Summary
- Path of Exile 2's 0.1.1 patch addresses endgame issues like rebalancing maps and introducing new boss encounters.
- The update also improves League mechanics, tweaks unique items, and enables loot filters on console.
- More changes are expected in future patches, signaling ongoing support and improvements for Path of Exile 2.
Path of Exile 2 has been out in early access for over a month now, and while it got a few balance patches soon after it was released, its first big patch is coming out shortly now that GGG developers have returned to the office after the holidays. Path of Exile 2's 0.1.1 patch is meant to address all the most pressing issues, bugs, and feedback without the need to create a new League or economy, which will presumably happen further down the line in 2025.
Path of Exile 2 Can't Beat Diablo 4 to the Punch with One Class
Comparisons between Path of Exile 2 and Diablo 4 are made quite often, and the former may end up adding one class before the latter.
Path of Exile 2's 0.1.1 Update Explained
There is a lot to unpack in Path of Exile 2's first big patch of 2025, and many changes show that GGG has been listening to player feedback. These include:
- Endgame maps are being rebalanced in terms of the number of monsters and chests that spawn within them, intending to make them feel more rewarding overall.
- Since Lost Towers are important for Path of Exile 2's endgame, patch 0.1.1 will add four more types of Lost Tower maps in order to make them more diverse from run to run and to make the experience feel better. The new maps include: Alpine Ridge, Sinking Spire, Bluff, and Mesa. The changes also made the existing Lost Tower map less boring to play.
- The Atlas will have more maps featuring unique Path of Exile 2 bosses. The original intent was for one in four maps to have a boss, but the rate was lower before 0.1.1 due to some maps being unable to spawn boss encounters.
- A new type of Tablet is being introduced. Called Overseer Precursor Tablet, it allows players to spawn bosses in Maps in range of their Lost Tower.
- Strongboxes are also being tweaked to be more rewarding and have a faster spawn rate for their respective Monsters, while also reducing the effect of the fog that appears upon opening a Strongbox.
- The patch will come with improved visibility of some effects on the screen and reduced levels of clutter in maps so that attacks and detrimental effects are easier to see and dodge.
- The Atlas' load times have been improved, and players can zoom further out on the Atlas' map to see all the available nodes, with each node also stating which biome the associated map will have. Citadels will also be easier to spot on Path of Exile 2's Atlas, even if they are covered in the fog of war.
- As for League mechanics, Delirium content has been improved to make monsters spawn more often. Ritual now grants 60% more often Omens in its reward page. Expedition Vendors have improved rarity of the items they sell.
- The Arbiter of Ash can now be challenged up to six times until defeated on each try, instead of having a single Portal for the Encounter.
- Jamanra, the Abomination's pinnacle boss, is being tweaked to be easier than it currently is and on par with the other bosses, as it defeats players more often.
- Path of Exile 2's Unique Items are being given another pass to make the weaker ones feel more impactful as they drop, rather than being straight-up worse than any rares.
- Socketable items are able to be overwritten, addressing Path of Exile 2's issue with Runes. Players will now be able to replace existing Runes and other socketable items, like Cores.
- Some powerful or otherwise annoying enemy attacks that were unbalanced are being brought in line with the rest of the game. Notably, the Plague Bearers can no longer use Detonate Dead from off the screen.
- Loot filters are being enabled on console by using the same system as Path of Exile 1, which allows players to subscribe to a given filter for it to appear in their game.
- Path of Exile 2 is also buffing Armour to make it more relevant, and while this will be a small change, GGG is trying to find a way to buff Armour more effectively in the future.
Path of Exile 2's 0.1.1 Update is Just The Tip of The Iceberg
There will also be other changes made to Path of Exile 2 in patch 0.1.1, but they should be minor in comparison to the rest. Anything else that may be considered a high priority in terms of fixes and player feedback will be addressed in the future. Considering how many changes this update will bring in so little time after the game's launch, there will likely be other similarly-sized patches this year, and even bigger ones.
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
