Embody the unarmed combatant who moves with the speed of the wind and strikes with the force of a falling thunderbolt. This guide will take you through the One-Shot Hollow Palm Monk, a build designed for the latest Path of Exile 2 content update, The Third Edict (0.3.0). Harnessing a powerful new Keystone and a fluid combo system, this build excels at shattering entire packs of enemies and delivering devastating, single-blow boss kills.
The Third Edict beckons you to the Ngamakanui archipelago, a chain of eight perilous islands where the Karui tribes reside. Here, you will discover the Hollow Palm Technique, a Keystone that transforms your Monk into a master of unarmed combat. This build is not only viable as a league starter without unique items but also scales powerfully into the endgame, capable of defeating Uber Pinnacle bosses with a single, well-executed strike.
The essence of this build revolves around a simple but profound principle: overwhelming force delivered in an instant. The playstyle is a dynamic dance across the battlefield, building up a combo meter before unleashing it in a cataclysmic finisher.
- Clear Speed: For mapping, you will primarily use Ice Strike combined with Shattering Palm and Herald of Ice. This combination allows you to freeze and shatter large packs of enemies, resulting in satisfying chain reactions and excellent clear speed.
- Single-Target Annihilation: The true glory of this build is its boss-killing capability. The sequence involves rapidly building up your Combo meter using skills supported by Culmination II, which grants more damage per Combo point. You then use Hand of Chayula to consume that Combo and, with the help of the powerful Ailith’s Chimes Lineage Support Gem, generate maximum Power Charges. Finally, you deliver the finishing blow with Falling Thunder, a skill that is massively boosted by both your remaining Combo and the newly acquired Power Charges, often resulting in a one-shot kill on even the toughest bosses.
- Defensive Fluidity: Survivability is achieved through evasion and deflection. You will stack high Evasion Rating and Energy Shield, utilizing key passive nodes like Wind Dancer and Ghost Dance to recover Energy Shield when you are hit. This makes you incredibly elusive, recovering a significant amount of your defensive layer (ES) simply by engaging in combat.
Primary skills & gem choices
Different creators favor different “one-shot” triggers, but these are the community staples:
- Tempest Flurry / Tempest Bell — excellent single-target burst; pairs well with crit and attack speed.
- Shattering / Staggering Palm — strong stun/buffing mechanics that help set up big hits and allow safe windows for burst.
- Ice Strike / Falling Thunder — reliable melee/strike skills that scale cleanly with Hollow Palm’s flat damage and crit mods.
- Support gems: crit supports (Increased Critical Strikes, Critical Multiplier), attack speed supports, and the common elemental or physical damage supports depending on the skill.
- Utility: Movement skill (dash/evade), buffing images/auras (some builds use ImageWind Dancer / ImageGhost Dance for survival), and a strong curse or crowd control for tougher bosses.
- Use a single big damage skill for boss windows; use a fast clear skill (e.g., Shattering Palm variants or a Storm wave) for packs.
passive priorities
Most of the high-profile PoE2 Hollow Palm Monk builds pick ascendancy/passive paths that boost attack speed, crit, spirit/persistent-skill scaling, and survivability nodes that support evasion/ES. The Invoker-style ascendancy options (and their equivalents in PoE2) are commonly recommended because they synergize with persistent buffs and spirit thresholds that improve your single-hit windows.
- Prioritize: Hollow Palm keystone → crit/crit multiplier clusters → attack speed → defensive ES/evasion nodes.
- Grab spirit/“persistent skill” nodes if your chosen skills or ascendancy benefit from spirit thresholds for damage or sustain.
Gear & stat priorities (budget → endgame)
The Hollow Palm monk needs armour that contributes Evasion and Energy Shield (those two stats are the engine); after that: attack speed, critical multiplier, flat physical/elemental increases and any mods that directly boost the chosen skill. The new unique Darkness Enthroned belt has been highlighted by the community as extremely strong for many PoE2 builds and sees recommended use on Hollow Palm setups when available.
- Priority list (short):
- Evasion & Energy Shield on armour pieces (scales hollow palm).
- Attack speed & crit multiplier on rings/amulet/gloves.
- + to Skill Level / flat physical on offhands or socketables.
- Quality gems and socket setup that maximizes your main hit’s damage.
- Budget advice: early league, stack cheap evasion/ES rares and focus on attack speed gems; you’ll be surprised how far hollow palm carries you before expensive uniques are needed.
Leveling and progression — when to swap to hollow palm
Community progression guides commonly flip to unarmed Hollow Palm playstyle once the keystone is available (many builds recommend swapping fully to unarmed around the mid-20s level range — some guides mark level ~27 as a comfortable swap point). Early campaign: use reliable skills you can wield with a staff; when Hollow Palm is available, respec toward keystone and grab the relevant passive path.
- Leveling tip: keep at least one ranged/clearing option for early boss mechanics; Hollow Palm makes campaign progression much smoother once active.
- Gem progression: upgrade your main skill gems first, then add crit/attack speed supports as sockets and currency allow.
The Perfect One-Shot Rotation
- Engage and Build Combo: Use your movement skill to position yourself near the boss. Begin using your basic attacks or skills to rapidly build your Combo meter to 100-150.
- Apply Buffs & Debuffs: Ensure your Heralds are active. You can use Elemental Expression to Blind the boss, reducing its accuracy and increasing your effective evasion.
- Generate Power Charges: Activate Hand of Chayula. With the Ailith’s Chimes support, this will consume your Combo and grant you maximum Power Charges.
- Execute with Falling Thunder: Immediately use Falling Thunder on the boss. Despite Hand of Chayula consuming your global Combo, Falling Thunder benefits from its own separate Culmination II support, meaning it uses the Combo built specifically for it. This hit, now supercharged by Combo and Power Charges, will often be the last thing the boss experiences.
Stat Priorities
- Evasion Rating (EV) & Energy Shield (ES): These are your most important stats. Prioritize hybrid EV/ES bases on your Body Armour, Helmet, and Gloves. A high Energy Shield on your Helmet, for example, is doubly valuable because of the Subterfuge Mask passive, which grants +2 Evasion per 1 Energy Shield on your helmet.
- Flat Elemental Damage on Rings: Since you are unarmed, look for rings that add flat Cold, Lightning, or Physical Damage to your attacks. This directly boosts the damage of Ice Strike and Falling Thunder.
- Attributes and Resistances: Ensure you meet the attribute requirements for your Support Gems (typically Strength 50-55, Dexterity 80, Intelligence 75-80) and cap your elemental resistances.
- Critical Strike Chance & Multiplier: Once defenses are stable, look for these offensive modifiers on Amulets and Helms.
Recommended Gear Slots
| Gear Slot | Priority Stats | Notes & Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Body Armour | High EV/ES hybrid base, Spirit Reservation Efficiency, Gain Deflection Rating | Aim for ~1380 EV and ~408 ES for optimal Spirit. Craft Spirit Reservation to lower costs. |
| Helmet | High Energy Shield (350-450+), Critical Strike Chance | A 400 ES helmet effectively gives 800 EV via Subterfuge Mask. |
| Gloves | EV/ES base, +2 to Level of Melee Skills, Flat Damage, Attack Speed | Rare gloves are typically better than uniques like Thunderfist for this build. |
| Amulet | Increased EV/ES, Critical Strike Chance, Level of Melee Skills | Anoint with Stormcharged for elemental damage and critical chance. |
| Belt | Increased Effect of Socketed Talismans (Darkness Enthroned), Attributes/Resistances | Darkness Enthroned with two Talisman of Sirrius provides a huge attack speed boost. |
For jewels, the new Heart of the Well is a powerful endgame goal, as it can provide a “Gain Extra Damage as” modifier. A Megalomaniac jewel with useful offensive and defensive notables is also a strong choice.
Mastering the Elements with Your Fists
The One-Shot Hollow Palm Monk is a testament to the exciting new possibilities in Path of Exile 2’s 0.3.0 update. It combines high-speed gameplay, strategic depth with its combo system, and immense power fantasy. From league start to endgame, it offers a smooth and rewarding progression curve.
As you journey through the Karui archipelago in search of the instrument of the Third Edict, you will do so not with a legendary weapon, but with your own honed spirit and elemental fury. This build is perfect for players who enjoy a fast, fluid, and impactful playstyle that rewards precise execution. Embrace the way of the Hollow Palm and show the horrors of Wraeclast that the most powerful weapon is the one forged within.