Path of Exile 2's Endgame Explained

As an avid fan of ARPG games, I must say that the depth and complexity of the endgame systems in Path of Exile 2 is truly astounding. Having spent countless hours in the original game, it’s clear to me that Grinding Gear Games has not only maintained but surpassed the high standards they set for themselves with this sequel.

Grinding Gear Games’ Path of Exile 2 sets itself apart from many modern Action Role-Playing Games (ARPGs) by prioritizing its endgame content. The developers believe that a campaign of average length is worthwhile if it means there will be hundreds of hours of engaging endgame content within the game. Unlike other ARPGs that often struggle with their endgame offerings due to over-investment in campaigns, Path of Exile 2 seems set to tell a unique tale. With seven distinct endgame systems accessible during early access, players can expect a wealth of activities once they reach the endgame in Path of Exile 2.

In the future, Path of Exile 2 will offer six distinct story chapters for players to explore, but initially, only three of these will be accessible during early access. Despite this, players can delve into the endgame content during early access. However, they must complete the first three acts twice: once in the original Path of Exile, and then again on a temporary “Cruel” difficulty within Path of Exile 2. Upon finishing these acts once, players will need to repeat them on the Cruel difficulty in Path of Exile 2. Once this is accomplished, they will unlock most of the endgame content, even before the game’s official launch.

The Core Gameplay Loop of Path of Exile 2’s Endgame

In the final stages of Path of Exile 2, the Atlas serves as the central, ever-expanding nexus. Buried within its depths lie countless mysteries for adventurers to discover. The objective in the endgame is to make your way through the Atlas by unlocking various maps and purifying them of the Beast’s influence by vanquishing all the formidable rare and unique foes hidden within. By utilizing Waystones of different tiers, players can open portals to these maps on the Atlas from the Ziggurat. The level of the Waystone determines the challenge posed by the monsters encountered. Upon inserting a Waystone into the Map Device in the Ziggurat, new portals to subsequent maps will be opened, enabling you and your companions to pass through.

Waystones can be altered using an Orb of Transmutation to boost the rewards from a map or an Orb of Augmentation to make the map harder. Making a map more challenging also raises the likelihood of finding Waystones within that map. The decision to raise a map’s difficulty and how to do so depends on the specific characteristics of each map, so players will need to explore and test different strategies to determine what works best for each map.

In the final stages of Path of Exile 2, each zone is unique compared to those in its campaign. The monster groups within every map are randomly selected, with approximately 400 distinct monster types available even during early access. Each type has exclusive abilities and attack patterns. Moreover, about a quarter of the maps feature boss battles. Additionally, you’ll encounter various other random events such as Precursor Artifacts, which are corrupted landmarks that intensify nearby monsters. Slaying all the monsters near the artifact rewards players with potent temporary boosts like increased speed, rain of fire, or higher experience gains and better loot chances.

In the final stages of “Path of Exile 2”, players may discover Strongboxes that offer rewarding loot. However, opening these boxes can lead to a surprise attack by monsters and sometimes the application of tough debuffs or spells. At times, you might come across monsters encased in a solidified substance called Essences. Defeating these creatures will result in them dropping Essences, which players can then use to enhance their regular items into Magic ones, with an additional modifier based on the Essence’s category. Certain Essences have the ability to upgrade Magic items into Rare ones as well, ensuring a specific modifier is added according to the Essence type.

In a game like Path of Exile 2, successfully navigating a map grants access to subsequent maps for further progression. However, if players fail, they must seek an alternative path as that particular map becomes inaccessible. As you cleanse zones of their corruption, points are earned which can be spent on modifying the risk and rewards within the endgame Atlas skill tree. This includes boosting the number of monsters or the number of Precursor Artifacts and Strongboxes in each area.

While navigating the expansive landscape known as the Atlas, players might stumble upon captivating locations and characters that present unusual tasks and incentives. One such locale could be a Concealed Outpost, where once the adversaries are vanquished, players gain a customizable command center for their operations. Additionally, characters can occasionally discover Watchtowers scattered across the Atlas, serving a role similar to Far Cry’s Radio Towers and Assassin’s Creed’s Viewpoints in that they expose vast regions of the Atlas. Lastly, certain areas within the Atlas contain tainted ecosystems, which will introduce unique modifications to the battles taking place within them.

The Seven Systems of Path of Exile 2’s Endgame

In Path of Exile 2, there are a total of seven distinct endgame modes, each featuring unique mechanics and rewards. Two of these modes are the Ascendancy Trials, specifically the Trial of Sekhemas and the Trial of Chaos, which can be unlocked during the campaign but continue into the endgame as well. Each endgame mode in Path of Exile 2 offers intricate mechanics and a climactic encounter that players will grow more accustomed to as they spend time with the system. Here are the seven endgame modes in Path of Exile 2:

Breach
Ritual
Delirium
Expedition
Trial of the Sekhemas
Trial of Chaos
Pinnacle Boss

In the realm of Path of Exile, I was once a part of the League known as Breach. But in the sequel, it has been resurrected as one of the endgame systems. For me, a Breach is like a rift in the very fabric of reality, and when you open it, you unleash the otherworldly creatures lurking on the other side. Once you’ve opened the rift, these monsters start streaming out, and to keep the rift open, you’ve got to act fast and take them down.

In this game, you’ll come across sacred locations known as Rituals, erected by the enigmatic King of Mist. These sites are strategically placed on designated areas in the game’s map, the Atlas. When you discover a Ritual, it demands that you vanquish enemies within its boundary to offer them up to the altar. After successfully doing so, you can interact with the altar, which initiates the ritual. Following this, additional enemies will appear, defeating them grants Tribute, a valuable currency that can be used to purchase potent items.

Delirium is another modified location occasionally found on the Atlus that have been touched by insanity. When players touch a mirror in these locations, the mists of Delirium will spread throughout the area. Players must then remain within the mist, but the monsters will become stronger the deeper they travel into the mist. In a sense, it seems to function similarly to Enshrouded‘s Shroud mechanics. As with several of Path of Exile 2‘s other endgame systems, players will acquire points for the Delirium section on the Atlas tree once they’ve completed the pinnacle encounter of a map marked by Delirium.

In the game “Path of Exile 2”, the ultimate goal in the Atlus tree is called Expedition. Here, players unearth enigmatic artifacts by employing explosives. However, this action draws monsters towards the location, forcing players to engage in combat. The found artifacts can be swapped for beneficial items. Upon successfully completing the climactic encounter of the Expedition, players are rewarded with a point that can be used on the Expedition segment of the Atlas tree.

In simpler terms, the Trial of Sekhemas and the Trial of Chaos are tougher yet more profitable variations of the initial trials.

In the final analysis, the toughest challenge in Path of Exile 2 is the Pinnacle Boss encounters. Players might eventually discover a fortress in the Atlus, but it remains locked until they collect the three keys necessary for entry. These keys can be obtained from three different factions scattered across the Atlas, each eager to enter the fortress. However, gaining access requires defeating the powerful bosses of these factions first. A setback occurs when a player fails to defeat a faction’s bosses, causing them to relocate, forcing the player to find them anew. Upon unlocking the fortress, players will engage in Path of Exile 2’s most challenging content and be rewarded with a point to spend on the Atlas tree for completion.

2024-11-22 23:36

Path of Exile 2’s Endgame Explained

The Core Gameplay Loop of Path of Exile 2’s Endgame

The Seven Systems of Path of Exile 2’s Endgame

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