In the last stream on Path of Exile 2, Grinding Gear Games announced upcoming changes that you can expect to see in the game soon. Find out what they are in our overview here.
What are the biggest changes? With the release of “Return of the Ancients”, Grinding Gear Games is reshaping many endgame activities, creating new challenges that you can face for loot (Source: pathofexile2.com). These are fundamental changes such as:
- The Atlas (the endgame) is being expanded:
- New fortresses appear, containing the remains of the Ancients
- The Raven & the Hare deepen the story surrounding the trickster god and the “Delirium” activity
- Awakening the Dreamer brings the Genesis Tree and the Guardians of the Flames to PoE2 so you can stop the Swarmborn
- The Rite of the Nameless expands the rituals, as you must help the spirit Aoife reclaim her body from the King in the Mists
- Masters of the Atlas bring three NPCs to the forefront, who grant you bonuses and effects in the endgame. These include:
- Doryani
- Hilda
- Jado
- New league: Runes of Aldur
- Uncover the remains of the Ezomytes
- Unlock over 100 new runes for crafting
- Collect over 17 new Kalguur skills
- Explore the uncharted waters
- 2 new Ascendancy classes
- 15 new bosses and endgame enemies
- Over 400 new nodes for the Atlas tree
- Over 30 new unique items
- Various quality of life changes, including an integrated build planner
These were all the important changes in a brief overview, but what will specifically be adjusted? For the details, you just need to scroll down or click on the part that interests you with our directory:
The Atlas (the endgame) is being expanded
The most significant change is the adjustments to the Atlas, the endless map where players are occupied for hundreds of hours grinding for precious loot. The story continues now, as you will visit the fortresses of the Forerunners, the creators of the Third Edict.
These fortresses span across many nodes of the Atlas and include maps filled with machines, traps, and bosses. Your task is to delve deeper into these facilities, uncover secrets, and, of course, survive.
Besides that, many quests for various endgame activities await you, which are meant to introduce you to the respective mechanics.
The Raven & the Hare
In “The Raven & the Hare”, it’s all about Delirium. This activity is being revamped, and its starting point begins in the Atlas when you consume a Strange Fruit.
This now generates a mist veil on the Atlas that you can track to reach a Simulacrum. The further you progress, the denser the mist gets, and for good reason: on the maps within the mist veil, there is now a bar that progresses the faster you defeat enemies as quickly as possible. If the bar reaches its maximum, you will receive the largest possible rewards.
If you then successfully complete the Simulacrum, you unlock the right to enter the realm of the Raven Trickster and challenge Tangmazu. Naturally, there are considerable rewards for defeating him, including items like uniques, gold, and emotes, among others.
Note that Tangmazu becomes stronger the more often you defeat him. This makes it particularly interesting for hardcore players who want to push their build to the limits.
Awakening the Dreamer
Anyone who played the “Keepers of the Flame” league from Path of Exile 1 will recognize the following changes. The Guardians of the Flame and the Genesis Tree are now also coming to Path of Exile 2. Ailith, the leader of the cult, needs the help of exiles to destroy the swarm. You will jump onto various maps, stabilize rifts, and try to gradually reach the leaders of the swarm.
Through fruit seeds obtained from swarm rifts, you can also fertilize the Genesis Tree to get strong loot, which you can even customize through nodes in the tree. This allows you to better influence rewards and perks received.
The Rite of the Nameless
The rituals also receive a fresh coat of paint, as with the new NPC “Aoife” you now pursue the quest to reclaim her body so her spirit can return. You will gradually complete rituals, but now you can also pay remaining tributes to the King in the Mists to receive an audience with him.
The rite spreads to surrounding nodes of the Atlas and becomes increasingly difficult due to the chosen effects, but also more rewarding. Each rite starts with a map boss, but these are added the further you progress. In the end, you must face all 5 encountered map bosses from the last maps simultaneously.
If you complete one of these Rites of the Nameless, you will receive a fragment of a statue, and when you possess all, you can engrave your name into it and visit the very darkness. The rites can become progressively more challenging.
Masters of the Atlas
In the Atlas, you now have three masters who will assist you on your journey through Wraeclast:
- Doryani
- Hilda
- Jado
They help you, grant you bonuses, and support you on your journey to become stronger. What specific effects they provide is still unknown.
Additionally, the Atlas Tree is completely overhauled. The trees of individual activities are expanded, and you even have the chance to unlock all nodes on the tree – really all. This means maximum bonuses and loot.
New league: Runes of Aldur
The new league of Path of Exile 2 is called Runes of Aldur, and fittingly, it revolves around the Kalguur. Farrow, a rune seeker, has discovered something hidden that grants him power and strength. Together with the crew in Kingsmark, you embark on the journey to discover runes and monoliths, with which you can create valuable items. If you dare to engrave the runes, surrounding enemies will also receive strong bonuses – but the rewards you receive will also rise.
Verisium will also play a central role in crafting, as it will allow you to further enhance already obtained items, taking your builds to an even higher level.
One of the most important changes is the adjustment of the expeditions. You can now discover new islands on the Atlas thanks to logbooks and sail there with your ship. Of course, treasures await you there, but also dangerous bosses and enemies.
If you like to experiment with new builds, you can also benefit from new gems that are related to the Kalguur – it’s all about frosty skills.
2 new Ascendancy classes
There will be two new Ascendancy classes, one for the Monk and one for the Hunter. Here’s what they can do:
- The Master of Martial Arts
- The Monk has perfected and mastered close combat through years of training. He can now create illusions with runes that can clear entire battlefields of enemies without him having to lift a finger.
- The Spirit Walker
- The Hunter fights alongside spectral animals like the owl, the stag, or the bear. These grant her new abilities and ensure that every confrontation ends in a bloodbath.
Quality of Life – What will change
What else will be adjusted? With “Return of the Ancients”, Grinding Gear Games is also introducing some “Quality of Life” changes in Path of Exile 2:
- The campaign now guides you much better through individual areas thanks to new waypoints – so you can get lost much less often
- A build planner will be integrated into Path of Exile 2, allowing you to work on builds in the game for hours
- You can even save foreign builds and track them in-game
- A fragment chest compartment will be added to the game
- There will be a new feature for price-checking various items in the game
- There will soon be an Atlas search
- Introduction of the first challenges
These were all the changes you can expect with the release of Return of the Ancients in Path of Exile 2. As already announced, Path of Exile 2 will soon completely change its endgame, bringing about the largest expansion in 12 years: Path of Exile 2 brings the largest expansion in 12 years, completely changing the endgame
Your opinion is important to us!
Do you like the article? Then let us know!