Path of Exile (PoE) has been one of the most beloved action role-playing games (ARPGs) since its release in 2013, known for its deep, intricate gameplay and expansive content. With the announcement of Path of Exile 2, fans of the series have been eagerly awaiting its release. Path of Exile 2 builds upon the foundations laid by its predecessor, bringing new mechanics, skills, characters, and a story-driven experience.

This comprehensive Path of Exile 2 walkthrough guide aims to provide players with the key insights and strategies needed to navigate the new challenges, systems, and builds. Whether you're a returning Path of Exile player or a newcomer to the franchise, this guide will help you understand the game's structure, mechanics, and progression so you can maximize your enjoyment and success in the Wraeclast universe in Poe 2 trade.

1. The Basics of Path of Exile 2

Before diving into the details of the game, let's go over some of the foundational elements that every player needs to understand.

Character Creation and Choosing a Class

Path of Exile 2 will introduce a new progression system alongside the existing Path of Exile content. When you start the game, you'll choose one of the seven playable classes. Each class represents a specific starting point on the passive skill tree, determining your character's initial strengths and weaknesses.

Duelist – A melee-focused class with a combination of strength and dexterity, making it versatile for both offensive and defensive builds.

Marauder – A tanky, strength-based character suited for physical damage builds, particularly those that emphasize brute force and survivability.

Ranger – Focused on dexterity, the Ranger excels at ranged attacks and agility-based builds.

Witch – A powerful spellcaster class with an emphasis on intelligence, capable of dealing massive elemental damage.

Templar – A balanced hybrid between strength and intelligence, the Templar excels in elemental damage and defensive capabilities.

Shadow – A dexterity and intelligence class, specializing in traps, stealth, and critical hits.

Scion – A unique hybrid class available after completing the story, offering maximum flexibility and access to all three primary attributes (strength, dexterity, and intelligence).

After selecting your class, you'll be introduced to a massive passive skill tree that will allow you to customize your character's strengths, weaknesses, and playstyle.

2. Understanding the New Systems in Path of Exile 2

While Path of Exile 2 retains many features of its predecessor, it also introduces some fresh mechanics and improvements to enhance the gameplay experience.

New Storyline and Act System

Path of Exile 2 introduces a new, story-driven campaign, which takes place 20 years after the events of the original game. Players will venture into a changed Wraeclast, dealing with the aftermath of the original game's events. The story unfolds through a new set of acts that are separate from the original campaign, providing both veterans and newcomers with an exciting and fresh experience.

Acts in Path of Exile 2 – The new acts will bring players to diverse environments, new enemies, and new allies. The progression of these acts will be accompanied by narrative-driven quests, and they will serve as an introduction to new mechanics, lore, and gameplay elements.

Skill Gem and Support Gem System

The iconic Path of Exile skill gem system remains central to PoE 2 gameplay. However, in Path of Exile 2, there are significant changes to how skill gems interact with each other.

Skill Gems – These gems are used to grant abilities to your character, ranging from basic attacks to powerful spells. The gems come in various colors (red for strength, green for dexterity, and blue for intelligence) and can be socketed into gear.

Support Gems – Support gems modify the effects of skill gems. They can increase damage, reduce mana cost, add additional effects, or alter the behavior of your abilities.

As you progress through the game, you'll need to experiment with different combinations of skill and support gems to create the most effective and efficient character build for your playstyle.

Ascendancy and Class Specialization

Ascendancy is an essential part of character progression in Path of Exile. Once you reach Act 3 in the game, you'll unlock the Ascendancy system, which allows you to specialize your character in one of several subclasses. Each Ascendancy provides unique bonuses and abilities that can significantly alter the direction of your build.

For instance:

The Gladiator Ascendancy (for Duelists) enhances your defenses while increasing your damage output through blocking and damage mitigation.

The Occultist Ascendancy (for Witches) excels at summoning and curse-related builds, allowing for high elemental and chaos damage.

Choosing the right Ascendancy can make a huge difference in your gameplay experience, and it's important to pick one that complements your chosen skills and playstyle.

3. The Endgame – Mapping and Beyond

Once you've completed the main story acts, you will unlock Path of Exile 2's expansive endgame content. This is where PoE shines, offering nearly endless replayability and challenges.

Mapping System

Mapping is a core component of Path of Exile 2's endgame. After you complete the campaign, you'll enter the map system, where you can access procedurally generated maps with varying modifiers. These maps become progressively harder as you progress through them, offering higher rewards and more challenging enemies.

Map Mods – Each map can come with additional modifiers, such as increased damage, elemental resistances, or more enemies. Players need to adapt their builds and playstyle to overcome the challenges these modifiers present.

Sextants, Scarabs, and Vials – Special consumables that further enhance the difficulty and rewards of your maps. Sextants provide map mods that alter the gameplay in unique ways, Scarabs offer bonuses to rewards (such as more loot or special types of monsters), and Vials are used to modify maps for specific events or encounters.

Endgame Bosses

As part of the endgame progression, PoE 2 features numerous tough bosses that require a strong build and excellent preparation to defeat. These include returning fan-favorites, such as:

Shaper and Elder – These two bosses continue to challenge players in the endgame, rewarding them with powerful items.

Sirus, Awakener of Worlds – A multi-phase boss fight requiring quick reflexes and careful positioning.

Defeating these bosses is not just for bragging rights; they drop high-level items, unique jewels, and the coveted Atlas of Worlds, which allows access to additional endgame content.

4. Crafting and Loot System

Path of Exile 2 features an expansive crafting system that can be used to create powerful items from scratch. Players can craft weapons, armor, rings, and amulets, all of which have the potential to drastically improve their character's stats.

Currency System

The currency in PoE is unlike traditional gold-based systems. Instead, the game uses a wide range of orbs and items to modify, upgrade, or change items in buy POE 2 Orbs. Some of the most commonly used currencies for crafting include:

Exalted Orbs – Used to add a new modifier to an item.

Chaos Orbs – Used to reroll the properties of an item.

Divine Orbs – Used to reroll the values of item modifiers.

Understanding the currency system is essential for any Path of Exile 2 player aiming to craft their own gear or enhance existing items.

Item Mods and Affixes

Items in Path of Exile 2 come with a variety of affixes, including prefixes and suffixes. These are what define an item's stats, from resistances to damage bonuses to life and energy shield increases. By using crafting materials like orbs and essences, players can modify or reroll these affixes to fine-tune their gear.

5. Tips and Tricks for Success in Path of Exile 2

Learn the Passive Tree Early: The passive skill tree is overwhelming at first, but understanding the key nodes for your class and build can drastically improve your survivability and damage output. Focus on a few key areas early on, such as life, resistances, and critical strike chance.

Don't Skip the Labyrinth: The Labyrinth is an essential part of the game, offering powerful ascendancy points that can drastically improve your character's abilities. Don't rush through it—take time to complete it thoroughly.

Prioritize Defenses Early: While dealing high damage is essential, survivability should never be ignored. Prioritize defenses such as life, energy shield, and resistances early in the game.

Plan Your Build: Before delving into the game, take time to plan your build. There are a plethora of guides available to help you with optimal builds that can maximize your damage and survivability.

Play with Friends: Path of Exile 2 is a challenging game, and playing with friends can make certain encounters much easier. Teaming up with other players also allows you to exchange items and resources, making the experience more enjoyable.

Conclusion

Path of Exile 2 offers an expansive, complex, and rewarding experience that will challenge even the most experienced ARPG players. With its massive skill tree, deep customization, endgame content, and intricate systems, PoE 2 provides endless replayability. Understanding the basics of class selection, crafting, mapping, and character progression will help you maximize your time in Wraeclast and overcome the countless dangers awaiting you.

By following this walkthrough and utilizing the tips provided, you'll be on your way to mastering Path of Exile 2, becoming a formidable force in the ever-changing world of the game. Whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned veteran, there's always something new to discover in Path of Exile 2, so gear up and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime!