April 4 promises to be a landmark day for fans of Path of Exile 2. The game is set to unveil its first significant patch and an economy reset since it opened up for early access back in December 2024. This update represents a major departure from the current content setup and introduces a sweep of changes sure to shake things up. Recently released patch notes for the Dawn of the Hunt shed some light on these changes, though not all players might find them agreeable. The main headline is the sweeping nerfs applied to many popular builds, items, and skills, effectively wiping the slate clean for players to discover anew.
One of the most eagerly anticipated additions in this update is the Huntress, along with her five unique Ascendancies. Her arrival, coupled with the inclusion of over 100 new Unique Items and Support Gems, has piqued the community’s interest. With changes on the horizon, there’s a tangible sense of anticipation for what shifts will occur when Dawn of the Hunt goes live.
It’s not uncommon for games in this genre, such as Diablo 4 and the under-the-radar hit Last Epoch, to drastically alter gameplay with new updates. Path of Exile 2 follows suit by thoroughly renovating its endgame mechanics, essentially offering players an experience akin to a fresh game. The nerfs detailed in the patch notes suggest that players may need to reconsider their strategies, moving away from the once-dominant builds that relied on specific Ascendancies, items, and skills. It could provide a refreshing change, fostering new meta-strategies.
Classic builds like Archmage Spark and attribute-stacking with Gemling Legionnaire aren’t what they used to be. These strategies faced significant reductions in effectiveness, impacting Mana gear and passive trees for the former, while making attribute accumulation more challenging for the latter. Even essential items like the Ingenuity belt or Pillar of the Caged God are now less potent. Archmage faces further drawbacks, with a notable decrease in damage output alongside increased Mana costs for non-channeling skills.
Previously favored combos, such as Herald of Ice and Thunder, don’t pack the same punch anymore. As a result, builds leveraging monks and mercenaries with staves, or using ranged strategies like Lightning Arrow, will need reevaluation. Furthermore, the likelihood of finding rare items has decreased, complicating efforts to gather currency with ease.
However, amidst these changes lies potential. Some lesser-utilized classes might find their moment. The Warbringer, for instance, a previously overlooked Ascendancy, gets a welcome boost with improvements to its nodes. This, along with changes to the mechanics of stun effects and other skills, may open new doors for players seeking fresh strategies.
The new landscape of the game could become more appealing, as the Grim Feast Gem’s removal presents opportunities to experiment with builds that don’t rely on Energy Shield. It’s still early, and as details about spear skills remain sparse, guessing the future meta is tricky. Players must tread a new path regardless, navigating these twists with creativity and adaptability.
