Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 Shaman Guide | How To Unlock And Play This Druid Ascendancy Class?

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• Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 Summoner Builds Tier List | Best Minions & Class Picks

  Path of Exile 2's class and skill combinations are incredibly complex, resulting in numerous playstyles. Unfortunately, summoner builds have consistently lacked a place among the top-tier builds.

  While it's unclear whether the new Druid class can change this, each league has a dedicated group of players researching minion builds. Below, we'll examine the performance of minion builds in Patch 0.3.0 and the adjustments in Patch 0.4.0 to see which ones will perform best in Fate of the Vaal league.

  

  Tier S

  Spectre Builds

  Since skills in Path of Exile 2 aren't tied to classes, you can choose either Spectre Infernalist build or Spectre Shaman build.

  Of all summoning skills, Spectre performed best in Patch 0.3.0, allowing you to enslave Spectres to fight for you. The strongest Spectre was Frozen Mandibles. Unfortunately, it was removed in Patch 0.4. As compensation, the developers stated they will buff some summon variants.

  Therefore, as long as Spectre builds aren't significantly nerfed, you can use Powered Zealot Spectre to clear monsters and single enemies, or Death Knight Spectres to deal with single enemies.

  Ascendancy Recommends

  If you're only focusing on the early game, Spectre Shaman has a greater advantage because its Sacred Flow talent can provide a large amount of Spirit by sacrificing charm slots. Thanks to the changes in Act 2 quest Valley of Titans, Shaman can obtain a belt that grants +2 charm slots at lower levels, allowing for a large amount of Spirit early on.

  Later in the game, you can respec to Oracle, as Oracle talent tree contains many summon-related nodes, providing strong late-game defense or damage.

  Alternatively, you can choose the classic Infernalist build from patch 0.3.0, or Ritualist and Lich using Evergrasping Ring. Shaman and Infernalist may perform similarly with a moderate PoE 2 currency investment, but Lich and Oracle are likely the strongest with top-tier gear.

  Tame Beast Builds

  This build requires you to control Tamed Beast by switching weapons and using Infernal Legion auxiliary gem to deal area-of-effect fire damage.

  Patch 0.4.0 did not significantly nerf its damage, and while the reduction in high-density maps may diminish its value for clearing, Tamed Beast builds remain consistently strong in single-target damage and overall performance, its strength proportional to your PoE 2 currency investment.

  Ascendancy Recommends

  The energy shield nerf in patch 0.4.0 may make Titan Tamed Beast better, but you can also choose to start as Shaman and transition to Oracle later, again due to the summon life and defense nodes included in the talents, and the higher your summons‘ HP, the higher their damage.

  Tier A

  Skeleton Archer Ritualist Build

  This build requires Ritualist to equip Evergrasping Rings, granting summons additional Chaos that also affects enemies within range. It typically requires Chaos Inoculation to mitigate the additional Chaos damage taken.

  This build performs exceptionally well with high investment, but it's not a comfortable early-game choice. Upgrading with summons is not recommended without transitional gear; other skills are usually needed for early game progression, followed by a gear swap to reach full potential later.

  In Patch 0.4.0, any summoner build relying heavily on Spirits was affected by reduced reservation efficiency and weakened Relics. However, this build, primarily reliant on the ring's damage boost, was relatively less affected.

  Tier B

  Skeletal Reaver Builds

  Skeletal Reavers gain attack speed and damage by stacking rage. Patch 0.4.0 fixed this skill's description; now, its attack speed bonus only applies when they are enrage-enhanced.

  The challenge was ensuring Skeletal Reavers survived after enrage was active. Tecrod's Revenge support gem enhancement solved this problem. It allows summons to survive longer after their health reaches 0, increasing this time from 10 seconds to 20 seconds. Dialla's Desire support gem can improve skill quality, further increasing rage effects, which might potentially lead to higher damage.

  Ascendancy Recommends

  This skill gem can be used by Titans, Ritualists, Shamans, and Liches, but its effectiveness depends on which class allows Skeletal Reavers to stack rage more efficiently.

  Unearth Raise Zombie Builds

  This build primarily relies on summoned enhanced zombies that consume Power Charge. Its damage bonus has changed from a fixed 100% to a dynamic value that scales with skill level, meaning high-level zombies have significant damage potential.

  You can use Unearth to quickly generate summons for clearing maps. When single-target damage is needed, summon 10-12 enhanced zombies for burst damage. This build is completely unaffected by the reduction in reservation efficiency, but it heavily relies on Power Charge.

  The best method is to use new Lineage support gems, which generate one Power Charge every 4 seconds. Additionally, Profane Ritual can consume corpses to generate critical strike orbs.

  Sacrifice aura can treat permanently resurrectable summons as corpses, consume them with Profane Ritual, and then resurrect them with Skeletal Cleric, allowing you to continuously generate Power Charge.

  Ascendancy Recommends

  For this build, Ritualist is the best ascendancy choice because it doesn't rely on a lot of spirit and benefits from Evergrasping Rings and Uul-Netol's Embrace. The problem with this build is that it's relatively cumbersome to operate, and the summoned creatures are temporary and cannot exist indefinitely. Furthermore, using Raise Zombie is very mana-intensive, so you need to be mindful of your resource consumption.

  The above minion builds are just basic concepts. You can research how to increase minion damage in new leagues, and perhaps you can even create a stronger build.

• Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 Best League Starter Builds | Wyvern, Pathfinder And Titan Bear

  When starting a new patch or league in Path of Exile 2, choosing the right build is crucial if you want to progress quickly. Generally, powerful builds are recommended, but sometimes novelty and new changes must also be considered.

  Taking the upcoming Fate of the Vaal league, launching on December 12th, as an example, you can play the new Druid class, so builds related to it are not to be missed. Furthermore, various changes to combat mechanics mean that old builds may gain new vitality.

  Based on the above, we will recommend three builds worth crafting and playing first in the new patch.

  

  The Wyvern Form-Focused Build

  If you're keeping up with the latest PoE 2 news, you'll know from livestreams and announcements that Druid can transform into three forms: wolf, bear, and wyvern, by using new weapon Animal Talismans.

  The wyvern is the last and most unique form announced. Transforming into a flying dragon and spewing flames with Flame Breath skill will undoubtedly feel incredibly cool.

  While this is only one type of attack in wyvern form, it's the most important because its actual attack speed is very fast, with a base attack speed of up to 800%, and you can continuously channel it for 4 seconds to deal 750% fire damage.

  If you want to extend the channeling time of Flame Breath, you can do so by consuming six Rage per second. Additionally, when using this skill, for every energy charge consumed, you gain a 50% lightning damage bonus and a 50% reduction in Rage consumption speed.

  This means that only three Rage per second are needed to achieve all the effects mentioned above, and since the base Rage limit is 30 points, this means you can gain an additional 10 seconds of channeling time with the help of energy charges.

  According to the developers' recommended playstyle, choose the wyvern form and its fire-breathing skills, along with Ascendancy class Shaman, and then buy PoE 2 currency to further enhance the appropriate gear, and you will become an invincible Druid.

  The Modified Pathfinder

  Pathfinder is one of Ascendancy classes of the base class Ranger, specializing in damaging enemies through mechanisms such as poisons and flask throwing.

  If you find the overall movement speed of Druid Wyvern fire-breathing build too slow, then a Pathfinder-based build is worth trying: this Ascendancy class can reduce the movement speed penalty by 50% by unlocking specific nodes.

  In addition, patch 0.4.0 also brought several Ascendancy passive skill options to Pathfinder, allowing you to leverage the strengths of other classes, including:

  • Path of the Warrior: Allows you to allocate initial Warrior passive skill points.
  • Path of the Sorceress: Allows you to allocate initial Sorceress passive skill points.

  Each option rewards you with 4 passive skill points. Based on this, if you want to make your Pathfinder builds more elemental, you can choose Sorceress passive skills; if you value attack power more, you can start with Warrior.

  In fact, although the nodes and passive skills between different Ascendancy classes are not interchangeable, theoretically, all active skills are universal across all classes due to the skill gem mechanism.

  Therefore, after determining your passive skill style, you can incorporate Druid's wyvern fire skill, Flame Breath, into your Pathfinder builds, converting your damage type from physical damage to fire damage.

  More importantly, Pathfinder also received some additional bonuses through Patch 0.4.0, with damage, global defenses, and cost efficiency all increased by 5%.

  To this end, you can first allocate some energy shield talent nodes, and then a bunch of attribute nodes to gain a large amount of energy shield.

  At this point, you will find that you can combine reduced movement speed penalties and energy shields to craft fast and sturdy Pathfinder builds. This is theoretically possible, but it is difficult in practice and requires time to explore.

  Titan Bear Build

  After combining Pathfinder and Druid wyvern, another cross-class build type worth trying is Titan bear.

  Titan is Warrior's Ascendancy class, specializing in overwhelming physical power. As one of Druid's transformation forms, the bear has a certain tank style, capable of knocking down and stunning enemies, similar to Titan.

  In the changes brought by Patch The Last of Druids, Titan gained a new Ascendancy talent node, Mountain Splitter. It allows every third slam skill you cast that doesn't create a fissure to generate an additional aftershock on each side of the initial area.

  Correspondingly, the previous Surprising Strength node has been removed, and Crushing Impacts now deals 25% increased damage to heavily stunned enemies.

  The skills available to Druid's bear form, such as Maul, Furious Slam, and more, mostly emphasize heavy hits and effects like Warcries, which synergize well with Titan skills.

  For example, you can continuously slam the ground, generating a series of aftershocks, while simultaneously gaining 50% of the small passive node effects through Titan's class characteristics, as well as other AoE attack nodes.

  Overall, the three builds introduced here are essentially based on the new Druid class. Thanks to skill gems, the addition of this new class to Path of Exile 2 also brings many build crafting possibilities to other classes.

  Whether you are interested in these three builds or want to try more uses of Druid form after the new league officially starts, it's all possible. We hope your exploration goes smoothly and you have fun!

• Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 Fate Of The Vaal League Mechanics Breakdown | Vaal Ruins, Temple, Crafting & Atziri Boss

  Fate of the Vaal is a brand new challenge league mechanic in Path of Exile 2 0.4.0, allowing all exiles to re-explore the fallen Vaal civilization and introducing Atziri, Queen of the Vaal, as a new pinnacle boss.

  In the 0.4.0 patch, we return to Queen Atziri's palace, now a ruin, but in the darkness, crucial machinery still operates. Here, we have the opportunity to uncover the secret to saving Vaal race - a gateway to the past, allowing you to travel through time again and again, altering the temple and uncovering its secrets.

  Next, we will detail PoE 2 Fate of the Vaal league mechanics. Don't miss this if you want to gain a significant advantage at the start of the league!

  

  Vaal Ruins

  In Fate of the Vaal, you will find ancient Vaal civilization ruins scattered throughout Wraeclast. These ruins seem to attract nearby creatures and have a strange influence on them.

  After defeating them, the remaining Vaal seem to gain some power, but not enough to fully activate. Therefore, you need to find more of these arcane devices and sacrifice the monsters you encounter there to fully activate one of them.

  However, because these devices are ancient and sometimes corrupted, when you activate them, you may sometimes see distorted ancient Vaal, and sometimes even trigger more powerful enemies. Ultimately, you will discover its true purpose: a portal to a lost temple deep underground, leading you to what was once the dwelling of Atziri, Queen of the Vaal.

  Vaal Temple

  What treasures are hidden within the temple? You're sure to want to know the answer.

  At the portal exit, there is a control console. After activating it, you can see a map of the temple. The rooms here are not interconnected, and the layout is complex. This is where you might understand the purpose of the scattered ruins and devices throughout Wraeclast.

  Temple Rooms & Upgrades

  The temple's energy comes from sacrifices, and this energy can be used to modify the temple's structure itself. Each time you open the temple, you will receive six rooms that you can place to build your own dungeon.

  Lay paths connecting the different areas and place rooms filled with precious loot alongside the paths. Once you've finished placing them, open the temple and explore your creation. Each room contains different challenges and rewards.

  Please note that once you choose to enter a room, the door will only open after you win the battle, so choose carefully.

  The placement of the rooms is crucial, as it determines the maximum reward you can obtain. For example, for Commander, you can place it next to a garrison of troops, allowing him to command the troops. As Commander's abilities improve, the garrison level will also increase, making the monsters stronger, but the rewards will also be more generous.

  Different rooms have different upgrade requirements. However, you don't need to remember all the interactions, because when you select a room, the system will show which locations can upgrade other rooms and the specific impact of the upgrade on the temple.

  After running the temple, some rooms will become unstable, so you will need to rebuild the temple. Since six rooms are added each time you return, this means the temple will grow larger and larger.

  The above are the basic functions of the temple, but there is much more to it.

  Once Doryani learns that you are going to Vaal, he will ask you to go back in time to try to stop Atziri from destroying Vaal.

  As we mentioned earlier, the device at the entrance of the temple is a portal to the past, allowing you to travel back to a specific point in time, before Atziri caused the destruction of Vaal.

  Atziri's palace is located on the other side of the temple, so you will need to significantly expand the temple to find her. However, her room can only be unlocked through a room you currently cannot access. You will need to visit the temple's architect to have him lay the path for you.

  Once you are able to travel to the past, a whole new set of rooms will open up to you, containing extremely generous rewards.

  Corruption Crafting

  As you expand your temple, you will encounter various enemies, loot, and mechanics, and you can also unlock more crafting options while upgrading rooms.

  Typically, a level one Chamber of Corruption room can only corrupt one item. But if you place it next to a room controlled by a Thaumaturge, and then place a Sacrificial Chamber room to provide soul energy, you can upgrade its level. And it's all worth it, because once the room is upgraded to level three, you'll receive very generous rewards.

  In the level three Corruption Chamber room, you'll find a mysterious item slot that allows you to corrupt items.

  Normally, once an item is corrupted, it cannot be modified further, but this device allows you to corrupt the item again, adding new enchantments. However, be aware that there is a 50% chance that these items will be destroyed.

  Crafting Currency

  One more thing to add about these crafting mechanics: it doesn't force you to carry the items you want to craft in the game. If you don't have the items you want to craft in the temple room at the time, you can also choose to craft some PoE 2 currency items first, so you can craft them later or trade them on the market as needed.

  Atziri Pinnacle Boss

  Finally, in each challenge league, the developers introduce a new pinnacle boss to test the strength of the player's character. In Fate of the Vaal, players will have the opportunity to face Atziri at her peak.

  

  After defeating this architect, you will gain the ability to place Royal Axis Chamber. Once connected to the temple, you can travel to this chamber and ultimately face Queen Atziri herself in a final battle. This will be a truly fierce fight.

  Once you defeat Atziri boss, you will find another console that can be used to modify the temple. This console is special, allowing you to place new types of rooms with specific rewards. Some rooms drop specific unique items, special runes, and PoE 2 currency, as well as some other more niche crafting experiments.

  In addition, you can also obtain a mysterious staff: Atziri's Rule. This staff increases the level of all your Corrupted Spell Skill Gems and allows you to exchange life for extra damage. It's worth noting that when using this staff, Mirrors of Refraction will constantly appear on the battlefield, and any projectiles fired at these mirrors will split into a Nova, dealing extra damage to enemies.

  That's all for PoE 2 Patch 0.4.0 Fate of the Vaal league. This league mechanic is somewhat similar to the past time travel feature, where each player can explore past versions of the temple, challenge different room types, and earn unique rewards, allowing you to build your own path in both the past and the present.

• Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 New Druid Class Ultimate Overview | Skills, Powers And Ascendancy Classes Explained

  Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 is almost here. The livestream and announcement have also been released, meaning you can now learn about all the content and changes in this patch and have about a week to prepare for it!

  Undoubtedly, the most anticipated feature, both before and after the livestream, is the new Druid class. Previously, we could only speculate based on short trailers, but now we can finally see the full picture!

  Based on this, we will now provide you with the most complete ultimate overview of Druid based on the livestream and announcement.

  

  Patch 0.4.0 New Content Summary

  First of all, in addition to Druid and its Ascendancy class, this patch also introduces the new Fate of the Vaal League to POE 2, meaning you will need to farm currency and passive tree points from scratch. Other new content mainly includes:

  • More skill gems and support gems
  • New Lineage Supports
  • More new passive skills added to the passive tree
  • New Unique Items
  • New weapon type Talismans
  • New Augment items with new modifiers
  • Abyss from the previous league is retained as a core mechanic

  In addition to the above, Patch 0.4.0 also brings many changes based on existing mechanics, as well as optimizations for game performance, aiming to present you with a better Path of Exile 2.

  PoE 2 Druid Overview

  As the second new class to appear in the entire Path of Exile 2 (the first being Huntress), Druid primarily uses elemental spell-casting as its main attack method and has three transformation forms: bear, wolf, and wyvern.

  The first two forms have actually been circulating in the player community through leaked information for a long time, while the wyvern was speculated based on the silhouette in the trailer, and now it's finally here!

  Source Of Power: Wrath Of Nature

  Before introducing the three transformation forms, you first need to know Druid's main output method. In its regular human form, it can use skills with different attributes through Wrath of Nature, dealing damage to enemies through natural forces such as plants or lightning.

  These skills mainly include:

  • Volcano: Creates a small volcano on the ground that spews lava balls at enemies for a period of time.
  • Entangle: Summons plant vines to entangle enemies, dealing damage and slowing them down.
  • Thunderstorm: Summons a thunderstorm, causing rain and lightning in the area. Affected enemies are more susceptible to electrical or ice damage, and it also makes plants summoned by Entangle grow faster.

  Spell Totem skill deserves a separate mention. It allows you to create a totem that automatically casts any of the three spells above for a limited time. However, regardless of which skill you want to use, you will need to earn skill gems yourself.

  Wolf Form

  The basis for Druid's transformation is the use of the new weapon, Animal Talismans, which grants you special powers, allowing you to transform into the desired animal form as needed. To transform back into a human, simply cast any spell.

  The wolf form is characterized by its ability to quickly increase your agility and speed, freezing enemies first and then tearing them apart with sharp claws and teeth. If enemies appear in groups, you can also summon minions to help you.

  For example, you can use Pounce skill to pounce on a target and apply a mark. Killing that enemy will summon a new werewolf to join you; the more enemies marked, the larger your pack becomes.

  The wolf pack will then prioritize attacking marked enemies, and the more wolves there are, the higher the damage dealt.

  Bear Form

  This form is somewhat like a tank role, not only allowing you to knock down and stun enemies with immense strength, but also to attract enemy attacks to accumulate Rage, thereby increasing the final damage output.

  Once you see the runes on your back glowing, it means you have accumulated enough Rage to use a more powerful berserker strike to destroy enemies. Combined with Volcano skill, nothing can stop you.

  Wyvern Form

  This form allows you to transform into a wyvern in close combat to tear apart enemies or deal lightning damage, or to circle in the sky, spewing fire at enemies from a distance to inflict damage.

  Notably, after combat, you can accumulate energy by devouring enemy corpses, and then consume that energy to use Rend skill when new enemies are approaching a stunned state, enhancing your wings to unleash a gust of wind that knocks enemies off balance.

  This not only deals a large amount of damage but also transforms this melee skill into a larger AoE attack. After the wings are fully charged, it creates a lightning explosion through a shockwave, dealing even more damage.

  Ascendancy Class 1: Shaman

  This Ascendancy class also harnesses the power of nature, combining animalistic talents and magical inclinations by accumulating and using Rage.

  You can then allocate available passive skill points to increase your spell damage as your Rage increases, while ensuring continuous Rage generation to achieve this. Additionally, you can obtain Shaman-exclusive extra modifiers from runes and statues.

  Ascendancy Class 2: Oracle

  Oracle grants you precognitive abilities, allowing you to see visions of yourself using specific skills in the future during combat, and then decide whether to cast the skill as planned, potentially dealing more damage.

  For example, when monsters are susceptible to freezing, stunning, or electrical attacks, as an Oracle you can foresee the enemy's future and then merge it with the current timeline, thus dealing double damage to the enemy.

  The above is the key information you need to know about playing the new Druid class in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0. We hope it's helpful. And remember that this patch will be released on December 12th, so don't miss it!

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  If, after the new league starts, you don't have time to farm resources and can't enjoy the new content to your heart's content, you can choose to buy PoE 2 currency on IGGM according to your budget. We are dedicated to providing cheap and safe PoE 2 goods and services!

• Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 Twitch Drops Event | How To Get Verdant Wilds Dodge Roll Effect In The Livestream?

  A livestream about Path of Exile 2 0.4.0 update The Last of the Druids is about to begin, where the official team will share a wealth of exciting new content details and game settings. Although this livestream is only about a week after the official release of POE 2 0.4.0 update, there's no doubt that this news will ignite the passion of players.

  Even more exciting is the generous reward prepared for viewers during this livestream. Players who watch the livestream for a certain amount of time will receive Twitch Drops reward, a cosmetic item that will make their character's adventure even more fun and vibrant.

  

  If you want to use it in Path of Exile 2 0.4.0 update, below I will show you how to obtain this effect during this livestream.

  Date And Rewards

  This event lasts for one day, so if you want to get the reward for free, be sure not to miss it.

  • Start Time: December 4, 2025, 11:00 AM PST
  • End Time: December 5, 2025, 11:00 AM PST

  The core reward of this Path of Exile 2 Twitch Drops is Verdant Wilds Dodge Roll Effect, a visually stunning cosmetic item that leaves a long green trail when used by the character. This vibrant nature-themed visual enhances the rolling animation in the game, making the adventure more lively.

  If you really wanted this effect but missed this event, don't worry, there's another way to get it. While the release date of Verdant Wilds Dodge Roll Effect is still uncertain, the official announcement confirms it will appear in the in-game store, where you can redeem it.

  While this method guarantees that players who want it will eventually be able to use it in their adventures, I'm sure you'd prefer to get it directly. After all, nobody wants to invest extra Path of Exile 2 Currency to get an item that could be obtained for free.

  Requirements And Claiming Process

  Whether you're a new or returning player, as long as you have an account, you can participate in this event and receive rewards after meeting the requirements.

  Here are some core requirements for claiming Verdant Wilds Dodge Roll Effect:

  • First, you need to link your Twitch account to your game account. Unlinked accounts cannot have their viewing time tracked.
  • Second, participants must accumulate 45 minutes of viewing time on any PoE 2 livestream channel with the reward drop mechanism enabled during the event period.
  • Then, you can claim Verdant Wilds Dodge Roll Effect.

  The account linking process is very simple. Players should log in to their PoE account, go to Twitch Settings page, and find Connect option under Other Connections.

  Follow the on-screen instructions to authorize your Twitch account. After completion, you will be notified whether you have successfully linked your account to Twitch.

  After watching for 45 minutes, users can claim the reward before the event ends by visiting Twitch Inventory and manually selecting Verdant Wilds Dodge Roll Effect. After redemption, the reward will immediately appear in POE 2 microtransactions list.

  Player Feedback

  Since the announcement, many players have shared their opinions on the reward across various platforms, with Twitch Drops event receiving mixed reviews and constructive feedback.

  Many players have said that Verdant Wilds Dodge Roll Effect perfectly matches their aesthetic, and this exquisite design makes it worthwhile for players to use it in the game to achieve a better visual effect.

  They also noted that the natural visual style of the effect perfectly complements the theme of the upcoming PoE 2 patch 0.4.0.

  The shorter viewing time requirement, lowering the barrier to obtaining the reward, has also been welcomed by players. Compared with the previous minimum viewing time of one hour, the current requirement of only 45 minutes can be easily met.

  Besides the reward itself, players are also eagerly anticipating the new content in the 0.4.0 update, especially the changes Druid class will bring to the game.

  However, some players expressed disappointment.

  They felt the rewards were too limited and fell short of expectations. Furthermore, they hoped the game developers would offer a wider selection in future Twitch Drops events, such as pets, equipment, and armor.

  While player opinions on Twitch Drops rewards were mixed, the overall response was very positive. With the player community eagerly anticipating the event, Twitch Drops served as a model for attracting players and generating buzz before a major update.

  It not only sparked discussion within the player community but also brought massive viewership to POE 2 patch 0.4.0 The Last of the Druids streams, significantly increasing player anticipation for the game.

  Path of Exile 2, by combining exclusive cosmetic rewards with highly anticipated content, captivated players. Earning these rewards through Twitch Drops allowed both new and veteran players to stay informed about the latest game news, thus generating interest.

  This approach will continue to solidify PoE 2's position as one of the most anticipated action role-playing games in recent years. While enhancing the enthusiasm of veteran players, it also attracts more new players to try the game.

• Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 Campaign Leveling Guide | How To Rush Fate Of The Vaal League?

  Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0, Fate of the Vaal League, will launch on December 12th. To get ahead of the new league's content, you'll naturally need to create a new character and complete the campaign.

  The entire campaign is essentially just a transition, and many players are eager to reach the endgame content. Below are some tips for quickly completing the campaign, allowing you to start farming faster.

  

  Character Pick

  If you start with a melee class but find it difficult at lower levels, you can create a Ranger character, defeat the first boss, and obtain a bow, quiver, and starting skill gems.

  Store these items in Stash Tab, then switch back to your main character to retrieve and use them. This will make your start much smoother.

  Initial Area Tips

  After rescuing the wounded man and obtaining the class weapon, you can immediately pause the game and respawn at a checkpoint. This will reset the current area, but the weapon will re-drop, allowing for duplication. For example, if you are playing as a Warrior, you will immediately have two weapons.

  In the initial area, do not try to kill all monsters. Run as fast as possible, ignoring lone enemies to save time.

  Reach the checkpoint where Large Chest is located, open the chest to obtain a skill gem, but do not equip it. Respawn at the checkpoint again, return to the chest, and the skill gem will refresh. You can repeat this process to obtain multiple skill gems, equipping them when needed, and excess skill gems can be sold for gold.

  How To Obtain Equipment?

  After reaching Clearfell Encampment, you can find merchants to trade and change your equipment.

  • Una: Sells Magical Items, Flasks, and Scrolls of Wisdom.
  • Finn: Sells Physical Class Gear.

  You can type "i" in the search box to quickly filter items. Maximum Life is the most important survival attribute during the campaign. Use double quotes for exact matching. For example, typing "m li" will filter only gear with the "maximum life" affix.

  It is recommended to filter gear for Quality Items, bonus damage, increased physical damage, movement speed, and maximum life.

  You can sell skill gems obtained through duplication here to exchange for a good set of magical gear at the shop to increase your health.

  Leveling Tips

  POE 2 has an experience gain penalty system based on the difference between player and enemy levels.

  • Before level 40: The range of experience gained is ±4 levels.
  • After level 40: The experience gain range is ±6 levels.

  This means that grinding in low-level areas is inefficient. You should move to areas matching your level (or slightly higher) as quickly as possible to gain more experience. Efficiency is important, but getting stuck is usually due to insufficient damage, so choosing the right skills is crucial.

  Contagion is suitable for any class in the early game, and it's very effective, at least in the first 10 levels or the first chapter. It's a curse skill, and i an enemy dies while affected, the curse spreads to nearby enemies, dealing additional damage, which greatly increases your efficiency in clearing regular monsters.

  Quests

  Many quests in the campaign have different rewards, but completing them all would be quite time-consuming, so you need to complete them selectively.

  Quests like Mud Burrow reward a support gem, while quests like Abandoned Stash in Mysterious Campsite reward an uncut skill gem. You can skip these if you don't need them.

  The skull icons marked with a cross on the map are mandatory to complete, as they reward permanent stats.

  How To Improve Your Character?

  If you feel you're struggling or your gear is lacking, repeatedly farm the bosses you can defeat, because bosses and elite enemies have a higher drop rate for better equipment. After several resets, you're likely to obtain powerful rare gear, which greatly boosts your early-game combat power.

  You can create a new instance of a zone at the zone entrance using Shift+click or Ctrl+click. All monsters and bosses will spawn in the new instance. To avoid looting junk, it's recommended to set up or download a loot filter to only display valuable items.

  Passive Tree

  Path of Exile 2's talent tree is very complex. If you're unsure how to allocate your talent points, remember to only choose talents that increase damage before level 80.

  Starting from your character's starting point, proceed along the main road formed by attribute points. Prioritize the nearest talent cluster that provides damage bonuses. On the way to the next damage talent cluster, max out all damage nodes along the way, skipping nodes that don't directly provide damage.

  Before entering high-tier maps, you can completely ignore pure defensive nodes like armor and evasion, unless they also provide damage.

  Item And Currency Management

  In story chapters, weapon base stats see significant improvements around levels 11 and 28. Later in a chapter, even if you obtain a low-tier base weapon with good affixes, it's not recommended to invest in PoE 2 currency, as you'll quickly find bases with much higher base damage.

  Magic items are usually more valuable when sold after being identified with a Scroll of Wisdom than when unidentified. Rare items should be disenchanted into Regal Shards at NPCs for crafting Regal Orbs. Only consider selling them if you already have enough Regal Orbs.

  If you have equipment with sockets, you can disenchant it at the salvaging bench to obtain Artificer's Shard. This can be combined with Artificer's Orb, used to add rune sockets to equipment. When you feel the pace of combat slowing down and the pressure of survival increasing, it's time to invest in upgrading your equipment.

  These are the basic tips for completing the campaign in patch 0.4.0. You can also use a leveling build to increase your speed.