In Path of Exile 2, there is a game mechanic that has been carried over from the predecessor, although nobody really liked it there either.
What kind of game mechanic is that? In Path of Exile 2, there are many different game systems and mechanics that interact to make the game feel just right. One of them is the so-called “On-Death” effects, meaning things that happen when a monster dies. However, this mechanic is not about loot but rather harmful effects like explosions that are triggered upon a monster’s death and affect the player.
Many players die because of this game mechanic, which has been causing a lot of frustration within the community for at least five years.
Not annoying, but useful is this NPC from Path of Exile 2:
Frustration among players: Monster dies, drags players to their death
Why are players annoyed? The death effects of monsters are likely one of the most common causes of death in the game for the veterans and professionals of Path of Exile 2. Enemies that deal massive damage even after their death are often not easily recognizable, and the damage from the death effects can sometimes take players out with just a single explosion.
The problem with the “On-Death” effects has existed for at least five years, as shown in a post on Reddit. The user zephibary shares a screenshot of various complaints about the effects from the last five years on Reddit.
The posted messages have titles such as: “Harvest Fight ends, 8 seconds later one shot by a death effect” or “Dear GGG, can we please stop with the death effects that punish us for looting?” The poster wonders: “Why are the developers hell-bent on keeping this terrible mechanic?”
How does the community respond to the question? The community responds with their own experiences and stories. Many players mention that they would simply like to see the enemies with the “On-Death” effects highlighted. So far, they don’t really differ visually from other foes.
For Maleficent-Egg6861, this seems to be the biggest problem on Reddit: “If they really want to keep them, they should at least make the monsters glow like a nuclear reactor before they go off, so we know to stay away.”
Also, RagnarRodrog wants to see better on Reddit with whom he is dealing: “I just want Rares to have some kind of glow, so I can actually know that it’s a more dangerous monster and it could have death effects.”
ThrowawayyTessslaa thinks he knows the background on Reddit: “Without the ‘On-Death’ effects, there is very little that could slow the players down. The other option is to create maps with tight corridors and doors (which everyone hates) or to massively decrease movement speed (which is also a ninja skill/difficulty nerf). One could also pump up the HP, but they have already tried that and it only harms player progression in maps and builds with high defense/low DPS. Any method to slow down players is hated by the community.”
Whether the developers really implemented this game mechanic just to slow down the players is uncertain. After all, they decided to incorporate it into the new part of the game. However, one death effect has already been removed from the game in the second week: the Volatile Crystals. This death effect consisted of 3 purple balls that chased you and then exploded. You can find out what else has been changed in the latest patch here: Path of Exile 2: Massive update is here, strengthens classes and skills more than expected – Official patch notes in German
