The introduction of the Huntress class in Path of Exile 2 has generated considerable excitement among players, particularly with her unique ability to tame rare beasts. Following the recent post-showcase interview with Grinding Gear Games (GGG), however, it has become clear that there are limitations regarding her tamed beasts that may disappoint those focused on trade opportunities. Players will be unable to trade these special beasts, marking a significant design choice by the developers.
Fans of the original Path of Exile will notice some familiarities with the Azmeri beasts found in both games. These unique creatures are designed to possess powerful modifiers, making them formidable combat allies. With the utilization of the Tame Beast Skill Gem, the Huntress can convert these foes into valuable accomplices in battle.
Understanding the Role of Tamed Beasts in Path of Exile 2
Game Directors Mark Roberts and Jonathan Rogers disclosed that the initial vision for the beasts and their mechanics was much broader. However, as development progressed, they refined the concept to ensure that the beasts remain engaging without disrupting the daily gameplay experience for players.
The decision to make tamed beasts non-tradeable stems from a desire to streamline the player experience. GGG provided this insight:
“Once you have tamed the beast, it is not tradable. And people might immediately be like, ‘Oh, that’s sad.’… I’m sure you don’t want to be carrying around a whole bunch of tamed beasts in your inventory, all the time.”
As explained by Mark, this choice seeks to alleviate inventory management issues that could arise from trading beasts. By eliminating the need to constantly assess beasts based on their modifiers and types for trading purposes, players can enjoy a smoother gaming experience. He emphasized:
“It’s actually like this annoying…in order to make the most money, I have to be constantly thinking about and carrying around tamed beasts.”
In addition to rendering beasts untradeable, GGG has taken proactive steps to prevent the use of third-party trading tools to manipulate the beast-taming process. Once a player activates a beast, their instance becomes isolated, preventing others from capturing it. Jonathan elaborated:
“We also made it so that as soon as you activate a beast, no one who comes into the instance after that is allowed to tame it, so you can’t just TFT the instance.”
For some context, TFT (The Forbidden Trove) is a significant third-party trading platform that supports both Path of Exile titles, significantly influencing the trading dynamics within both games.
This move is likely disappointing for traders anticipating new methods of currency generation in Path of Exile 2, especially following recent nerfs to existing methods like Breach. The decision underscores the game’s evolution into a distinct entity, moving away from its predecessor’s influences, positioning beast trading as a unique and in-depth league feature.