Path of Exile 1, although a great game, is desperately lacking in the combat department. Each engagement feels like a slogfest where the one with the higher DPS wins. However, things are about to change in Path of Exile 2, as the game’s combat system looks to address that shortcoming by actually making combat fun and engaging. Let’s look at what’s new.
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Path of Exile 2’s Combat Mechanics
Fluidity is the keyword when it comes to Path of Exile 2’s new combat mechanics. Combat in Path of Exile 1 was flashy but otherwise quite rudimentary. Most engagements in the first game were just slogfests where the character with the better stats won — hardly an engaging system.
In Path of Exile 2, it’s different. Combat is slower, abilities work slightly differently, and the introduction of the new dodge roll mechanic makes timing more important than ever before. Let’s talk about each part by order of magnitude.
The New Dodge Roll Ability
Path of Exile 2 takes great inspiration from Elden Ring, and that’s something that the developers over at GGG have even admitted themselves. Where PoE 2 differs from Elden Ring is that dodge rolling doesn’t give true invincibility.
Instead, dodge rolling in Path of Exile 2 is a skill that each class can use without any restrictions or costs. If timed right, it can help you dodge most melee and ranged attacks. However, if you get caught in a large AoE attack or in the middle of a cone attack, don’t expect to get out of it scott-free.
It isn’t fully confirmed yet, but it’s highly likely that Path of Exile 2’s passive tree will likely include a few perks that will enhance dodge rolling in some way, seeing as Evasion perks were a prominent part of Path of Exile 1.
Slower Combat & Ability Reworks
Combat will be slower in the sequel compared to the prequel. This was done intentionally to enhance the experience by making it more calculated and skill-based, rather than just an ability spam fest.
Speaking of abilities, they’ve also received a small rework. In Path of Exile 2, abilities will consume mana as they’re being cast, rather than having an upfront cost. Additionally, some movement-type abilities will allow you to change directions mid cast, as opposed to the first game where dashes just went forward and that was it.
Certain abilities have also received a small rework. Brands and Totems have been merged in some cases, cutting down on skill bloat. Mines and traps aren’t skills anymore but their own weapon type.
Raise Specter also works differently in Path of Exile 2. In PoE 1, most summoning abilities were pretty plain. In PoE 2, if you want to raise a specific minion, you’re going to have to trap its soul first with the new Bind Specter ability. This change makes Pokemon Trainer a viable build strategy for Witches.
Other System Changes
Crowd Control statuses build up over time in Path of Exile 2, similar to how they work in soulslike games. Instead of instantly being hit with a freeze, the effect will now build up over time. Resistances will now lower how much the effect builds up, rather than giving a flat bonus against said effect.
Projectiles also have gravity in Path of Exile 2. This means that you cannot porcupine anymore. As soon as your projectiles leave the screen, that’s it. This change finally makes it so that you can’t clear enemies on the other side of the map anymore.
Flasks have also been changed. In Path of Exile 2, flasks are more potent, but as a caveat, normal monsters don’t refill them anymore. To refill flasks in PoE 2, you’ll have to return to town or presumably kill elite monsters.
The Spirit Reservation system replaces the Mana Reservation system in PoE 2. Spirit Reservation will make your minion and support spells more effective. To increase it, you’ll have to equip specific items, kill certain bosses, and equip certain spectre implicits.
Mounts Replace Quicksilver Flasks
Quicksilver Flasks are gone in Path of Exile 2, but thankfully, mounts are here to replace them. This is probably one of the biggest changes and one that the community will welcome with open arms.
Instead of having to pop a Quicksilver Flask every couple of seconds, kill a few mobs, then pop it again. You’ll now receive a flat-out movement speed bonus from your mount.
What’s more, you’ll be able to attack and use spells while mounted, meaning you’ll likely never have to get off your mount at all. It's unknown as of now if there will be any mount-related spells or perks, but it’s likely considering how extensive Path of Exile 2’s new systems are.
Weapon Sets Are A New Feature
Weapon sets are also a new addition to Path of Exile 2. They work similarly to mastery points in the prequel where you were able to invest perk points to enhance your performance with certain weapons.
Now, instead of mastering a certain weapon, you’ll be able to spend points to become proficient in a certain weapon set. Path of Exile 2’s passive tree is rumored to have 2000+ perk points, so it’s likely that the developers have thought of every possible combination.
It’ll be interesting to see how this system will operate in-game, especially with the fact that each class can equip every type of item now.
The New Boss Changes
Last but not least we have to talk about bosses. Bosses have been reworked from the ground up to be more numerous but also more challenging. Bigger bosses have multiple hitboxes now as opposed to the previous game where they had just one.
Boss attacks are much deadlier as well, necessitating proper timing and roll ability. Their movements are also more unpredictable, which makes even the simplest boss a significant threat.
Optional bosses are now more varied and offer much more loot than before, with some items and stat increases even being exclusive to specific bosses. Minor bosses will now also spawn on teleportation points, meaning you’ll have to fight for checkpoints as opposed to just discovering them.
The final change with bosses is how revives work. Before each boss encounter you’ll be able to reset your revive counter. And with Portal Scrolls now gone, you won’t be able to TP back to base from the boss room itself.
