Path of Exile 2 is poised to evolve the ARPG genre yet again with its deeper character customization, enhanced combat mechanics, and a vast arsenal of powerful gear. Among the many sought-after weapons in the game, the Leaden Greathammer stands out as a fearsome two-handed mace that delivers raw, devastating physical damage. Whether you're a seasoned POE veteran or just diving into the sequel's dark and complex world, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about obtaining and maximizing the Leaden Greathammer, including how POE 2 Currency plays a crucial role in optimizing it.

What Is the Leaden Greathammer

The Leaden Greathammer is a two-handed mace base type in Path of Exile 2, ideal for Strength-based characters who rely on blunt force trauma to control the battlefield. It is most effective for characters who utilize melee attacks, stuns, and skills that scale with high physical damage.

Core Stats:

    Physical Damage: 58–78

    Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%

    Attacks per Second: 1.10

    Weapon Range: 1.3 metres

    Required Level: 33

    Required Strength: 76

Damage Per Second (DPS):

    Physical DPS: 74.8

    Physical + Chaos DPS: 74.8

    Total DPS: 74.8

This base weapon type offers reliable damage and a moderate attack speed, making it a great option for builds focused on stunning, slamming, or triggering area-of-effect (AoE) skills.

How to Obtain the Leaden Greathammer

1. Natural Drops (Level 33+)

The Leaden Greathammer starts dropping at level 33, meaning players will first encounter it in Act 4 or early Act 5, depending on how quickly they progress. It's a common drop from monsters, chests, and bosses within that level range, particularly in zones with heavier melee weapon loot tables.

2. Vendors and Crafting

Once you've reached level 33, you may also find the Leaden Greathammer available from weapon vendors in town. The selection resets every time you level up or refresh the vendor screen, so be persistent if you're hunting for a clean base to craft on.

Crafting a high-quality Leaden Greathammer is where POE 2 Currency becomes indispensable. Using currency items like Orbs of Alchemy, Chaos Orbs, and Exalted Orbs, players can turn a white (normal) weapon into a rare item with desirable affixes tailored to their build.

Optimizing the Leaden Greathammer

While finding a Leaden Greathammer is relatively straightforward, optimizing it for endgame content or efficient leveling requires smart use of crafting resources. Here are a few key POE 2 Currency items you'll want to use:

1. Blacksmith's Whetstone

Use this to increase the quality of the weapon, which directly improves its base physical damage. A 20% quality bonus can give a noticeable edge, especially for melee builds that rely on weapon scaling.

2. Orb of Alchemy

If you have a normal (white) Leaden Greathammer, use an Orb of Alchemy to upgrade it to a rare item. This gives it up to six random modifiers.

3. Chaos Orbs

After using an Orb of Alchemy, reroll the modifiers with Chaos Orbs until you get stats that benefit your build, such as increased physical damage, attack speed, or life gain on hit.

4. Essences and Fossils

For more targeted crafting, consider using Essences or Delve Fossils. For example, an Essence of Contempt guarantees a flat physical damage bonus, while a Jagged Fossil increases the chances of rolling physical damage-related affixes.

5. Exalted Orbs and Crafting Bench

Once you've locked in a solid combination of prefixes or suffixes, you can use Exalted Orbs to add new affixes or the crafting bench to fine-tune your weapon stats, assuming you've unlocked enough of the crafting recipes through progression.

Best Builds for the Leaden Greathammer

While many melee builds can benefit from a two-handed mace like this, here are a few archetypes where the Leaden Greathammer really shines:

    Earthshatter Juggernaut – Leverages high Strength scaling and powerful AoE.

    Slam Chieftain – Focuses on fire conversion and synergy with heavy mace-type weapons.

    Stun Warden – Capitalizes on the hammer's inherent ability to stun enemies with slow, powerful hits.

These builds often benefit from the hammer's large base damage and slower attack speed, converting those qualities into massive single-hit bursts and AoE control.

Trading for the Leaden Greathammer

If you're having trouble finding the Leaden Greathammer or prefer to skip the farming process, you can trade for one through POE 2's player market. Use POE 2 Currency to purchase a pre-crafted or well-rolled version of the weapon from other players. Search filters let you sort by DPS, modifiers, and price, so you can find the perfect hammer without burning hours in low-level zones.

Final Thoughts

The Leaden Greathammer might not be the flashiest weapon in Path of Exile 2, but its solid stats, reliable performance, and synergy with a variety of melee builds make it a valuable asset during mid- to late-game progression. When paired with smart crafting using POE 2 Currency, this humble hammer can become a powerful tool capable of smashing through bosses and hordes of enemies alike.

So whether you're hunting it as a drop, buying it off the market, or investing your hard-earned currency into making it legendary, the Leaden Greathammer is a weapon well worth wielding.

MMOtg POE 2 Team