The Soul Eater Monkey build has emerged as one of the biggest surprises of PoE 2 Patch 0.5. Combining strong companion scaling, excellent clear speed, and impressive endgame damage, it has quickly become a popular choice for players looking to push Atlas progression without investing mirror-tier currency.
In this guide, we'll explain why the build works, how to gear it properly, and how to get the most out of it in endgame content.
Why Soul Eater Monkey Is Suddenly Meta
Why It Struggled Before
Earlier Monkey builds had serious damage but lacked consistency. Losing your companion often meant losing most of your damage, making the build unreliable in difficult endgame content.
Why Patch 0.5 Changed Everything
Patch 0.5 significantly improved the build's overall uptime and scaling potential. What was once a niche companion setup became a much more reliable option for endgame progression and farming.
Why It Fits the Current Atlas Meta
The current Atlas rewards fast clearing and high-density farming. Soul Eater Monkey performs exceptionally well in these environments, allowing it to scale naturally while maintaining strong, clear speed throughout endgame content.
Endgame Performance: How Strong Is It Really?
Before discussing mechanics, let's answer the question most players actually care about.
Mapping⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is where the build shines.
As the monkey accumulates Soul Eater stacks, attack speed ramps higher and higher. The larger the enemy packs become, the stronger the build feels.
Tier 15 maps are easily manageable with proper gearing.
Abyss⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Arguably the best content for this build.
Abyss continuously spawns waves of enemies, allowing the monkey to stack Soul Eater faster than almost anywhere else in the game.
More monsters = more kills.
More kills = more attack speed.
More attack speed = faster clear.
Everything synergizes perfectly.
Breach⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Breach offers similar benefits.
The monkey can continuously chain kills while growing in size and attack speed, creating enormous AoE coverage.
For farming Atlas progression and PoE 2 currency, Breach is one of the strongest choices.
Delirium⭐⭐⭐⭐
The density works in your favor, though survivability can occasionally become an issue due to the build's defensive compromises.
Pinnacle Bosses⭐⭐⭐⭐
Single-target damage remains surprisingly strong.
The creator of the build reported monkey slam hits reaching approximately 1–1.5 million damage per swing, which is more than enough for normal Pinnacle encounters.
Overall Rating
A-Tier Build
It's probably not replacing the absolute top meta builds, such as certain bow setups, but it's significantly stronger than most players would expect and offers a far more unique playstyle.
How the Soul Eater Loop Works
The entire build revolves around a simple but clever interaction.
Step 1: Infernal Legion Burns the Monkey
The monkey continuously takes damage from Infernal Legion.
Normally, this would be a drawback.
Here, it's a feature.
The goal is to push the monkey to zero Life as quickly as possible.
Step 2: Techrod's Revenge Activates
When the monkey reaches zero Life, Techrod's Revenge triggers.
This grants the monkey Soul Eater.
Soul Eater provides:
Increased attack speed
Increased size
Increased clear potential
Scaling power through kills
As monsters die, the monkey becomes larger and attacks faster.
Step 3: Eternal March Revives the Monkey
Normally, the companion would remain dead for several seconds.
This is where Patch 0.5 changed everything.
Eternal March immediately revives the monkey if sufficient Runic Ward is available.
Instead of losing damage, the build instantly returns to full power.
Step 4: Repeat Forever
The monkey:
Dies
Gains Soul Eater
Gets revived
Dies again
Gains Soul Eater again
This creates an endless loop that fuels the entire build.
It's one of the most creative interactions currently available in PoE 2.
Why Brass Dome Is Essential
One of the biggest challenges is maintaining enough Runic Ward for Eternal March.
The revival requirement is roughly:
Monkey Life ÷ 21 = Required Runic Ward
In practice, most versions need approximately:
900–1,000 Runic Ward
This is why Brass Dome becomes such an important item.
Benefits:
Huge Runic Ward pool
Reliable revives
Enables the entire build
The downside is that your character becomes somewhat squishier than traditional endgame setups.
Fortunately, the monkey does most of the fighting.
Spirit Configuration
Recommended Spirit Setup
One of the biggest mistakes new Spirit Walker players make is reserving Spirit for too many companions.
This build is centered around a single carry companion: the Monkey.
Because of that, most of your Spirit should be allocated toward maintaining the Monkey and supporting utility skills rather than creating a large companion army.
Priority Spirit Reservation
Monkey Companion
Highest priority.
This is your primary damage source and should always remain active.
Eternal March
Required for maintaining the Soul Eater loop.
Without Eternal March, the build loses its core mechanic.
Wild Protector
Provides additional defensive utility and fits naturally into most Spirit Walker setups.
Optional Secondary Companion
Only recommended if your Runic Ward pool is large enough.
Some players have noted that reviving multiple companions can create Runic Ward problems because Eternal March may not have enough resources to revive everything simultaneously.
For that reason, many players choose to focus entirely on the Monkey until their gear becomes stronger.
Core Gear Setup
The good news is that this build is not nearly as expensive as many players assume.
Mandatory Items
Techrod's Revenge
The build engine.
Without it, there is no Soul Eater loop.
Brass Dome
Provides the Runic Ward necessary for Eternal March.
Vertex
Removes attribute requirements from equipment.
This allows you to use weapons that would otherwise require enormous amounts of Strength.
The Hidden MVP Weapon
One of the smartest parts of the build is the weapon choice.
Morholt Highquis Totemic Great Club
Most players ignore this weapon because:
Extremely high Strength requirement
Slow attack speed
Limited use in traditional builds
As a result, it is usually very cheap.
However, the monkey benefits heavily from its massive physical damage.
This turns an overlooked weapon into one of the best value purchases available.
Sometimes the strongest PoE 2 items are the ones nobody else wants.
Recommended Support Gems
Main Monkey Setup
Infernal Legion
Required.
Without it, the death cycle doesn't function.
Feeding Frenzy
Provides increased damage while also helping the monkey die faster.
Surprisingly useful for this build.
Rapid Attacks
Scales extremely well with Soul Eater.
Attack speed stacking becomes absurd during large encounters.
Hulking Form
Provides:
More size
More damage
Better slam coverage
One of the strongest support options available.
Passive Tree Priorities
This build breaks several traditional minion-building rules.
Prioritize
Companion Damage
Companion Critical Strike Chance
Companion Critical Strike Multiplier
Attack Damage
Attack Speed
The monkey naturally has a high base critical strike chance, making crit scaling extremely effective.
Many versions approach nearly 100% critical strike chance.
Avoid
Companion Life
Companion Resistances
Companion Defensive Scaling
Normally, these are valuable.
Here, they are actively harmful.
Remember:
The monkey needs to die.
A tankier monkey means fewer Soul Eater triggers.
Budget vs High-End Investment
Budget Version (10–15 Divines)
Core pieces:
Techrod's Revenge
Brass Dome
Basic Great Club
+1 or +2 Minion Amulet
This version can already clear Atlas progression comfortably.
Mid-Game Version (30–50 Divines)
Upgrades:
Better physical weapon
Improved minion jewelry
Additional critical strike scaling
This is where the build begins to feel truly powerful.
High-End Version (100+ Divines)
Luxury upgrades:
+3 or +4 Minion Amulet
Perfect crit gear
Optimized jewels
Endgame crafted accessories
The damage to the ceiling becomes extremely impressive.
However, the build functions long before reaching this stage.
Best Atlas Strategy for Soul Eater Monkey
One advantage this build has over many boss-focused setups is its ability to exploit monster density.
The Atlas should reflect that.
Best Atlas Mechanics
Abyss
The number one choice.
Continuous monster spawning keeps Soul Eater stacks rolling nonstop.
Breach
Almost equally powerful.
Large packs allow the monkey to scale rapidly.
Delirium
Excellent density and strong farming potential.
Beyond
Additional monsters mean additional scaling.
Less Effective Options
Expedition
Slower pacing doesn't fully utilize Soul Eater's strengths.
Ritual
Decent, but generally less efficient than Abyss or Breach.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
✔ Extremely fun gameplay loop
✔ Excellent map clearing
✔ Strong density scaling
✔ Affordable entry cost
✔ Good Pinnacle Boss performance
✔ Unique playstyle, unlike most meta builds
Weaknesses
✖ Requires several specific uniques
✖ Personal survivability is only average
✖ Not the fastest boss killer in the game
✖ Runic Ward management can be restrictive
Final Verdict
The Soul Eater Monkey build is one of the most creative discoveries to emerge from PoE 2 Patch 0.5. By combining Techrod's Revenge, Infernal Legion, Eternal March, and smart Runic Ward management, players have transformed a simple companion into an endgame powerhouse.
What makes the build special isn't just the damage. It's the way it scales naturally with Atlas density. The more monsters the game throws at you, the stronger your monkey becomes. That makes it an ideal choice for players who enjoy Breach, Abyss, Delirium, and other high-density farming strategies.
It may not be the strongest build in the entire game, but for players seeking a fresh, effective, and surprisingly affordable endgame experience, the Soul Eater Monkey is easily one of the most exciting Atlas farming builds in PoE 2 right now.
