Article de Kami
Build Overview
The Hollow Palm Monk is one of the best league starters for Path of Exile 2 Season 0.4. This build leverages the Hollow Palm technique, which allows you to fight bare-fisted with devastating efficiency. Good news for players: while Hollow Palm was slightly nerfed for endgame setups, it received a significant buff for the campaign with an increased base attack speed.
The major advantage of this build? Starting at level 23, you become completely independent from weapons. No more frustrating drops or hunting for a better bow or sword. Scaling becomes natural and you can breeze through the entire campaign without a hitch. It is also a very flexible build: once leveling is done, you can easily transition into Ice Strike Monk with a weapon, or other variants depending on your preferences.
The gameplay mainly revolves around Storm Wave after the swap to Hollow Palm. This skill clears zones quickly while remaining effective against bosses. For tougher fights, you can add Tempest Flurry and Tempest Bell, but honestly, Storm Wave is enough for practically all leveling content.
Build Strengths
- Total weapon independence: After level 23, no need to farm or buy weapons. Scaling comes naturally from evasion and stats.
- Excellent clear speed: Storm Wave clears zones in no time. One click and everything dies – it is that simple.
- Very flexible for transition: Once the campaign is done, you can swap to Ice Strike, weapon builds, or stay on Hollow Palm depending on your drops.
- Natural campaign scaling: The buffed attack speed in 0.4 perfectly compensates for the low evasion in the early game.
- Near-zero budget: No expensive required items. A bit of evasion on your gear and you are good to go.
Build Weaknesses
- Slightly technical initial setup: You need to create a Ranger at level 1 to grab the bow and Lightning Arrow, then transfer them to the Monk.
- Hollow Palm nerfed for endgame: The build is excellent for leveling but has lost some power for high-end content. Plan for a transition.
- Possible mana issues: Without investment in Conservative Casting or mana regeneration, you can run dry fairly quickly.
Gem Setup by Stage
This build offers 6 progression stages from leveling to the final setup. Select a stage to see the corresponding gem setup.
EXPENSIVE Endgame
10 skills • 46 gemmes
Lvl 1-23
5 skills • 14 gemmes
23+ Unarmed
7 skills • 20 gemmes
Acte 3-6
9 skills • 27 gemmes
Waystones / 85+ Wave
9 skills • 36 gemmes
Min Max Gear (Aspirational, Expensive)
11 skills • 49 gemmes
Recommended Equipment
- Amulet: Absolute priority on +level of all melee skills. This is the most impactful stat for damage scaling.
- Gloves: Look for +level of all melee skills or flat damage. Both options work well.
- Armour / Boots / Helmet: Maximize evasion as much as possible. Evasion directly influences attack speed with Hollow Palm.
- Rings: Add some cold damage to activate the Aken Frost and Aken Thunder nodes in the tree. Fill the rest with defensive stats.
- Belt: Resistances and life. Nothing special required.
Gameplay Tips
- The swap at level 22-23: As soon as you reach Hollow Palm Technique in the tree, make the switch. Storm Wave becomes the main skill with Upheaval I + Rapid Attacks I as supports.
- Branching Fissures I > Upheaval I: When you get the level 3 Uncut Support Gem, replace Upheaval I with Branching Fissures I for more damage.
- Tough bosses: Tempest Flurry with Rage Support + Rapid Attacks I gets the job done. Tempest Bell remains optional.
- Mana issues: Invest in Conservative Casting in the tree. It is the most effective solution.
- Storm Wave is enough: Do not overthink it. One click of Storm Wave kills practically everything during the campaign.
The Bow Trick at Level 1
The Monk does not start with a bow, but it is the smoothest setup for the first few levels. The trick? Create a temporary Ranger, kill the first boss to unlock the town, then grab the bow and Lightning Arrow from the shared stash.
Here is how it works: create any Ranger, run to the first town by killing the initial boss. Grab Lightning Arrow, the bow, and the quiver. Add a few Scrolls of Wisdom and some flasks, then drop everything in the stash. Next, create your Monk and grab the gear.
The initial setup will be Lightning Arrow + Lightning Rod + Frost Bomb + Basic Attack. Use Lightning Rod to place conductors on the ground, then Lightning Arrow to trigger the damage. Simple and effective for pushing through the first acts.
The Hollow Palm Swap
The key moment of the build arrives at level 22-23. That is when you can finally take Hollow Palm Technique in the passive tree. Once this node is activated, the build completely changes its dynamics.
Unequip all weapons and use the level 7 quest gem to obtain Storm Wave. The setup becomes Storm Wave with Upheaval I + Rapid Attacks I as supports. If Upheaval I does not suit you, Lightning Attunement remains a solid alternative for extra speed.
The key priority after the swap: aim for Blinding Strike as your next major node. This node significantly improves the build’s damage and consistency.
Skill Tree Progression
Progression follows a fairly linear path. Start with Concussive Attacks on the left, then Killer Instinct. Next, head toward Hollow Palm Technique via Tenfold Attacks.
After Hollow Palm, grab Blinding Strike for damage. Then go left for Alternating Current (mana and Shock), Aken Frost, and Aken Thunder. These nodes synergize well with a bit of cold damage on your rings.
For mana issues, take Conservative Casting. You can also invest in Crushing Wave for crits – even at 10% critical strike chance, it procs often enough to be worth it. Wild Storm and Exposed to the Storm round out the build before the ascendancy.
Invoker Ascendancy: Recommended Order
The Invoker Ascendancy offers several interesting options. The recommended leveling order:
- I Am the Thunder: First pick for additional damage and Shocking Ground. Very impactful from the moment you get it.
- Lead Me Through Grey: Second node to keep scaling lightning damage.
- Sunder My Enemies: Third pick, lets you drop Exposed to the Storm in the tree since you get the penetration elsewhere.
- Flexible fourth pick: Meditate for energy shield regeneration, Soul Springs Eternal if you use spirit skills, or Unbound Avatar for boss damage.
Spirit Gems for Leveling
Spirit gems provide a huge boost to clear speed and quality of life. The recommended setup:
Herald of Thunder as the top priority for additional clear. Then Herald of Ice and Herald of Ash. Be careful with Herald of Ash: keep it at a low level (4-5 max). Beyond that, the buff becomes negligible relative to its spirit cost.
Once you are further into the campaign, you can add Sunder for quality of life and Convalescence once you have enough energy shield. For endgame, Elemental Conflux remains a solid choice before transitioning to other builds.
Bonus option: Lingering Illusion for only 30 spirit. By spamming dodge, you generate Power charges that boost your damage. Blink also remains viable for extra Mobility during mapping.
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