The launch of Path of Exile 2’s inaugural unofficial League, Dawn of The Hunt, has not garnered the positive feedback developers at Grinding Gear Games (GGG) anticipated. Currently, the game is experiencing a “Mixed”rating on Steam, with only 43% of player reviews being favorable. Following a series of nerfs, perceived by many as excessive, gamers are finding the progression through the campaign to be a tedious endeavor.
In their latest blog entry titled “What We’re Working On”, GGG has acknowledged the community’s feedback and outlined their strategies to alleviate the prevailing issues.
Some changes are already underway; for instance, today’s patch 0.2.0c introduced buffs to Minion and Spear Skill attack speeds. However, this is merely the beginning. The developers have detailed five key enhancements scheduled for release in upcoming patches.
Upcoming Enhancements in Path of Exile 2’s Next Update
Introduction of a New Early-Game Frenzy Skill for Huntress
The newly added Huntress class has not achieved the expected enthusiasm among players. Beyond a couple of effective combinations (Rake-Stomping Ground and Whirlwind-Barrage-Twisters), most skills seem ineffective against enemies as players progress through the campaign.
This issue stems from both statistical and functional deficiencies. Currently, players must depend on the unreliable hitbox of the Disengage ability on parried foes to generate Frenzy charges until they acquire other Frenzy generation skills, such as Combat Frenzy. Consequently, the Huntress feels cumbersome during the early stages of the game.
To address this concern, GGG plans to introduce a new skill called Cull the Weak. This skill operates similarly to the Monk Skill that creates Power Charges with Culling Strikes, but instead facilitates the generation of Frenzy charges. Cull the Weak will become available with Uncut Gem Level 3 and above, providing much-needed support for early-game performance.
Increased Checkpoints Across the Campaign
A significant grievance among players pertains to the lengthy areas in Act 3, and even in parts of Act 2, particularly in locations like the Mawdun Quarry. This issue is particularly noticeable in The Drowned City and Utzall, which fails to provide sufficient rewards for engaging with its treasure hunt objectives.
While GGG has examined the possibility of reducing the size of certain maps in Path of Exile 2, they have refrained from making any firm commitments regarding this. However, to quickly redirect concerns relating to the current League experience, they will be enhancing their checkpoint technology. The developers will incorporate additional checkpoints in larger zones to facilitate smoother navigation.
Binding Changes for Spectres and Tamed Beasts
The eagerly awaited Bind Spectre skill, introduced in patch 0.2.0, was met with criticism for being insufficiently developed. Players quickly realized that once a Spectre is bound to a Gem, unbinding it becomes impossible. This becomes an issue if players wish to change their skill setup after investing resources into a specific Gem.
GGG has acknowledged this oversight and announced plans to rectify it in upcoming updates by introducing a method to rebind Spectres and Tamed Beasts, alleviating the anxiety surrounding these summoning mechanics.
Diverse Stash Tab Options
While not a major point of contention in the feedback surrounding patch 0.2.0, GGG will also be introducing new stash tabs to expand inventory organization in Path of Exile 2. Following the addition of the Maps stash tab, the developers are set to unveil new tabs dedicated to Precursor Tablets and Socketables this month.
With the Dawn of The Hunt patch introducing additional socketables like Greater Runes and Talismans, this enhancement is eagerly anticipated. Furthermore, the Flasks Stash tabs will receive updates to incorporate Charms for easier access.
Atlas Bookmarking System
One of the most unexpected yet beneficial quality-of-life improvements being introduced by GGG is a bookmarking system for Atlas Nodes within the endgame. This feature enables players to pin Atlas nodes and assign custom names for convenient access later on. It remains uncertain whether a search function will accompany this tool, but it promises to enhance organization and navigation given the potential complexity of the Atlas.