Path of Exile 2 ยท Patch 0.5

PoE2 Grenade Cannon Totem Build Guide

Complete Mortar Cannon Totem guide - spam totems while moving, let them fire grenades automatically, and melt all content on a budget. Covers Cluster vs Explosive Grenade and Tactician vs Warbringer ascendancy.

Mortar Cannon Totem Patch 0.5 Budget-Friendly Tactician / Warbringer

Core Goal

Use Mortar Cannon totems to fire grenades automatically while you kite - a "spam and move" playstyle that clears packs and melts bosses. Each totem gets independent charges with no shared cooldown, making placement spam viable.

Main challenges: early mana drain, slow placement pre-investment, and picking the right grenade and ascendancy to commit to. The build handles all content on budget but rewards investment at endgame.

Step-by-Step Build Setup

1

Early Leveling (Pre-Mortar Cannon)

  • Level with Shield Wall or basic crossbow + Explosive Grenade for safe, reliable clear.
  • Farm gold for respecs - you will rebuild the tree once Mortar Cannon comes online.
  • Grab totem passive nodes and warcry nodes first if targeting Warbringer ascendancy.
  • Transition to Mortar Cannon around mid-campaign when it becomes available.
2

Acquire and Socket Mortar Cannon

  • Link Mortar Cannon with your chosen grenade (see Key Decision Points below).
  • Totems use your weapon - equip a crossbow with +grenades or +projectile mods.
  • Totems do not share cooldowns with each other, making 2-4 totem spam viable and powerful.
3

Core Rotation

Totem-spam (1-button-ish): Stack cooldown uses + Short Fuse support + passive tree nodes for fast detonation (~0.3s fuses). Spam place totems while running - they clear packs automatically.

Manual detonation variant: Place Mortar Cannons, then manually detonate with Explosive Shot. Aim for overlapping explosions on clusters for burst damage.

Mana tip: Totem spam drains mana fast early. Use flask investment, or pivot to Blood Magic / life stacking via Warbringer to remove mana issues entirely.
4

Scaling Priorities

#1+Totem limit and placement speed (tree + gear) - the build feels smooth by ~level 70 once this is addressed
#2Projectile count, AoE, reduced projectile speed (for Cluster Grenade overlap)
#3Supports: Short Fuse, Payload, Second Wind. Avoid heavy CDR - Mortar bypasses most cooldowns naturally
#4Defenses: Pin utility (Tactician), armor/evasion hybrid, life regen, or Warbringer tankiness
5

Endgame Push

  • Add more totems to scale coverage and coverage overlap.
  • Scale grenade projectiles and explosion radius for full-screen clear.
  • Seek +grenade skills on gear (corrupted or crafted).
  • Budget version handles all content; scales well with investment into the hundreds of divines.

Key Decision Points

Make these two choices before committing resources to the build.

Recommended for Spam

Cluster Grenade

Higher damage ceiling with projectiles and AoE. Use Short Fuse + cooldown use stacking. Needs reduced projectile speed / AoE investment to hit full potential. Best for 1-button clear.

Alternative

Explosive Grenade

Reliable detonator and totem ammo. Works for Stormblast Bolts combos or manual detonation focus. Easier early on, lower ceiling but less clunky before scaling investments land.

Verdict: Go Cluster Grenade for max damage if you have investment. Use Explosive Grenade while learning the build or if focusing detonation combos.
Survivability Pick

Warbringer

Life stacking, Blood Magic, armor for elemental mitigation, ancestral supports. Higher survivability ceiling. Preferred for pushing far into endgame. Removes mana issues entirely.

Control Pick

Tactician

Pin mechanic freezes packs (strong defensive utility), +totems, deflect scaling. Great for control-focused players. Strong but requires additional defensive layers for high-end content.

Verdict: Warbringer for tanky "immortal" feel and life focus. Tactician for pinning and pack control. Titan is not recommended for this build.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ignoring visual clutter: The build creates heavy projectile/explosion effects. Boss mechanics can be completely hidden under effects - lower graphics settings before endgame content.

Poor early mana management: Totem spam drains mana fast. Invest in sustain early or commit to Blood Magic via Warbringer before the build falls apart.

Quitting before level 70: Totem placement feels slow and clunky early. The build transforms significantly once +totem limit and placement speed are invested in. Do not judge it before then.

Using heavy CDR supports: Mortar Cannon bypasses many cooldowns naturally. Prioritize fuse reduction, projectile count, Payload, and Second Wind instead.

Relying only on Pin for defense: Excellent utility but not enough alone for high-end ranged attacks. Back it up with actual defensive investment layers.

Video Walkthrough

Ultimate guide - leveling walkthrough, playstyle demonstration, and faster detonation variant breakdown.