Path of Exile has been exploding all over the headlines since ExileCon earlier this month. At the first ever convention for the ARPG, Grinding Gear Games revealed a huge number of plans for the future. The game is getting multiple expansions in the future. And starting in just a few short weeks is the newest expansion, Path of Exile 3.9 and the MetaMorph League. There’s actually so much to talk about with these two new expansions that we have to just summarize it.
As usual, the new expansion will bring about a new challenge league. MetaMorph League is built around a simple idea, creating your ideal POE experience. The core gameplay loop is all about using a new crafting system to create your ideal boss from a variety of different mechanics and components, and to almost develop your ideal rival. This can be used for peak farming speed or to test your skill, at tuned to your build.
Path of Exile 3.9 will bring about a huge number of mechanical changes too. Map systems and the Atlas are being streamlined massively, no more tedious map farming, and the endgame grind of the Shaper/Elder is being replaced. GGG is calling this update Conquerors of the Atlas.
There are also a bunch of skill changes on the docket. Namely, Path of Exile will be retooling all of the bow-based skills. A wide array of skills in the Ranger classes and similar builds are being messed with. Ranged Attack Totems are also being changed, here is the rundown from GGG:
- Ranged Attack Totem skills are now called Ballistas, with the existing support gem being renamed to Ballista Totem Support.
- All Ballista skills start with 3 maximum totems, as does Ballista Totem Support.
- Ballista Totems place much faster than other totems, letting you quickly deploy your full power.
- Ballistas are all placed quite close to your character now. This makes your positioning important, however it isn’t a large disadvantage as most of the Ballistas have a long firing range.
- New passives have been added to the passive tree specific to Ballistas and other Attack totems, letting you gain additional Ballista totems.
Check out our more thorough coverage of MetaMorph League and all of the mechanical changes if you want. You can see a preview of the bow skill changes in a video down below.
Path of Exile 4.0 is much more explosive though. The expansion isn’t really an expansion, more of an entirely new game. Grinding Gear Games revealed the sequel-expansion hybrid during ExileCon, to a rather shocked fanbase. The core idea is about delivering all the content that fans know and love, but in the best possible way. Path of Exile 4.0 will introduce a full graphical overhaul within a redone engine, but that’s not all. Path of Exile 4.0, also billed as Path of Exile 2. will have a completely new campaign beyond the original 10 acts of the versions following 3.0. The fully new campaign is much tougher too, with all new bosses. But don’t worry, all of your progress from the original version can be carried over into Path of Exile 2.
GGG also revealed a complete redo of the gearing and skill system. The developer is completely redoing six links and the skill gem system. Players will now be able to use any skill gem in the game, complete with its own inherent links, no more farming Fusings. Even the leveling for these items is being redone, as GGG will introduce more powerful Meta-Gems to fill in gaps in some areas.
If you want to know more about Path of Exile 2, you must check out our other coverage over here.
Path of Exile 4.0 doesn’t have a firm release date yet, as it could be several months before we hear more about the game. GGG has said that the game engages in so many changes to the core gameplay systems that it could be several patches in the 3.X cycle before we see 4.0. You can see some sick gameplay footage showing off the planned sequel/expansion right here.
