Path of Exile 2: What Is the Blacksmith Maul?

 

In Path of Exile 2, the Blacksmith Maul is more than just a heavy two-handed weapon — it represents a playstyle focused on raw strength, overwhelming force, and devastating area-of-effect damage. Designed with the thematic grit of a blacksmith's hammer but honed for combat, the Blacksmith Maul is a favorite among players who prefer melee brutality POE2 Currency and impactful, ground-shaking strikes.

This article delves into what the Blacksmith Maul is, how it fits into POE 2's weapon ecosystem, how to find or craft it, and what kinds of builds best utilize its features.

What Is the Blacksmith Maul?

The Blacksmith Maul is a rare and powerful two-handed mace (also called a maul) in Path of Exile 2, a weapon type associated with strength-based characters who prefer slow but powerful attacks. Like other two-handed weapons in the game, mauls have a high base damage, wide swing arcs, and strong crowd-control capabilities. The Blacksmith Maul is specifically designed for characters who want to crush enemies with slam attacks, earthquakes, or any physical-based AoE abilities.

What sets the Blacksmith Maul apart from other mauls is its high base physical damage, excellent synergy with stun effects, and often the inclusion of modifiers that boost area damage, bleeding, or armor penetration. Its name also suggests a potential lore tie-in with the crafting or blacksmithing systems in the game, making it popular with thematic builds.

Weapon Stats and Potential Modifiers

While exact stats can vary due to POE 2's randomized loot system, a typical Blacksmith Maul may feature:

Two-Handed Mace (Maul)

Level Requirement: Around level 25–35 depending on variant

Base Physical Damage: High

Critical Strike Chance: Low to moderate

Attack Speed: Slow

Weapon Range: Moderate (mauls have slightly better reach than axes or swords)

Implicit Modifier: +Stun Duration on Enemies or +Chance to Stun

Common and desirable affixes that can appear on the Blacksmith Maul include:

Increased Physical Damage

Chance to cause Bleeding

Increased Area of Effect

Enemies you hit are hindered or knocked back

Increased Stun Duration or Stun Threshold Reduction

Increased Armor Penetration

Where to Find the Blacksmith Maul

There are several ways to acquire a Blacksmith Maul in Path of Exile 2:

1. Loot Drops

The most common way to find a Blacksmith Maul is through world drops from monsters, chests, or bosses. Mauls tend to drop more frequently in areas with melee-focused enemies or dungeons associated with physical combat themes (such as blacksmith forges, military fortresses, or beast lairs).

2. Vendors

Depending on your progress in the campaign and your favor with specific vendors, you may occasionally find a Blacksmith Maul for sale. Vendors typically update their inventories every few levels, so it pays to check back often.

3. Crafting

Using crafting benches or Essence-infused items, players can create or modify Blacksmith Mauls to suit their builds. The crafting system in Path of Exile 2 has expanded compared to the original game, giving players more deterministic ways to forge weapons. Essences, fossils, and reforging orbs can all play a role in customizing your maul's affixes.

4. Unique Versions

While the standard Blacksmith Maul is a rare or magic item, it's possible there are unique variants of the weapon in the game — especially tied to specific blacksmith-themed bosses or side quests. These unique mauls may have pre-set modifiers and special mechanics like igniting the ground on slam, scaling damage with armor, or converting physical to elemental damage.

Builds That Use the Blacksmith Maul

The Blacksmith Maul shines in builds that focus on heavy physical damage, area-of-effect attacks, and crowd control. Here are some example build types that benefit from this weapon:

1. Earthquake Slam Marauder

Using Earthquake, Ground Slam, and other seismic-themed skills, this build capitalizes on the maul's raw damage to send shockwaves through enemy ranks. Stun and bleed chance are important for maximizing utility.

2. Bleed Juggernaut

The slow but brutal swings of a maul can be tuned to inflict massive bleed damage over time. With the right support gems and armor penetration modifiers, this build can melt bosses over time while staying tanky.

3. Stun Lock Berserker

Leveraging the inherent stun bonuses of the Blacksmith Maul, a Berserker can use skills like Heavy Strike and Earthshatter to keep enemies permanently stunned. This build works well in both solo and group play, providing natural crowd control for tougher enemies.

4. Warcry Enhancer Build

Maul users often synergize with Warcry-based builds, using Call to Arms or Seismic Cry to boost their next slam. The Blacksmith Maul's synergy with slow, deliberate hits aligns well with the cadence of Warcry gameplay.

Tips for Using the Blacksmith Maul

Stack Physical Damage: Focus on scaling raw physical damage through gear, support gems, and passive tree bonuses.

Invest in Stun or Bleed: Choose a specialization — stun-based or bleed-based — and tailor your passive tree and gem setup accordingly.

Use Warcries and Totems: Because mauls are slow, using support mechanics like Warcries or Ancestral Totems can give you breathing room and burst potential.

Watch Your Accuracy: Heavy weapons like the Blacksmith Maul tend to have accuracy issues unless supplemented. Invest in accuracy or use Resolute Technique to avoid missing.

Conclusion

The Blacksmith Maul in Path of Exile 2 is more than just a hammer — it's a symbol of raw power and the unrelenting might of strength-based builds. Whether you prefer bleeding enemies dry, shattering the ground beneath them, or keeping them permanently stunned, this weapon offers tremendous utility for melee archetypes. With deep synergy with Warcries, Stun effects, and physical scaling, the Blacksmith Maul stands out as a top-tier weapon choice for players seeking destruction on POE 2 Currency Orbs a massive scale.

As POE 2 continues to evolve, expect to see this weapon featured prominently in endgame builds, crafting metas, and boss-shredding strategies.