Twink Warrior Leveling Guide

The basics of Twink Leveling are to:

• Buy & Prepare Items
• Setup Items & Skill Gems
• Have a Plan & Go!

The guide provides the following for a seamless leveling experience:

• Trade Links
• Step-by-Step Skill Gem Progression
• Passive Tree Routing
• A Leveling Plan that has been tested multiple times
• & a Full Video of the run

The first step is to buy and prepare items, organized into the following categories:

• Equipped Items
• Inventory Items
• Stash Items

Unique items are bought, and Rare items are either crafted during the run or prepared on your main character in advance. No expensive Unique items are required, and no hard-to-craft Rare items are selected. If an item is optional it is noted. Furthermore, if you've been actively mapping, you may already have acceptable Rare Items or some of the consumables listed below.

Equipped Items

Equipped Items are equipped from the beginning of the run. Take care when purchasing or crafting items that the level requirement is 2 or lower.

• Wylund's Stake = 1ex
• Horns of Bynden = 1ex
• Foxshade = 1ex
• Luminous Pace = 1ex
• Meginord's Girdle = 1ex
• Rare Gloves
  • Acquisition: Purchase Stocky Mitts from Renly or Finn in Act 1 Normal
  • Crafting Method: Alchemy, Essence or Transmute Augment Regal Exalt
  • Desirable Mods: Flat Damage to Attacks, Strength
• Rare Rings x2
  • Acquisition: Purchase Iron Rings from Una or Finn in Act 1 Normal
  • Crafting Method: Alchemy, Essence or Alt Transmute Regal Exalt
  • Desirable Mods: Flat Damage to Attacks, Strength
• Rare Amulet (Optional)
  • Acquisition: Purchase a Crimson Amulet from Una or Finn in Act 1 Normal
  • Crafting Method: Alchemy, Essence or Alt Transmute Regal Exalt
  • Desirable Mods: Strength
  • Instill: Sharpened Claw
• Magic Lesser Life Flask
• Magic Lesser Mana Flask

Inventory Items

Inventory Items include gear that is equipped soon, or are small items that are carried in advance, to save time later. In this run Inventory Items have a level requirement of 16 or lower.

• Wanderlust = 1ex
• Wulfsbane = 1ex
  • Alternative: Dionadair = 1ex
  • Alternative: Any Rare Shield
• Surefooted Sigil = 8ex+
  • Instill: Sharpened Claw or Blur
  • Surefooted Sigil is useful for going faster, but can be replaced with a Rare Amulet instead
  • Alternative: Rare Amulet (Level 4 to 16) = 1ex
  • Desirable Mods: + Levels to All Melee Skills, Strength
• Any Rage on Hit Jewels x2+ (Optional) = 1ex+ x2
• Any Rare Rings with Flat Physical Damage & Fire Damage to Attacks (Level 3 to 16) = 1ex+
• Sapphire Charm
• Ruby Charm
• Topaz Charm
• Uncut Support Gem 3 x24 = 1ex x24
  • Note: Most players have extra Uncut Support Gems from mapping. If not, it may be faster to farm them in maps instead of individually trading for them.
• Lesser Jeweller's Orb x6
  • Note: Lesser Jeweller's Orbs are best bought in bulk via the in-game Currency Exchange.

Stash Items

Stash Items are equipped in later acts. In this run Stash Items have a level requirement of 16 or higher. All Rare Items have the same crafting methods listed above.

• Thrillsteel = 8ex+
  • Alternative: Use Horns of Bynden or Wings of Caelyn for the whole run
• 25% MS Bushwhack = 1ex+
  • Alternative: Rare Boots with 25% Movement Speed (Level 40+) = 1ex
• Rare Gloves with +2 to Level of all Melee Skills (Level 32 to 50) = 1ex
  • Alternative: +1 to Level of all Melee Skills (Level 4 to 32) = 1ex
• Rare Amulet with +2 to Level of all Melee Skills (Level 32+) (Optional) = 1ex
• Rare Plate Belt with Life & Armour (Level 25 to 35) (Optional) = 1ex
• Rare Two Hand Mace with High Physical DPS
  • Level 3 to 16 (Optional) = 1ex
  • Level 16 to 30 = 1ex+
  • Level 30 to 40 = 1ex+
  • Level 40 to 51 (Optional) = 3ex+
  • Note: The Cultist Greathammer & Advanced Cultist Greathammer bases are of particular interest for their implicit modifiers.
  • Note: Consider purchasing a Lower Physical DPS weapon with the + Levels to All Melee Skills modifier for similar damage outcomes.
• Any Rare Rings with Flat Physical Damage & Fire Damage to Attacks
  • Level 16 to 30 = 1ex+
  • Level 30 to 40 = 1ex+
  • Level 40 to 50 (Optional) = 3ex+
    • Optional: Purchase a Breach Ring = 5ex+
• Higher Level Mana Flasks
  • Grand Mana Flask
  • Colossal Mana Flask
  • Gargantuan Mana Flask
  • Transcendent Mana Flask
• Higher Level Life Flasks
  • Grand Life Flask
  • Colossal Life Flask
  • Gargantuan Life Flask

It's time to blast! Noted below are any key gear swaps, character breakpoints, or zone routings to assist with your run. There may be some discrepancies, depending on how many extra rare items you've crafted and which unique items you've selected.

Act 1 Normal

• Run Start
• Level 6
  • Equip Wulfsbane
  • Equip Shield Charge + Ingenuity + Stomping Ground + Momentum
  • Equip Shockwave Totem + Ancestral Urgency + Font of Rage + Font of Blood
  • Equip Infernal Cry + Premeditation + Raging Cry + Enraged Warcry
  • Note: The above skill gems are listed in priority order.
• Level 8
  • Switch your Current Amulet for Surefooted Sigil
• Kill King in the Mists
  • Equip Herald of Ash
• Level 11
  • Switch Luminous Pace for Wanderlust
• Before Geonor
  • Equip a Sapphire Charm
• Level 14
  • Equip Perfect Strike + Window of Opportunity + Searing Flame + Fire Infusion

Act 2 Normal

• Before Rudja, the Dread Engineer
  • Equip a Ruby Charm
• Level 16+
  • Equip a higher level Life Flask Grand Life Flask
  • Equip a higher level Mana Flask Grand Mana Flask
  • Equip any Rare Ring upgrades
  • Equip any Rare Two Hand Mace upgrades
• Level 22-30+
  • Equip any Rare Ring upgrades
  • Equip any Rare Two Hand Mace upgrades
  • Remove Earthquake
  • Equip Leap Slam + Rage + Close Combat + Martial Tempo
  • Switch your 1H Mace Strike support gems & keybind to the 2H Mace Strike support gems & keybind
• Level 27
  • Switch Horns of Bynden for Thrillsteel

Act 3 Normal

• Level 30
  • Equip a higher level Life Flask Colossal Life Flask
  • Equip a higher level Mana Flask Colossal Mana Flask
• Level 33+
  • Equip 25% MS Bushwhack
  • Equip any Rare Ring upgrades
  • Equip any Rare Two Hand Mace upgrades
  • Equip any Rare Glove upgrades
  • Equip any Rare Belt upgrades
• Defeat Ignagduk
  • Add Cannibalism & Clarity to Herald of Ash
• Level 40
  • Equip a higher level Life Flask Gargantuan Life Flask
  • Equip a higher level Mana Flask Gargantuan Mana Flask
• Upgrade any items for rare items as you see fit.
  • All of Cruel Difficulty can be completed with gear equipped in Normal.

Act 1 Cruel

• Level 41
  • Equip Stampede + Aftershock + Devastate + Armour Explosion
• Freythorn (King in the Mist) can be skipped.
• Continue Blasting.

Act 2 Cruel

• Level 50
  • Equip a higher level Mana Flask Transcendent Mana Flask
• Continue Blasting.

Act 3 Cruel

• Defeat Ignaduk for +40 spirit
  • Equip Overwhelming Presence + Herbalism
• Continue Blasting.

• From Level 2 to Level 5, clear packs with Earthquake.
• Ensure you attack ahead of the target, so the delayed Aftershock explosion hits.

• From Level 2 to Level 5, versus Tankier Monsters, Earthquake twice and Mace Strike the enemy until defeated.

• From Level 6 to Level 21, clear packs with Earthquake, Shield Charge & Shockwave Totem.
• Use Infernal Cry before using Earthquake or Shield Charge for additional clear.
• Use Shield Charge in addition to dodge roll for extra mobility.

• From Level 6 to Level 13, versus Tankier Monsters, first Infernal Cry & Shield Charge, then Mace Strike the enemy until defeated.
• If the Boss has a delayed spawn, use Shockwave Totem to build Rage beforehand.

• At Level 14+ versus Tankier Monsters, first place a Shockwave Totem to build Rage.
• Then Heavy Stun with Mace Strike.
• Then Infernal Cry & Perfect Strike the enemy.
• Note: Versus some enemies you may immediately Infernal Cry & Perfect Strike the enemy if you believe:
  • The enemy cannot interrupt your Perfect Strike and you have enough damage to one shot them.
  • That said, it's recommended to first Heavy Stun the enemy to prevent them from stunning you & to significantly increase single target damage due to extra scaling versus immobilised enemies.
• Note: Perfect Strike is a Channelling Skill that requires you to release Perfect Strike at the Perfect Time for maximum single target damage.

• At Level 22 and higher, clear the majority of packs with Leap Slam.
• At Level 41 and higher, clear packs with either Leap Slam or Stampede.
• Use Infernal Cry as necessary before using Leap Slam or Stampede for extra clear.
• Continue to use Shield Charge for extra mobility, but ensure you weapon swap back to your Two Hand Mace before using Leap Slam or Stampede.
• Note: Consider setting Shield Charge to only use Weapon Set 1 and Leap Slam, Stampede, Perfect Strike & Mace Strike to only use Weapon Set 2 in the Skills Menu (Default: G).

• Begin the run by rushing towards Blood Rush through the Melee Damage, Brutal & Smash nodes.
• Then acquire Shockwaves & Singular Purpose for increased single target damage with Two Hand Maces.
• Afterwards, allocate Admonisher & Vocal Empowerment to increase the effect and availability of Infernal Cry.
• Then, allocate Split the Earth, Skullcrusher, Overheating Blow & Fulmination to significantly improve your single target damage.
• Allocate Titanic to improve your ability to stun enemies.
• Next, acquire Breaking Blows, Resolute Technique, the Jewel Socket above RT & Unbending.
• Then, allocate Lasting Trauma & Crushing Verdict to improve both your clear and single target damage.
• Conclude the run with Unforgiving & Sudden Infuriation for additional Rage on Hit.

• Note: Depending on your rare items, you may need to allocate Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence. That said, most of your attribute points should be Strength to increase your Total Life Pool.

The video below goes over all the leveling steps while also showing gameplay and playstyle tips.

Does the run acquire all Passive Skill Points & Permanent Stats?

Yes

What's the purpose of a Twink Run?

The purpose of a Twink Run is to level a new character as quickly as possible through the campaign. Players using Twink Runs often view the campaign as the tutorial and maps as the true endgame.

What rewards did you choose from the Relics in Act 2 and Venom Drought in Act 3?

• Relic: 15% increased Mana Recovery from Flasks
• Venom Drought: 25% increased Mana Regeneration Rate
• Cruel Relic: 15% increased Life Recovery from Flasks
• Cruel Venom Drought: +10% to Chaos Resistance

How do I die less?

To progress quickly, aggressive Leap Slam & Stampede usage is required.

That said, as the run progresses, without purchasing large amounts of rare gear upgrades, tanking enemy hits may be difficult, especially in zones such as Utzaal, Aggorat or the Black Chamber. In difficult zones, consider using small micro movements or dodge rolls to control enemy packs, before using Leap Slam or Stampede.

Furthermore, if aggressive play is difficult to execute, consider using Shockwave Totem to distract dangerous packs.

How do I time Perfect Strike?

Perfect Strike is a Channelling Skill that requires you to release Perfect Strike at the Perfect Time for maximum single target damage. The Perfect Timing is indicated by a Bright Flash.

How do I Animation Cancel my Movement Abilities?

Use Dodge Roll at the end of movement abilities to roll out of the "heavy landing", significantly improving progression speed.

Example:

• Leap Slam --> Dodge Roll
• Shield Charge --> Dodge Roll
• Stampede --> Dodge Roll
• Shield Charge --> Dodge Roll --> Stampede --> Dodge Roll --> Leap Slam --> Dodge Roll

• Complete the PoE2 Campaign in under 5 Hours
• Acquires all Skill Points and Permanent Stat Bonuses
• No Expensive Unique Items & No Hard-to-Craft Rare Items

Credits

Written by: havoc616
Reviewed by: Cptn Garbage
Language Reviewed by: Tenkiei