Patch 0.5 has made league-start choices feel important again, especially for players who don't want to burn their first savings on fancy gear. If you're starting Return of the Ancients with an empty stash, the smart move is picking something that works with cheap rares, simple upgrades, and easy-to-find POE 2 Items while still clearing maps at a decent pace. Two builds stand out right now: Grenade Ballista Totems Warbringer and the Stormblast Money Maker setup. They're different in feel, but both do the same useful thing. They get you into farming content early without asking for a pile of expensive uniques.

Grenade Ballista Totems Warbringer feels safe from the start

The Warbringer totem version is the pick for players who'd rather play steady than sweaty. You drop Mortar Cannon Ballistas, keep moving, and let the totems handle most of the dirty work. That sounds simple, and honestly, that's the point. The build scales well from gem levels, physical damage, and basic weapon upgrades, so you're not stuck waiting for one rare drop to make the character function. Wooden Wall gives you extra breathing room, while Answered Call helps with totem count and damage uptime. In maps, it feels relaxed. Against bosses, it gives you time to watch mechanics instead of standing still and hoping your damage wins first.

Stormblast Money Maker is for players who like big hits

Stormblast Money Maker has a very different rhythm. It's not as hands-off, but the payoff is huge when you set it up correctly. The build stacks Stormblast Bolts before a fight, lowers enemy resistance with Elemental Weakness and Frost Bomb, then uses Shock support through a bow swap before detonating with Mortar Cannon. When it lands, bosses can disappear far faster than they should for the price of the gear. You don't need a perfect crossbow either. A decent essence-crafted weapon can carry the early version much further than people expect. The catch is that you have to prepare your burst window, so it's less forgiving if you panic or rush the fight.

Picking between the two builds

If you're newer, tired after work, or just want a smooth push into maps, Warbringer is probably the easier recommendation. It lets you make mistakes and still recover. The clear speed isn't the flashiest thing in the league, but it's consistent, and that matters when your gear is rough. Stormblast is better if you enjoy planning a fight and deleting targets with one heavy sequence. It can farm bosses quickly and turn that into early currency, but it asks more from your hands. Neither build needs luxury gear to begin. Start with life, resistances, movement speed, and a weapon that actually improves your main skill. Damage upgrades can come after your character stops falling over.

Early upgrade path that actually makes sense

During the campaign, don't overthink it. Fix resistances, keep your weapon current, and grab cheap rares with useful stats. In early maps, survival should come first, because dying slows your farming more than a small damage loss ever will. Once yellow maps feel stable, start chasing stronger damage rolls, better sockets, and passive tree cleanup. Red maps are where you can be pickier and spend real currency on pieces that won't be replaced in ten minutes. If you want to speed that process up, checking POE 2 Items for sale can help you compare upgrade costs before you waste currency on bad crafts. A solid starter isn't about looking rich on day one; it's about getting rich while everyone else is still stuck fixing their build.