Path of Exile 2 developer Grinding Gear Video games has absolutely detailed the first main content material replace since the motion RPG’s early entry launch final 12 months.
Dawn of the Hunt goes dwell at 9pm CET on April 4, and provides the new Huntress class. The Huntress is a Spear and Buckler consumer specialising in hybrid melee and ranged fight. Elsewhere, there are 5 new ascension lessons: the Ritualist, Amazon, Smith of Kitava, Tactician, and Lich.
Gamers may count on dozens of new encounters in the endgame, important mechanical overhauls, over 100 new distinctive gadgets in addition to considerably expanded crafting choices.
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The lengthy look forward to the Path of Exile 2 early entry launch lastly got here to an finish when it launched on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Collection X and S on December 6, 2024. It noticed huge success, securing its place as the fifteenth most-played sport Steam sport ever.
However the sport bumped into points, each technical and in design. GGG has labored to replace the sport in the months since, culminating in subsequent month’s Dawn of the Hunt launch.
At the similar time, GGG continues to function the first Path of Exile sport, which nonetheless enjoys a wholesome playerbase on Steam, as a dwell service. However this has proved difficult. In January, GGG was pressured to apologize to followers of the first sport after placing a brand new replace on maintain till an important replace for Path of Exile 2 was launched.
In the meantime, Path of Exile 2 has discovered itself embroiled in an internet dispute that revolves round X / Twitter proprietor Elon Musk’s admission that he paid somebody to increase his account. When contacted by IGN, Grinding Gear Video games declined to remark.
Here’s every little thing you want to know on Path of Exile 2 Dawn of the Hunt:
Obliterate your enemies with the hybrid ranged and melee Huntress
Step into the bloodstained boots of the Huntress, a dexterous and ferocious spear-wielding warrior. Banished from her homeland, she now stalks her prey utilizing each ranged spear throws and shut fight assaults. Her brutal arsenal is designed to make fight really feel like a relentless pursuit, all the time in movement, shifting into and out of melee vary at a moments discover.
The Huntress may Parry incoming assaults from monsters, beautiful them earlier than following up with one of a number of counterattacks. For instance, use Disengage after a Parry to shortly soar again, gaining a Frenzy cost, then comply with up with an empowered spear throw.
Stalk your prey with an array of elemental spear assaults that empower the Huntress to use some of the longest combo chains we’ve created on any class.
Create mayhem with 5 new ascendancy lessons
With 5 new Ascendancy Lessons, Dawn of the Hunt introduces contemporary new methods to broaden your construct choices.
- Ritualist (Huntress) – The Ritualist sacrifices flesh and blood, unleashing corrupted lifeforce upon their foes. She delved into the forbidden depths of Azmeri traditions, wielding blood sacrifice and plague as weapons
- Amazon (Huntress) – A peerless hunter who thrives on precision and elemental fury. The Amazon Ascension forges warriors into elite hunters, sworn to shield Azmeri Elders with deadly precision.
- Lich (Witch) – The Lich tears their very own soul aside, turning into a grasp of undeath and chaos. The Lich is a grasp of Chaos and Curses who can use her personal life to improve her Power.
- Smith of Kitava (Warrior) – The Smith of Kitava forges weapons of destruction in fireplace and struggling. Embrace sheer energy and take Smithing abilities to larger heights by resonating with the insatiable one – Kitava.
- Tactician (Mercenary) – the Mercenary Tactician brings military-grade brutality to the battlefield. As a former skilled Blackguard Elite, the Tactician is ready to decimate the monsters of Wraeclast whereas incomes a wholesome revenue at the similar time.
Sharpen your arsenal with new talent and help gems
In addition to 20 New Spear Abilities designed for the huntress, we’ve two different a lot anticipated talents.
- Elevate Spectre – This talent enables you to lure and summon the souls of virtually any monster in the sport. With a whole lot of monster variants in Path of Exile 2, count on countless experimentation to discover the excellent undead military.
- Summon Rhoa Mount – Name forth a Rhoa to battle by your facet or mount it to transfer at full pace whereas attacking. However beware, taking an excessive amount of harm can knock you off, leaving you weak to a brutal destiny.
This growth additionally brings a large overhaul to character growth by including over 100 new Help Gems to improve construct variety. Help gems add a range of attention-grabbing results to your current abilities, modifying them in sport altering methods.
For instance, Haemocrystals flip bleed results into explosive Vaal crystals, and Caltrops permit your current abilities to litter the battlefield with slowing hazards.
Unlock larger potential with Over 100 new Distinctive Objects
Dawn of the Hunt brings a stronger concentrate on Mid and Endgame Distinctive gadgets, guaranteeing high-level characters have extra thrilling bounty to chase.
Unbridled energy awaits with new crafting instruments
New crafting instruments have been launched as rewards throughout many areas of the sport:
- Over 20 new runes have been added permitting you to craft new mods onto your gear
- Runes now scale with a number of tiers, permitting for stronger mods that stay viable in the endgame.
- We’re increasing crafting choices additional by introducing extra specialised socketable mods, with the first wave arriving in the upcoming content material replace.
Darkness lurks forward
The Azmeri Spirit has made itself current in Wraeclast. When approached, these wisps will flee, and monsters it comes into contact with might be infused by it, making them extra highly effective. Wisps may also discover and possess Uncommon or Distinctive monsters, granting them highly effective new talents, and highly effective new rewards. There are twelve distinct sorts of wisp, every with their very own mechanics and rewards.
New Maps
Dawn of the Hunt provides eight new Maps providing contemporary challenges and rewards. Every of them include attention-grabbing new encounters.
Be pressured to battle mirrored Uncommon monsters in a shifting, warped actuality in The Fractured Lake, or be thrust into the wild Ezomyte Forests of The Phaaryl Megaliths the place rune-carved stones surge with power. Survive the storm-fueled gauntlet of lethal boss waves, and you’ll earn full boss rewards and unique Runes
Distinctive Strongboxes
Discover 4 new Distinctive Strongboxes, every with lethal mechanics and priceless rewards.
- Ogham’s Legacy encompasses a rune-carved stone and a slain creature that, when activated, revives as a strong Uncommon. Every defeat triggers one other resurrection with added modifiers making the battle progressively tougher, but additionally extra rewarding.
- Ixchel’s Torment harnesses historical Vaal thaumaturgy, unleashing Chaos-empowered guardians to shield a strong artifact. Victors might be rewarded with a singular merchandise that includes a selected Corrupted end result.
Corrupted Essences
Essences obtain main upgrades, with 4 new Corrupted Essences – Hysteria, Delirium, Horror, and Madness – providing new fight mechanics and highly effective new crafting outcomes, resembling assured double Enchantments when utilizing a Vaal Orb on belts.
Cleanse the Corruption
Corruption has continued to unfold all through Wraeclast and has fashioned into bigger and bigger zones. In the centre of every one lies a Corrupted Nexus, the house of three new terrifying bosses, amalgamations of Corruption itself.
Upon defeating these bosses, any remaining areas inside the zone of Corruption will turn into cleansed. Cleansed Maps have further new monsters, a brand new boss and their very own set of Modifiers and rewards.
Duel with Rogue Exiles
In your travels you’ll generally encounter Rogue Exiles – others such as you who’ve been exiled and are brazenly hostile. They’ll problem you – a battle to the dying. These Exiles have capabilities to Dodge Roll, keep away from your talents with good pathfinding, smart-targeting, and way more action-packed gameplay. Rogue Exiles use the similar abilities out there to gamers, and even the similar gadgets. They don’t seem to be simply dressed up in these gadgets, they understand how to take benefit of the Uniques they’re utilizing.
After all, if you’re ready to slay these Exiles, these gadgets will all drop on the floor!
Dynamic enhancements to endgame
Dawn of the Hunt considerably rebalances the endgame. The quantity of towers has been drastically diminished however they’ve been made way more highly effective. Tablets now have an effect on twice as many areas and operating larger tier Maps in Towers will increase this quantity additional nonetheless. As well as, every Tower might be ready to eat up to three Tablets without delay.
These adjustments considerably cut back the quantity of busy work required in endgame whereas bettering your capacity to use them. On prime of that, Towers can now spawn with all mechanics, and have their very own new Bosses!
Put together for the Hunt
Rise as a hunter, or fall as prey on April 4th. The Dawn of the Hunt content material replace may also be made out there in current Early Entry leagues for these wishing to play their current characters. It’s endorsed to begin anew in a contemporary economic system to get the full, beneficial expertise in the Dawn of the Hunt leagues.
Wesley is the UK Information Editor for IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.