This comprehensive guide to Path of Exile 2, a standalone sequel to the original Path of Exile, provides a structured overview of gameplay, mechanics, and progression. Updated regularly, it covers Early Access content and will continue to expand with the full 2025 release.
I. Getting Started & PoE 2 Beginner Tips: This section equips new players with essential knowledge, covering game information (FAQ, supporter packs, league changes, etc.), controls and settings optimization (PC settings, combat, chat), and crucial beginner strategies (gold farming, friend invites, loot management).
- Game Information: Addresses frequently asked questions, details on supporter packs and rewards, character league switching, point acquisition, optimal stash tab purchases, estimated playtime, key improvements over the original, max level and leveling milestones, level scaling, and claiming Twitch drops.
- Controls & Settings: Guides on achieving optimal PC settings, mastering dodging and blocking, weapon switching in combat, skill binding, movement input customization, linking items to chat, chat hiding, and crossplay enabling/disabling.
- Beginner Tips: Provides ten essential beginner tips, guidance on purchasing Scrolls of Wisdom, managing excess loot, ranking the best beginner classes, strategies for rapid gold acquisition, playing with friends, and prioritizing early gold spending.
II. PoE 2 Game Mechanics & Systems: This section delves into the core mechanics of Path of Exile 2, explaining character stats, skill points, and gameplay mechanics.
- Character Stats & Skill Points: Explains character attributes, methods for obtaining additional passive skill points, respeccing passive skill points, utilizing the passive skill filter, understanding weapon set points and the Spirit resource, increasing Spirit and movement speed, raising maximum mana, understanding Energy Shields, accuracy, and optimizing resistances.
- Gameplay Mechanics: Covers fast travel, free item identification, trading, ailments, instances, stunning enemies, skill aiming, armor break, crowd control effects, guild creation and joining, Arcane Surge, Power Charges, death penalties, and the mechanics of Herald of Ice and Thunder.
- Skills, Gems, Jewels, & Runes: Explains equipping support gems, acquiring more support gems, equipping and using runes, jewel sockets, obtaining uncut spirit gems, and acquiring raging spirits.
III. Classes, Ascendancies, & Builds: This section explores the game's classes, ascendancies, and build options.
- PoE 2 Class Guides: Ranks the best classes, identifies the best solo class, details on swapping mercenary ammo types, summoning more minions, understanding Aftershock, and the mechanics of Rage.
- Ascendancies: Provides a complete list of class ascendancies and ascendancy nodes, and explains how to unlock ascension classes.
- PoE 2 Build Guides: Offers leveling build guides for Monk, Tempest Flurry Invoker, Mercenary, Sorceress, Rolling Slam Warrior, Warrior, and Witch.
IV. PoE 2 Currencies & Gear: This section focuses on currency management and gear upgrades.
- Upgrades & Improvements: Covers upgrading item rarity, upgrading and refilling potions, adding sockets to gear, upgrading armor and weapon quality, and rerolling gear modifiers.
- PoE 2 Currencies: Details all currency items and their effects, unlocking and using the Salvage Bench, Currency Exchange, determining current exchange rates, unlocking and using the Reforging Bench, acquiring Orbs of Chance and Divine Orbs, and obtaining Greater Jeweler's Orbs.
- Gear & Equipment: Provides strategies for early gear farming, obtaining unique items, explaining the charm system, equipping and upgrading charms, understanding Stellar Amulets, acquiring the Ingenuity Utility Belt, and obtaining the Hand of Wisdom and Action.
V. Quest & Boss Walkthroughs: This section offers detailed walkthroughs for quests and boss encounters.
- All Main Quests and Acts: Provides a comprehensive overview.
- All Permanent Bonuses from the Campaign: Highlights all permanent campaign bonuses.
- Act One, Act Two, Act Three: Each act includes detailed walkthroughs for specific quests and boss battles.
VI. PoE 2 Endgame Guides: This section covers endgame mechanics and activities.
- Endgame Tips & Mechanics: Explains unlocking Cruel difficulty and the endgame, advanced endgame tips, obtaining and upgrading Waystones, sustaining Waystones while mapping, optimal Atlas skill tree setups, unlocking hideouts, and finding more citadels.
- Endgame Features & Leagues: Provides guides on the Atlas of Worlds (maps, events), Realmgates, Breaches, Delirium, Rituals, Expeditions, Burning Monoliths, Trials of Chaos, and Trials of the Sekhemas.
VII. Advanced PoE 2 Tips & Other Guides: This section offers advanced strategies and additional guides.
- Advanced PoE 2 Guides: Covers methods for rapid XP gain, using and obtaining loot filters (including console), Sidekick features and installation, using FilterBlade, items to avoid buying from merchants, items not to sell, and acquiring additional character slots.
