How to Level a Hollow Palm Monk in PoE 2

The Monk class in Path of Exile 2 begins its journey wielding a Quarterstaff, but it doesn't take long before the class fully embraces unarmed combat. Thanks to Path of Exile 2 Currency the powerful Hollow Palm Technique passive, Monks can use Quarterstaff skills while completely unarmed, converting defensive stats like Evasion and Energy Shield directly into offensive power. The result is a fast, fluid, Lightning-based build that clears the campaign with shocking speed and surprisingly high survivability once properly geared.

This guide covers the best Monk leveling build in PoE 2 Patch 0.4, focusing on an Unarmed Lightning Monk that dominates Acts and transitions cleanly into early endgame content.

PoE 2 Hollow Palm Monk Leveling Overview

This build is centered around four core concepts:

Unarmed combat using Quarterstaff skills
Lightning damage and Shock scaling
Extreme mobility and fast attack speed
Strong synergy between Evasion and Energy Shield

While extremely powerful, the Hollow Palm Monk can feel fragile in the early campaign. Proper positioning, dodging, and using ranged Lightning skills are essential until your defenses scale up later. Equipping strong Path of Exile 2 Items early, or grabbing key upgrades from vendors, can significantly reduce early-game risk.

Acts 1 & 2 - Wind Blast and Staggering Palm

In the first two Acts, your damage revolves around Wind Blast, Staggering Palm, and Vaulting Impact.

Core Skills

Wind Blast - Wide-area clear and crowd control
Staggering Palm - Enables Heavy Stuns and damage amplification
Vaulting Impact - Massive AoE burst against stunned enemies
Tempest Flurry - Fast attack replacement for basic strikes

Wind Blast clears packs efficiently, while Staggering Palm primes enemies for devastating follow-ups. Once a Heavy Stun lands, Vaulting Impact wipes groups instantly.

Replace your default attack with Tempest Flurry as soon as it becomes available. Its attack speed, Shock application, and synergy with Staggering Palm make it a core skill throughout the entire leveling process.

Recommended Early Supports

Rapid Attacks
Rage

This early setup already resembles the late-game version, making progression into Act 3 smooth and intuitive.

Lightning Damage Transition

Once Storm Wave unlocks, the build begins its transformation into a true Lightning powerhouse.

Key Changes

Replace Wind Blast with Storm Wave
Prioritize Elemental Armament and Rage
Transition from Physical to Lightning scaling

With even modest flat damage on gloves and rings, Storm Wave clears entire zones effortlessly and melts bosses. At this stage, you'll also replace:

Staggering Palm → Siphoning Strike
Vaulting Impact → Falling Thunder

This change enables consistent Power Charge generation and much stronger Lightning-based AoE damage.

Charged Staff - The Build Comes Online

Unlocking Charged Staff is the turning point for the Hollow Palm Monk. When combined with Tempest Flurry, Charged Staff massively boosts DPS, Shock uptime, and overall clear speed.

Survivability may still lag slightly at this point, so avoid face-tanking dangerous packs. Use Storm Wave to fight from range when needed and rely on mobility to stay safe until your defensive layers catch up.

Generating Power Charges Consistently

Power Charges are essential for maximizing damage and Shock effectiveness.

Primary Generation Methods

Lingering Illusion (Spirit Skill)
Siphoning Strike (Shock-based generation)

Lingering Illusion creates clones after dodging. When destroyed, these clones drop orbs that grant Power Charges. To run this alongside Herald of Thunder, complete the Tribal Vengeance quest in Act 3 to raise your Spirit cap to 60.

An alternative setup uses Combat Frenzy with an Electrocute Support and the Resonance passive to convert Frenzy Charges into Power Charges.

Early Endgame Skill Setup

Main Skills and Supports

Tempest Flurry - Rapid Attacks, Rage, Elemental Armament
Storm Wave - Rapid Attacks, Elemental Armament, Shock
Charged Staff - Shock, Prolonged Duration
Siphoning Strike - Magnified Area
Elemental Weakness - Focused Curse
Herald of Thunder - Magnified Area, Elemental Focus
Lingering Illusion - Charge Profusion
Tempest Bell - Overabundance, Close Combat

Gameplay Loop

Clear packs with Storm Wave
Use Tempest Flurry and Tempest Bell for bosses
Maintain Power Charges through dodging and Siphoning Strike

Passive Tree Priorities

This setup reflects a level 45 Monk.

Key Passives

Concussive Attack
Immaterial
Tenfold Attacks
Killer Instincts
Conservative Casting
Spectral Ward
Blinding Strike
Agile Succession
Subterfuge Mask
Hollow Palm Technique

These nodes boost damage, Evasion, Energy Shield, and survivability through POE 2 Orbs for sale Blind and Daze effects. If damage feels sufficient early, prioritize defensive pathing first.