Path of Exile 2: Mercenary Class Hands-On & Endgame First Look
Stepping back into the world of Path of Exile 2 always confirms my belief that Grinding Gear Games is crafting something extraordinary. Having experienced various classes – the nimble Hunter, the disciplined Monk, the potent Witch, and the robust Warrior – my most recent foray with the Mercenary class left a distinct impression. Each play session, often lasting over two hours, only deepens my anticipation for the beta release on December 6. This preview will delve into the unique experience of playing the Mercenary and offer a comprehensive look at the ambitious endgame content planned for this highly anticipated ARPG.
The Mercenary class stands out immediately with its distinctive approach to combat, fundamentally transforming traditional Path of Exile gameplay into something akin to a top-down shooter. Wielding a trusty crossbow, players start by unleashing a volley of seven bolts at incoming threats. As you progress, a suite of new skill gems becomes available, introducing abilities like precise sniping, rapid-fire armor-piercing rounds, tactical grenade lobs, and elemental attacks that can freeze or ignite foes, providing diverse strategies to tackle the relentless waves of enemies. This design choice, embracing shooter mechanics, truly makes the Mercenary a fresh experience within the ARPG landscape.
While I personally found myself occasionally missing the visceral impact of the Monk’s staff or the swift agility of the Hunter’s bow, the Mercenary offers a compelling alternative, especially for players new to the ARPG genre who might be more accustomed to shooter mechanics. The initial phase of gameplay, however, does present a slight hurdle: frequent reloading. This happens both when cycling through different firing modes and when your ammunition depletes, leading to brief moments of vulnerability that can disrupt the combat flow. Despite this early-game challenge, the class truly begins to coalesce and exhibit formidable power as you advance, particularly around the game’s graveyard section. By this point, my Mercenary build incorporated a powerful grenade launcher firing three projectiles with increased area-of-effect, an ice gun capable of slowing and freezing adversaries, and a fiery blast that not only incinerated enemies but also pushed them back, creating valuable space. These foundational abilities allow players to strategically allocate perks within the passive skill tree, starting to shape their character for the deeper campaign challenges ahead.
Into the Endgame
A significant portion of my preview focused on an extensive presentation detailing Path of Exile 2’s ambitious endgame structure. While direct hands-on time with these modes was not available, Game Director Jonathan Rogers guided us through a vision of post-campaign challenges, showcasing a vast world map awaiting exploration and diverse activities designed to captivate players for hundreds of hours. Rogers stressed the critical importance of a robust endgame, stating that for Path of Exile 2 to truly be considered a worthy successor, it must offer content that compels veteran players of the original game to feel like it’s a genuine evolution. The breadth and depth of what was revealed strongly suggest they are on track to deliver on this promise, setting the stage for a truly expansive experience.
Upon early access launch on December 6, players will embark on the first three acts of the campaign, estimated to take roughly 25 hours to complete. Beyond this initial journey lies an extensive endgame, introducing numerous innovative methods for players to enhance their character builds. During a two-hour presentation, I witnessed several of these exciting modes. Among them was the Trial of Sekhemas, a dynamic challenge where players navigate a series of rooms, each presenting unique objectives such as filling a blood chalice by defeating specific enemies or enduring increasingly difficult monster spawns within a time limit. Successfully clearing each floor, culminating in a boss fight, offers a choice: cash in collected keys for immediate rewards or press onward for the chance at more lucrative loot. Failure, or allowing your “honor” to deplete from excessive hits, resets your progress. To aid in these trials, a special ‘water’ currency allows for in-run item purchases, and unique relics can be found or crafted, some promising coveted unique items at the cost of extreme difficulty, like completing a trial with only one hit point.
Successfully conquering the Trial of Sekhemas not only yields valuable rewards but also grants access to the Altar of Ascendency, where players choose one of three specialized Ascendancy classes. During early access, two Ascendancy options will be available. We were treated to a glimpse of the Witch’s Infernalist Ascendancy, which allows the summoning of a hellhound that immolates nearby enemies upon appearance and also functions as a damage sponge, diverting incoming attacks from the player. Another exciting reveal was the Witch’s Demon Form, a temporary transformation into a winged beast granting increased speed, damage, and casting speed, though at the cost of continuous self-damage while active. These robust systems, particularly the Trial of Sekhemas, already suggest hundreds of hours of engaging content, presenting a wealth of strategic choices and unique challenges that push the boundaries of replayability.
Further expanding the endgame, we also saw the Temple of Chaos, encountered within Act 3. This event, hailed as a spiritual successor to the original Path of Exile’s Ultimatum league, requires players to acquire a token from the trial master to enter. Inside the Temple, players choose to activate various modifiers, like “Blood Globules” – falling blood orbs that track and damage players – or “Shocking Turrets,” which periodically crisscross the battlefield with electrical grids. These modifiers stack, dynamically increasing the difficulty while players simultaneously complete standard map objectives such as survival, eliminating all enemies in a room, or escorting a large hammer to its destination. The final suite of endgame activities showcased revolved around the Ziggurat, a central hub providing access to a world map where players can combat corruption. Here, activities include clearing corrupted towers, vanquishing formidable bosses, or engaging in Breach encounters. Additional league-inspired content includes a sequel to the Expedition League, involving strategically planting dynamite to unearth valuable loot and gear enhancements, and Delirium maps that significantly boost difficulty, offering more passive skill tree points as rewards. Grinding Gear Games also teased an “Uber Pinnacle boss,” accessible only with unique keys and promised to be the ultimate challenge for even the most seasoned players.
The rewards from these diverse endgame challenges are equally extensive, introducing an innovative gem system for weapons, armor, and even the passive skill tree. These unique tree gems can augment nearby passive nodes or grant significant boosts, allowing for unprecedented build customization. Complementing this is an entirely distinct Atlas skill tree, offering perks specifically tailored to each of the various endgame modes.
Buckle Up
The sheer volume of content revealed during the Path of Exile 2 preview event is staggering, and this article merely scratches the surface. Each of the described endgame modes could easily warrant its own in-depth guide, detailing strategies and optimal approaches for maximizing player rewards. There promises to be an almost overwhelming abundance of loot to pursue across numerous interlocking systems, guaranteeing sustained engagement for those looking to buy POE2 Currency. Grinding Gear Games also noted that at launch, everything presented represents only half of the planned content. The number of playable classes, story acts, enemy types, and bosses are all slated to double throughout the early access period, with more league sequels planned for the endgame. Path of Exile 2 will be free to play, but for those eager to jump into early access on December 6, a $30 supporter key purchase will be required, which also provides in-game currency. However, a special perk awaits dedicated fans: players who have spent $500 or more on the original Path of Exile over the last decade will receive free early access as a token of appreciation for their long-standing support. The future of Wraeclast is looking incredibly rich and challenging, so prepare for an epic journey.
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