In Path of Exile 2, summoner builds are more flexible and strategic than ever, especially with the revamped Spectre system. Spectres now allow players to bind the spirits of nearly any monster they defeat, introducing a powerful layer of customization for minion-based builds. These spectral allies inherit the skills and attributes of their original forms, and thanks to the Dawn of the Hunt expansion, many new monsters are available to bind, while others have received significant reworks.

Whether you're a dedicated necromancer or just want to experiment with utility minions, Spectres are an essential part of your toolkit. This guide dives into how Spectres work in Path of Exile 2, breaks down the best ones to use, and presents a full tier list to help you plan your build.

What Are Spectres in Path of Exile 2?

Spectres are spectral versions of slain enemies that you can summon using the Bind Spectre skill. They retain many of their former combat abilities and gain increased elemental damage as a baseline. While any class can summon them, they shine brightest when paired with Witch-class archetypes and other summoner-focused builds.

Each Spectre costs a specific amount of Spirit, a new resource that governs how many and which Spectres you can summon at a time. The stronger the creature, the higher the Spirit cost to summon and maintain. This forces you to make strategic decisions — do you want one massive powerhouse, or several smaller, specialized Spectres?

Spectres respawn like other minions when killed, but are balanced by their Spirit cost and synergy potential. For optimal performance, you'll want to experiment with:

• Curse synergy

• Elemental and physical damage support gems

• AoE, poison, or projectile scaling

• Buffs from utility Spectres

How to Use Spectres Effectively

To maximize your Spectres' potential:

• Bind strong monsters with good native skills.

• Combine elemental types with support gems.

• Use curse-based Spectres to debuff enemies.

• Factor in Spirit cost vs power - fewer high-cost Spectres can be stronger than a swarm of weak ones.

• Mix damage types - like Fire + Chaos - to bypass enemy resistances.

Now, let's dive into the tier list, breaking down the best Spectres available in Path of Exile 2 so far.

Best Spectres Tier List in Path of Exile 2

S-Tier - Meta-Defining Spectres

Spectre Spirit Cost Notable Traits

Vaal Guard 50 Grenade Fire AoE, Fire Exposure, Crowd Control

Faridun Impaler 120 Projectile Bleed, High Physical Hit Damage

Priest of the Sun 100 Solar Beam, Fire AoE, Persistent Fire Orb

Vaal Guard - The Grenade Specialist

• Location: Ziggurat Refuge, Utzaal, Library of Kamasa (Act 3)

• Why It's Great:

Vaal Guards throw grenades that deal 440% base fire damage, apply Fire Exposure, and slow enemies. Great for both boss fights and trash mob clearing, this Spectre offers consistent AoE and debuffs that synergize well with fire builds.

Faridun Impaler - The Bleed Machine

• Location: Spires of Deshar (Act 2)

• Why It's Great:

With projectile attacks that apply Bleeding, Faridun Impaler is ideal for physical Dot builds. Though it costs a hefty 120 Spirit, its wide-area coverage and Dot pressure make it a battlefield dominator.

Priest of the Sun - The Solar Sniper

• Location: Temple of Kopec (Act 3)

• Why It's Great:

Shoots a slow-moving Solar Orb and a piercing Solar Beam, both of which deal high fire damage. This Spectre excels in long-range fire builds, and works as a less tanky but more surgical alternative to Vaal Guards.

A-Tier - Highly Effective With the Right Setup

Spectre Spirit Cost Notable Traits

Frost Wraith 80 Cold Projectiles, Freezes, Explosions

Regurgitating Vulture 70 Chaos Damage, Poison, Mortar Attack

Cultist Archer 70 AoE Chaos Rain, Blooming Sprouts

Frost Wraith - Freeze and Pop

• Location: Cemetery of the Eternals (Act 1)

• Why It's Great:

Delivers projectiles that can freeze enemies, then trigger explosions on death. With strong AoE and crowd control, this Spectre is a favourite for cold builds or chill-focused summoners.

Regurgitating Vulture - Chaos from the Sky

• Location: Deshar (Act 2)

• Why It's Great:

Hurls Caustic Mortars that inflict Poison and Chaos Damage. Great synergy with Chaos Dot builds and pairs well with Swift Affliction or Void Manipulation.

Cultist Archer - Chaos Artillery

• Location: Freythorn (Act 1)

• Why It's Great:

Fires chaos-infused AoE arrows, and spawns Sprouts that explode. One of the highest raw AoE DPS Spectres, excellent for screen-clearing in endgame maps.

B-Tier - Solid but Situational

Spectre Spirit Cost Notable Traits

Forsaken Miner 70 Freezing Explosives, Crowd Control

Nettle Ant 40 Melee, Fast Attacks

Gilded Beetle 90 AoE Lightning, Buffs Allies

Azak Fledgling 50 Poison Darts, Corrosion

Bloodrite Priest 60 Unclear Data (likely support-based)

Forsaken Miner - The Cold Bomber

• Location: Mawdun Quarry/Mine (Act 2)

• Why It's Great:

Fires grenades that chill/freeze and deal splash damage. Combines control and area coverage, perfect for early to mid-level mapping.

Nettle Ant - Speedy Melee Bruiser

• Location: Infested Barrens (Act 3)

• Why It's Great:

Quick melee Spectre with high attack and movement speed. Useful for melee-focused summoners, though fragile compared to others.

Gilded Beetle - Lightning Support & AoE

• Location: Trial of the Sekhemas (Act 2)

• Why It's Great:

Casts Lightning Nova and uses Warcry to boost damage and mana regen for you and your minions. Scales well with lightning and support builds.

Azak Fledgling - Poison and Corrosion Support

• Location: Azak Bog (Act 3)

• Why It's Great:

Shoots poison darts rapidly and applies Corrosion, reducing enemy armour. Great synergy for DoT poison builds, especially when paired with Corrosion Support gems.

C-Tier - Niche or Outclassed Options

Spectre Spirit Cost Notable Traits

Serpent Shaman 90 Physical Vulnerability, Bleeds, Curses

Filthy Crone 120 Mass Curses, High Spirit Cost

Serpent Shaman - Physical Debuffer

• Location: Ziggurat of Refuge (Act 3)

• Why It's Meh:

Curses enemies to take more Physical damage and applies Bleeds. Useful for physical builds, but hard to justify Spirit-wise unless you specialize in bleeds or curse stacking.

Filthy Crone - Queen of Curses (But Expensive)

• Location: Apex of Filth (Act 3)

• Why It's Meh:

Casts multiple curses like Despair, Vulnerability, Temporal Chains, and Enfeeble. Unfortunately, she can override other curses and costs a huge 120 Spirit, making her difficult to fit into most builds.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Spectres for Your Build

Choosing the right Spectres is a balancing act between Spirit cost, damage type, and synergy with your main skills. If you're running a fire or infernal build, the Vaal Guard and Priest of the Sun are top-tier options. For physical bleed builds, Faridun Impaler or Serpent Shaman could be strong picks.

Looking for chaos damage dominance? Use the Cultist Archer or Regurgitating Vulture. Want freezing crowd control? Grab a Frost Wraith. Just looking for fast melee brawlers? Nettle Ant will serve you well early on.

Each patch and expansion in Path of Exile 2 brings new monster types and rebalances Spirit costs, so be sure to keep experimenting. A good Spectre setup can turn your summoner into a devastating battlefield commander, capable of clearing hordes and melting bosses alike.

With the new Spectre system in Path of Exile 2, the game has opened up incredible customization for summoners. Use this guide as your foundation, experiment with combinations, and fine-tune your build for maximum destruction.