Path of Exile 2's Druid Class Showcased at Gamescom

[T0@st]

At Gamescom 2023 in Cologne we had a booth for fans to play Path of Exile 2 and try out the new Druid class - a spellcaster who channels the fury of nature on the battlefield to become a walking natural disaster. Check out our Gamescom Druid gameplay walkthrough below! Thanks to everyone who has come to play Path of Exile 2 at Gamescom so far! It was great meeting you in person, and the fan meetup beforehand was fantastic. We'll be at PAX West next week. See you there! For more information about Path of Exile 2 and to see the other trailers, visit pathofexile2.com.

Path of Exile 2 is a next generation Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Set years after the original Path of Exile, you will return to the dark world of Wraeclast and seek to end the corruption that is spreading. Path of Exile 2 is a free-to-play online multiplayer game with co-op for up to six players.




Path of Exile 2 is a separate game to the original Path of Exile. We will continue to offer expansions for both games going forward. They are completely free-to-play and will never be "pay to win". Purchases are shared between the two games.

Launching on PC, macOS, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.

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[Vayra86]

They are completely free-to-play and will never be "pay to win". Purchases are shared between the two games.

The magical formula. A fair deal built into a good game.

 

[zlobby]

They are completely free-to-play and will never be "pay to win". Purchases are shared between the two games.

The magical formula. A fair deal built into a good game.

The gray market items trade is still in full swing.

 

[Vayra86]

The gray market items trade is still in full swing.

Sure, but you don't really have to do it, there's a lot of game without it.

 

[zlobby]

Sure, but you don't really have to do it, there's a lot of game without it.

Indeed. GGG don't necessarily condone it, but it's srill there. I wonder how PoE 2 will be?

Edit: I also think there should be a nArcomancer class. Yoy know, one that shoots, uhm, stuff, and has magical herbal powers!

 

[dj-electric]

Just one request here from GGG, since this isn't my first rodeo with APRGs.

Dear GGG, if you are going to create delicate gameplay mechanics like you have shown here, please make sure to preserve them, instead of developing a hyper-speed clear meta where they won't matter at all and all of this work will go down the gutter.

Thanks.

 

[zlobby]

Just one request here from GGG, since this isn't my first rodeo with APRGs.

Dear GGG, if you are going to create delicate gameplay mechanics like you have shown here, please make sure to preserve them, instead of developing a hyper-speed clear meta where they won't matter at all and all of this work will go down the gutter.

Thanks.

You are basically asking the impossible.

No way you get a scalable, endless repeatability and after-game grinding, and balanced meta, too. Simple mafs.

 

[Vayra86]

Just one request here from GGG, since this isn't my first rodeo with APRGs.

Dear GGG, if you are going to create delicate gameplay mechanics like you have shown here, please make sure to preserve them, instead of developing a hyper-speed clear meta where they won't matter at all and all of this work will go down the gutter.

Thanks.

But you can still play like that, meta and 'viable' or two different things. If you want to ride in the higher regions, you will inevitably need a snappy build, not just because of players but because of how the game evolves. Otherwise, the game can't really evolve, you get a Diablo 4 where numbers go big but you could just as well play at level 10 the exact same way.

Put differently the whole idea of a solid ARPG is to go stupid and have a god complex.

 

[mouacyk]

already better than d4?

 

[Dahita]

"Purchases are shared between the two games."

Wow, respect.

 

[zlobby]

But you can still play like that, meta and 'viable' or two different things. If you want to ride in the higher regions, you will inevitably need a snappy build, not just because of players but because of how the game evolves. Otherwise, the game can't really evolve, you get a Diablo 4 where numbers go big but you could just as well play at level 10 the exact same way.

Put differently the whole idea of a solid ARPG is to go stupid and have a god complex.

Either they one-shot you or you one-shot them. Nothing else is acceptable!

This is especially valid in parties. Games won't just balance for the weakest player in the party. You either keep up with the party's power or you just stay back and pray no monster is after you.

And if you play solo, then I guess you can have your cake and eat it?

 

[Space Lynx]

"Purchases are shared between the two games."

Wow, respect.

that Druid looks pretty epic too. I honestly will probably give path of exile 2 a try when it comes out, def going to try Druid class, looks way cooler than Diablo IV druid class.

Either they one-shot you or you one-shot them. Nothing else is acceptable!

This is especially valid in parties. Games won't just balance for the weakest player in the party. You either keep up with the party's power or you just stay back and pray no monster is after you.

And if you play solo, then I guess you can have your cake and eat it?

this was not my experience in the open beta for diablo IV, while my sorcerer was overpowered, i encountered a random elite boss that took every ounce of skill I had, and a stranger helping me to boot to beat it, we both almost died on a few occasions, we never wiped, but it was the coolest fight I ever experienced. that being said I didn't like the game enough to buy in. i do have that fight recorded though, so will enjoy that in a few years when i forget about it and am scouring my old gaming records lol

 

[zlobby]

that Druid looks pretty epic too. I honestly will probably give path of exile 2 a try when it comes out, def going to try Druid class, looks way cooler than Diablo IV druid class.



this was not my experience in the open beta for diablo IV, while my sorcerer was overpowered, i encountered a random elite boss that took every ounce of skill I had, and a stranger helping me to boot to beat it, we both almost died on a few occasions, we never wiped, but it was the coolest fight I ever experienced. that being said I didn't like the game enough to buy in. i do have that fight recorded though, so will enjoy that in a few years when i forget about it and am scouring my old gaming records lol

Bruv, did you just put D4 and PoE2 in the same sentence?

 

[Space Lynx]

Bruv, did you just put D4 and PoE2 in the same sentence?

calm down, ffs lol

 

[Prima.Vera]

already better than d4?

D4 is by far THE WORST of all Diablo games, so this is not even a question considering POE was almost as good as D2. Almost...
The problem with POE was(is) that its story is kind of weird and doesn't really makes any sense. Hopefully they will change that in POE2.
Any game requires a very good story and lore too, not just mindless grinding.

 

[ratirt]

This game is what I'm actually waiting for which is the one game I've been waiting for since decades. The PoE is a cool game and I'm sure PoE2 will be even better.
The second one is Grim Dawn 2 but I doubt it will come out although, who knows.

The problem with POE was(is) that its story is kind of weird and doesn't really makes any sense. Hopefully they will change that in POE2.

The story in PoE stick together but not everyone may like it. I enjoyed it and wanted to see what's next and how it develops to be fair.

 

[Chrispy_]

I love how a few of the the Diablo 4 Youtubers and build guide creators are bored of D4 sick of Blizzard getting stuff wrong and treating a $70 AAA game as early-access with paying beta testers, so they try PoE for the first time and go "OMG D4 is shit, PoE has everything I ever wanted from D4 and so much more, FOR FREE!!!"

It's a good game. I just re-rolled a PoE character this league after a one-year break and compared to Diablo 4 it's SUCH a good game. It's better, faster, more flexible, more interesting, more rewarding, more polished, and has SO MUCH NEW CONTENT, even after just being away for four seasons.

 

[zlobby]

Any game requires a very good story and lore too, not just mindless grinding.

Yeah, Meinkraft is a good example. I wonder how people can grind that much with no story at all? /s

 

[ratirt]

Yeah, Meinkraft is a good example. I wonder how people can grind that much with no story at all? /s

They are bored and MineCraft can kill some time. It is good for kids' development and being creative but for adults? Not really.

I love how a few of the the Diablo 4 Youtubers and build guide creators are bored of D4 sick of Blizzard getting stuff wrong and treating a $70 AAA game as early-access with paying beta testers, so they try PoE for the first time and go "OMG D4 is shit, PoE has everything I ever wanted from D4 and so much more, FOR FREE!!!"

It's a good game. I just re-rolled a PoE character this league after a one-year break and compared to Diablo 4 it's SUCH a good game. It's better, faster, more flexible, more interesting, more rewarding, more polished, and has SO MUCH NEW CONTENT, even after just being away for four seasons.

PoE when I started for the first time I've been very skeptic. When I found myself playing till 4am without realizing it, first time after a decade or more, I knew this is not just an ordinary game. It's got everything you would want and you want to keep going. I would have kept going but I had work in the morning . Never forget that night though.

 

[Chrispy_]

They are bored and MineCraft can kill some time. It is good for kids' development and being creative but for adults? Not really.

PoE when I started for the first time I've been very skeptic. When I found myself playing till 4am without realizing it, first time after a decade or more, I knew this is not just an ordinary game. It's got everything you would want and you want to keep going. I would have kept going but I had work in the morning . Never forget that night though.

Yeah, me too. I played it with a couple of friends when it was still in beta; The campaign finished after Dominus at the top of the tower in Act3 and there was tons of placeholder artwork. I figured it was a poor man's Diablo II with some promise.

Fast forward to my first proper league after launch which was 3.2 (Delve) with a full guild and frequent group of 5 friends to play with, and I was hooked. The game has come so far since 3.2, but even in that state it was more of a game than Diablo 4 ever hopes to be. What it loses in accessibility to a wider audience of beginners and casual players, it gains in breadth, depth, and the reward of learning to exploit such a large and complex set of rules.

If I were unemployed I could easily see myself playing PoE for an entire season straight.

 

[kapone32]

I have POE but I haven't touched it in years. A good ARPG should not feel like a more and more boring grind.

 

[zlobby]

They are bored and MineCraft can kill some time. It is good for kids' development and being creative but for adults? Not really.

I'm afraid you underestimate the audience of said game.

 

[ratirt]

I'm afraid you underestimate the audience of said game.

I do not refute adults playing it, I'm just saying what I think about it. I literally don't know anyone who plays MineCraft except my nephews and maybe some other kids, when they join together and construct something or just ram on each other. You know my opinion on that already.

Yeah, me too. I played it with a couple of friends when it was still in beta; The campaign finished after Dominus at the top of the tower in Act3 and there was tons of placeholder artwork. I figured it was a poor man's Diablo II with some promise.

Fast forward to my first proper league after launch which was 3.2 (Delve) with a full guild and frequent group of 5 friends to play with, and I was hooked. The game has come so far since 3.2, but even in that state it was more of a game than Diablo 4 ever hopes to be. What it loses in accessibility to a wider audience of beginners and casual players, it gains in breadth, depth, and the reward of learning to exploit such a large and complex set of rules.

If I were unemployed I could easily see myself playing PoE for an entire season straight.

I have Diablo 4 and I played a little bit so you can deduct from that what type of game is it. It is not bad but it for me it has not much to offer to be honest and there are better games.
PoE is one of them also Grim Dawn is much better without a doubt.

 

[Chrispy_]

I do not refute adults playing it, I'm just saying what I think about it. I literally don't know anyone who plays MineCraft except my nephews and maybe some other kids, when they join together and construct something or just ram on each other. You know my opinion on that already.


I have Diablo 4 and I played a little bit so you can deduct from that what type of game is it. It is not bad but it for me it has not much to offer to be honest and there are better games.
PoE is one of them also Grim Dawn is much better without a doubt.

See I was excited for D4 initially but the combat is boring, the build options are extremely limited, the lack of stash space and respec costs puts a huge damper on trying different builds and the endgame is nonexistant. Once you get to level 70 there's literally nothing left to do apart from repetitively grind to 100 for an Uber Lillith kill, which is actually a terrible fight full of flaws like inaccurate hitboxes, and punishing one-shot mechanics that are poorly telegraphed. There's also no reward for achieving it, despite the boring, contentless grind from level 70-100 requiring 2-3x the time investment as the 1-70 levelling journey. Not that you need a reward. My first S1 character was a bone-spear necro with the Barber heart and I was literally four-shotting 25-man world bosses by myself in 8-10 seconds. It's SO SO BROKEN.

The only good thing about D4 is that tons of friends who are casuals jumped into D4 and it was nice to play an ARPG with them for a change.

I'll probably play Season 2, but I've now completed all content on three different classes and I'm truly disgusted how imbalanced the game is and how broken it still is for $70. It's far worse than shoddy performance like The Last of Us or Fallen Order released with, it's a game that focuses on skill mechanics and items with stats that interact with those mechanics. Several of those mechanics and stats are still FUBAR. We're not even expecting to get a basic fix for resistances until some point in Season 2. For any other game, that would be a critical patch fixed within a few days of launch, and it really should have been picked up in the betas. Blizzard aren't an AAA games developer any more, they're a bunch of incompetent leftovers after all of the talent walked out in disgust in the years since the Activision takeover.

 

[zlobby]

I do not refute adults playing it, I'm just saying what I think about it. I literally don't know anyone who plays MineCraft except my nephews and maybe some other kids, when they join together and construct something or just ram on each other. You know my opinion on that already.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.