Grinding Gear Games has revealed the next major content update for Path of Exile 2, giving fans of the hugely popular ARPG a new shapeshifting spellcaster class, a dungeon-building mechanic in the latest League, endgame improvements, and more.
The Druid: A Versatile Shapeshifting Class
The Druid can fight in human form using staves and nature-based spells and can, at any time, transform into one of three animal forms: Bear, Wolf, or Wyvern. Each form has its own skills, attack styles, and effects, which can be combined with the Druid’s human abilities for powerful combos. The studio describes the Druid as one of the most complex classes it has designed so far.
Druid Ascendancies: Shaman and Oracle
The Druid also gains access to Ascendancy classes, with two options available in this update and a third planned for the future. The first is the Shaman, which lets players channel nature and rage into devastating spells. This path offers the potential to become a “walking disaster” and provides exclusive modifiers for all Runes and Idols, enabling a wide variety of specialized builds.
The second option is the Oracle Druid Ascendancy. This variant allows players to glimpse possible futures and see visions of upcoming actions. By activating specific powers or targeting the future version of an enemy, players can trigger bonus effects and increased damage.
Fate of the Vaal League and Dungeon Building
Beyond the Druid and its extensive customization options, Grinding Gear Games is introducing a new League called Fate of the Vaal. Its standout feature is a dungeon-building system set within a special temple.
Each time players enter this temple, they can choose which rooms will appear and upgrade them using proximity bonuses. Selecting tougher configurations spawns more dangerous enemies, which in turn yield better rewards. Rooms can include limb replacement machines that grant new abilities, sources of additional corrupted items, and other powerful features. The final encounter culminates in a battle against Atziri, Queen of the Vaal, with time travel playing a key role.
Release Date and Free Play Weekend
Path of Exile 2: The Last of the Druids launches on December 12 for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation at 11:00 AM PT. Players who have not yet tried the game will also have access to a free-to-play weekend later in the month. From December 12 through December 15, the game will be fully playable without any payment for early access, regardless of whether you normally play in USD, EUR, or INR.
