Path of Exile 2: Last of the Druids – Everything you need to know

Following the conclusion of the GGG Live for the Last of the Druids Update, here are the key features to be aware of going into the new League.

New Class: Druid

Druid is Path of Exile 2’s first Strength and Intelligence hybrid class, and with it comes a massive overhaul to their section of the Passive Tree as well.

The Druid itself is built around Shapeshifting using the new Talisman Weapons. These allow the Druid, as well as other classes, to make use of these powerful shapeshifting forms.

Alongside Shapeshifting, Druids have access to a variety of Nature Magic, being able to summon long-lasting effects like a Volcano or Tornado that deal damage over a longer period of time, and can be empowered by the Shapeshifting Forms.

Shaman Ascendancy

The Shaman focuses on combining the spellcasting side of the Druid with their animal forms, with the unique ability to apply Rage to Spells. Between passive Rage Generation as well as their animal forms, Shamans can wreak havoc in a wide area.

Additionally, Shamans can allocate the Wisdom of the Maji, adding additional effects to Runes and Idols (previously called Talismans), giving them access to a wider variety of bonuses from them.

Oracle Ascendancy

Oracles are masters of foresight, able to see the future vision of both themselves and their foes. By following these visions, they’re able to increase their damage by converging these current and future timelines.

Oracles also get access to The Unseen Path Acsendancy Passive, opening several new clusters of passives on their passive tree.

New League: Fate of the Vaal

The Fate of the Vaal sees the return of Incursion in an updated and more appealing form, but it offers a lot of the great potential rewards of the mechanic in POE1.

Incursion – Dungeon Builder

This version of Incursion will have us building a similar Temple, but we get to directly choose the placement of different paths and reward rooms. Though we’ll still need to complete a small in-zone event to access the Vaal Ruins, where the Temple lies.

Where the reward rooms are placed will also affect other nearby rooms, upgrading them to offer greater rewards and challenges.

This is indicated in the UI by the bright green tiles, in this case, indicating that placing a Commander near a Barracks Room will upgrade it. Each Room has its own requirement for upgrading.

This unlocks access to many powerful rewards, like the return of Double Corruption, Vaal Limbs that enhance our character, or other valuable rewards. Some of these special rewards can be itemized for trade or for later use.

Later in the game, we’ll be able to access the past version of the Temple, before Atziri communed with the beast. And this, of course, opens access to a new Pinnacle Boss.

Pinnacle Boss: Atziri, the Red Queen

By traveling to the past and defeating the Temple Architect, we’ll be granted access to to the Queen’s Chambers, where we can take on Atziri as a Pinnacle Boss.

Not too many details of the encounter were shown, but expect it to be a challenging encounter.

Endgame Changes

Unfortunately, we didn’t quite get the overhaul we were expecting, as it’s been pushed to 0.5 instead. There’s always a small chance we could see the changes earlier, but between holidays and the POE1 Update looming over the future, it’s unlikely.

Tablet and Waystone Changes

That said, we did get some pretty notable changes for Tablets and Waystones. The biggest of these is the removal of Desecration and Instilling as part of the endgame map crafting process. Instead, many Tablet Modifiers have been buffed.

Additionally, after defeating the Arbiter of Ash once, All Tablets can be upgraded to have four modifiers instead of the previous two. Now we can truly “Alch and Go”, for both our Maps and Tablets. However, being able to be Rare also opens them more crafting potential.

We also appear to be getting Tier 16 Maps as the new highest Map tier without Corruption. Either that, or this is just the result of the developers creating an item to use as an example, as this is unmentioned in the patch notes.

Map Scaling and Visibility

The number of monsters found in maps will no longer scale in number as we progress through Waystone Tiers. Instead, a new system replaces this, referred to as Monster Effectiveness.

Monster Effectiveness instead will scale the Life, Damage, and Item Quantity of Monsters in maps. This means that while there are fewer monsters, the remaining Monsters will be juiced up and generally more rewarding.

To help with visual clarity, Delirium Fog has been adjusted so the maps that spawn with Delirium are no longer grayscale.

New Content

In addition to what is shown and detailed above, we also have a slew of new skills and items to look forward to. Sadly, many of these were not shown.

There are 20 new Skills, primarily the Primal Skills for Shapeshifting Forms. But this also includes some other spells like Thunderstorm and Tornado, which may not directly fall into that category.

35 New Supports are also added, ranging from effects that can make some otherwise stationary skills (like Firestorm or Tornado) able to move during their duration. This also comes with 8 new Linage Supports as well as a handful of reworked ones.

More than 10 new Unique Items were added, on top of the Incursion Rewards that can already alter some existing Vaal-themed Uniques. This is sure to make many new and old Uniques become prime candidates for new build potential.

And to round everything out, over 250 new passives have been added to the Passive Tree. Many of these changes are likely centered around the Druid section of the tree, but there may be new clusters placed elsewhere as well.

Meta Changes

There’s a significant meta shake-up likely to happen, and it will take some time for things to settle once the update kicks off. Here are the changes we feel directly target the meta builds of the last patch, and what they mean for the build.

Lightning Arrow Deadeye

Short answer here, it’s not likely to be dead, but will overall be more prone to instant death when not Evading or Deflecting hits. Lightning Rod is also a weaker crutch, so early rares and Bosses will slow the build down a bit more than usual. At the high end, however, Lightning Arrow itself is buffed with more of its damage being converted to Lightning Damage, allowing for easier Shocks.

• Wind Ward has been Removed.
• Bullseye now requires Called Shots. Bullseye now applies 10 Critical Weakness (previously 5).
• Added a new Mirage Deadeye Ascendancy Passive Skill which grants the Mirage Deadeye Meta Skill. Mirage Deadeye: While active, firing a Ranged Attack Projectile will create a Mirage that uses socketed Ranged Attacks for a short duration, then vanishes. You cannot create another Mirage for a short time after initially creating one.
• Lightning Arrow: No longer bypasses the charge-up time on Lightning Rod’s burst. Instead, The burst caused by Lightning Arrow can occur once every 0.1 seconds. Projectile now converts 80% of Physical damage to Lightning damage (previously 40%). Beam now converts 100% of Physical damage to Lightning damage (previously 80%).
• Lightning Rod: The Limit of active Lightning Rods allowed is now 10 (previously 20).
• Rhoa Mount: No longer increases your Movement Speed. Now has 100% reduced Movement Speed penalty from using Skills while mounted (previously 80%).

Spark Blood Mage

Spark continues to be ever-present, but the Blood Mage variant of the last patch may not be looking so hot for 0.4. With multiple tools it used hit substantially; it may remain usable, but far less powerful overall. Though Cold-Infused Spark got buffed despite this.

• Spark: Cold-Infused Spark now deals 7 to 11 Cold Damage at Gem level 1 (Unchanged), scaling up to 207 to 310 Cold Damage at Gem level 20 (previously 182 to 273). Cold-Infused Spark now deals 1 to 10 Lightning Damage at Gem level 1 (Unchanged), scaling up to 13 to 245 Lightning Damage at Gem level 20 (previously 11 to 216).
• Atalui’s Bloodletting Lineage Support now grants 2% extra Physical damage per 20 Life cost (previously per 10 life cost), up to 40%, and no longer has a cost multiplier.
• The Sacrifice of Blood Keystone granted by the Undying Hate Unique now grants Regenerate 1 Life per second per 16 Life spent in the past 4 seconds (previously 1 Life per second per 8 Life spent in the past 8 seconds). Now has 20% more Life Cost of Skills (previously 50%).
• Rathpith Globe now has “Non-Channelling Spells Have 3% Increased Critical Hit Chance per 100 Maximum Life” (previously 5%).

Skill Changes

While we can’t be certain, are are a handful of skills we expect to be stronger going into this patch. Here are our top picks for skills to keep an eye on.

Earthquake

Between gaining access to the overabundance Support to cuts its duration further, as well as changes to the Titan Ascendancy (the new Passive in particular), we expect this to be a standout skill for the patch, at least for melee. This also comes with a heavy recommendation for our Warrior Leveling Build, which leverages Earthquake to great effect. Additionally, this skill is very likely to play well with the Bear Form Skills if we wanted more of a Druid angle.

• Fixed the following skills having modifiable Limits that were not described as Limits: Frozen Locus, Earthquake, Earthshatter, Shield Wall. These skills can also now be supported by Overabundance.
• Titan Changes
  • Surprising Strength has been removed.
  • Crushing Impacts now also Grants 25% more Damage against Heavy Stunned Enemies.
  • Added a new Mountain Splitter Ascendancy Passive Skill which grants Every Third Slam Skill that doesn’t create Fissures which you use yourself causes 1 additional Aftershock ahead and to each side of the initial area. Requires Crushing Impacts.

Firestorm

While receiving no direct changes, Firestorm Stormweaver may find itself creeping into a stronger position compared to last patch. It was already quite good, and with new supports that fix its glaring issues as a main skill, alongside more Remnant and Stormweaver Changes, it stands to be a strong offering.

• The per-target hit limits on Firestorm, Icestorm, Rain of Arrows and Hailstorm Rounds are now displayed.
• New Support – Advancing Storm: Causes Storm Skills to travel forward after casting.
• The Elemental Equilibrium Keystone now grants Cold Infusion Remnants you create are instead Fire, Fire Infusion Remnants you create are instead Lightning, Lightning Infusion Remnants you create are instead Cold.
• Spell Damage, Specific Damage Type, Damage as Extra Elemental Damage mods on Staves are now 33% stronger on average. Existing items can be updated using a Divine Orb.
• Stormweaver
  • Refracted Infusion now grants: When collecting an Elemental Infusion, gain another different Elemental Infusion (previously 50% chance).
  • Storms Recollection now also grants Remnants can be collected from 50% further away.
  • Multiplying Squalls now grants +2 to Limit of Elemental Skills (previously 1).

Rain of Arrows

Despite Deadeye’s changes and Rain of Arrows getting some changes itself, this combo is likely to be far more synergistic now, being limited to consuming a single Frenzy charge per use. If it’s also a beneficiary, it will also improve its ability as a clear skill as well.

• The per-target hit limits on Firestorm, Icestorm, Rain of Arrows and Hailstorm Rounds are now displayed.
• Rain of Arrows: Now only Consumes one Frenzy Charge. Now deals 93-181% of Attack Damage (previously 88-132%) at Gem levels 9-20. Now Fires 150% more Arrows if a Frenzy Charge was consumed (previously 100%). Removed Fires 50% more Arrows per Frenzy Charge consumed.

Spell Totems

Spell Totems will offer a strong tool for many caster builds and even powerful builds in its own right. However, solving Endurance or Power Charge Generation would be the priority for consistent usage.

Without any numbers just yet, it’s hard to determine how effective they will be overall or even what skills will work best. Especially if they come with penalties to Cast Speed similar to POE1.

Ascendancy Changes

A good number of Ascendancies are getting some huge changes, which may see them used more often. Some of these are heavy changes, and offer more build potential.

Huntress

Huntress changes are pretty light overall. We don’t expect these to really impact their viability all too much.

Amazon

• Elemental Surge reworked:
• Grants Skill: Elemental Surge
• Now provides When you consume a Charge Trigger Elemental Surge to gain 3 Lightning Surges.
• Surging Avatar reworked:
• Now provides When you consume a Charge, Trigger Elemental Surge to instead gain 2 Cold, Lightning and Fire Surges.

Ritualist

• Ritual Sacrifice Stolen Modifier duration is 82-120 seconds from Gem level 1-20 (previously 15-19.75). Quality is now +20 seconds to Stolen Modifier duration (previously +2).
• Corrupted Lifeforce now also has You deal 15% more Damage to Enemies Affected by Blood Boil.

Mercenary

Witchhunter is getting a huge win, with Sorcery Ward now protecting from all damage types. Gemling and Tactician, however, aren’t getting anything that comes across as a massive power increase.

Gemling Legionnaire

• Thaumaturgical Infusion now grants: +1% to Maximum Cold Resistance per 3 Blue Support Gems Socketed (previously 4). +1% to Maximum Fire Resistance per 3 Red Support Gems Socketed (previously 4). +1% to Maximum Lightning Resistance per 3 Green Support Gems Socketed (previously 4).
• Thaumaturgical Dynamism granted by Advanced Thaumaturgy Notable Passive Skill now generates a Charge once every five seconds (previously once every eight seconds).

Tactician

• The Supporting Fire Skill granted by Unleash Hell! Notable Passive Skill has been updated: Command: Death From Above Cooldown is now 20 seconds (previously 40). Now fires a Volley every 0.75 seconds (previously every 2 seconds). Now fires 6 total Volleys (previously 4). Now has 14 metre width (previously 7.5 metre width). Attack Damage is now 763% (previously 1140%).
• Strategic Embankments Notable Passive Skill has been updated:
• Artillery Ballista no longer grants 40% increased Immobilisation Buildup, now grants 20% increased Skill Speed.
• Siege Ballista no longer grants 50% increased Damage against Immobilised Enemies, now grants 25% more Damage against Immobilised Enemies.
• Mortar Cannon now grants 25% of Damage Gained as extra Fire, from 15%.
• Added Spell Totem to Embankment Auras.
• Spell Totem grants 50% increased Critical Hit Chance.

Witchhunter

• Witchbane now has Enemies have Maximum Concentration equal to 30% of their Maximum Life (previously 40%). This is a buff.
• Ceremonial Ablution now instead grants Sorcery Ward also protects against Physical and Chaos Damage.

Monk

Invoker is getting a huge win here, with buffs to Protect Me From Harm and Soul Spring Eternal. Acolyte received some minor changes, but they were good nonetheless.

Invoker

• …and Protect me from harm: Now grants 35% less Evasion Rating (previously 50% less).
• The Soul Springs Eternal now additionally grants Meta Skills have 50% increased Spirit Reservation Efficiency.
• Unbound Avatar Skill granted by …and I Shall Rage has been updated:
• Now has a cooldown of 12 seconds.
• Gain Unbound Fury when you inflict an Elemental Ailment with a Hit on an Enemy, no longer has ‘No more than once every 0.2 seconds for each type of Ailment’.
• Shocking and Igniting now grant 1 Unbound Fury (previously 2).

Acolyte of Chayula

• Embrace the Darkness now gives +10 to maximum Darkness per Level (previously +8).
• The Into the Breach Skill granted by Waking Dream’ Red Flames now Leech 15% Life (previously 7%).
• The Into the Breach Skill granted by Waking Dream’ Blue Flames now Leech 15% Mana (previously 7%).
• The Into the Breach Skill granted by Waking Dream’ Purple Flames now last 8 seconds (previously 5 seconds).
• The Into the Breach Skill granted by Waking Dream’ Flames are now created closer to the Player.
• Choice of Power, Choice of Life and Choice of Mana now all also grant 50% increased effect of Remnants, and 50% increased Remnant Pickup Range.
• The Void Illusion Skill granted by Grasp of the Void now has a Cooldown of 4 seconds at all gem levels (previously 6-4).
• The Void Illusion Skill granted by Grasp of the Void now deals 350-1268% Attack Damage at Gem levels 1-20 (previously 185-670%).
• The Void Illusion Skill granted by Grasp of the Void now has 3 Cooldown Charges (previously 1).

Ranger

Ranger is by far the biggest shake-up, with overhauls to both ascendnacies. Deadeye is generally weaker, or at least more defensive, while Pathfinder gets to be easily one of the most flexible ascendancies.

Deadeye

• Wind Ward has been Removed.
• Bullseye now requires Called Shots. Bullseye now applies 10 Critical Weakness (previously 5).
• Added a new Mirage Deadeye Ascendancy Passive Skill which grants the Mirage Deadeye Meta Skill. Mirage Deadeye: While active, firing a Ranged Attack Projectile will create a Mirage that uses socketed Ranged Attacks for a short duration, then vanishes. You cannot create another Mirage for a short time after initially creating one.

Pathfinder

• Contagious Contamination has been Removed.
• Practical Remedies has been Removed.
• Running Assault now also grants Cannot be Heavy Stunned while Sprinting.
• Added a new Path Seeker multi-choice Ascendancy Passive Skill with the following choices: Path of the Warrior – Can Allocate Passives from the Warrior’s starting point, Path of the Sorceress – Can Allocate Passives from the Sorceress’s starting point. Each choice also Grants 4 Passive Skill Points.
• Traveller’s Wisdom now requires Path Seeker. Traveller’s Wisdom now instead grants Attribute Passive Skills offer additional Options:
• 5% increased Damage
• 5% increased Global Defences
• 5% increased Cost Efficiency

Sorceress

Stormweavers now have improved options for making and collecting Infusions easier. Chronomancer gets a slight buff to Inevitiable Agony.

Stormweaver

• Refracted Infusion now grants: When collecting an Elemental Infusion, gain another different Elemental Infusion (previously 50% chance).
• Storms Recollection now also grants Remnants can be collected from 50% further away.
• Multiplying Squalls now grants +2 to Limit of Elemental Skills (previously 1).

Chronomancer

• Inevitable Agony granted by Inevitability has been updated:
• Now ignores the Curse Limit.
• Now causes Cursed Targets to take 50% of Hit Damage dealt to them while Cursed again when Curse expires (previously 20% at Gem level 1, scaling to 33% by Gem level 20).

Warrior

Smith of Kitava gets a huge rework to Smith’s Masterwork, providing huge Armour buffs along with some changes to the options. Titan gets a new passive to boost Aftershocks further, while Warbringer continues to suffer.

Warbringer

• Imploding Impacts now also grants Fully Broken Armour you inflict increases all Damage Taken from Hits instead.
• The Ancestral Warhorn minion summoned by Warbringer’s Answered Call notable now more consistently hits close-up enemies with the second part of its slam attack.

Titan

• Surprising Strength has been removed.
• Crushing Impacts now also Grants 25% more Damage against Heavy Stunned Enemies.
• Added a new Mountain Splitter Ascendancy Passive Skill which grants Every Third Slam Skill that doesn’t create Fissures which you use yourself causes 1 additional Aftershock ahead and to each side of the initial area. Requires Crushing Impacts.

Smith of Kitava

• Each Notable connected to the Smith’s Masterwork Notable now grants +200 to Armour in addition to its other bonuses.
• Padded Plates has been removed.
• Lead Lining has been removed.
• Heavy Bracing has been removed.
• Added Kitavan Imprint in place of Padded Plates, which causes your Body Armour to grant 60% increased Glory Generation.
• Added Spiked Plates in place of Lead Lining, which causes your Body Armour to grant 100% increased Thorns Damage.
• Added Tribute to Utula in place of Heavy Bracing, which causes your Body Armour to grant 30% increased Spirit.
• Internal Layer now reduces Critical Damage taken by 100% (previously 50%).
• Heatproofing now causes your Body Armour to grant the bonus of being Unaffected by all Damaging Ailments (previously just ignite).
• The Fire Spell on Melee Hit Skill granted by Heat of the Forge on Smith of Kitava now costs no mana when triggering Socketed Spells. It also now gains 10% increased Damage per Level, up to 200% increased Damage at gem level 20.
• The Temper Weapon Skill granted by Against the Anvil on Smith of Kitava now costs no mana. The Combust triggered by it’s Empowered Attacks now deal 25% more Damage at all Levels and has a base radius of 3 Metres (previously 2.5 metres).
• The Manifest Weapon Skill granted by Living Weapon on Smith of Kitava now changes target less frequently, and thus spends more time actively attacking. Additionally:
• As a Mace, now has a cooldown of 6 seconds (from 10 seconds) for its Slam Skill.
• As a Quarterstaff, now has a cooldown of 6 seconds (from 10 seconds) on its Sweep Skill.
• As a Spear, fixed a bug where the damage dealt while it was Dashing towards enemies didn’t cover the full distance of the Dash.

Witch

Infernalist gets a very weird and non-thematic change, while Blood Mage gets a small buff.

Infernalist

• Seething Body no longer grants While on High Infernal Flame, you and Allies in your Presence Gain 50% of Damage as Fire Damage. Seething Body now grants Gain Elemental Archon when you cast a Spell while on High Infernal Flame. Elemental Archon does not expire while on High Infernal Flame. Lose Elemental Archon on reaching maximum Infernal Flame.

Blood Mage

• Whispers of the Flesh now also grants Targets Cursed by you have 100% reduced Life Regeneration Rate.