Summary
Path of Exile 2has been out for a little over two weeks in early access now, and it is arguably a huge success if player numbers on Steam are any indication, with 450,000 to 500,000 daily players since launch and an all-time peak of over 578,000 players. GGG’s new action RPG is a standalone sequel that was initially meant to be an addition to the base game, and this change of plans means thatPath of Exile 2handles its gameplay features differently in many ways. With six classes inPath of Exile 2’s early access and six more on the way, as well as two Ascendancies for each class, it may seem strange that the game dropped a huge feature from its predecessor.
There are many ways tobuild characters inPath of Exile 2even before picking an Ascendancy class, and that’s thanks to the deep and complex passive tree as well as the many skills that combo with one another. Ascendancy classes can take things to the next level by allowing players to specialize in some playstyles or even damage types, and picking the right Ascendancy is one of the biggest decisions in the game. Unlike the first game,Path of Exile 2unfortunately makes this decision final.
Path of Exile 2 May Be Shooting Itself in the Foot Without Ascendancy Changes
InPath of Exile, players are required to complete a full run of The Lord’s Labyrinth to unlock their Ascendancy class, and then complete the same activity three more times in various stages of the game to get all eight Ascendancy points. This process can be more convoluted for the last two points, as players are tasked with finding all six smaller trials in endgame maps to then unlock the final version of the Labyrinth. Still,Path of Exile’s Ascendancy classescan be changed by respeccing all points and running the first version of the Labyrinth again.
Path of Exile 2’s Ascendancy Choice Being Final is a Strange Decision
The sequel doesn’t allow such luxury for its players, andallPath of Exile 2’s Ascendancy classesare final once chosen. This decision can seem particularly strange considering that the first game allowed players to change their Ascendancy, and in a game likePath of Exile 2that launched in early access and information about what the classes might do, this can be all the weirder. Another problem is that this decision further consolidates the idea thatPath of Exile 2promotes rerolling a character over making changes to it.
For example,Path of Exile 2doesn’t have a free respec itemlikeDiablo 4’s Scroll of Amnesia, and a full respec can be quite expensive in gold in the endgame. However, as much as GGG wants to limit full respecs, which is probably why the game doesn’t allow for Ascendancy changes, it is part of the ARPG experience to make even drastic changes to one character and try new items and builds. With the Ascendancy class locked after picking it, players may be frustrated once they reach the endgame and find their character is not performing as they hoped, and if they want to specialize in a different class, the only option is to start over.
Why Starting Over in Path of Exile 2 to Change Ascendancy is Frustrating
Starting over is very much something that ARPGs do, especially with the seasonal model and changes being made to the skills and builds that perform too well and those that are underperforming. Still, one could argue thatPath of Exile 2’s endgameis very different from the campaign, and the choice for the Ascendancy comes as early as Act 2.
As such, it would only make sense forPath of Exile 2to give players the option to either test Ascendancies before committing to them, or better yet, to simply allow them to change their Ascendancy class by refunding all Ascendancy points and repeatingPoE 2’s Trial of the Sehkemas. It remains to be seen whether GGG changes its mind about this decision, given that the game is in early access, but for now, players should be wary that this big decision can’t be walked back if they change their mind.
Path of Exile II
WHERE TO PLAY
Path of Exile 2 is a next generation free-to-play Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Journey across the deadly continent of Wraeclast, meeting multiple immersive cultures while facing off against evil in many forms. 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.
