Path of Exile 2: Tips every beginner needs to know

Path of Exile 2 is attracting all types of players, despite only being in its early access stage. However, the game’s success is no surprise to those who have been keeping an eye on the free-to-play MMORPG for some time. After all, the initial live stream that gave fans their first look at the game alone attracted more live viewers than most streamers get in a month.

However, while some players might have dabbled or even mastered the mechanics of the first game, it’s only natural that PoE 2’s success will attract newcomers to the series. Because Path of Exile 2 ^[1] has so many features and mechanics to master, we’re here to go through some crucial tips tailored to ensure beginners can catch up to those who have been playing Path of Exile for years.

So, without any more delay, here are some key tips for Path of Exile 2 beginners.

Keep a specific build in mind

Path of Exile 2 has a huge passive skill tree that can get overwhelming, where players can’t even see everything if they zoom out completely. As players level up, they’ll get passive skill points they can spend to unlock nodes on these skill trees. Rather than unlocking things randomly to make a balanced skill tree, it’s better to have a build in mind.

Each edge of the tree represents what the player can build towards, such as how the top has node clusters shaped like snowflakes, flames, and more to represent the elements that the Sorceress class can use. Look at these edges and find what is suitable.

It’s a good idea to not only look at edges but focus on clusters to see what type of build a player can go for. If the player wants a strength build, they should focus solely on that instead of upgrading everything since it will cause someone to be weaker than others.

Focus on survivability

Path of Exile 2 can be unforgiving sometimes, especially if the player's class is melee-dependent. Unlike other classes, they must go up against opponents to damage them. The game has three primary defensive stats, being armor, evasion, and block. A melee class user needs to upgrade this since it mitigates damage and increases block chance if they have a shield.

Maps are randomly generated

Path of Exile veterans know the game randomly generates maps, but it might surprise newer players. If someone goes to a map and returns later, the layout will be different. The theme, enemies, bosses, items, and important locations like boss arenas will be the same, but the path will be unalike.

So players should always remember this when they go to an encampment and stop playing. It’s a good idea for players to look for the area waypoint so they can teleport there again. The waypoint will always be present, assuming it exists on the map, even if the layout is dissimilar.

Use the minimap overlay

Considering the map layout is always randomized, it becomes difficult to find the path. So, while exploring, players should press Tab to open the minimap overlay. This will prevent players from getting lost and help them know where to go next. Opening the map will save lots of time since it will ensure the person doesn’t go through the same path multiple times.

Enable the ‘Always Highlight’ option

Every player, especially beginners, should keep the ‘Always Highlight’ option from the options menu or enable it if it’s not. The option will highlight items, objects, NPCs, and more on the map, making it easier for people to understand what they can interact with.

For example, if someone defeats a boss, they’ll see whatever the enemy has dropped on the map and other items. Players must manually pick up most highlighted things, unlike highlighted gold.

Don't be afraid to gamble

Players can spend gold to get mystery items by speaking with Finn at the Clearfell Encampment. This is Path of Exile 2’s way of gambling. Someone who buys a mystery item might end up with a low-quality item, but they can also get something good.

If the person has a lot of extra gold, they should gamble with Finn. Things might not always go the player’s way, and that’s okay. For example, if the player gets something that’s low quality, they can sell the item to get some gold back, which they can use for other stuff instead.

Obtaining gold is difficult at the start of the game, so gambling shouldn’t be a top priority during that phase. But as the person progresses through the game, it’s not a bad idea to gamble here and there to get a nice item. Gamers must kill numerous enemies and explore the world to get lots of gold.

Use skill gems and upgrade materials

Players will get numerous materials used for upgrades throughout Path of Exile 2. These upgrades include uncut skill gems for unlocking new skins, orbs to modify gears, armorer’s scraps for strengthening item quality, and more. There’s no use hoarding them, so gamers should spend them whenever possible since they’re dropped frequently.

Know the value of orbs

Arguably the most important tip we can give any Path of Exile 2 newcomer is to give a very heavy emphasis on orbs. Remember, orbs are the most sought after currency in the game, even if there are various types of orbs to acquire.

Joining into this, we’ll also advice players to remember that Path of Exile 2 is an inherently grindy game. This means players should expect to regularly sink several hours doing tasks that some players may find mundane or repetitive. Most of these tasks will revolve around collecting certain orbs or items to upgrade your character or the gear they have.

One pro tip we have is that you don’t necessarily have to grind for too many orbs. If you want to get your hands on a large number of orbs quickly, we recommend you check out the Eloking Path of Exile 2 marketplace. Here, not only will you be able to quickly get as many orbs as you want, but the process will also be extremely seamless.

Know how to identify items

Typing into the value of orbs, there’s also the fact that players will likely come across various items. However, one thing some newcomers may not instantly know is that it’s crucial to first identify a piece of gear before it can be equipped. Thanks to this, many players go precious hours without being able to equip valuable gear, even if it’s better than what their character has equipped.

Therefore, we highly recommend you unlock the ability to identify items as quickly as possible. To help with this, we already have a dedicated article going through the steps players must follow to identify items in Path of Exile 2. We also included a free method that many players may miss out on since it’s tied to a quest.

FAQs

How much does Path of Exile 2 cost?

If you’re thinking of hopping into Path of Exile 2 then good news, it’s completely free! However, it’s important to note that the game is currently in early access, and players must pay to access it. The price of the early access depends on the player’s region, though the starting price for most regions is around the $30 mark for those in the United States. 

It’s recommended to check the Steam page of Path of Exile 2’s early access ^[2] to see if the price is any lower for you. If you’re wondering why you should pay money for a free-to-play game, then another piece of good news is that this will also give you $30 worth of in-game currency that you can use for in-game goodies.

References

1. [1] "Official PoE 2 website". pathofexile2.com. Retrieved December 14, 2024
2. [2] "PoE 2 Steam page". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved December 14, 2024