Path of Exile 2 Wiki: Complete Guide to History, Gems, and Classes

What Is Path of Exile 2? A New Beginning in Wraeclast Path of Exile 2 isn’t just an expansion—it’s a full sequel that runs parallel to the original game. Set two decades after the events of PoE1, the story follows a new exile stranded on the shores of Ogham, a cursed continent fractured by the Cataclysm. The campaign spans seven acts (instead of ten), each introducing new bosses, zones, and lore fragments. Grinding Gear Games (GGG) confirmed that all microtransactions from PoE1 transfer over, but the game engine, skill system, and itemization are rebuilt from the ground up. I’ve spent over 200 hours in the beta, and the most striking change is the pacing. Early acts feel more deliberate—mobs hit harder, and you can’t just blast through with a single skill. You’re forced to experiment with weapon swaps and support gems from level 1.

Skill Gems: The New Socket Revolution Skill gems remain the core of your build, but they work differently now. Instead of linking gems in gear sockets, you slot them into a dedicated gem panel. Each gem has its own socket that can hold up to five support gems, and supports are now socketed directly into the skill gem itself—no more linking headaches. ### Key Changes

**Active Gems**: 50+ new skills, including Spear, Crossbow, and Flail abilities. Example: "Shrapnel Blast" (Crossbow) fires a cone of projectiles that pierce armor.

**Support Gems**: 80+ supports, many reworked. "Brutality" now adds 40% more physical damage but blocks elemental damage conversion.

**Gem Levels**: Caps at level 20, but you can corrupt them for a 21-23 range. Quality now affects specific mechanics (e.g., +2% area radius per 1% quality on "Firestorm").

**Spirit Gems**: A new resource type that consumes spirit (mana-like pool) for persistent buffs or auras. Example: "Herald of Ash" now costs 30 spirit and grants 15% fire penetration. ### Comparison Table: PoE1 vs. PoE2 Skill Gem System | Feature | PoE1 | PoE2 | |---------|------|------| | Socket system | Gear-linked | Dedicated gem panel | | Max supports per skill | 5 (via 6-link gear) | 5 (always available) | | Spirit gems | None | New resource for auras | | Gem corruption | Yes | Yes, plus alternate quality |

Passive Tree: 1,500+ Nodes and Dual Specialization The passive tree is still a sprawling web, but GGG added two major features: 1. **Dual Specialization**: You can allocate two separate passive trees and swap between them with a keybind (3-second cooldown). This is amazing for hybrid builds—for example, one tree for clearing maps, another for boss fights. 2. **New Jewel Sockets**: Scattered across the tree, these let you insert unique jewels that modify entire sections. The "Eternal Empire" jewel turns all keystones in a radius into their corrupted versions (e.g., "Resolute Technique" becomes "Precise Technique" with 50% less accuracy but 30% more crit chance). Actual numbers from the beta: The Witch’s starting area has 14 new nodes focused on "Bone Magic" (minions deal 20% increased damage per corpse consumed). I’ve seen a Necromancer build reach 3.2 million DPS with this setup.

Ascendancy Classes: 12 Ways to Play Each of the six base classes (Marauder, Ranger, Witch, Duelist, Templar, Shadow) now has two ascendancy choices, totaling 12. Here’s the full list with playstyle notes:

**Marauder**: Warbringer (warcries, physical damage) vs. Ancestral Commander (totems, fire damage)

**Ranger**: Deadeye (projectiles, speed) vs. Whisperer (poison, chaos)

**Witch**: Necromancer (minions) vs. Sorceress (elemental spells)

**Duelist**: Slayer (leech, crit) vs. Gladiator (block, bleed)

**Templar**: Inquisitor (crit, elemental) vs. Guardian (auras, support)

**Shadow**: Assassin (crit, poison) vs. Trickster (evasion, energy shield) My personal favorite so far is the Sorceress—her "Elemental Overload" node gives 100% increased elemental damage while on full mana, which pairs beautifully with Archmage support.

Item Database: Uniques, Runes, and Crafting The item database in PoE2 is massive. Over 500 new unique items were added in the beta, alongside a reworked crafting system:

**Runes**: Replace currency orbs for simple modifiers. A "Rune of Fire" adds 10-20 fire damage to a weapon. They drop from monsters and can be combined.

**Omens**: Consumable items that guarantee a specific outcome during crafting (e.g., "Omen of Fortune" ensures the next chaos orb roll is a tier 1 mod).

**Recombinators**: Fuse two items into one, inheriting mods from both. High risk, high reward—I’ve seen players craft 6-mod rares this way. For reference, the current wiki database lists 3,847 base items, 2,104 unique items, and 189 crafting bases.

FAQ **Q: Will my PoE1 characters and items transfer to PoE2?** A: No. PoE2 is a separate game with its own economy. However, all cosmetic microtransactions (stash tabs, MTX skins) purchased in PoE1 will be available in PoE2. Your PoE1 characters remain playable in the original client. **Q: How does the new gem socket system work with gear?** A: Gear no longer has gem sockets. Instead, you have a dedicated gem panel with 9 slots (6 active, 3 spirit). Supports are socketed into each active gem. This means you can freely swap gear without breaking your links. **Q: Is the passive tree reset free in PoE2?** A: Yes, respeccing is free during the campaign (up to level 65). After that, you pay gold (a new currency) to refund nodes. Gold drops from monsters and quests—I’ve accumulated 500k gold by level 80.