Crossbow Mercenary

Crossbows are often overlooked in Path of Exile 2, primarily because they are off-meta, but they remain a solid choice for budget players. Paired with Culling Strike, which is easy to Path of Exile 2 Currency obtain as a Witchhunter, Crossbow builds can be highly effective.

You can play either a grenade-based build using Explosive/Cluster Grenades or a projectile-based build with Fragmentation Rounds/Permafrost Bolts. Grenade builds excel at clearing groups, though visual clutter can obscure damage-over-time effects. Projectile builds provide high single-target damage and control via freeze mechanics. The Witchhunter's Sorcery Ward, recently buffed, offers additional defensive layers over Life and Energy Shield, making the build both safe and effective for budget players.

Machine Gun Warrior

While Warriors are traditionally Strength-based melee fighters, the Machine Gun Warrior uses Intelligence and the Titan Ascendancy to fire rapid skills like Ember Fusillade. By stacking nodes that reduce skill effect duration and combining them with Hulking Form, players can unleash a continuous barrage of projectiles almost instantly.

Adding cast speed and Time of Need allows near-constant healing and debuff removal, making this build hard to kill. Machine Gun Warrior proves that even traditionally melee classes can become budget-friendly ranged damage dealers, with impressive soloing potential in endgame content.

Plant Druid

Finally, the Plant Druid, utilizing the Oracle Ascendancy, is an affordable and fun build. It relies on Entangle and Thrashing Vines for both mobbing and bossing. With Physical and Spell damage mixed, you can spec passives more freely, optimizing both survivability and DPS.

Entangle slows enemies, and when paired with Bushwhack's unique boots, enemies are pinned, allowing Thrashing Vines to fully apply their AoE damage. For extra DPS, use Thunderstorm to water plants, triggering explosive effects. Combined with Oracle's Unseen Path, Plant Druid is ideal for new characters, capable of clearing content quickly while remaining budget-friendly.

Conclusion

Path of Exile 2 allows players to enjoy high-level content without breaking the bank. While expensive builds have their appeal, budget builds like Hollow Palm Monk, Minion Druid, CoC Comet Sorceress, Crossbow Mercenary, Machine Gun Warrior, and Plant Druid prove that fun, effective, and solo-capable setups are accessible to everyone.

For those who want to save time or access rare components quickly, you can buy POE2 Items or buy POE2 Currency, providing an easier route to Path of Exile 2 Currency for sale fully optimized builds without sacrificing gameplay enjoyment. Whether farming maps or tackling bosses, budget builds in Path of Exile 2 offer high-value returns with minimal investment, making them perfect for casual and dedicated players alike.