The patch notes for Path of Exile 3.9 have just dropped. The new Conquerors of the Atlas system, replacing the old Elder and Shaper influence, is almost here. Along with the new Atlas system, fans will get to take part in the new MetaMorph League. This new League mechanic is all about using the new Samples and Catalysts that players will use to interact with the new crafting system.
In the new crafting system, players will interact with the new MetaMorph bosses using Samples extracted from other bosses, which increases challenge. The other element is revolving around the Catalysts, which can be used to apply Quality and other modifiers to Rings, Amulets and Belts, offering a new powerful element to builds.
Here are our other Path of Exile 3.9 Guides:
- POE MetaMorph Mechanics Guide
- MetaMorph Starter Builds
- Catalysts Guide
- POE New Players Guide
- Vendor Recipes Guide
- MetaMorph Loot Filter Guide
The base game is getting plenty of tweaks in 3.9. And there’s so many skills changing and so much changing with them, that it’s easier to give a very basic summary of the skills and to classify them generally. With all that said, here are the winners and losers from Path of Exile’s 3.9 patch in terms of skills.
Be sure to check out the full patch notes.
First though, let’s go into some core gameplay changes you should be aware of.
- Multi-Mod crafting has now been restricted to three modifiers per item, reducing the power of crafting.
- Two-Handed Weapons will no longer be able to roll powerful Shaper/Elder mods involving Physical Damage, nerfing some damage scaling for some melee builds.
- The life of all unique monsters in the game has been increased by 10%.
- A regular map boss now has 40% elemental resistance (up from 30%) and 25% Chaos resistance (up from 15%). A very strong boss like the Shaper now has 50% elemental resistance (up from 40%) and 30% Chaos resistance (up from 25%).
- Large buff to Boss HP, across the board all bosses are a bit tougher to take down. Off-meta builds could struggle here.
Main Attack Skill Reworks
First up is the batch of changes to main attack skills. GGG has worked in a pretty big amount of reworks in Path of Exile 3.9. In particular bow-based skills have gotten the most attention.
Buffs:
- Arc – The range at which Arc can chain to another enemy is now 35 units (from 25).
- Burning Arrow – Increased DPS
- Caustic Arrow – Increased AoE, Increased DPS
- Discharge – No longer has a target limit
- Ice Shot – No longer leaves Chilled Ground on impact. Increased DPS, better application of Chill.
- Lancing Steel – Increased DPS, Increased Impale effect
- Lightning Arrow – Increased DPS, better application of Shock, less effective Shock.
- Punishment – More duration, cursed enemies have -20% to Reduced Physical Damage Taken.
- Rain of Arrows – Increased base damage at all levels.
- Shattering Steel – Increased DPS, higher attack time multiplier
- Stormblast Mine – Increased base damage at maximum gem level.
- Toxic Rain – Increased base damage at all levels.
- Venom Gyre – Increased base damage at all levels.
Nerfs:
- Blast Rain – Reduced DPS, +1 additional projectile
- Elemental Hit – Reduced DPS at all levels and damage types
- Icicle Mine – Shorter range, less projectiles. Now gains 1% increased Projectile Speed per 1% gem quality (from 1% increased Projectile Damage per 1% gem quality).
- Lightning Spire Trap – Reduced DPS, slower attacks
- Molten Strike – Reduced base damage
- Orb of Storms – Reduced DPS, slower attacks
- Raise Spectre – Additional Maximum Spectres are now unlocked at gem levels 13 and 25 (from 11 and 21).
- Raise Zombie – Slower attacks, no longer gains more life, instead gains more AoE radius. Reduced DPS as well
- Scourge Arrow – Heavily reduced base damage, now adds Chaos damage
- Smoke Mine – Reduced starting movement speed buff.
- Soulrend – Longer duration
- Vaal Burning Arrow – Full Fire conversion now, Better application of ignite, Now gains +1% to Fire Damage over Time Multiplier per 2% gem quality
General Big Changes:
- Shrapnel Shot – now called Galvanic Arrow. Arrows no longer pierce by default. Now gains added Lightning Damage as the gem levels, up to 9 to 179 at gem level 20.
- Explosive Arrow – added fire damage from explosion reduced. Explosions now deal 3% more damage with Ignite per explosive arrow on the target.
- Freezing Pulse – Art effects more accurately reflect damage application.
- Pestilent Strike – Now gains additional Melee range as the gem levels, up to +2 at gem level 20.
- Siege Ballista – Increased level requirements, 2 to your maximum number of summoned totems at all gem levels. grants 1% increased Projectile Damage per 1% gem quality. Reduced base damage.
- Spectral Throw – Higher Attack Time multiplier
- Split Arrow – Added Physical Damage
- Summon Raging Spirit – Summoned Raging Spirits will now try to travel to the location your cursor was over at the point they were summoned, unless they find an enemy before they arrive.
- Tornado Shot – Secondary projectiles have less range.
- Vaal Spectral Throw – Increased attack time multiplier
- Volatile Dead – Limit of 60 orbs.
Support Skill Reworks
Then we move on to the support skills, which have been massively reworked this patch.
Buffs:
- Lesser Multiple Projectiles Support – Massive buff to DPS at all levels.
- Volley Support – Increased DPS
Nerfs:
- Feeding Frenzy Support – Reduced buffs for damage, attack, cast and movement speed.
- Inspiration Support – Reduced Crit Chance, slightly reduced DPS
- Minion Damage Support – Slightly reduced DPS
- Mirage Archer Support – Reduced DPS, reduced targeting range
- Onslaught Support – Huge reduction in duration of buff, less chance to grant Onslaught.
- Point Blank Support – Damage at start of movement dropped to 30% from 50%
General Big Changes:
- Fortify – now multiplicative with other sources of damage reduction.
- Impale – Now grants supported skills -30% to Total Physical damage Reduction against Impale Hits at all gem levels.
Path of Exile 3.9 releases for the PC on December 13th. PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game get the patch on December 16th.
Source: POE Site