eld.gg Path of Exile 2 Currency: Is Hollow Palm a Viable League Starter

Is Hollow Palm a Viable League Starter in Path of Exile 2?

The short answer: Yes, but with some caveats.

The Hollow Palm Technique is available just 12 points away from Path of Exile 2 Currency the Monk's starting area, meaning you can transition into the build relatively early.

However, the Monk is notorious for a slow leveling process due to fewer early-game damage nodes. The Hollow Palm Technique doesn't magically solve this-it requires investment in Dexterity, attack speed, and critical chance before the build feels strong.

That said, once you have a solid passive tree foundation and the right support gems, this build becomes one of the most fun and visually satisfying ways to progress through the campaign. The endgame viability is still up for debate in 0.3.0, but for campaign and early mapping, it's both effective and entertaining. Players who want smoother gearing may also consider using Path of Exile 2 Items from the trade economy to speed things up.

Skill Gem Setup for Hollow Palm Acolyte

Once you unlock the Hollow Palm Technique via your first Ascendancy trial (around level 20), you can fully lean into the fist-fighting style. Until then, you may want to use Lightning Arrow with a bow for faster progression, as Quarterstaff skills can feel clunky in the early acts.

Here's a recommended Hollow Palm gem setup:

1. Tempest Flurry: Rapid Attack - Lightning Attunement - Elemental Armament

Your bread-and-butter attack skill, boosted by Hollow Palm's scaling.

2. Herald of Thunder: Longshot - Magnified Area

Provides sustained lightning damage and AoE coverage.

3. Storm Wave: Lightning Attunement - Elemental Armament

A strong utility skill for extra coverage and elemental layering.

4. Frost Bomb: Magnified Area

Excellent for boss fights, as it lowers enemy resistances.

5. Charged Staff: Shock - Innervate

Synergizes with your crit scaling and cheap POE 2 Chaos Orbs enhances lightning damage uptime.