Main skill
Twister
2 supports
Retreat I · Prolonged Duration I
0.5.5Monk
WHIRLING Trinity Martial Artist
A melee quarterstaff Martial Artist that maps as one-button Whirling Assault, then melts bosses by culling Hollow Focus bells with Killing Palm for Rage and Power Charges, dumping them into Charged Staff, and holding Hollow Form with Whirling Assault loaded inside. Trinity and a stacked evasion/energy-shield layer come online for maps; Chaos Inoculation is an optional mid-endgame fork, not a requirement.
Ronarray: Lvl 1-23 → Full Screen AOE (LIVE)
Martial Artist
Monk · Martial Artist27 passives · Lvl 1-23
Build Planner
Gear
Legend
Corner marks show fractured, desecrated, corrupted, and mirrored when present.
Fractured
DesecratedCorrCorruptedMirMirrored3Slot badge — skills on this itemAugment sockets — empty well or socketed runeCharms between flasksEV/ESArmour typeset I / set IIWeapon swap
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Passive tree
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Path of Exile 2
Early accessSkill Gems
8 skills · 14 gems · Lvl 1-23
Skill
Whirling Slash
2 supports
Rage I · Rapid Attacks I
Skill
Frost Bomb
1 support
Magnified Area I
Skill · Body Armour
Herald Of Ash
1 support
Magnified Area I
Skill
Parry
No supports
Skill
Fangs of Frost
No supports
Skill
Barrage
No supports
Skill
Ice-Tipped Arrows
No supports
Early Access — skill data can change with patches · hover or tap a gem for its tooltip
Sourced from 7 of the creator's 8 Build Variant tabs, in the progression order the page itself spells out: Lvl 1-23 → 23+ Unarmed → Act 3-6 → Campaign End / Early Maps → Early Endgame → Mid Endgame (CI) → Full Screen AOE. Uber Endgame was excluded — it is not on that list. Full Screen AOE is labelled (LIVE) on the source as the author's current final stage, not a snapshot extra to skip. All 7 stages have real equipped gear and real skill/support setups. Campaign reward shorthand from the page: Venom → Stun Threshold; Tattoos → Resistances; Pillars → Movement Speed or Global Defense; Shark Fin → 30% Evasion/ES/Armour.
Ascendancy order
- Hollow Focus Technique
- Way of the Stonefist
- Hollow Form Technique
- Hollow Resonance Technique
- Hollow Focus Technique is first — Killing Palm can cull Hollow Focus's summoned Bells (always primed for stun, always crit) for easy early Power Charges. It is allocated from Lvl 1-23 onward.
- Way of the Stonefist comes online by Act 3-6. Roll gloves for flat Physical plus two flat Elemental damage-to-attacks prefixes so the notable has something to scale. Arcane Surge on Crit (Desecrated) converts to Power Charges and eases generation.
- Hollow Form Technique and Hollow Resonance Technique are both allocated by Early Endgame — Hollow Form loaded with Whirling Assault is the boss-melt combo.
- Runic Meridians is a valid swap for Hollow Resonance (less damage, better QoL via 50% reduced curses). The exports take it on Campaign End / Early Maps and again on Full Screen AOE, and skip it on the two middle endgame stages — treat it as a playstyle fork, not a fixed step.
- Way of the Mountain does NOT work with Chaos Inoculation — skip it if you are running the Mid Endgame (CI) variant.
Leveling & campaign stages
Lvl 1-23
1–23 (spirit)Ice Tipped Arrows
Gear (self-found)
- Vendor regex: "10% i.+mov|\d cfl.+da|^\+.*ee skills$|ck spe"
- Weapon (Ironhead Spear), Boots (Wrapped Sandals), Amulet (Azure Amulet), Rings (Iron Ring x2), Charm (Sapphire Charm)
- Quarterstaff with 2–3 flat elemental prefixes (Fire+Cold first) is the long-term weapon plan; Hollow Palm is a viable unarmed alternative through the next stage
Tree
- New notables: Flow Like Water, Flow State, Tenfold Attacks, Concussive Attack, Killer Instinct
- Ascendancy: Hollow Focus Technique
Notes
- Twister and Whirling Slash carry early clear; Frost Bomb and Herald of Ash add damage
- First ascendancy point: Hollow Focus Technique
23+ Unarmed
23–~31 (spirit)Wyvern Devour
Gear (self-found)
- Unarmed / Hollow Palm pivot — swap is a Frenzied Talisman. Helm (Vermeil Circlet), Body (Marabout Garb), Gloves (Hunting Bracers), Boots (Bound Boots), Amulet (Bloodstone Amulet), Belt (Rawhide Belt), Sapphire + Ruby rings, Giant Life/Mana flasks
Tree
- New notables: Mindful Awareness, Storm Surge, Unbound Forces, Storm Swell, Dizzying Sweep
Notes
- Killing Palm starts culling Hollow Focus Bells for Power Charges, spent on Charged Staff and Falling Thunder
- Rend (via a Talisman in the second weapon slot) is a free 10–12s 50% Lightning damage buff — the guide notes it might get cut later if charge generation stays solved
Act 3-6
~31–~41 (spirit) (spirit)Wyvern Devour
Gear (self-found)
- Still no main-hand staff in the source export — Hollow Palm continues. Body upgrades to Strider Vest; helm, gloves, boots, amulet, belt, and rings carry over.
Tree
- New notables: Crashing Wave, Alternating Current, Echoing Thunder, Stupefy, Dizzying Hits, Serrated Edges, Sharp Sight, Step Like Mist, Nature's Bite, The Power Within, First Principle of the Hollow, Chakra of Impact
- Ascendancy: Way of the Stonefist
Notes
- Way of the Stonefist is on the tree here — check gloves for flat Physical plus two flat Elemental damage-to-attacks prefixes
Campaign End / Early Maps
~41–~58 (spirit) (spirit) (spirit)Wyvern Devour
Gear (self-found)
- Weapon (Sinister Quarterstaff) — Hollow Palm steps aside once a real staff is on. Helm (Ancestral Tiara), Body (Sleek Jacket, evasion/ES as high as possible), Gloves (Opulent Gloves), Boots (Sekhema Sandals, movement speed first), Amulet (Solar Amulet, 60 Spirit to run auras), Sapphire + Ruby rings, Ultimate Life/Mana flasks, Silver + Golden charms
Upgrades if you get lucky or can trade
- Ngamahu's Chosen (Charm) — present in this stage's export
Tree
- New notables: Careful Assassin, Heartstopping, Struck Through, Heartbreaking, Spectral Ward, True Strike, For the Jugular, Deadly Force, Moment of Truth, Conservative Casting, Martial Artistry, Enhanced Reflexes, Frantic Reach, Overflowing Power
- Ascendancy: Hollow Resonance Technique; Runic Meridians is allocated here as the QoL fork
Notes
- Whirling Assault — the build's namesake skill — comes online here. Mapping is spam Whirling Assault and sprint between packs
- For bosses: generate Rage and Power Charges via Killing Palm culling Hollow Focus Bells, spend 3 charges on Charged Staff, then set up Tempest Bell
- Amulet needs at least 60 Spirit for all auras — drop Herald of Ash if short
Early Endgame
~58+ (spirit) (spirit)
Gear (self-found)
- Sinister Quarterstaff x2, Ancestral Tiara, Sleek Jacket, Bandage Wraps, Daggerfoot Shoes, Solar Amulet, Topaz + Sapphire rings, Ultimate Life Flask. Body still wants hybrid evasion/ES and Deflection% if available (else Deflection on boots).
Upgrades if you get lucky or can trade
- Shavronne's Satchel (Belt) — the CI/ES pick; requires an Instant-recovery Life Flask to function
- Lavianga's Spirits (Flask)
Tree
- New notables: Blinding Strike, Subterfuge Mask, Harness the Elements, Throatseeker
- Ascendancy: Hollow Form Technique and Hollow Resonance Technique
Notes
- Hollow Form loaded with Whirling Assault is the boss-melt: generate charges, spend them on Charged Staff, then hold Hollow Form. For hard fights, land a few normal Whirling Assault hits and drop Tempest Bell first
- Trinity joins at 58 — balance Fire/Cold/Lightning to get full value from it
Mid Endgame (CI)
CI maps (spirit) (spirit) (spirit) (spirit)
Gear (self-found)
- Same staff/armour shell as Early Endgame, with Absent Amulet for free Trinity. Rings stay Topaz + Sapphire. Ultimate Life Flask plus Lavianga's Spirits.
Upgrades if you get lucky or can trade
- Shavronne's Satchel (Belt) — Instant-recovery Life Flask required
- Lavianga's Spirits (Flask)
- Absent Amulet — grants free Trinity so you can fit Wind Dancer and Ghost Dance
Tree
- New notables: Efficient Casting, Dampening Shield, Echoing Flames, Echoing Frost, Echoing Thunder, Critical Exploit, Melding
Notes
- Chaos Inoculation variant — Ghost Dance is the ES recovery. Worth it around 4–5k Energy Shield; otherwise skip CI and roll Chaos Resistance on rings/boots
- Do not pick Way of the Mountain on CI — it does not work with Chaos Inoculation
- CI one-shots: if your Mana Flask has "% mana recovered is removed from Life", it can kill you on use. Put anything else on that flask
- To fit every aura without Absent Amulet, drop Wind Dancer instead of Trinity
Full Screen AOE
full budget (spirit) (spirit) (spirit) (spirit)
Gear (self-found)
- Sinister Quarterstaff x2, Ancestral Tiara, Sleek Jacket, Fists of Stone, Daggerfoot Shoes, Absent Amulet, Breach Ring, Ultimate Life/Mana flasks, Silver + Stone charms. Amulet still wants +3 melee skills and defensive ES; instill Subterfuge Mask or Melding depending on the tree.
Upgrades if you get lucky or can trade
- Mageblood (Belt) — 2x Evasion mods plus Quicksilver is the ideal roll
- Kalandra's Touch (Ring)
- Nascent Hope (Charm)
Tree
- New notables: Resolute Reach
- Ascendancy: Runic Meridians is back on this export as the Hollow Resonance alternative
Notes
- The author's own stated final stage — labelled (LIVE) as currently playing, not a snapshot to skip
- Whirling Assault picks up unique-conferred supports (Garukhan's Resolve, Vorana's Siege, Rigwald's Ferocity, Rakiata's Flow) from the full-budget gear
Story rewards worth grabbing
- Act 1: Clearfell — Beira of the Rotten Pack — +10% to Cold Resistance
- Act 1: Freythorn — The King in the Mists — +30 to Spirit
- Act 1: Ogham Manor — Candlemass, the Living Rite — +20 to maximum Life
- Act 2: The Spires of Deshar — Sisters of Garukhan — +10% to Lightning Resistance
- Act 2: Valley of the Titans — Medallion — 30% increased Charm Charges gained, +1 Charm Slot
- Act 3: The Azak Bog — Ignagduk, the Bog Witch — +30 to Spirit
- Act 3: Jiquani's Machinarium — Blackjaw, the Remnant — +10% to Fire Resistance
- Act 3: The Venom Crypts — Venom Draught — 25% increased Stun Threshold
- Act 4: Abandoned Prison — Goddess of Justice — 30% increased Life Recovery from Flasks
- Act 4: Eye of Hinekora — Navali's Rest — 5% increased Maximum Mana
- Act 4: Halls of the Dead — Ngamahu's Test — +5% to Fire Resistance
- Act 4: Halls of the Dead — Tasalio's Test — +5% to Cold Resistance
- Act 4: Halls of the Dead — Tawhoa's Test — +5% to Lightning Resistance
- Interlude: The Khari Crossing — Molten Shrine — 5% increased Maximum Life
- Interlude: Qimah — Tabana's Pillar — 7 reward choices (source does not list the options)
- Interlude: Kriar Village — Lythara, the Wayward Spear — +40 to Spirit
FAQ
Why Martial Artist over the other Monk ascendancies?
Way of the Stonefist's bonuses alone make it look like the strongest Monk ascendancy, plus 5 extra rune slots (or ES Recharge from Martial Adept) and a big Deflect buff in patch 0.5.
How do I use Hollow Form to kill bosses?
Generate Rage and Power Charges with Killing Palm culling Hollow Focus's summoned Bells (always crit, always stun-primed), spend 3 charges on Charged Staff, repeat, then hold Hollow Form (loaded with Whirling Assault) to melt the target. For very hard fights, land a few normal Whirling Assault hits and drop a Tempest Bell first. Stay close to the boss.
How do I fit every aura in?
Use the Absent Amulet, which grants a free Trinity. If you don't have it, drop Wind Dancer instead.
Is Chaos Inoculation necessary?
No. If you don't have 4–5k Energy Shield, or want the Way of the Mountain node (incompatible with CI), skip CI and roll Chaos Resistance on rings/boots instead.
Why do I keep randomly dying while running Chaos Inoculation?
Check your Mana Flask doesn't have "% mana recovered is removed from Life" — it can one-shot you on use. Put anything else on that flask.
Hollow Resonance or Runic Meridians?
Both valid. Hollow Resonance adds more damage but has smaller AoE and doesn't proc as often; Runic Meridians offers more QoL and defense (50% reduced curses). Pick based on playstyle.
Sources: Ronarray — WHIRLING Trinity Martial Artist (Mobalytics) · Video
On PoE Source: PoE 2 campaign · Martial Artist