In Path of Exile 2 it is especially difficult for newcomers to know what is right or wrong. You often make mistakes that you could have prevented, and to ensure this doesn’t happen to you, our freelance author Christos Tsogos shows you 12 things to keep in mind.
What kind of mistakes are these? These are primarily carelessness mistakes and things that newcomers simply cannot know. It can quickly happen that you completely ruin a character’s progress because of these errors. Our author Christos Tsogos has also experienced these mistakes, so after over 500 hours in Path of Exile, he shares his insider knowledge.
Keep in mind that these are merely guidelines that you can take to heart. If you know what you are doing, you can ignore some of these tips. But now, let’s move on to the first point.
Mistake 1: Ignoring vendors after every level-up
At the beginning, level-ups come in abundance, and if you have to travel to the next vendor each time, it can get very annoying, but you should do just that for a good reason. The vendors refresh their stock after every level-up, meaning you once again have the chance to get a piece of equipment that fits your playstyle or build.
An example regarding equipment with the stat “Thorns.” This effect gets a higher value as you surpass certain levels. These include:
- Level 15
- Level 30
- Level 38
- Level 50
- Level 59
If you’re lucky, you will receive from your vendor of your current act exactly the next better version of your effect – provided your RNG is kind to you. When leveling up, you can also combine your vendor visit with a selling round and get rid of the loot you’ve accumulated in your instance.
Mistake 2: Creating builds on your own
Path of Exile 2 is, like its predecessor, one of the most complex ARPGs on the market, especially when it comes to building builds. While competitors like Diablo 4 dictate the direction for the selected class, there is no such direction in PoE2.
A warrior might also have minions while the sorceress can also engage in melee combat. There are no real boundaries, and those who are creative will come up with the most absurd but effective builds.
As a newcomer, however, it is difficult to grasp the system. Initially, you may feel very confident, and the selection of skills seems manageable – this changes as you progress through the game. The focus then shifts to the right synergies, proper equipment, and the right selection of support gems.
In the worst case, you may find yourself in a rut and unable to progress because your DPS or defense are far too low. In your panic, you might even ruin your entire build because you try new things out of frustration that simply do not work.
We recommend: If you see a skill in your class that you absolutely want to use as your main attack, feel free to look on YouTube or Reddit for a well-founded starter build with that attack. They are cost-effective regarding the trading of the required items and have their mechanics explained in detail.
Then, gradually approach the skill tree. Once you reach the endgame, you can still adjust or flip your build and try something new. But first, gather experience – and gold for potential respecs – and take it slow.
Mistake 3: Focusing on trading
With trading, you can quickly acquire strong items in Path of Exile 1 & 2 without grinding for hours. However, many players, especially streamers and experts, use trading to quickly accumulate resources. As a newcomer, it seems tempting to earn 10 Divines in just a few seconds, but the reality is different.
To make a profit from trading, you need a lot of experience. You must know the meta, understand which rolls on equipment count as god rolls, and sell them for high prices – this takes a lot of time and experience.
However, it often happens that as a newcomer, you receive a rare unique item, like the amulet “Astramentis.” This is a highly sought-after item and can be sold for up to 10 Divs. Here, too, I advise you to keep such items. These are often uniques that are universally usable, and you may realize later in your endgame that you need that item for your build.
So first, get to know the respective meta, memorize which items are highly sought after, and conduct a price check to price your items appropriately. In the meantime, if you have farmed a lot, I recommend using the “Currency Exchange” feature from Ange in Kingsmarch.
Here, you can exchange items and currencies for things you actually need. That’s how I made many Divines and Chaos Orbs in PoE1, and it was much more rewarding than the actual trade feature.
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