Path of Exile 2 Early Access FAQ

Ben Author

Created - 04.12.2024 Updated - 07.12.2024

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In just a few days from now, Grinding Gear Games will launch the open beta of Path of Exile 2! The highly anticipated sequel of the company’s long-running ARPG will feature plenty of new content, including the first half of the campaign, as well as certain endgame systems that should be familiar to those who have played its predecessor.

If you are looking for a resource that provides you with useful information about the upcoming open beta, then you’ve come to the right place!

We have collated the responses of Jonathan Rogers, game director for Path of Exile 2, from his various interviews and summed up the ones that you need to know.

So, without further delay, here are the frequently asked questions about Path of Exile 2 Early Access:

PoE 2 Early Access FAQ

General

When is the Release Date for Path of Exile 2 Early Access?

If you are wondering what the Path of Exile 2 release date is, the game’s Early Access will go live on Friday, December 6, at 11 AM PST.

Where Can I Play PoE 2?

Path of Exile 2 will be available on various platforms, including the Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Can I Preload the Game Before Launch?

Yes! Xbox users can now download the game from the Microsoft Store by typing “Path of Exile 2.” This is assuming that they have already purchased a Supporter Pack.

PlayStation 5 owners will have to wait until December 5 at 11 AM (a full 24 hours before launch) to download the game on their respective consoles. It is important to note that PS5 players must purchase one of the Founder’s Packs in order to receive an Early Access Key.

For those on PC, buy any of the new Early Access Supporter Packs to receive a key that can be used to download the game. There is a standalone version of PoE 2, though the installer for this will be available on Thursday, December 5, at 5 PM PST.

Is the Game Free to Play?

Unfortunately, Path of Exile 2 Early Access is not free to play. You have to purchase any of the supporter packs mentioned above to enter the game on December 6.

Take note that the eventual full launch of the game is going to be available to all, free of charge. When things go smoothly, PoE 2 may come out of Early Access in December 2025.

What are the System Requirements on PC?

Minimum:

• Operating System: Windows 10
• Processor: Intel Core i7-7700 or AMD Ryzen 5 2500x
• Memory: At least 8 GB RAM
• Graphics Card: Nvidia Geforce GTX 960, ATI Radeon RX 470, or Intel Arc A380
• GPU must have VRAM of 3GB or more
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: At least 10 Mbps (with low ping)
• Storage: 100 GB

Recommended:

• Operating System: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (updated to the latest versions)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-10500 or AMD Ryzen 5 3700x
• Memory: At least 16 GB RAM
• Graphics Card: Nvidia Geforce RTX 2060, ATI Radeon RX 5600XT, or Intel Arc A770
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Fiber connection, at least 25 Mbps (with low ping)
• Storage: 100 GB of available space (Solid State Drive (SSD) is preferred)

How Long Will Early Access Last?

Path of Exile 2 Early Access is expected to last for six months. However, Rogers pointed out that if the new content is not yet available within that time frame, the end of Early Access will be delayed. If it does, it will not be for a full year.

Will There Be Leagues?

Yes. Similar to its predecessor, Path of Exile 2 will have Leagues sometime in the future.

Will My Progress Be Wiped if The Game is Out of Early Access?

The short answer is No. Any progress you have made in PoE 2 Early Access will still be intact. But, when the game is fully launched, your characters are going to be moved to the aptly named “Early Access League.”

It is important to note that the EA League is not the same as the Standard League. This is because the changes that are going to be implemented by then are vastly different from what you’ve experienced in Early Access.

Is There a Target Dummy in Path of Exile 2?

Rogers and his team of developers at GGG thought about it but ultimately decided not to add it at this time due to complexity issues.

However, he did mention that the devs are not opposed to the idea, which implies that if there is enough clamor, they might add it as a feature soon.

Is It Possible to Teleport Out of a Boss Fight?

As it stands, it is not possible to port out of a boss fight in Path of Exile 2. Rogers also said that you can no longer change items mid-fight. So, if there is any unique item that you need to equip specifically for bosses, you have to wear that prior to the encounter.

If you want to end the fight abruptly, you can press the ESC key and choose the “Respawn at Checkpoint” option. This is useful whenever you are in the middle of the battle and you feel that you’re not powerful enough to defeat the boss just yet.

Will Lag Kill My Character?

Path of Exile 2 now has a system in place, where it would pause for a short period if your game client is not responding as it should due to lag. There is a 100-millisecond delay before this kicks in, which is almost negligible.

After six seconds has passed and you’re still experiencing latency issues, then and only then will you be completely booted out of the server. If this happens, you have to log back in.

Are Character Names the Same as in PoE?

Rogers said that the naming system for Path of Exile 2 is the same as in PoE 1 for now, at least. Character names (not account names) will expire after not playing a particular character for a year. This means that the name of the inactive character will be available for other players to use after the specified time has elapsed.

Do I Have to Come Up with New Names for My Characters If They Already Exist in Path of Exile?

You don’t have to. The names of characters for PoE 1 are separate from the names in Path of Exile 2. This is due to having different databases for each game.

Does the Game Support Loot Filters?

Yes. You can use custom loot filters in Path of Exile 2 Early Access. However, the feature will not be available for a while until NeverSink and other popular figures in the community can create item filters for public consumption.

Will the Microtransactions from PoE 1 Transfer to PoE 2?

Yes! However, not all of your MTXs will carry over to the sequel.

How About Stash Tabs?

Absolutely! All stash tabs, with the exception of Blight and other “league-specific” stash tabs, will carry to the sequel. If you have played Path of Exile 1 and have purchased some stash tabs when they were on sale, you will have plenty of storage space to work with!

Does Your HP and Mana Get Replenished When Visiting Town?

No. These resources are no longer refilled automatically when you teleport to town. You now have to interact with the Wells to replenish your life and mana, as well as your flask/charm charges.

Is it Possible to Have Different Keystones Allocated for Dual Specialization?

No. Allocating different keystone passives is not possible on weapon swap. This makes sense because keystones are quite powerful, and allowing you to change them on the fly via dual specialization could lead to unforeseen consequences.

Do Hardcore Characters Still Go to Softcore When They Die?

Yes. That system is the same as in Path of Exile 1. Essentially, you have to do whatever you can to stay alive if you want to be in Hardcore so much. This is something that you can brag about, especially considering that the sequel is generally much harder than the original.

Is There a Free Passive Tree Reset?

Fortunately, yes! If there is a significant change to the passive tree, like the introduction of a new league, you are entitled to a full passive skill tree reset. This is great as you no longer have to spend a lot of time manually removing all passive nodes that you have allocated.

Can Skills Granted by Items Be Enhanced by Support Gems?

For those who don’t know, certain items that grant a specific skill (such as “Raise Shield” from STR-based shields) can have sockets. As to how many sockets these things can have, that is dependent on their item level.

That said, the higher the ilvl of an item is, the more sockets it can have (up to a maximum of five, similar to “six-linking” an item in the original game).

How Does Couch Co-Op Work?

Couch co-op is one of the headlining features of Path of Exile 2 Early Access. This feature basically allows a couple of people to play the game on the same account.

Both players will share the same screen, though their life/mana pools and skills are prominently displayed on the left and right sides of the interface.

Although players can enjoy the game on a 24-inch monitor, we recommend playing PoE 2 on a larger display, preferably on a 55-inch TV or bigger.

Does PoE 2 Support Crossplay and Cross-Progression?

Absolutely! For the uninitiated, crossplay is a feature that lets you play Path of Exile 2 with people that are on different platforms. So, if you play on PC, you can party up with those on Xbox and PlayStation consoles as well.

On the other hand, cross-progression (aka cross-save support) allows you to play on one platform, and then continue where you left off when you use another one.

Let’s say you’ve used your Xbox Series X/S console to play the game in the afternoon and you want to switch to PC in the evening, you can do that with the same progress you’ve made so far.

Does the Mirror of Kalandra Exist in Path of Exile 2?

Yes! Rogers confirmed that the mythical Mirror of Kalandra does exist in PoE 2 Early Access! Take note that the chances of getting one to drop is so abysmally low that you are better off buying Mirror items from us at RPGStash.

In case you do not know, the Mirror of Kalandra is a type of PoE Currency that allows you to create mirrored items.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Where Do I Get Some Gems?

In Path of Exile 2 Early Access, there is no longer an NPC that will sell you gems that you can use on your PoE 2 build. Instead, you now need some Uncut Gems in order to add new gems to your collection. Here is a rundown of the Uncut Gems that you’ll need:

• Active Skill Gems = Uncut Skill Gems
• Support Gems = Uncut Support Gems
• Persistent Buffs/Auras = Uncut Spirit Gems

How Do I Level Up My Gems?

Gems in PoE 2 no longer need to gain EXP in order to level up. You now need the appropriate Uncut Gems if you want to raise their level higher than they currently are on your character.

Can I Use Different Active Skill Gems in Every Build?

Yes. Every PoE 2 build has access to nine active skill slots by default. Besides that, you can actually use any skill in the game, so long as you are able to satisfy their attribute requirements.

The only reason why certain ascendancy classes were used to showcase them in the reveal trailer is that they have better synergies with some skills.

Can I Use the Same Support Gems on Other Skills?

In Path of Exile 1, you had the complete freedom to use whatever support gems you wanted to enhance your main skills. For instance, you could utilize a few Manaforged Arrows Support to trigger multiple bow skills at the same time.

Things are a bit different in PoE 2 when it comes to this topic. Rogers mentioned that you can only use support gems once. This means that if you already have Multiple Projectiles supporting one skill, for example, you can no longer use the said support gem on your other abilities.

On the surface, you might think that this change is bad because you do not have the same level of flexibility in Path of Exile 2 Early Access as in the original. However, this is actually a good thing because it forces you to think out of the box.

Who knows, you might end up creating a combination of active skills and support gems that are much better than what GGG had initially envisioned!

Do Support Gems Require Attributes Now?

Yes. Every support gem that you link to an active skill requires five points of a certain attribute depending on the color of the gem.

So, if you want to insert several blue support gems, you need 5 INT for each one. Fortunately, attributes are easier to come by in this game. This is because some travel nodes on the passive tree can be changed to suit whatever attributes you need.

What is Spirit?

Spirit is an entirely new resource specifically created for Path of Exile 2 Early Access. This is primarily used for temporary buffs and ongoing skills. The Witch’s Skeleton Warriors, for example, reserve a small amount of Spirit for each unit that’s summoned on the battlefield.

You have 100 Spirit at the start but this number can be increased by using the appropriate items. Sceptres are just one of the item base types that grant Spirit, though there are a lot more in the game.

Act bosses, or those enemies you have to face in order to progress through the campaign, grant permanent increases in Spirit after defeating them. It is said that each Act Boss will give you 30 Spirit to work with, up to a maximum of 180 (because there are six acts in the campaign).

In addition, the auras and buffs that reserve Spirit are also subject to dual specialization. What this means is that you can assign a completely different set of auras for each weapon. Thanks to this feature, you can switch auras on the fly by doing a simple weapon swap.

How Does Leech Work?

The leech mechanic, where you recover life or mana over time depending on the type of leech you have, does not have a cap in Path of Exile 2. This can be taken advantage of by having as many “increased leech effect” modifiers.

Keep in mind that the amount of life or mana you leech off of enemies is dependent on three things: the damage monsters take after mitigation, any modifiers that enhance leech, and the leech resistance of monsters. Furthermore, leech does not work for damage over time mechanics.

Does Mana and Elemental Leech Exist?

Even though having the ability to recover mana over time as a spellcaster is an enticing thought, mana leech is only available for attacks in PoE 2.

Elemental leech, or the ability to recover life via elemental damage, is present in the game. If you want to take advantage of it, you must look for it in various areas like on your gear and passive skills.

Is There a Leech Mechanic for Spells?

This is what Rogers and his team do not want to add to the game. The Path of Exile 2 game director did not disclose any specifics other than implementing a leech mechanic for spells would defeat a lot of in-game mechanics.

That statement implies that spell leech could be so incredibly broken that it would give an unfair advantage to spellcasters than attack-based builds in PoE 2.

Are “Hits” Different from the Original Game?

Both attacks and spells are now considered “hits” in Path of Exile 2. This has some interesting ramifications; one of which is that you can now block most attacks and spells in the game.

However, ground effects and certain boss abilities cannot be blocked or evaded (by the Dodge Roll), so you have to rely on your other defensive mechanics to survive.

The good news is that boss slams and other very damaging skills are telegraphed. This gives you enough time to get out of harm’s way before they are initiated by the enemy.

Are “Critical Strike Builds” Still Considered the Best for the Endgame in PoE2?

While Path of Exile 2 builds that focus on dealing huge amounts of damage via critical hits are still viable, they are no longer considered mandatory. There are so many mechanics in place that other builds can now stand out too!

If anything, focusing your attention on achieving a 100% critical strike chance can even be a detriment. This is because you’ll be sacrificing more damage-boosting modifiers in favor of raising your critical chance to the max.

Do Ailments Stack?

Generally, no. Enemies can only have one stack of a particular ailment at a time. They are only stackable if you’ve employed certain mechanics and wear specific unique items to allow that to happen.

For instance, the Pathfinder’s “Overwhelming Toxicity” notable ascendancy passive allows you to apply another stack of poison.

Aside from that, additional applications of a specific ailment will only replace what was already on the enemy. Furthermore, only the strongest ailment stack (or the one that deals the most damage) is going to be applied.

Does Energy Shield Bypass Chaos Damage?

This is another fundamental change in the game that needs to be talked about. In the original, chaos damage bypasses energy shield by default, reducing your life immediately as you suffer from the said damage type.

In Path of Exile 2, however, chaos damage from hits no longer bypasses energy shield (ES). Instead, it reduces twice as much energy shield compared to normal attacks or those that deal elemental damage.

Keep in mind that poison, which is an ailment that deals chaos damage over time, still bypasses energy shield. The same goes for bleeding, though this is a physical damage ailment.

Are “Support Characters” Still Viable in PoE2?

If you are talking about support characters—players who go AFK while they provide buffs that aid their party members like in the original game, then no. This concept is no longer viable in the sequel.

However, supporting party members by way of actively debuffing monsters and contributing to overall damage is encouraged in group play. This is just another way of saying that AFK “aurabots” are not necessary in Path of Exile 2.

What is the HP Threshold Needed to Be Considered in “Low Life?”

Rogers said that for you to be considered in “low life” in PoE 2, your HP must drop below 35% of your maximum life. The reason for this is that there are no reservation mechanics in the game that require you to be at a 50% threshold to survive. If you don’t know, this is a 15% decrease from what it was in PoE 1.

So, why is being “in low life” important in Path of Exile 2, you ask? Well, that’s because there are mechanics that only function when you are below a certain HP threshold like the “Pain Attunement” keystone, for example.

Do Charges Still Exist?

Yes. Frenzy Charges, Endurance Charges, and Power Charges are still present in PoE 2, albeit they no longer grant the same bonuses as they once did.

If you are curious about their effects in Path of Exile 1, here is a brief rundown:

Frenzy Charge

• 4% Increased Attack Speed
• 4% Increased Cast Speed
• 4% More Damage

Power Charge

• 50% Increased Critical Strike Chance

Endurance Charge

• 4% Additional Physical Damage Reduction
• 4% Additional Elemental Damage Reduction

If these charges no longer grant any bonuses in the sequel, then what do they actually do now? Charges are necessary to enhance certain abilities like the Monk’s Killing Palm.

Can Monsters Have Charges?

Because Frenzy, Endurance, and Power Charges are fundamentally different in Path of Exile 2, monsters can no longer gain these charges.

Can Monster Attacks, Spells, and Abilities That Hit Multiple Times All Land as Critical Hits?

Yes. However, the system treats this as “all or nothing” where, if the first projectile from a series results in a critical hit, the rest of the projectiles are critical hits as well.

How About Multiple Projectiles from the Player?

Unlike for monsters, the multiple projectiles that the player fires are treated individually. This means that if the first one does not result in a critical hit, then the other ones might be.

Is Elemental Penetration Still Present?

Yes, it is. Elemental penetration gives you the power to reduce the enemy’s resistance to fire, cold, or lightning damage.

However, unlike in PoE, monsters can no longer have negative elemental resistances. This might change in the future when the company has added more endgame systems.

How Does Damage Conversion Work?

The way damage conversion works in Path of Exile 2 is different than in PoE1. In the original, when you convert all your physical damage to cold damage, you could still add modifiers that enhance the former to boost the damage of the latter. In other words, the game “remembers” the original damage type so any increase in it can influence the converted damage.

That is no longer the case in PoE 2. Now, damage can only be enhanced by the final damage type. In the same example above, you cannot add physical damage mods to amplify cold damage. You have to focus on modifiers that specifically increase cold damage instead.

Classes and Ascendancy Classes

What Are the Next Classes That Will Be Introduced?

Sometime after the launch of PoE 2 Early Access, GGG will add the Druid and the Huntress to the game’s roster of classes.

The Druid is one of the fan favorites because of his ability to shapeshift into a formidable Werewolf or Werebear. This is similar to the class of the same name in Diablo II: Resurrected.

The Huntress is also quite appealing because she is the first class in Path of Exile 2 that specializes in spears. It would be interesting to see what she brings to the table. However, what has been confirmed so far is that she can kill enemies at close range and from a distance if needed.

Can You Change Ascendancy Classes?

Unfortunately, this is not possible in PoE2 Early Access. This is because the game is still technically in open beta and GGG has to focus its resources on more pressing matters.

If you’re curious, you could change ascendancy classes in PoE 1 by removing all existing notable ascendancy passives from your character and interacting with the “Altar of Ascendancy” afterward.

Each ascendancy node required five passive points to remove. Refund points in the original game are only available by utilizing the PoE Currency known as Orb of Regret.

As you know, the Orb of Regret is no longer present in the game, so GGG has to come up with a new way to change ascendancy classes in the future.

With Ascendancy Nodes Being Supported by Gems, How Many Sockets Do They Have at the Start?

In case you were unaware, certain notable ascendancy skills can now be enhanced by inserting support gems into them. As to the number of sockets they can have, each of these skills can have up to five sockets, which are unlocked as you level up your character.

By the time you hit level 80+, you should have already unlocked all of the skill sockets for your ascendancy class.

Maps

What Happens If I Die While Mapping?

One of the major changes that GGG has made in terms of mapping is that when your character dies, the map you were on will no longer be available. The six portals that you’ve created by using a Waystone are only there to give you a means of visiting your stash tab in town to store items.

How Do I Proceed with Atlas Progression if My Character Dies While inside a Map?

If you were killed while mapping, there is still a chance that you can progress through the Atlas. Simply choose the maps that are adjacent to where your character died and complete those instead.

Now, if you are somehow unable to progress through your Atlas, you could reset the entire thing and start over.

Does Every Map Have a Boss?

Another interesting change that GGG made in Path of Exile 2 is that not every map has a boss. On average, you will encounter one boss in every four maps. The reason for this is that the company wants to provide you with more avenues to kill packs of monsters without having to fight the big bad.

This is very nice, especially for those who just want to have an easy time playing and eliminating as many monsters as they want.

Do keep in mind that the map bosses in PoE 2 are now generally harder compared to the original game. Always make the necessary preparations before heading into a fight to ensure victory.

How High Do Waystones Go in Terms of Their Tier?

Waystones are basically items that allow you to enter a particular map on the Atlas. Rogers said that in PoE 2 Early Access, Waystones can go from Tier 1 all the way to Tier 15.

It is possible to get a Tier 16 Waystone by corrupting it with a Vaal Orb. This outcome is random, so if you’ve managed to corrupt a Tier 15 Waystone to Tier 16, then consider yourself lucky!

What Are the Icons on Top of Maps?

You may have seen some maps that have icons on top of them. What do they mean? Well, these are indicators of the type of endgame content that you can expect while you’re inside.

For example, the image below shows a map with an icon that signifies that Ritual Altars can be found in the area. These icons help you prepare for what’s to come, which is incredibly useful given that you can no longer change equipment while mapping or bossing.

Runes and Soul Cores

Are Runes Replacing the Crafting Bench?

In a way, yes. Runes provide players with a means of adding certain modifiers to their gear. Speaking of which, two-handed weapons and body armor can have two sockets, while the rest of your equipment only has one.

You have to add sockets to an item by using the new PoE 2 Currency called Artificer’s Orb. The Vaal Orb can also put a third socket on body armor, though the chance of this happening is quite small, not to mention risky.

Are Runes Rare?

Compared to Soul Cores, no. Runes are readily available and can drop from the monsters that you defeat. In fact, you can get some runes as early as Act 1, with many more as you progress through the campaign.

What About Soul Cores?

Soul Cores are another set of items that you can insert into your gear. Unlike runes, Soul Cores provide better benefits. Rogers said that some Soul Cores are much rarer than others, which could influence pricing on PoE 2 Trade.

If the Crafting Bench is Gone, How do I Address Problems with Resistances?

According to Rogers, you are very unlikely to come across any issues with resistances as you progress through the six acts. This implies that modifiers on gear are appropriate to what stage you are currently in the game. Therefore, capping resistances is not going to be a huge problem.

Will There Be “Runewords” in PoE 2?

Despite the addition of runes to the game, Rogers said that there is no plan to create Runewords similar to Diablo II and Diablo 4. This is because the Runewords in those games are too strong by themselves. If such things are implemented here, they might lead to insanely overpowered Path of Exile 2 builds.

Conclusion

Path of Exile 2 Early Access is just around the corner. GGG is kind enough to provide us with plenty of information about the upcoming sequel; from technical requirements to certain in-game mechanics.

With so many things available in PoE 2, which of them are you most excited to try? Share your thoughts in the comments!