Path of Exile 2 stands at a fascinating crossroads. As the sequel to one of the most influential action RPGs of the past decade, it carries the weight of enormous expectations—but the game we’re seeing today feels different from the one Grinding Gear Games originally revealed. In early showcases, POE2 emphasized methodical “combo-based” combat, deliberate pacing, and slower, more tactical encounters—a striking departure from the speed and skill-stacking power fantasy that defined POE1.
But with each new test, balance pass, and system reveal, the identity of POE2 seems to shift. More players report that gameplay has drifted back toward the familiar POE1 style of one-button clears, high burst damage, and minimal setup. Whether that’s good or bad depends on who you ask, but what’s undeniable is that POE2 is no longer the purely “slower, more thoughtful ARPG” it was once pitched as. Instead, it is transforming into its own hybrid: a game that wants the mechanical elegance of deliberate combat but cannot fully escape its high-power lineage.
Yet the most exciting change on the horizon is not the game’s pace—it’s the deep expansion of class identity, playstyle fantasy, and the introduction of long-awaited mechanics such as shapeshifting, summoner reworks, new elemental skills, and potentially even new acts and endgame systems.
This article explores everything the community is analyzing right now: the shift in gameplay style, the new Druid-like class with talisman-based shapeshifting, predictions for upcoming updates, and the big question—what does POE2 need most to succeed?
A Return to Power: POE2 Is Looking More Like POE1
Players who have tested recent builds are noticing a pattern: the game’s difficulty curve and pacing are closer to POE1 than expected. Many testers report that they are now:
One-shotting bosses more consistently
Leaning heavily on a single high-impact skill
Rarely engaging with multi-skill combos
Building around classic high-power passives rather than experimental hybrid playstyles
This isn’t inherently a problem. For many players, POE’s iconic identity is the wild screen-exploding power creep. But for others, this shift is disappointing because POE2 initially promised a more curated, tactical experience. That slower combat was supposed to be a defining feature—an identity separating it from the first game.
But reality is complicated. Slow ARPGs can feel clunky, unresponsive, or overly punishing. GGG also tends to show conservative, slower-paced footage during previews—meaning the “real” game is always faster, smoother, and more explosive.
Recent builds reflect that trend. What we see now is a POE 2 Divine Orbs that embraces:
Impactful single-skill rotations
Large hits
Quick boss eliminations
Familiar POE1 speed, but with more fluid animations and weight
For some, this is a relief. For others, it’s a loss. But what matters now is how class identity and build diversity evolve, and in that area, POE2 is about to take a massive leap.
Shapeshifting Arrives: A True Druid Fantasy Comes to Wraeclast
One of the most exciting additions discovered through datamining is the talisman weapon system. These aren’t jewelry—these are two-handed melee weapons that require Strength or Intelligence and unlock shapeshifting abilities:
Bear Form
Wolf Form
Potential multi-form transformations
Each talisman grants specific shapeshifting skills, and early data suggests:
You can switch between forms (such as bear → wolf)
Forms likely break if you use a non-shapeshift skill
Transformations are tied directly to the weapon you wield
This introduces something POE players have been begging for since 2013: a true druid-sorcerer-summoner hybrid archetype that blends melee, elemental damage, and animal-themed minions.
Thematically and mechanically, we may see:
Bear Form
Slower, tankier
Possibly fire-aligned
High damage multipliers
Nodes similar to Warrior’s “big hit, low speed” style (e.g., 80% more damage, 20% less attack speed)
Wolf Form
Fast, agile
Possibly lightning-aligned
Frenzy-style gameplay
Multi-hit attacks, mobility dashes, quick bleeds or shocks
Druid Summons
A dream for many long-time players:
Wolves
Ravens
Nature spirits
Hybrid elemental-animal spells
With summons already performing well in the current POE1 season, a druidic summoner fits perfectly into the evolving ecosystem of POE2.
Class Placement
The new class appears to start between the Witch and Warrior, similar to how the Templar sits between Strength and Intelligence. This suggests:
Elemental caster synergy
Melee hybrid synergy
Dream overlap between Chronomancer, Sorceress, and Warrior archetypes
This class might become one of the most flexible in the game—and quite possibly the most popular.
Expanding the Arsenal: New Elemental and Caster Skills
Alongside shapeshifting, POE2 is introducing new elemental skill lines designed for advanced caster archetypes such as:
Sorceress
Chronomancer
Hybrid Warrior-Caster classes
These skills are intended to modernize spellcasting, offering:
Clearer visual identity
More impactful elemental interactions
Better scaling into late-game
Possibly new “elemental form” synergies with shapeshifting
With elemental skills, shapeshifts, and summoner systems expanding together, POE2 is starting to achieve what POE1 never could: clean, thematic class fantasies rather than messy multi-ascendancy mash-ups.
What Else Is Coming? Potential New Acts, Classes, and Story Expansions
Will POE2 Receive a New Act in the Next Patch?
The answer is a cautious maybe.
GGG is notorious for unpredictable patch cadence, but with the interludes already implemented—and received positively—there is growing speculation that:
A new act could appear in the next major update
Or all remaining acts might drop at once closer to launch
A 50/50 chance, but not impossible.
Will Another Class Be Revealed Soon?
Also plausible. GGG mentioned that the Druid-style class was extremely challenging to animate, meaning other classes might be simpler—and possibly closer to completion.
If they drop a new class alongside the Druid, it would help balance the inevitable “everyone plays the shiny new thing” effect.
Balancing Predictions: Nerfs, Buffs, and Meta Shifts
Deadeye
Expect nerfs. Almost everyone does. Ranged evasion builds are outperforming too consistently, and GGG rarely lets that slide.
Evasion
Evasion might also get hit—either through formula adjustments or scaling reductions.
Life Buffs
Life is underperforming compared to other defenses, especially in hardcore. Many players hope GGG:
Adds more life to the passive tree
Improves life scaling
Reduces one-shot potential
A healthier defensive meta would go a long way toward improving gameplay feel.
System Updates in Question: Abyss, Breach, and Ancestors
Abyss Crafting
Abyss is strong and beloved—but only because players encounter it frequently. If Abyss becomes rare in POE2 maps, its crafting impact could disappear. GGG will need a balancing solution:
Higher impact per encounter
More deterministic crafting outcomes
New Abyss-themed boss or zones
Breach
With POE1 getting a Breach league rework, players wonder if POE2’s version will change too. It’s unclear, but it would be strange for the games not to share at least some thematic updates.
Trial of the Ancestors
The area is already present in POE2—but unused. This strongly suggests that Ascendancies tied to Ancestors will arrive soon.
That could mean:
New ascendancy progression
Unique endgame unlock conditions
Additional class-defining power boosts
A major system like this could dramatically improve build depth.
The Real Issue: POE2’s Endgame Needs More Content
As good as POE2’s moment-to-moment gameplay feels, most players agree on one thing:
The endgame is currently too thin.
Even with mapping improvements and better blasting loops, the game needs:
More bosses
More progression layers
More systems similar to Atlas passives
More aspirational challenges
More long-term goals
Endgame content is the backbone of ARPG longevity. Without it, even great gameplay cannot sustain player interest.
A new act or class would be exciting—but endgame changes are what POE2 truly needs next.
Conclusion: A Promising, Messy, Exciting Work in Progress
Path of Exile 2 is changing rapidly. Whether it's returning to one-button gameplay or still striving for combo-based depth, it’s clear that GGG is iterating aggressively and listening closely to community behavior buy Path of Exile 2 Orbs. The upcoming additions—especially shapeshifting, elemental reworks, new summons, and possibly new acts or classes—represent some of the most exciting content the ARPG genre has seen in years.
Yet the game remains in flux. Systems are unfinished. The endgame needs expansion. Defensive layers feel uneven. And every patch brings new surprises, for better or worse.
But one thing is undeniable:
POE2 is evolving into something big, ambitious, and wildly unique.
Whether you’re here for the Druid fantasy, the one-shot Warrior builds, or the hope of a deeper endgame, the next chapter of Path of Exile 2 is shaping up to be transformative—and the ARPG world is watching closely.