builds for Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt, the upcoming 0.2.0 patch is poised to deliver the biggest wave of item and build-defining changes we've seen so far in the game’s beta development. Ahead of the official patch notes release, Grinding Gear Games has revealed a trove of new items coming to the league — and leading the charge are Spears and Bucklers, the primary weapons of the newly introduced Huntress class.

Whether you're planning to min-max your DPS, create an agile hit-and-run specialist, or theorycraft a hybrid melee-ranged Huntress, getting a solid grasp on the new Path of Exile 2 item classes is key. This guide dives deep into everything we know about Dawn of the Hunt’s new item types, highlighting the best spears and bucklers for your builds, and how they synergize with the new league mechanics.

New Item Types in Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt (0.2.0)

Patch 0.2.0 introduces several major additions to the item pool, setting the stage for new build archetypes and meta shifts:

· Spears: Both one-handed and two-handed spears are being added, providing versatile offensive options with high reach and agile attack styles.

· Bucklers: Lightweight shields built for mobility and evasion, complementing spear-based combat.

· Unique Items: A swathe of new uniques are being added, with modifiers that support critical strikes, bleeding effects, elemental procs, and more.

· New Essences: Essence of Hysteria, Delirium, Horror, and Insanity are now available, and can be corrupted with Vaal Orbs for rare crafting interactions.

· Fracturing Orbs: These orbs let you lock specific affixes on gear, making them one of the most powerful additions for min-maxers and endgame crafters.

· Socketable Gear & Rings/Amulet Bases: New base types are being added for accessories, which further expand customization opportunities.

Now let’s dive into the stars of the show — spears and bucklers.

Best Spears in Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt

Spears in PoE 2 come in two distinct types:

· One-Handed Spears: Allow for dual-wielding or pairing with bucklers; ideal for high-speed, high-precision combat.

· Two-Handed Spears: Boast superior range and damage, ideal for AoE-heavy or crowd control builds.

With a fresh class in the Huntress, and several new active and passive skills designed around spear combat, choosing the right spear for your playstyle is more important than ever.

1. Ironhead Spear

Type: One-Handed
Playstyle: Balanced Speed/Damage
Best For: Early-game builds, hybrid melee-ranged characters

The Ironhead Spear is a solid all-rounder — not too slow, not too squishy, and offers enough damage to get you through the campaign without breaking a sweat. With good base physical damage and excellent synergy with early Huntress skill gems, it’s a go-to spear for experimenting with dual-wield setups or pairing with a defensive buckler.

2. Hunting Spear

Type: One-Handed
Playstyle: Fast and Precise
Best For: Crit builds, mobility-focused exiles

If you’re looking for that dash in, stab, dash out fantasy, the Hunting Spear is your best friend. Its increased attack speed and high base crit chance make it the ideal weapon for high-agility Huntress builds. It’s also a perfect match for crit-based passive trees and supports like Ambush, Critical Strikes, or Predator’s Leap.

3. Winged Spear

Type: Two-Handed
Playstyle: Long-Range Poking, AoE Control
Best For: Boss fights, crowd control, AoE-heavy builds

The Winged Spear’s greatest asset is its reach. Great for farming large packs of mobs or poking down bosses without stepping into danger, this spear excels at controlling midrange combat. Expect to see this weapon dominating boss-killer setups and certain defensive builds that rely on kiting rather than face-tanking.

4. Barbed Spear

Type: One-Handed
Playstyle: DoT/Bleeding
Best For: Bleed-focused Huntress builds, attrition combat

This nasty little spear turns your enemies into walking blood bags. It’s all about stacking bleed damage over time and staying mobile while your opponents bleed out. When paired with passive nodes and supports that scale damage over time, the Barbed Spear becomes a terrifying weapon in extended fights — especially against tanky enemies.

5. Massive Spear

Type: Two-Handed
Playstyle: High Damage, Low Speed
Best For: Strength-based melee builds, stunlock/burst strats

Big, brutal, and built for close-quarters carnage, the Massive Spear is your heavy hitter. While its attack speed is lower, every swing hits like a truck. This weapon suits players who prefer slower-paced but devastating melee builds — especially those that focus on Impale, Armor Shred, or Overwhelm mechanics.

Best Bucklers in Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt

Bucklers are a brand-new type of shield designed with evasion and agility in mind. These off-hand items are tailor-made for the Huntress, but can also support other classes looking to balance offense with mobility-based defense.

Each buckler in Patch 0.2.0 brings its own flavor — from evasion to counterattacks to hybrid defenses. Let’s break down the top options:

1. Ancient Buckler

Type: Hybrid Evasion + Energy Shield
Best For: Hybrid builds, elemental resist stacking, caster-Huntress hybrids

The Ancient Buckler offers a versatile defensive platform. With its mix of energy shield and evasion, it’s the top-tier buckler for builds that need a little bit of everything. Whether you’re dipping into cold spells or just want more survivability without sacrificing mobility, this shield is your go-to.

2. Spikeward Buckler

Type: Defensive/Reactive
Best For: Melee counterattack builds, tanky Huntress variants

This buckler doesn’t just absorb hits — it punishes enemies for daring to attack you. Its passive reflect and increased block chance make it a strong choice for melee-focused Huntresses or any build aiming to be “hard to kill and annoying to hit.” Great synergy with thorns-style builds and elemental thorns mods.

3. Bladeguard Buckler

Type: Evasion + Counter Offense
Best For: Hit-and-run builds, agile duelists

Bladeguard is all about sharp reflexes and sharper counterattacks. With fast evasion and the ability to deal damage when blocking, this shield is tailor-made for high-skill, high-risk builds that rely on precision timing. When paired with evasion scaling and movement speed, Bladeguard users can dance around enemies and turn defense into offense.

4. Iron Buckler

Type: Armor
Best For: Early game, generic defenses, crafting base

Simple, sturdy, and surprisingly effective. The Iron Buckler doesn’t bring any gimmicks — just raw armor and reliability. It’s especially useful in the early campaign when gear options are limited. Once you’ve got a good Fracturing Orb or Essence, the Iron Buckler is a great base to upgrade into a mid-to-late game shield.

5. Coiled Buckler

Type: Flexible + Agile
Best For: Speed-based builds, high-mobility combat

The Coiled Buckler thrives in chaos. Its flexible design enhances mobility without completely sacrificing defense. Think of it as the ideal shield for backflipping Huntresses or anyone who prefers to be a blur in combat. It shines in fast-paced scenarios where you want protection, but not at the cost of movement or attack flow.

Crafting and Endgame Itemization

With the addition of new Essences and Fracturing Orbs, item crafting in Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt is more complex — and rewarding — than ever.

Essences & Vaal Corruption

· New essences such as Hysteria, Horror, Insanity, and Delirium have specific crafting outcomes and can be corrupted with Vaal Orbs to create unique mod interactions.

· These essences can be game-changers for spear or buckler builds, offering rare modifiers like:

  o Extra bleeding chance

  o Additional spear range

  o Counterattack damage scaling

Fracturing Orbs

· These PoE 2 orbs allow you to “lock” a desired affix on a piece of gear, letting you continue crafting without risk of losing your best mods.

· For example, locking a +1 to Spear Skills prefix on a weapon before adding more damage or crit chance.

New Jewelry Bases

· New amulet and ring base types expand possibilities for spear-focused builds, such as:

  o Increased spear attack speed

     o Bonus bleed or crit multi

  o Buckler block chance boosts

Final Thoughts

Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt is shaping up to be a massive step forward in both gameplay mechanics and item design. With the addition of Spears and Bucklers, the new Huntress class is more than just a new archetype — it’s a fresh way to experience combat in Wraeclast.

As we await the full patch notes, now is the perfect time to start planning your builds, understanding these new item types, and preparing to dominate the league with precision strikes, agile defenses, and well-crafted gear.

Whether you prefer calculated bleeds, high-reach polearms, or evasion-based counters, PoE 2 Patch 0.2 is offering more flexibility than ever — and it’s up to you to hunt down the perfect setup.