Tired of farming for a good weapon drop early game? The Hollow Palm Technique lets you play melee without any weapon equipped — turning your bare fists into quarterstaves. It's fast, stylish, and surprisingly strong when built right. Here's how to use it step by step.
What Is Hollow Palm Technique?
The Hollow Palm Technique is a Keystone Passive Skill located north-west of the Monk's starting location on the passive tree.
When taken, it gives you:
- Unarmed Quarterstaff Access → You can use quarterstaff skills while unarmed.
- Damage Scaling from Gems → Your skill gem level, not your weapon, drives your DPS.
- Attack Speed per Evasion → +1% attack speed per 25 evasion on your gear.
- Crit Chance per Energy Shield → +0.1% base crit chance per 10 ES on your gear.
- Base Crit Bonus → Unarmed attacks start with 5% crit chance.
How to Get Started (Step by Step)
Step 1 – Path to the Keystone
- Start as a Monk or any class near the northwest side of the tree.
- Rush straight toward the Hollow Palm Keystone — you'll usually pick it up around level 12–16.
Step 2 – Gear for Speed and Crit
- Evasion Armor → More evasion = faster attacks.
- Hybrid Armor (Evasion + Energy Shield) → Gives both attack speed and crit.
- Don't worry about weapons — you'll be punching everything to death.
Step 3 – Pick Your Skill
- Equip a quarterstaff skill gem (e.g., Shattering Palm, sweeping staff skills).
- Your gem level is your weapon, so keep it upgraded.
- Support gems are crucial — link them early to boost flat physical damage.
If you want to push this build even further without waiting on random drops, the smartest move is to stock up on essentials early. Strong gems, hybrid gear, and boosters can make your Hollow Palm journey smooth from day one. That’s why so many players choose to Buy PoE 2 Items Cheap—it saves time, cuts out the grind, and lets you enjoy the fun part: smashing everything in your path.
Best Ascendancy Pairings
Here are the top picks based on community testing (Patch 0.3):
| Tier | Ascendancy | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| S | Invoker Monk | Insane synergy with crit scaling + staff skills. |
| S | Acolyte of Chayula Monk | Chaos scaling, hybrid defense, feels tanky and fast. |
| A | Ritualist Huntress | Rings become damage sources, smooth for league starts. |
| A | Deadeye | Tailwind speed + Hollow Palm = fast clear. |
| A | Gemling Legionnaire | Gem boosts matter since skill level = weapon damage. |
Early Game Tips (Leveling With Hollow Palm)
- Don't waste time crafting or buying weapons — Hollow Palm makes them useless.
- Stack pure evasion gear first, then add hybrid ES gear as it drops.
- Prioritize upgrading your main skill gem over chasing rares.
Late Game Scaling
- Look for unique gloves like Thunderfist to pump unarmed damage.
- Keep stacking evasion + ES hybrid armor for speed and crit scaling.
- Rings and amulets with flat physical damage are great fillers.
- Consider ascendancy respecs if you're chasing specific crit/chaos synergies.
Community Notes
- Hollow Palm only works with quarterstaff-tagged skills. Don't try Poison Concoction or other non-staff stuff — it won't work.
- The scaling feels smooth even with budget gear since skill levels carry your damage.
- Expect about 11–12% crit chance baseline with hybrid gear before other bonuses.
Next Steps
The Hollow Palm Technique is perfect if you:
- Hate waiting on lucky weapon drops.
- Enjoy fast, fluid melee builds.
- Want a league starter that feels strong from Act 1 to maps.
Recap: Rush the Keystone → stack evasion + ES gear → level your skill gem → pick a strong ascendancy → punch your way through Wraeclast.
