Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2 (initially referred to as Path of Exile 4.0) is an upcoming new game by Grinding Gear Games. It was officially announced on November 15, 2019, during ExileCon. Initially announced as an expansion to the first game as a major update with a shared game client, it has since changed into a separate game that will be supported alongside the first Path of Exile. GGG has not currently confirmed an official launch date. Further details are to ere revealed at ExileCon 2023 on July 29, 2023 where the Closed Beta date was announced as June 7, 2024.

Path of Exile 2 will introduce a completely new game, although already owned microtransactions will be shared between both games. There will be six acts, and an overhaul of many of the game's core systems. The skill gem system will be drastically changed, removing gem sockets from equipment and moving them to active skill gems instead. Other additions and changes include include a major visual rework with physics-based rendering, an overhaul to combat and itemization, new base classes and Ascendancy classes, and unannounced rework of the passive skill tree and endgame.

System overhaul

Characters

Character selection screen

The character models have been reworked for higher resolution and dynamic movement. Character models also have a new rigging system that improves the physics of equipment and MTX. Characters now have new dynamic walking/running/sprinting animation based on movement speed.

Classes

Path of Exile 2 will have twelve base classes, with two classes representing each base and hybrid attributes (the Scion will not be present). Each base class has three Ascendancy classes to choose from, resulting in 36 Ascendancy classes.

The new base classes are as follows:

• Strength: Warrior
• Dexterity: Huntress
• Intelligence: Sorceress
• Str/Dex: Mercenary
• Int/Dex: Monk
• Str/Int: Druid

The new ascendancy classes will not be available through the labyrinths, but through other means in the new campaign.

Skills granted by ascendancy classes will now scale with skill levels based on the character's progression rather than be granted at an arbitrary specific level.

• Survivalist (Ranger) - Projectile effects, Spell Avoidance
• Tactician (Ranger) - Spears, Flare Arrow (meta "arrow rain" skill), ballistas, melee bow attacks
• Beastmaster (Ranger) - Shapeshift (Werecat (crit), Bear); Wild Cat Companion (Cheetah, Lion, Panther), Aspect buffs
• Defiler (Witch) -
• Arcanist (Witch) - Lightning damage and Energy system
• Unnamed Marauder - Ancestral proxies and Ancestor Totems
• Reaver - Melee and ally buffer

New gameplay

Players will have access to a dodge roll at all times. It has no cooldown or limitations to use, and can be used to cancel animations. It can be used to avoid most projectiles and attacks.

A new resource called Spirit is added. Spirit is used to reserve skills with persistent effects, upkeep permanent minions, and enable trigger meta gems.

Crowd control effects like freeze and stun are now "built up" as they're applied. These effects now build up as it is applied and trigger when it reaches a threshold, but each time it triggers, the threshold required to trigger it again increases, although this resistance wears off over time. This allows for tougher monsters and bosses to receive these effects during fights regularly.

Traps and mines have been completely overhauled. They are no longer considered attacks or spells and deal trap damage and have their own weapon class. Both types have been consolidated into one weapon class, with the weapon determining the trigger delay time and detonation effect type.

Certain skills like totems will have the option to select specific AI, like aggressive vs defensive.

Flasks no longer gain charges from killing normal monsters.

Skill gems & sockets

New skill screen as seen on ExileCon.

Sockets will be reworked; skill gems will receive a variable amount of sockets and can have up to 5 sockets like items did previously. They start out with 2 sockets, which can be upgraded with special Jeweller's OrbJeweller's OrbStack Size: 20Reforges the number of sockets on an itemRight click this item then left click a socketed item to apply it. The item's quality increases the chances of obtaining more sockets.s. Socket colors come randomized, but each socket color can be deterministically chosen using a Chromatic OrbChromatic OrbStack Size: 20Reforges the colour of sockets on an itemRight click this item then left click a socketed item to apply it.. Unlike previously, those sockets are always linked, so Orb of FusingOrb of FusingStack Size: 20Reforges the links between sockets on an itemRight click this item then left click a socketed item to apply it. The item's quality increases the chances of obtaining more links. will become obsolete.

Support gems can be socketed into active skill gems. In addition to accounting for single support gems supporting multiple active skill gems, meta gems will also be introduced where the reverse is true: these are gems that go into the primary sockets and can have skill and support gems socketed into them. For example, the Proficiency meta gem allows socketing auras into them as well as support gems. It will reduce the mana cost of any socketed gems and since it is a skill gem itself, it can also be cast to toggle all socketed auras at the same time.

Skill gems are no longer socketed into equipment. Your skill gems are socketed into its own menu. There are a total of 9 sockets for primary skill gems available.

It is currently unknown how items that grant additional sockets or add a support skill to socketed gems will function.

Support gems now add to the active gem's base attribute requirements.

Uncut skill gems can be crafted into a new gem in the Gemcutting men. The resulting gem's level will be relative to its item level. Skills are categorized by character classes, but any class can craft gems from any other class's category.

In general, active skills can only be used by one specific weapon type.

Itemization

Weapons and armour have a stronger stat and visual identity within their archetypes. For example, daggers have triple the usual base critical strike chance, while maces hit harder but are even slower. The base items you can find randomly are based on the act's location and are visually themed appropriately.

There are four new weapon types: spears, crossbows, traps, and flails.

Orb of AlterationOrb of AlterationStack Size: 20Reforges a magic item with new random modifiersRight click this item then left click a magic item to apply it. and Orb of ScouringOrb of ScouringStack Size: 30Removes all modifiers from an itemRight click this item then left click on a magic or rare item to apply it. have been removed from the game. In addition, Chaos OrbChaos OrbStack Size: 20Reforges a rare item with new random modifiersRight click this item then left click a rare item to apply it. now removes one random modifier and adds a new one.

Equipment no longer have sockets.

Most attack-based weapons don't have implicit modifiers except for certain standout item bases. Many spell-oriented weapons grant an active skill as an implicit modifier, replacing the weapon's default attacks. These skills don't have any skill cost.

Gold has been introduced to the game. They are used for buying items from vendors and gambling. They are not expected to be the new currency standard for trading due to their low value.

Skill tree

Path of Exile 2 will allow you to have Specialisations, or multiple skill tree setups, for each of your weapon swap slots and shapeshift forms. Your passive tree allocation will change when you have the set weapon slot or transformation active. Only a certain amount of points gained from Books of Skill can be used for these alternate configurations.

You can set skills to only be used in specific weapon sets or form. When you use a skill assigned to another configuration, your character will swap to that weapon and skill tree allocation dynamically, with an added delay.

Masteries are confirmed to not be in the new skill tree. Passives are more generic and less weapon-specific.

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Lore

20 years have gone since the death of Kitava. Since his death, society has been slowly rebuilding, but Corruption has once again started to spread throughout Wraeclast. The people whisper of a ghastly living Seed that drives those around it to madness...