Path of Exile

Overview

(PoE) is a free-to-play online Action RPG (ARPG) developed by Grinding Gear Games. Combining elements of hack-and-slash gameplay, dungeon crawling, and character customization, PoE has attracted a dedicated player base exceeding 23 million accounts since its release in 2013. Its unique gameplay mechanics, continuous content updates, and extensive itemization possibilities have made it one of the most popular ARPGs in recent years.

Gameplay

Core Features:

• Action Combat: Fast-paced and visceral hack-and-slash combat, requiring quick reflexes and strategic decision-making.
• Passive Skill Tree: Highly customizable skill trees that allow players to specialize their characters in various ways.
• In-Depth Itemization: Extensive loot system with thousands of unique items, each with its own unique properties and effects.
• League System: Regular seasonal leagues that introduce new gameplay mechanics, challenges, and rewards.
• Ascendancy Classes: Subclasses that enhance the strengths of each playable class.

Game Modes:

• Campaign: Main storyline with multiple acts, each with its own unique environments and challenges.
• Maps: Procedurally generated dungeons with modifiers that increase difficulty and rewards.
• Delve: Endless mine with progressively deeper levels, yielding valuable loot and unique encounters.
• Heists: Plan and execute intricate robberies in fortified locations for valuable rewards.
• Expedition: Embark on expeditions to ancient ruins, unraveling mysteries and collecting artifacts.

Character Development

Classes:

• Duelist: Agile and versatile melee fighter.
• Marauder: Powerful and sturdy warrior.
• Ranger: Ranged archer with the ability to summon pets.
• Shadow: Stealthy assassin with deadly traps and poisons.
• Templar: Divine spellcaster with healing and support abilities.
• Witch: Eldritch spellcaster with dark curses and powerful elemental attacks.

Progression:

• Leveling: Characters gain experience through combat and quests, unlocking new skills and bonuses.
• Passive Skill Tree: As characters level up, they earn points to allocate in the passive skill tree, enhancing their abilities and attributes.
• Ascendancy Classes: Upon reaching level 35, characters can choose an Ascendancy class to further specialize their build.

Itemization

Rarity:

• Normal: Basic items with basic properties.
• Magic: Items with additional modifiers that enhance specific attributes or skills.
• Rare: Items with multiple modifiers and sockets for gems.
• Unique: Powerful items with unique properties that significantly impact gameplay.

Types:

• Weapons: Melee, ranged, and spellcasting weapons.
• Armor: Helmets, chestplates, gloves, boots, and belts.
• Jewelry: Rings, amulets, and flasks.
• Currency: Used for trading, crafting, and upgrading items.
• Gems: Modifiers that can be socketed into items to enhance skills and abilities.

Endgame Content

Atlas of Worlds:

• Maps: Accessed through the Atlas, maps are procedurally generated challenges that yield unique items and rewards.
• Conquerors of the Atlas: Powerful bosses that guard key Atlas regions, granting access to special rewards and modifiers.
• Sirrus, Awakener of Worlds: The final boss of the Atlas storyline, requiring considerable skill and coordination to defeat.

Other Activities:

• Delve: Endlessly delve into the darkness for valuable loot and challenging encounters.
• Heists: Plan and execute intricate robberies in fortified locations, facing unique traps and enemies.
• Expedition: Embark on expeditions to ancient ruins, unraveling mysteries and collecting artifacts.

Updates and Expansions

Grinding Gear Games releases regular content updates and expansions for PoE, ensuring a constant stream of new content and gameplay improvements:

• Expansions: Major expansions that introduce new acts, gameplay mechanics, and character classes.
• Leagues: Seasonal leagues that offer fresh experiences with unique challenges and rewards.
• Challenge Leagues: Variants of leagues that offer additional challenges and rewards for experienced players.

Community and Accessibility

Community: PoE boasts a large and active community, with numerous forums, guilds, and fan sites dedicated to the game.
Accessibility: The game is cross-platform playable, with support for Windows, macOS, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, ensuring a wide reach and accessibility to players.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Is free to play?
A: Yes, is free to play.

Q: What platforms is available on?
A: Windows, macOS, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

Q: What are some of the unique features of ?
A: PoE’s passive skill tree, extensive loot system, and regular content updates set it apart from other ARPGs.

Q: How do you progress in ?
A: By completing quests, leveling up, and allocating points in the passive skill tree.

Q: What is the endgame content like in ?
A: PoE offers extensive endgame content, including the Atlas of Worlds, Delve, Heists, and Expeditions.

References:

• Official Website

Build

is an action role-playing game where players can customize their characters by choosing skills, items, and stat allocations. A build refers to a specific combination of these elements that determines a character’s playstyle and effectiveness in combat.

Components of a Build:

• Passive Skill Tree: Allocating skill points grants characters additional stats, damage, and defensive capabilities.
• Skills: Characters gain skills by leveling up or using skill gems. Skills represent active abilities that can deal damage, buff allies, or heal.
• Support Gems: Support gems modify the behavior of active skills, granting bonuses like increased damage, area of effect, or utility effects.
• Ascendancy: Completing certain endgame content unlocks ascendancy classes that provide additional bonuses and specialization options.
• Items: Gear, weapons, and jewelry can significantly enhance a character’s stats, defenses, and damage.

Choosing a Build:

Selecting the right build depends on factors such as preferred playstyle, desired damage potential, and defensive capabilities. Popular builds include:

• Spellcaster (Mage): Focuses on dealing damage through spells and elemental effects.
• Melee (Warrior): Utilizes physical attacks with weapons or unarmed combat.
• Archer (Ranger): Attacks from a distance using bows or other ranged weapons.
• Summoner (Necromancer): Controls minions to fight on their behalf.

Build Progression:

Builds evolve as characters level up and acquire new skills and items. Players can respec their skill points and ascendancy choices later in the game to adjust their builds.

Community Resources:

Numerous online resources and community discussions provide guidance and inspiration for builds. Players can share their experiences, compare strategies, and seek advice to optimize their builds.

Trade

(PoE) features a comprehensive trade system that allows players to exchange items and resources with each other. Key aspects of the trade system include:

• Currency-based economy: Trade is primarily conducted using in-game currency, such as Chaos Orbs and Exalted Orbs, for item pricing.
• Trade API: Players can access the official Trade API to search for specific items, view their prices, and initiate trades.
• Trading channels: Public and private trade channels enable players to communicate and negotiate trades directly.
• Third-party tools: Community-developed tools, like Trade Macro, enhance the trading experience by automating price checks and item comparisons.
• Trade variations: PoE offers various trade variations, including individual trades, bulk trades, and forum trading for rare or specialized items.
• Player-controlled pricing: The value of items is determined by player demand and supply, making the trade system highly dynamic and responsive to the player economy.

Guide

is a free-to-play, online action RPG that offers a vast and deep gameplay experience. This guide provides an overview of the core mechanics, character creation, itemization, and gameplay strategies to help you navigate the world of .

Character Creation:

• Choose from a variety of character classes, each with unique abilities and playstyles.
• Customize your character’s appearance, skills, and attributes.
• Select from a Passive Skill Tree that allows for extensive character customization.

Itemization:

• Loot a vast array of items with varying rarity and modifiers.
• Items can be crafted, enchanted, and corrupted to enhance their properties.
• Gems provide additional skills and benefits when socketed into equipment.

Gameplay:

• Explore a sprawling world with diverse environments and enemies.
• Engage in intense combat using a wide range of skills and abilities.
• Complete quests, delve into dungeons, and conquer challenging bosses.
• Join guilds or play solo as you progress through the game’s multiple acts.

Best Build

is a complex and challenging action RPG that offers a wide range of character builds. The best build for you will depend on your playstyle and preferences, but there are some general tips that can help you create a powerful character.

First, consider your ascendancy class. Each class has its own unique set of skills and bonuses, so choose one that complements your chosen playstyle.

Next, choose your skills. There are a wide variety of skills available in , so experiment until you find a combination that you enjoy using. Remember to consider both your offensive and defensive skills.

Finally, equip yourself with the best gear that you can afford. Gear can provide a significant boost to your character’s stats, so it’s worth investing in the best gear that you can find.

With careful planning and execution, you can create a powerful character that can conquer even the most challenging content in .

Atlas

The Atlas is a complex and ever-evolving system that allows players to customize their end-game experience, leading to continuous gameplay.

Map System:
The Atlas is comprised of 164 maps, each with unique terrain, monsters, and bosses. Players can progress through the Atlas by completing maps and unlocking new ones.

Regions and Conquerors:
The Atlas is divided into eight regions, each ruled by a Conqueror. By defeating these Conquerors, players gain access to region-specific modifiers and bonuses.

Influence and Awakening Levels:
Players can expand their influence over the Atlas by completing maps and killing boss monsters. As they gain influence, the Awakening Level of the Atlas increases, unlocking additional content and rewards.

Shaper and Elder:
Two powerful entities, the Shaper and the Elder, influence the Atlas, occupying random maps and shaping their encounters. Defeating them unlocks unique items and access to end-game content.

Watchstones:
By completing challenges, players can earn Watchstones. Inserting these Watchstones into the Atlas socket increases the difficulty and rewards of maps.

Unique Maps:
Throughout the Atlas, players can encounter unique maps with special modifiers and bosses. These maps offer valuable rewards and contribute to the overall progression of the Atlas.

Items

In , items play a crucial role in gameplay. These items range from weapons and armor to consumables and currency, each with unique properties and functionalities. Items can be found as drops from enemies, chests, or as rewards from quests and other activities.

Types of Items:

• Weapons: Melee, ranged, and caster weapons used for attacking enemies.
• Armor: Helmets, chest pieces, gloves, boots, and belts that provide defense and attributes.
• Jewelry: Rings, amulets, and belts that offer additional bonuses and modifiers.
• Consumables: Potions, flasks, and scrolls that can restore health, mana, or trigger special effects.
• Currency: Items used for crafting, trading, and gambling.

Item Rarity:

Items are classified into different rarity tiers: Normal, Magic, Rare, Unique, and Legendary. Rarer items typically have better stats and additional modifiers.

Item Modifiers:

Items can have a variety of modifiers that enhance their properties. These modifiers include increased damage, elemental resistance, critical strike chance, and many others.

Crafting:

Players can craft items using various crafting methods, such as using orbs or interacting with NPCs. Through crafting, players can enhance existing items or create new ones with specific properties.

Trading:

Trading is a key aspect of , allowing players to exchange items with each other. The in-game currency system and dedicated trading platforms facilitate the exchange of various items.

Skills

offers a wide array of skills for players to customize their playstyles. Each skill has its own unique mechanics, effects, and scaling potential. Skills are categorized into two types: Active Skills and Support Gems.

Active Skills:

• Primary skills that players can cast directly.
• Have various effects, such as damage, healing, movement, and utility.
• Require mana or other resources to activate.

Support Gems:

• Modify the effects of Active Skills.
• Add effects like increased damage, reduced mana cost, or improved critical strikes.
• Can be linked to multiple Active Skills to create powerful combinations.

Skills can be acquired from skill gems, which are found through gameplay or purchased from vendors. Players can level up their skills by using them in combat, and they can also be modified with Passive Skills on the passive skill tree. The combination of skills and support gems allows for endless customization and playstyle experimentation.

Gems

Gems in are items that can be socketed into equipment to grant additional abilities or enhance existing ones. They come in various types, including skill gems, support gems, and auras.

Skill Gems:
Grant active abilities that can be cast or used by your character, such as spells, attacks, or summoning.

Support Gems:
Enhance or modify the effects of skill gems when socketed alongside them. They provide bonuses like increased damage, critical strike chance, or area of effect.

Auras:
Provide passive bonuses to your character or allies within a certain radius. They can grant buffs like increased damage, resistance, or mana regeneration.

Gems can be leveled up by gaining experience, which increases their effectiveness. They can also be crafted to alter their properties or linked to other gems to create powerful combinations. The strategic use of gems is crucial for character customization and gameplay optimization in .

Patch Notes

• Major Content Changes:

  • Echoes of the Atlas expansion: Introduces new endgame systems, Atlas skill tree, and unique bosses.
  • New league: Siege of the Atlas, featuring a tower defense-style gameplay loop.

• Gameplay Adjustments:

  • Overhauled passive skill tree: Streamlined and balanced, with many new and reworked nodes.
  • Reworked mana and energy shield systems: Adjusted costs and recovery rates, introducing a new Energy Shield Leech mechanic.
  • Skill gem balance: Numerous skill gems have been rebalanced to improve diversity and effectiveness.

• Itemization Improvements:

  • New unique items: Added over 30 new unique items with powerful effects.
  • Rarity and frequency adjustments: Adjusted the drop rates and rarity of various items.
  • Archnemesis overhaul: Simplified and streamlined the Archnemesis modifier system.

• Technical Updates:

  • Performance optimizations: Implemented various changes to improve overall performance and stability.
  • User interface improvements: Enhanced readability and convenience of various UI elements.
  • Vulkan support: Added optional Vulkan rendering for improved graphics performance.

Builds

builds are customizable character configurations that determine a character’s abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. They involve selecting the following elements:

• Class: Defines the character’s starting stats, skills, and passive skill tree.
• Ascendancy: A specialized class that further enhances the character’s abilities.
• Skills: Active abilities and passive buffs that are assigned to hotkeys.
• Passive Skill Tree: A vast network of passive bonuses that significantly impact character stats and gameplay mechanics.
• Gear: Items that provide additional bonuses and defensive capabilities.
• Links: A system that connects skills to support gems, enhancing their effects.

Builds can be categorized based on their primary damage source (e.g., physical, elemental, chaos), defense mechanisms (e.g., evasion, armor), and playstyles (e.g., melee, ranged, spellcasting). Players can experiment with different builds to optimize their character’s performance for specific challenges within ‘s extensive endgame content.

Economy

‘s economy revolves around the exchange of currency items and valuable items between players. The in-game currency system comprises various orbs that serve different purposes, such as enhancing gear or crafting new items. Unique items, with their rare attributes and powerful effects, are highly sought after and traded extensively.

The economy is influenced by a variety of factors, including:

• Demand and Supply: The scarcity of certain items and the desire for them drive price fluctuations.
• Seasonal Leagues: Temporary leagues with unique rules and rewards can impact the availability of items and their value.
• Player-Driven Market: Players create their own listings and negotiate trades, resulting in dynamic and fluctuating prices.
• Currency Inflation: The influx of currency orbs overtime can lead to inflation, affecting the purchasing power of players.

Trading

(PoE) features a unique trading system that connects players asynchronously through a currency-based economy.

• Currency-Based Economy: PoE utilizes a variety of in-game currency for trading, including Chaos Orbs, Exalted Orbs, and Divine Orbs.
• Player Interaction: Players can set up trade shops or use third-party websites like Trade to list items for sale or exchange currency.
• Bulk and Conditional Trades: PoE supports bulk trades and conditional trades, allowing players to exchange multiple items at once or create complex trade offers based on specific conditions.
• Player-Run Market: The PoE trading system is controlled primarily by players, with buyers and sellers determining the value of items and the exchange rates between currencies.
• Asynchronous Gameplay: PoE’s trade system allows players to engage in trading activities even when they are not online, facilitating efficient and convenient item sharing.

Farming

farming is a crucial aspect of the game, enabling players to acquire essential resources and earn in-game currency for upgrades and crafting. Farming strategies vary depending on individual preferences, but some common approaches include:

• Map Farming: Completing maps with high tiers and difficult modifiers to earn valuable loot, experience, and map pools.
• Delve Farming: Exploring the Delve mines to find valuable fossils, resonators, and crafting rewards.
• Heist Farming: Completing heists to steal contracts, blueprints, and valuable items.
• Boss Farming: Defeating powerful bosses like Elder, Shaper, and Sirus for unique loot and end-game challenges.
• Tier 16 Mapping: Running tier 16 maps with the "harbinger" or "beyond" league mechanic to farm valuable currency.
• Legion Farming: Defeating Legion encounters to earn unique splinters used for crafting and upgrading.

Delve

Delve is an endgame expansion for . Players delve into the Azurite Mine, an endless dungeon filled with powerful enemies and valuable resources.

Gameplay involves:

• Exploring the mine: Players descend the mine, encountering various biomes, enemies, and rewards.
• Collecting Azurite: Azurite is a valuable resource used to upgrade the mine cart, granting access to deeper levels and bonuses.
• Fighting bosses: Delve features a variety of challenging bosses that offer unique rewards and further progression.
• Crafting and upgrading: Players can craft fossils and resonators to modify their gear, allowing for customization and power-ups.
• Solo or group play: Delve can be played solo or cooperatively, offering a blend of exploration and combat.

: Harbinger

Harbinger is a expansion released in 2018. It introduces a new league mechanic where players can summon and defeat Harbingers, ancient and enigmatic beings from another realm. Harbingers drop fragments of orbs that can be combined to create powerful currency items.

The expansion also adds new skill gems, unique items, and a new boss fight. It overhauls the crafting system, making it more intuitive and accessible. Additionally, Harbinger expands the Atlas of Worlds, adding new regions and bosses.

Overall, Harbinger brings a wealth of new content and improvements to , making it an essential expansion for fans of the game.

: The Elder

The Elder is a powerful endgame boss in who resides in the Shaper’s Realm. It grants powerful loot upon defeat, including fragments of The Elder’s Orb, a unique currency item.

To access the Elder, players must first defeat the Shaper and complete a series of maps with Elder Influence. Once the Elder is spawned, it will roam the Atlas of Worlds, granting bonuses and afflictions to nearby maps.

Defeating the Elder requires a well-coordinated party and specialized builds. The boss has a complex set of mechanics and abilities that must be carefully managed. Upon defeat, the Elder drops loot including The Elder’s Orb fragments, which can be combined to create a powerful unique currency item that modifies item properties.

Prophecies

Prophecies are a type of item system in that allow players to modify or alter the outcome of in-game events. Each prophecy, when activated, applies a specific modifier to the next instance of that event, such as granting bonuses or changing the behavior of monsters.

Prophecies are obtained randomly as drops from monsters, chests, or the Oracle NPC. Activating a prophecy requires the player to consume it, and the modifier will remain active until the prophecy is fulfilled or canceled.

Some notable examples of prophecies include:

• The Rotting Fetus: Monsters have a 100% chance to bleed on death.
• The Tawm’r Isley: Creates a pack of magic spiders at the start of the zone.
• The Three Wise Monkeys: Grants a bonus to life, damage, and mana regeneration.

Maps

maps are instanced areas that offer a unique gameplay experience with increased challenge and rewards. These maps drop as random items and can be inserted into the Map Device to open a portal to the corresponding area. Each map has its own unique layout, monsters, and modifiers that affect gameplay.

• Layout: Maps come in various shapes and sizes, with different terrain types and features. Some maps have specific boss encounters, while others focus on large packs of monsters.
• Monsters: Maps contain a variety of monsters, including unique and rare enemies that drop valuable loot. The difficulty and type of monsters scale with the tier of the map.
• Modifiers: Maps have modifiers that alter gameplay in various ways. These modifiers can increase monster damage, add elemental damage, or restrict the use of certain skills.

By completing maps, players can earn experience, currency, and unique items. Higher-tier maps offer greater rewards but also come with increased difficulty. Players can also customize maps by using fragments and orbs to modify their properties, making them more challenging or rewarding.

Guardians

In , Guardians are powerful bosses that guard the Elder and Shaper strongholds. Defeating them grants access to these areas and unlocks various rewards.

Each Guardian has unique mechanics and challenges. The four Guardians are:

• Chimera: A three-headed beast that can control multiple elemental ailments and create noxious clouds.
• Minotaur: A brutal melee fighter that uses heavy charge attacks and can summon smaller minions.
• Phoenix: A fiery bird that can regenerate health and launch devastating fireballs.
• Hydra: A slippery serpent with multiple heads that can shoot acid, poison, and summon venomous creatures.

Defeating all four Guardians opens the path to the Elder and Shaper, the endgame bosses of . It also grants access to exclusive item drops, including Fragments of the Guardians and Watcher’s Eyes, which can enhance character builds.