Path of Exile 2 recently held a preview livestream for version 0.5.0, showcasing a plethora of new content in Return of the Ancients, including numerous gameplay and mechanic changes. As developers and many players alike have acknowledged, this is arguably the biggest update in PoE 2's history.
In summary, Return of the Ancients in PoE 2 includes over thirty endgame zones, a brand-new Pinnacle Boss, and a complete overhaul of much of the endgame content. Atlas map and Atlas Passive Tree have also received significant changes. Furthermore, we'll be getting more bosses, a crafting system, Ascendancy Classes, and unique PoE 2 items.
Let me break down these incredible update details.
New League
Like previous leagues, you'll get a brand-new questline, introducing the new mechanics through a fresh story. This season will also introduce Rune Smithing, which might feel familiar to players who started with PoE 1.
Rune Smithing
Through Rune Smithing, you can interact with ruins you encounter on the map, then choose specific runes based on your desired rewards. These runes will summon monsters enhanced by those runes, and defeating them will grant you specific rewards.
According to official information, these rewards are extremely generous, including various crafting resources needed in the game, as well as even more runes. A large number of runes, rewards, and powerful enemies await you.
Rune Forging
This system introduces a new resource called Verissium. By giving these resources to certain NPCs, you can upgrade your equipment and obtain Runic Wards.
Runic Wards will provide you with an extra shield when your health is depleted. Similar to the familiar Energy Shield, but the difference is that Runic Wards help you escape death when your health reaches zero, potentially making the gameplay very interesting.
Another use of Rune Forging is that you can make better use of various idle low-level unique items. This can bring more variety to the endgame.
In addition, over one hundred new runes will be added to the game, along with various unique uses. Players can explore these in detail as they play.
Biomes
In the endgame map, players will receive a newly added ocean Biomes. Located in the south of map, players can set sail, explore numerous islands, battle five newly added bosses, and earn more PoE 2 currency. These new features promise to make the gameplay even more interesting.
The above is just a small part of the new Runes of Aldur League content in this update.
Endgame
For a long time, both players and the development team have been dissatisfied with the endgame content in PoE 2, and calls for more endgame gameplay have been ongoing. In this update, we finally see a complete overhaul and upgrade of the endgame gameplay.
Atlas
In addition to the ocean content mentioned above, the development team has also redesigned Atlas. Now, you can clearly see past league mechanics on the map, each with its own unique visual effects, making them very clear and easy to find.
This helps both new and experienced players gain greater convenience in endgame gameplay, without requiring a complex or excessive learning curve. At the same time, a completely new map type has been added to the game.
When you first interact with the tower, a massive fortress will rise up before you. You'll undoubtedly be eager to find the key to enter the main gate and explore this map full of new secrets, bosses, mechanics, and rewards.
Atlas Passive Tree
Atlas passive tree has also undergone a complete rework, with numerous mechanics added. For example, Strongboxes can now have more advanced suffixes and more prefixes, or the monsters in Strongboxes can be strengthened in certain ways. These mechanics will bring you a more diverse endgame experience.
Earn points by completing maps within the fortress, and then use these points to unlock the entire Atlas Passive Tree. The development team stated that this method provides a very powerful boost while still allowing for player choice.
Bosses
In PoE 2 0.5.0 preview, the developers indicated they wanted to change the previous method of challenging endgame bosses, which was too cumbersome and time-consuming. The new changes will allow players to naturally encounter and challenge all endgame bosses while completing questlines.
Furthermore, bosses will be fixed on the map; players will no longer need to wait for keys to drop before finding and challenging them. The Arbiter of Ash will no longer be Pinnacle Boss in PoE 2 0.5.0. However, more details are pending further announcements.
Regarding Pinnacle Boss, you can now directly clear an area of your garrison by defeating it, eliminating the need for additional time. In addition to the boss's rewards, players will also receive rewards for clearing an area. This undoubtedly makes the process of obtaining points much simpler. We no longer have to endure the tedious and repetitive endgame content as before, but can focus more on exploring the map and defeating bosses in the endgame.
NPC
According to current information, three new NPC will be added to our game. In the endgame, they will give us certain quests, and after completing these specific quest objectives, we can receive powerful assistance from them. For example, we can choose to increase the difficulty and rewards of bosses, or increase the drop rate of more unique items from bosses, etc. This will undoubtedly provide more ways to obtain Path Of Exile 2 currency. Each NPC will offer multiple choices, allowing players to adjust their combinations according to their needs and preferences.
Ascendancy Classes
Two Ascendancy Classes have been added: Spirit Walker and Martial Artist, representing Ascendancy of hunter and monster, respectively.
Spirit Walker
With three unique mechanics—Conjure Azmeri Spirits, Capture Unique Beasts, and Use Idols on Your Equipment—this could bring very interesting gameplay.
Martial Artist
Possesses many cool melee skills and appears to have good AoE damage capabilities, along with Equip 5 More Runes mechanic.
Accompanying two Ascendancy items are a host of unique PoE 2 items, such as Two-Handed Mace that converts Fire Damage into Cold Damage, and Stave that summons crows for area-of-effect attacks. These are quite interesting and seem to offer considerable strength.
Some Guidance Features
Many players complained that the previous PoE 2 had a high learning curve and lacked clear guidance, which deterred many new players from joining Path of Exile 2.
Now, these issues have been greatly improved. Clearer and more concise instructions are displayed on the map, and a search box marks your search terms on the map.
You can even find a build guide, eliminating the need to search for builds outside the game and painstakingly follow instructions. Instead, you can directly select options within the game and follow the prompts, making it easier to create your build.
This concludes the information we gathered from this preview. This is a massive and crucial update; version 0.5.0 is undoubtedly the most important update before the official release of game 1.0, and may well be a turning point in the love-hate relationship surrounding PoE 2. We look forward to more details being released later.
