Summary
- Path of Exile 2 thrives on intricate Buildcrafting with unique interactions between items and passives.
- Even though Poison builds are incomplete, there's potential for growth with upcoming classes and weapons.
- Daggers, Shadow, and Spears could revolutionize Poison builds in the sequel with more specialized Ascendancy classes.
With a massive skill tree that encompasses six classes in early access and a total of 12 when the game will fully launch, Path of Exile 2 built its foundations on giving players the chance to create their characters the way they want. Buildcrafting is the name of the game, and the many unique interactions between items and passives, Skill Gems with other Skill Gems, and so on, all help Path of Exile 2 shine brighter than its predecessor when it comes to customization. Considering that half of the classes and weapons are still missing, and that existing weapon types don't have access to all of their respective Skill Gems, there's a lot of room to grow for all builds - particularly, an underused one too.
One could argue that there are many ways to divide Path of Exile 2 builds into categories, with the most basic being if a given build is melee or ranged or maybe if it uses weapons or spells. However, the game is much more complex than that, as there are five damage types and many other stats that influence a given build. In the case of Poison, there isn't much support for it just yet, but that is bound to change when other classes and weapons are released.
Path of Exile 2 Could Use Three Big Changes to Improve Its Endgame
Path of Exile 2's endgame is in a great state at the moment, but its endgame could use three big quality-of-life changes to truly shine.
How Path of Exile 2's Poison Builds Can Improve In The Future
Poison builds utilize Chaos damage in Path of Exile 2 and slowly defeat enemies with damage over time, which can rack up pretty fast with some modifiers and Support Gems, such as Comobordity for extra Poison stacks or Stacking Toxins from the tree. While there are several Poison-related clusters of nodes on the passive tree and some great abilities and supports, it ultimately feels like this build type is incomplete. The biggest change could happen when other weapon types are released, as they may naturally fit the archetype better. These weapons may include:
- Daggers
- Spear
- Primal (which is likely to be Path of Exile 1's Claws)
Path of Exile 2's Daggers and Shadow Class Could Be Game-Changers for Poison
Daggers are the most likely to have a connection to Poison damage since they already do so in the first game, and it would be a logical progression for them to do the same in the sequel. Path of Exile 2's skill tree already features several Poison nodes near the starting point of the Monk, which will be the same as the Shadow, so it only makes sense for Daggers to play a prominent role in Poison-related builds.
Right now, the best Poison builds in the game use Path of Exile 2's Acolyte of Chayula or Pathfinder Ascendancies, as they have a natural affinity with Chaos damage. However, there may be more build diversity for Poison when the Shadow class and Daggers become available, as there could be more Ascendancies specifically built for Poison damage. The same could happen with the Huntress, as the Spear seems like a candidate for at least a few Poison-based skills. The Huntress will share the Ranger's starting point on the tree, and Poison nodes aren't too far off, with one of the most powerful (Stacking Toxins) being the nearest.
The Druid's Primal weapon type is still up in the air, but if it does turn out to be Claws, there is a chance it could have at least some connection to Poison. It wouldn't be too strange thematically either, as the Druid is typically a protector of nature and the land, whereas there could be an Ascendancy class in Path of Exile 2 that takes this concept and spins it on its head, making for a Druid that is based on poisoning the earth or its enemies. It remains to be seen to what extent Poison builds will grow, but between Daggers, Spear, Shadow, and Huntress, there should be many more tools for players to toy with further down the line.
Path of Exile II
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 100%
- Released
- December 6, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Nudity, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Language, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)
- Developer(s)
- Grinding Gear Games
- Publisher(s)
- Grinding Gear Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Path of Exile 2 takes place in the land of Wraeclast, a dark continent populated by unique cultures, ancient secrets, and monstrous dangers. A sinister threat, long thought destroyed, has begun creeping back on the edge of civilisation, driving people mad and sickening the land with Corruption.
Path of Exile 2 features a brand new campaign with six acts, 100 distinct environments, 600 monsters and 100 bosses.
Path of Exile 2 features twelve character classes, 240 Skill Gems, hundreds of equipment base types, a six-act campaign, more than a hundred unique boss fights, a deep endgame system and so much more.
Play with your friends without losing any progress with couch co-op, cross-play and cross-progression.
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Path of Exile
- Early Access Release
- December 6, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash, MMORPG
