This comprehensive guide to Path of Exile 2, a standalone sequel to the original Path of Exile, covers everything from beginner tips to advanced endgame strategies. Released into Early Access on December 6th, 2024, PoE 2 boasts revamped mechanics within a traditional ARPG framework. This guide hub, constantly updated, will continue to expand with Early Access and full release content in 2025.
I. Getting Started & PoE 2 Beginner Tips: This section provides essential information for new players, covering game mechanics, optimal settings, and crucial early-game strategies.
- Game Information: Addresses frequently asked questions, details on supporter packs, league changes, point acquisition, stash tab recommendations, estimated playtime, improvements over the original, max level, leveling milestones, level scaling, and claiming Twitch drops.
- Controls & Settings: Guides on optimizing PC settings, combat techniques (dodging, blocking, weapon changes), skill binding, movement input customization, chat management, and crossplay options.
- Beginner Tips: Offers ten essential tips, advice on scroll acquisition, loot management, beginner-friendly class rankings, rapid gold acquisition, playing with friends, and prioritizing gold spending.
II. PoE 2 Game Mechanics & Systems: A deep dive into the core mechanics that define PoE 2 gameplay.
- Character Stats & Skill Points: Explains character attributes, passive skill point acquisition and respeccing, passive skill filter usage, weapon set points, the spirit resource, and methods to increase spirit, movement speed, and mana. It also covers energy shields and accuracy, plus optimal resistance upgrades.
- Gameplay Mechanics: Details on fast travel, free item identification, trading, ailments, instances, stunning enemies, skill aiming, armor break, crowd control effects, guild creation/joining, arcane surge, power charges, death penalties, and the mechanics of Herald of Ice and Thunder.
- Skills, Gems, Jewels, & Runes: Covers equipping and acquiring support gems, rune usage, jewel sockets, obtaining uncut spirit gems, and acquiring raging spirits.
III. Classes, Ascendancies, & Builds: A comprehensive guide to character classes, ascendancy systems, and build strategies.
- PoE 2 Class Guides: Provides rankings of the best classes, recommendations for solo play, guidance on mercenary ammo swapping, minion summoning, aftershock, and rage mechanics.
- Ascendancies: Details on all class ascendancies and nodes, along with instructions on unlocking ascension classes.
- PoE 2 Build Guides: Offers leveling build guides for Monk, Tempest Flurry Invoker, Mercenary, Sorceress, Rolling Slam Warrior, and Witch, as well as a general Warrior leveling guide.
IV. PoE 2 Currencies & Gear: Explores the currency system and gear progression in PoE 2.
- Upgrades & Improvements: Covers upgrading item rarity, potion upgrades and refills, socket addition, armor/weapon quality upgrades, and gear modifier rerolling.
- PoE 2 Currencies: Details all currency items and their effects, along with instructions on unlocking and using the salvage bench, currency exchange, reforging bench, and methods for acquiring Orb of Chance, Divine Orb, and Greater Jeweler's Orb.
- Gear & Equipment: Provides tips on early-game gear farming, acquiring unique items, the charm system, charm equipping and upgrades, stellar amulets, and obtaining the Ingenuity Utility Belt and Hand of Wisdom and Action.
V. Quest & Boss Walkthroughs: Detailed walkthroughs for quests and boss encounters across all three acts currently available in Early Access.
- All Main Quests and Acts: A complete overview of the main quests and acts.
- All Permanent Bonuses from the Campaign: A list of all permanent bonuses obtainable during the campaign.
- Act One, Act Two, Act Three: Specific walkthroughs for individual quests and boss battles within each act.
VI. PoE 2 Endgame Guides: Strategies and guides for navigating the endgame content.
- Endgame Tips & Mechanics: Covers unlocking Cruel difficulty and the endgame, advanced endgame tips, waystone acquisition and upgrades, waystone sustainability during mapping, optimal Atlas skill tree setups, hideout unlocking, and finding more citadels.
- Endgame Features & Leagues: Explores the Atlas of Worlds (maps, events), Realmgate, Breach (passives, rewards), Delirium (fog mechanics, passives, rewards), Ritual (passives, tributes, favors), Expedition (passives, artifacts, rewards), Burning Monolith, Trial of Chaos, and Trial of the Sekhemas.
VII. Advanced PoE 2 Tips & Other Guides: Advanced strategies and additional guides for experienced players.
- Advanced PoE 2 Guides: Covers rapid XP acquisition, loot filter usage and acquisition (including console), Sidekick features and installation, FilterBlade usage, identifying items to avoid buying or selling from merchants, and obtaining more character slots.
