After a frustrating delay, Path of Exile 2 Early Access has finally been released. Patch 0.2.0 will bring the biggest changes to the game since its release! This update will bring you a new season, a new playable class, new weapons, new support gems, new Ascendancy, and changes to the endgame.
While the endgame changes are still up in the air right now, here’s where we take you through everything we know so far.
Patch 0.2.0 Release Date
The upcoming new patch is themed Dawn of the Hunt Season and will be released on April 4, 2025 at 12 noon PDT. This is two weeks later than originally planned, and I believe that players must have been waiting impatiently.
Patch Notes
Patch 0.2.0 brings a lot of new content to the game, and will also make some adjustments to each class. Players can play new classes, and it is said that new endgame activities and Pinnacle bosses will be added in the endgame.
1. New Season And Economy Reset
Players of Path of Exile 1 will definitely be familiar with it. Every major update will introduce a new league, and the same is true for patch 0.2.0. Players can choose to start completely over with a new class. All players in the season update start with zero currency and items, and official adjustments to each class will be added to the game. Players who like to keep their existing progress can continue to play in the old patch, but since most players will enter the new league, the old patch economy may collapse. Even if you want to buy POE2 currency in the old season, you can’t find other players.
2. New Classes And Ascendancies
The previous official trailer confirmed that there will be a new class Huntress for players to play in patch 0.2.0. However, in the official promotional picture before, they also hinted that Duelist may appear as a new class in 0.2.0. In the next big update, players may be able to play with two new classes!
Huntress
Huntress focuses on ranged combat and tracking mechanics, which may involve traps, bows, daggers, or other tactical play. This class may also be able to use new weapon types, such as the video showing the Huntress using a spear, which can be used in close combat or ranged.
Ascendancy
Blacksmith
The latest teaser image strongly suggests that the next Warrior class may be blacksmith-themed. This Warrior-like character in the trailer is hammering a sword in the flames, which may suggest that this new class has physical offensiveness, it may also cause some fire damage.
Warrior was not the most popular build in the previous patch, because Warrior’s efficiency was not high, whether it was Leveling or farming POE 2 Orbs. Perhaps the new Ascendancy class can make it popular.
Gladiator
Duelist has been hinted at by the official several times, and even the official display image shows a Gladiator. If Duelist does make it to patch 0.2.0, then Gladiator may be his Ascendancy class.
3. Weapon Swap System
Weapon Swap System will be improved. Players will be able to lock one or both hands when setting up a weapon swap, giving players more freedom in your builds.
4. New Support Gems
The developers will add a lot of support gems in 0.2.0, and here are some of the ones that have been confirmed:
Derange
- Supports skills that you can use that can deal damage.
- Supported skills gain an energy shield cost equal to your intelligence and also deal more non-ailments damage over time based on your intelligence.
Volcanic Eruption
- Supports melee attack skills.
- Volcanic Eruption is triggered when a supported skill hits an ignited enemy.
Embitter
- Supports skills that can deal smack damage to enemies.
- Causes damage from all sources to be treated as additional cold damage from supported skills.
Concoct
- Supports skills you use yourself to deal damaging blows to enemies.
- Supported skills consume a percentage of your maximum health bottle charge and cause stronger bleeds based on the amount of health bottle charge consumed.
Commiserate
- Supports skills you use yourself that deal damaging blows.
- If you have Ailment when using it, supported skills cause stronger Ailment and also remove any Ailment you have.
Battershout
- Supports Warcry skills.
- Supported skills trigger a physical damage explosion to enemies in range that are Fully Broken Armor but cannot break armor themselves.
Perfection
- Supports skills that are good for Perfectly Timing.
- After successfully performing Perfectly Timing with a supported skill, gain Perfection (6 seconds, up to 3 stacks of buffs, each increasing damage by 5%).
- Failing to perform any Perfectly Timing (even with skills not supported by Perfection) will remove all Perfection from you.
5. New Unique Items And Weapon
New unique items have been added in patch 0.2.0. New weapon types will also be added:
- Prism Guardian (Shield)
- Deepest Tower (Helmet)
- Bringer of Rain (Reworked Helmet)
- Hammer of the Faith
- Mawöl’s Mination (Shield)
New Two-Handed Weapon Subtypes:
- Two-Handed Axes
- Two-Handed Swords
- Spear
6. Lost Tower Changes
Lost Towers will now have various monsters and even bosses inside, similar to normal maps. Before activating a tower, players must clear all monsters in the tower, which means players have to spend more time in the tower. Some Lost Towers have very complex internal areas, and players are sometimes blocked by walls when releasing skills, so some players are very disgusted with Lost Towers.
New bosses will appear in the tower, and The Dune Dweller is the first confirmed boss to appear in the tower. If the player cannot defeat the boss, the tower cannot be activated, which places certain demands on the player’s build strength and skills.
On the other hand, Lost Tower will also provide you with loot like a regular map, players can obtain currency and equipment in the tower, and the rewards in the endgame map have become more abundant.
The above is the general content of patch 0.2.0. This patch will make game change a lot. I am looking forward to the official launch of the update.