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While we are no strangers to early access periods and watching our favorite games go through development as we test some of their features, we’ve grown accustomed to somewhat small patches that add a few things here and there. Path of Exile 2, on the other hand, is bringing Dawn of the Hunt, which is the biggest update to this game yet but might also be one of the largest updates in the history of early-access games.
Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt Launches on April 4
Let’s get the important thing out of the way first: the release date. Dawn of the Hunt will launch on April 4 at 12 p.m. PT. This update brings a new class, five new ascendancies, hundreds of new support gems, a lot of improvements to the endgame grind, and much more. Now, before you think we’re just doing a quick news coverage and call it a day, that’s not the case. We’ll break down everything coming to this update so you can get hyped before the patch lands next week.
The Huntress and Five Ascendancies Join the Fray
For those eager to try another class, the Huntress is coming with Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt. She’s coming up with interesting gameplay mechanics, such as parrying blows and many skills that make enemies explode. For those who want even more mayhem, the Huntress will be able to use different elemental spears to wreak havoc. Yet, she’s also nimble and has other abilities that let her get away from harm’s way and even damage enemies while doing so. Overall, the Huntress seems like an excellent addition to the roster and a class that might encourage players to start their adventure again.
As for the ascendancies, we have five new ones coming with the update: The Ritualist (Huntress), Amazon (Huntress), Smith of Kitava (Warrior), Tactician (Mercenary), and Lich (Witch). As expected, each one features new and engaging gameplay styles. For instance, the Smith of Kitava will allow you to enhance your weapon as well as summon a copy of it. The Tactician has several skills that will buff him as well as his allies. The Amazon can increase the damage to Rare and Unique monsters, and so on. While many might be excited about the new class, they should also watch out for these new ascendancies, as they will be game-changers for everyone.
Gem Galore
For those who want to keep filling up their pockets, or rather, tabs with gems, there are hundreds of them coming with Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt. Speaking strictly of skill ones, there are two you’ll want to watch out for. The first is the “Raise Spectre” gem, which lets you trap the souls of almost every creature in the game to then summon them. These Spectres will cost Spirit but will revive automatically once defeated. The better the monster, the higher the Spirit cost.
The second one is “Summon Rhoa,” which gives you a new companion to use as a mount or during battles. You can even mount your Rhoa while fighting, but if you take a lot of damage, you’ll get thrown off of it, making you vulnerable. Still, it is great to have a mount of sorts to traverse the areas faster.
Beyond that, there are many new support gems coming that will bring even wilder build options. Haemocrystals, for instance, will turn bleed effects into exploding crystals. Alignment gems will work around positional attacks with bows. These are only two of the gems coming, but there are hundreds of them out there ready for you to grab.
Catching Wisps
The Azmeri Wisp is a new mechanic that will appear in Act One inside the Grelwood. This spirit will travel around the map, empowering enemies that it touches. Yet, there isn’t one wisp only. There are several of them, and each one embodies a different animal that will provide enemies with different buffs. For instance, the Bear will increase a foe’s life and stun potential. However, if you manage to defeat the wisp, you’ll get items to craft new mods. This will add yet another layer of randomness to certain areas, with an excellent reward waiting for you at the end.
Endgame Improvements
For those who are already in the never-ending endgame, there are many changes coming to it. For starters, tablets will add twice their mechanics and will scale further on higher-tier maps. Towers will now include all existing mechanics to make them more challenging but also more engaging to explore. Also, players can now spawn up to six times on every map. Overall, the endgame will keep its challenge but will bring many QoL features that will keep the endgame fresh and less annoying.
In addition, eight new maps are coming to the game, and as expected, they come with new rewards and challenging encounters. Besides that, there are four new Strongboxes on the way, which will have unique mechanics that you’ll need to pay attention to. For instance, the Ogham’s Legacy contains a rune-carved stone and a slain creature. When you activate it, it will revive as a powerful rare, and it will get progressively more difficult after each defeat.
Rogue Exiles Lurk in the Shadows
One of the most exciting features coming to Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt is Rogue Exiles. During your travels, you may encounter hostile exiles who will use player skills to fight you. Look at it as a way of bringing PvP into PoE 2. These exiles will have powerful gear and will even have dedicated AI to keep you on your toes. They will dodge and use skills and other shenanigans just as a normal player would. If you manage to defeat them, however, you’ll obtain their items, which makes chasing them, or rather, surviving, a worthwhile challenge. You’ll be able to find 12 of these Rogue Exiles, and each one will have distinct personalities. Some may praise your fighting abilities, while others might make fun of your “skill issues.”
A New League for All
Last but not least, Dawn of the Hunt is bringing a new league for players who want to start fresh. It is highly recommended that all players go through this one, especially if they want to experience the new additions. However, you can stay in the early access league if you prefer to keep playing with your previous character. Either way, you’ll get a lot of content in any league, so just be ready to take your pick when the patch arrives.
The above information is just a fraction of everything that is coming to Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt. There are many more things on the way that will make PoE 2 feel like an already launched product. Yet, what’s surprising is that this major patch is just the first during the early access period and is already packing more things than an actual game on release day. So, if you’ve been away from Wraeclast, now’s the perfect time to grab your character and join the never-ending hunt.
