The Path of Exile 2 community never fails to surprise, and the Fate of the Vaal League has delivered one of the most impressive showcases yet. A player known as isfooPoE managed to defeat pinnacle bosses-including the Arbiter of Ash and the King in the Mists-using a Monk with zero equipment. No weapons, no armor, no flasks, no jewels, and even negative elemental resistances.

At a time when many players feel priced out of the market following the Holten Vaal Temple exploit and the resulting inflation of Path of Exile 2 Currency, this build is a refreshing reminder that deep game knowledge can outweigh raw gear power. Let's break down how this completely unarmed Monk build works and why it's turning heads across the Path of Exile 2 community.

A True Zero-Cost Build in Path of Exile 2

What makes this build particularly impressive is its commitment to being truly zero cost. There are:

·No equipped items

·No flasks

·No jewels

·No Lineage support gems

The only recommended investment is a Jeweller's Orb to add extra skill sockets, which is hardly a barrier even for new or budget-conscious players. In a meta where high-end Path of Exile 2 Items can cost multiple Divines, this build stands in stark contrast to the usual gear-centric approach.

isfooPoE has reportedly been refining this setup since Path of Exile 2 launched, and the results speak for themselves.

Skill Setup and Core Mechanics

At its core, this build revolves around a powerful synergy between Gathering Storm and Frost Wall, supported by Chaos damage scaling through the Acolyte of Chayula ascendancy.

Here is the full skill setup used in the zero gear Monk build:

·Into the Breach: Remnant Potency - Harmonic Remnants

·Hand of Chayula: Despair - Heightened Curse - Prolonged Duration - Rapid Attacks - Chaos Mastery

·Gathering Storm: Momentum - Window of Opportunity - Burgeon - Perfection - Withering Touch

·Storm Wave: Rage - Rapid Attacks - Branching Fissures - Magnified Area - Mobility

·Frost Wall: Fortress - Spell Cascade - Glacier - Concentrated Area - Cooldown Recovery

The primary damage loop is built around Frost Wall and Gathering Storm. Frost Wall, when supported by Fortress and Spell Cascade, creates a dense cluster of ice crystals. These crystals can then be shattered with Gathering Storm, dealing significant burst damage while also trapping bosses in place.

Storm Wave serves as a safer, ranged option for situations where getting close is too dangerous. Meanwhile, Into the Breach constantly spawns Flames of Chayula remnants. Picking up these remnants provides powerful bonuses, with purple flames being especially valuable for Chaos damage.

Hand of Chayula is a cornerstone of the build, applying Despair directly to enemies. This method makes curses stronger and longer-lasting, dramatically lowering enemy Chaos resistance and amplifying damage output.

Standard Combat Rotation

The gameplay loop is surprisingly methodical for such an unconventional build:

1. Apply Despair using Hand of Chayula

2. Drop Frost Wall around the boss to create crystals and restrict movement

3. Use Gathering Storm to shatter crystals for massive damage

4. Swap to Storm Wave when positioning becomes unsafe

5. Collect Chayula remnants to further boost DPS

Perfectly timed dashes with Gathering Storm can significantly increase damage, rewarding precise execution and mastery.

Passive Skill Tree Explained

The passive tree leans heavily into Chaos damage scaling, which synergizes perfectly with the Acolyte of Chayula ascendancy. Since the build uses no weapons, the Hollow Palm Technique keystone is essential. This grants the effects of a Quarterstaff while unarmed, allowing the Monk to function offensively without equipment.

Another critical keystone is Eternal Youth, which converts energy shield recovery into life recharge. Because the build has no energy shield, this effectively grants constant life regeneration based on maximum health, a vital defensive layer in the absence of gear.

Ascendancy Choices: Acolyte of Chayula

The ascendancy nodes are what truly make this build viable:

·Waking Dream: Grants Into the Breach, generating flame remnants for buffs

·Lucid Dreaming (Choice of Power): Converts all remnants to purple, massively increasing Chaos damage

·Embrace the Darkness: Removes Spirit and grants Darkness, a secondary health pool that absorbs damage.

·Deepening Shadow: Increases Darkness based on Chaos resistance, improving survivability.

Together, these nodes replace traditional defenses that would normally come from gear.

Why This Build Matters in the Current Economy

With inflation driving up the cost of meta gear and Path of Exile 2 Currency, many players feel pressured to either grind endlessly or buy POE2 Items to stay competitive. This zero-gear Monk build proves that neither is strictly necessary.

You don't need mirror-tier items or massive Divine Orb investments to defeat pinnacle content. In fact, this build functions almost entirely independently of the market, making it ideal for players frustrated with rising prices or those who prefer self-sufficient strategies.

Final Thoughts

This zero-gear Monk build is one of the most inspiring examples of player creativity in Path of Exile 2. By leveraging skill gems, passive synergies, and clever mechanical interactions, isfooPoE demonstrated that even pinnacle bosses can fall without a single equipped item.