Path of Exile 2: All returning League mechanics confirmed so far
Path of Exile 2 will reintroduce several League mechanics from the original title, some in their original format while others will take a drastically different approach to gameplay and rewards. The latest GGG live event showcased the breadth of content coming to Path of Exile 2's Early Access and eventually the full release version. Naturally, one of the topics discussed was the endgame and all of the mapping features.
Waystones, formerly known as Maps in Path of Exile, is PoE2's gateway into the endgame, which is the Atlas of Worlds. Here, players must delve into myriad scenarios and clear the path forward to engage in even more difficult Waystone encounters. Occasionally, players will encounter special encounters such as unique bosses, Realmgate activities, Precursor Towers, Pinnacle bosses, and so on.
What are League mechanics and what purpose do they serve in Path of Exile 2?
League mechanics are special content that players can randomly encounter in the Atlas of Worlds and potentially during the campaign. These consist of unique encounters with exclusive rewards and possibly Pinnacle boss fights that are thematically tied to that content.
League mechanics have been a staple feature of Path of Exile, with a new one being released every three months with a unique theme influencing the gameplay structure. For example, the ongoing Settlers of Kalguur League is PoE's take on the City Simulation genre, while Metamorph League consisted of collecting monster parts and creating a unique boss in a Build-A-Bear-esque process.
In Path of Exile 2, numerous League mechanics are returning from its predecessor and we will discuss some of them. Note that while every League mechanic will have its own special Atlas Passive nodes, certain mechanics will have individualized Passive Trees, while others will be incorporated in the general Passive Tree.
Essence
Essences are monsters encased in crystals that players must break out and kill. These monsters will drop specific essences upon killing them, which can be used to craft gear. In PoE, Essence crafting ensures one affix is guaranteed while the others are randomized.
Essences in Path of Exile 2 are separated into different categories where they upgrade items differently. The first tier of essences will upgrade items from Normal to Magic (White to Blue) and the second tier will upgrade Magic items to Rare (Blue to Golden/Yellow). These modifiers will be guaranteed and entirely craftable by other methods.
Strongbox
Strongboxes are the easiest way to add more monsters to a map while trying to obtain extra items from both the encounter and the additional enemies. These boxes are modifiable with currencies and will offer greater rewards comparable to their difficulty level.
These containers come in various types, each offering separate rewards such as Arcanist Strongboxes giving currency rewards, Diviner's Strongbox offering Divination Cards, etc.
Thanks to extra monster spawns, Strongboxes have long served as one of the easiest methods of endgame juicing and it'll be interesting to see its effect on Path of Exile 2's endgame.
Shrine
Shrines are monoliths randomly found in maps, offering unique buffs for a limited time. These buffs can be anything from additional resistances and increased movement speed to boosting a player's item drops and exploding felled enemy corpses to aid in the add-clearing.
Shrines are confirmed to return in Path of Exile 2, however, the number of effects is unknown. Players will have to kill the empowered enemies surrounding these mysterious artifacts before they can claim the temporary buff.
Ritual
Ritual is an older Path of Exile mechanic that has been improved quite a lot over the years. In Path of Exile 2, Ritual will function similarly to the original, where players must kill enemies within a radius of a totem. After the totem is charged with death, they must interact with the totem and kill reanimated copies of the previously slain enemies.
The second culling will give players tribute that can be spent on various rewards like currencies, gear, and omens. Omens are special, conditional items, used in endgame crafting. These powerful items, once activated, can modify specific affixes from gear if conditions are met.
Ritual hinges on gathering as much tribute as possible. Thus players are recommended to chase rewards once all Ritual totems have been cleansed. Ritual will have a Pinnacle boss fight against The King in the Mists, who will drop unique items upon defeat. The mechanic will also have its own Atlas Passive Tree.
Delirium
Delirium's core concept revolves around being fast and deadly. In maps with Delirium active, players will randomly encounter a Mirror of Delirium in the early stages of the map. Upon walking through said mirror, the zone becomes infused with a dense fog that seemingly moves toward a certain direction.
As players traverse this fog-laden landscape, monsters that must be killed appear. These monsters grant progress towards a reward gauge that can offer anything from currencies and gear to even rewards from other Leagues. Certain enemies can even spawn spectral demons that can unleash special attacks to surprise players.
In Path of Exile 2, Delirium will be the source of Distilled Emotions like Distilled Ire, Guilt, Disgust, and Greed. These Emotions can be infused into a player's amulet to grant a Notable Passive from their Passive Skill Tree. These Emotions can also be used to make maps become Delirious Waystones that offer greater rewards.
Delirium's pinnacle encounter is the Simulacrum which makes a return from the original title. Upon collecting several Simulacrum Splinters, players are rewarded with a complete Simulacrum that opens up a separate gameplay space. This Simulacrum is a wave-based game mode, where subsequent waves get tougher but offer increased rewards.
They will be able to take on Pinnacle bosses such as Omniphobia for their exclusive loot pool. It is unknown whether the second boss Kosis will make an appearance in Path of Exile 2. This mechanic will also have an exclusive Atlas Passive Tree.
Breach
Breaches are a tear in the fabric of space and time, which opens up a secondary layer of reality. This reality houses countless demons and otherworldly entities that must be killed for, you guessed it, their exclusive loot.
Players will often encounter Purple-reddish hands that protrude from the ground. Interacting with these hands opens an expanding and monster-spawning area that grows more for every Breach enemy killed. Breach monsters can drop all manner of rewards but also drop Breach Rings and Catalysts.
Catalysts can be used on rings and amulets to increase certain qualities of these items like Cold modifiers, Life modifiers, etc. Breach Rings are unique as these items can possess up to 50%, becoming exceptionally strong, endgame items.
Breaches will also drop Breach Splinters, which upon collecting enough will be converted into a Breachstone. Using this Breachstone in a Realmgate will open up a special encounter with a singular Breach.
Upon completing this Breach within the time limit, players can face off against the Breachlord Xesht. This is a fresh Breachlord, exclusive to Path of Exile 2, and will serve as the pinnacle encounter of this League mechanic.
As usual, Breach will have its own Atlas Passive Tree.
Expedition
The Expedition League mechanic is basically an archaeological survey turned up to eleven with undead monsters and explosives. Players will often encounter one of four NPCs standing in a field of dig site markers and explosives.
These NPCs will tell the players to plant explosives around the dig site and excavate the rewards. These dig sites are often dotted with Remnants which apply extra affixes on monsters for increased rewards.
The undead guarding these rewards will understandably have a problem with this and need to be killed again. These rewards can include anything in the core drop pool but will also include Expedition currencies.
These currencies can be spent at any of the four vendors, namely Gwennen, Tujen, Rog, and Dannig. Gwennen allows players to randomly roll for gear, while Rog offers to modify the gear they obtain from his shop, effectively crafting it at random. This crafting method, known as Rogcrafting within the community, is a good method to source early and mid-game gear.
Tujen and Dannig are much simpler as they offer a myriad of items from their shops. Tujen offers a smattering of currencies and other specialties like Skill Gems, Maps, and other League-specific rewards, which players can haggle for. Dannig on the other hand, offers currencies for the other vendors and occasionally Logbooks.
Logbooks are special items that open up a separate gameplay instance, which is effectively a large Expedition map. This encounter functions the same as the map ones, and players can often find the same rewards as well as some surprises like hidden alcoves and bosses.
Olroth is the Pinnacle boss of Expedition and can be in endgame Logbooks. The Expedition League mechanic will have its own Atlas Passive Tree, with the highly coveted Extreme Archaeology notable making its return.
Special mention
Ultimatum and The Forbidden Sanctum League mechanics are also making a return in Path of Exile 2 but not in their original format. These two mechanics have been integrated into the core systems and have become Ascension Trials. These trials are the only way to achieve Ascendancy and will be pivotal in customizing a character's gameplay style.
Bossing is also becoming a de-facto mechanic, now that Path of Exile 2 will only have a Waystone boss in one out of every four Waystones. Bossing will also have its own Atlas Passive Tree, for those who want to maximize their gains from killing them.
Furthermore, the introduction of a new Pinnacle boss is also likely to become an important factor in Bossing becoming a viable mechanic.