In the fast-paced, constantly evolving landscape of Path of Exile 2, discovering a new synergy that actually works is like striking gold.In recent deep dive, explored a strength-stacking build based around Rick's Stomping Ground-a brutal melee skill that multiplies your Strength by up to 150% and uses it as the base damage. The result? A one-button juggernaut that's surprisingly tanky POE 2 Currency Orbs, reasonably cheap, and-most importantly-fun. Let's break down how this "Rake Stomping Ground" build works, why it's viable, and what makes it a hidden gem for endgame farming in PoE 2. The Core Mechanic: Stomping Ground & Strength Scaling At the heart of this build is Stomping Ground, a melee attack tied to the unique weapon Rick. This ability takes your character's total Strength and uses it as base damage-multiplied between 100% and 150%. Naturally, the higher your Strength, the more devastating your attacks become. That makes strength-stacking not just viable, but optimal. Fully lean into this scaling by combining it with Iron Grasp, Crown of Eyes, and Energy Shield (ES) leech mechanics to create a tanky, spammy melee bruiser that can comfortably handle both clear speed and bossing. The Weapon of Choice: Sky Sliver A rare spear known for its insane attack speed and a very special mod: only rolling minimum or maximum values for each damage type. The logic here is simple-Stomping Ground doesn't care about weapon DPS. You just want to attack fast and frequently to maximize damage application. Sky Sliver outpaces most rare spears in terms of speed and, thanks to its high roll consistency, ensures smoother damage output. Add in the synergy with Stomping Ground's flat base damage, and this weapon ends up being the best-in-slot. Offhand Strategy: Focus for Flat Energy Shield Runs a Focus item in the offhand instead of a shield or dual-wield setup. Why? Focus provides a significant amount of flat Energy Shield, which helps scale your survivability. Because this build forgoes traditional life-based defenses, stacking ES is key. Paired with Essence Sanguis gloves (which apply life leech to Energy Shield) and Trample Toe boots, the build manages a solid 5.6k to 6k ES, which can be easily pushed to 7k or even 10k with minor upgrades. Final Thoughts: A Hidden Gem Worth Trying The result is a build that's: ·Comfortable to play ·Tanky enough for most endgame content ·Affordable for SSF or league starters ·A refreshing alternative to spell or bow metas ·If you're looking for a powerful, off-meta melee build in Path of Exile 2, this Rick Stomping Ground setup might be exactly what you need to smash your way through the Atlas-without smashing your wallet. Build Highlights Recap: ·Skill: Rick's Stomping Ground ·Scaling: Strength stacking (up to 150% base damage) ·Main Weapon: Sky Sliver (high attack speed) ·Offhand: Focus (flat ES, spell damage converted via Crown of Eyes) ·Defenses: 6k+ Energy Shield with life leech to ES ·Cost: ~5-10 Divine for full setup ·Best Use: General mapping, bossing with comfort, off-meta fun This build could be the sleeper melee hit of the patch. If you're bored of projectile spam or mana-intensive spells, it's time to grab Rick, stack Strength, and start stomping.
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