Path of Exile 2 Return of the Ancients update (Image: GRINDING GEAR)
The latest and greatest Path of Exile 2 update is almost here, as developer Grinding Gear Games prepares to usher in the Return of the Ancients. The Return of the Ancients adds everything from endgame storylines, bosses and Ascendancy Classes, to smaller additions like crafting tools and other Unique Items.
The Path of Exile 2 Return of the Ancients update has a May 29 release date, but won’t actually be available until later in the evening for UK fans, specifically at 9pm BST UK time. That’s 1pm PT / 4pm ET for US fans, and 10pm CET for Path of Exile 2 players in Central Europe.
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As you can see from the patch notes below, there are also a whopping 30 new areas to explore on the Atlas, including snowbound towns, lava-filled dungeons and desert regions.
grinding Gear Games is also adding a brand new Challenge League, which will continue to make the endgame more engaging for early adopters.
That’s on top of more quality of life improvements, such as the long-awaited Atlas search and price checker.
GGG explains more: “Forgotten evils return in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients!
“With six new Endgame storylines, new Pinnacle Bosses, new crafting systems, new Ascendancy Classes, and a ton of new Unique Items, this is our biggest update ever!
“Not only that, but we also have a new Challenge League. Battle deadly foes and learn the secrets of Kalguuran Runecrafting in the Runes of Aldur.”
As a reminder, Path of Exile 2 is currently available in early access, where it can be purchased for £23.93 as part of the Supporter’s Pack.
You can check out the early patch notes below for a closer look at all of the new features join Path of Exile 2 on May 29.
Path of Exile 2 Return of the Ancients patch notes…
Return of the Ancients
• Wraeclast lies in ruin after a devastating cataclysm, consumed by a creeping corruption that gnaws at all it touches. Guided by Doryani, the Vaal thaumaturge, you must seek out the makers of the Third Edict, the Precursors, and uncover what path remains.
• Reach the fortress by traversing forsaken maps, and unseal its ancient gates.
• Beyond the walls lies more than first meets the eye. The fortress holds many paths to explore and many new things to find. Power up ancient machines, fight new and deadly foes, discover new depths, and uncover dark secrets buried deep within.
• In Return of the Ancients, we have significantly reworked and upgraded the Atlas Passive Tree. With nodes that combine mechanics in new ways and many providing multiple choices, you can customise your Atlas like never before.
• Should you press onward to the fortress’s heart… a mighty foe awaits.
• Embark on a mission with one of three Atlas Masters to pursue unique rewards on the Atlas. Uncover powerful artefacts with Jado, hunt deadly monsters with Hilda, or cleanse the corruption with Doryani.
• Each completed mission unlocks further abilities and specialisation options, letting you tailor your strategy by choosing different masters and bonuses for each map.
New Monk Ascendancy – The Martial Artist
• After decades of training, the Martial Artist has become a master of illusions. Empowered by the runes socketed into his body, this class creates powerful illusions, summons illusory bells to aid him, and excels at using his hands as weapons.
New Huntress Ascendancy – The Spirit Walker
• Bound to the wilds, this class calls upon spirits to answer to her will granting different abilities aligning with the Stag, Owl or Bear. Through their guidance, the Spirit Walker may subdue even the most formidable beasts, binding them in spirit, or call forth a spectral companion to fight beside her.
New League – Runes of Aldur
• Farrow, a seeker of runes from the eastern reaches of Ezomyr, has uncovered markings that should have remained buried. Each rune he unearths does more than grant power; it reveals fragments of a forgotten bond between Ezomyte tradition and the forbidden craft of the Kalguurans.
• With the aid of the Kingsmarch crew, delve into relics long entombed which include ancient treasures, buried truths, and some things best left undisturbed.
• Find mysterious Remnants across Wraeclast and awaken their ancient magic by inscribing runic symbols upon them. Depending on which symbols are already present, you’ll have different options for the items you can create using this magic. Be careful, though, as the nearby monsters will be empowered with additional abilities based on the runes you use, making for a much tougher but more rewarding fight.
• Discover new crafting possibilities using Verisium, an ancient metal used to forge powerful items and unlock a new form of defence, Runic Ward.
• Help Farrow master Kalguuran technology to expand your crafting arsenal. Runeforge low-level Uniques, experiment with over a hundred new runes, and use new types of crafting currency to enhance your equipment in new ways.
Path of Exile 2 Return of Ancients update (Image: GGG)
• Harness the power of Kalguuran Runecrafting to create Kalguuran Skills. These skills combine ancient runes with corruption-derived gems to create powerful effects, from Triskellion Cascade triggering your next spell multiple times, to Frostflame Nova transforming Ignite into Frostfire.
• Kalguuran Skills cost Runic Ward, have no colour, and ignore attribute or weapon requirements, making them usable by any class.
• In the endgame, the existing Expedition league mechanic has been updated to incorporate the new Remnants, unlocking advanced crafting inscriptions. Be wary, as the empowerments the Remnants grant make encounters significantly more challenging, though the rewards are well worth the risk.
Explore the Uncharted Seas
• In your expeditions, you will find Logbooks that open the way to a vast ocean to explore. Discover new islands marked by Expedition Sites, uncover hidden secrets, and delve into dungeons in search of powerful runes.
Five New Kalguuran Bosses
• Investigate the tombs of fallen Kalguurans and challenge them to earn remarkable rewards. Seek out the crater of a fallen star, a meteor of pure Verisium, from which you hope to forge objects of immense power… if you can defeat what awaits you there.
• An ancient trickster god has been unleashed, spreading madness across Wraeclast. Do you dare to uncover his origins and confront your darkest fears?
• The entity of Delirium, the Strange Voice, has grown in power. A new progression system now measures how far you descend into the fog, with danger and madness intensifying as you venture deeper into the Withered Willow.
• Encounter warped reflections of reality alongside nightmarish foes. Those who endure will uncover potent new rewards, as well as deeper, more perilous layers of the Delirium.
• Consuming a Strange Fruit draws a pall of fog across the Atlas, its shroud thickening with each step forward. In time, this descent gives rise to a Simulacrum, a twisted echo of one’s memory.
• Overcome the insanity to earn passage to the Raven Trickster’s domain.
Distilled Emotions are powerful Delirium rewards that, in Return of the Ancients, can be used in two ways: to instill notable passive buffs onto amulets, and to craft specific mods onto jewels.
Each emotion can provide modifiers such as critical strike chance, movement speed, and many more valuable stats to jewels.
Behold the Genesis Tree, a vital asset in the war effort, stolen from the enemy and gifted to the Keepers by the Dreamer himself.
Fertilise the tree with Hiveblood harvested from slain Hiveborn abominations to unlock its vast crafting potential. Control what grows upon its branches to access new jewelry base types with powerful modifiers unavailable anywhere else.
• As part of the endgame overhaul, there are over thirty new areas to explore on the Atlas. From the deserts of Maraketh and snowbound towns to lush gardens and lava-filled dungeons, each map features a distinct environment and a boss to defeat.
• Return of the Ancients introduces over 30 new Unique Items, featuring powerful skills and distinctive mechanics. We have also revised more than a dozen existing Unique Items.
• In the Runes of Aldur league, we’re introducing the very first set of eight league challenges to Path of Exile 2. Completing them will grant you pieces of the exclusive Knight of Aldur Armour Set.
Streamlining the Campaign
• The campaign has been updated to make navigating areas easier. Look out for cues that will guide you forward!
• As many players choose to follow build guides from content creators, we’re introducing a Build Guide system to make this process easier. Simply download the build file you’d like to use, and it will appear in the game client, showing everything needed to create that build, including Passive Tree nodes, Ascendancy points, Skill Gems, and more.
• Additional quality-of-life improvements includes the Atlas search, market price checker, and the Fragment Stash Tab.
