Path Of Exile 2 Dawn Of The Hunt League Will Make Huge Changes To Players’ Quality Of Life In Patch 0.2.0h!

Exiles, while we await Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0, the developers have announced a major endgame update for the game next week: patch 0.3.1.

The developers have announced some significant changes in Path of Exile 2 patch 0.4.0, but before that, they'll need to iterate on some of the mechanics changes in the current patch before moving on to 0.4.0. Patch 0.3.1 serves as a crucial transitional step.

Alchemy Orbs Upgrade

The 0.3.1 update focuses almost entirely on endgame changes, with the sole exception of a change to Alchemy Orbs. Because of the new tiered core currency system introduced in Path of Exile 2's 0.3.0 patch, Alchemy Orbs are significantly less valuable than they once were. To maintain their usefulness, the developers now allow you to use Alchemy Orbs to upgrade Magic items to Rare items, but that's it.

Map Bosses

The coolest thing about this is that each map now contains a boss, each with varying difficulty levels. To complete an Atlas, you only need to defeat Map Boss, not any Rare monsters, and then you can explore the rest of Atlas as you please.

Also, to maintain the challenge of bosses, the icon that previously indicated the presence of a Map Boss now indicates the level and difficulty of Map Boss in that area. Of course, the rewards dropped by the boss will scale with its difficulty.

Removing Towers And Replacing Them With Tablets

They're also working on improving the basic mapping experience through other means, ensuring that each map contains at least one to three additional content, such as Breach, Ritual, Expedition, and so on. You can now add content directly to your map using Tablets.

This introduces another major change coming to PoE 2 in patch 0.3.1: Towers will no longer exist after the update.

That's right, next week Towers mechanic will be gone, replaced by Tablets. You simply plug them into your map device along with your Waystones, and use them to apply your desired content to your map.

This is essentially the return of Scarab system from Path of Exile 1 to PoE 2 in the form of Tablets, something many players have been looking for in the endgame, giving us greater control over the types of content we choose to play.

Thank you to the developers for finally implementing this feature in 0.3.1, rather than waiting until the 0.4.0 patch in December.

However, I still want to point out that Towers aren't completely gone, only their Tablets. Towers still exist in principle, and you can pick up Precursor Tablets from them to enhance your map, and use them to expand your vision so you can continue scouting Atlas.

They've also added a number of new modifiers to Tablets, making them more interesting. Since they're now our primary way to enhance maps, we can modify them on a map-by-map basis, rather than targeting multiple maps within a certain area.

Some of these modifiers are quite interesting, especially those for summoners, like Summoning Circle, which is key to summoning the map boss.

Furthermore, Exiled modifier is incredibly powerful, allowing you to mix and match an additional Rogue Exile with Abyss, hopefully earning even more Heart of the Well Diamonds. These unique jewels sell well on the market, helping you earn a ton of PoE 2 currency in a short amount of time!

Reducing The Size Of 15 Maps

Another major change: Mapping times were deemed too long, so they've reduced the size of Path of Exile 2's 15 largest maps. Here's a list of them:

• Augury
• Bastille
• Blooming Field
• Channel
• Epitaph
• Fortress
• Grimhaven
• Hidden Grotto
• Oasis
• Penitentiary
• Rupture
• Savannah
• Slick
• Vaal City
• Wetlands
• Monster Density Adjustments

At the same time, they've also adjusted the monster density within the maps. Since monster swarms in Tier 1 maps are now over 40% larger than in the previous Interludes, if your build isn't designed to handle large swarms, you might wind up getting overwhelmed by them.

Being overwhelmed by monsters was a common complaint among players during the endgame. To address this, the developers have decided to reduce the number of monsters at the start of the endgame by 30%, with the number scaling based on the map's level.

As you level up, the number of monsters increases, reaching the same level as before at Tier 15. This increases the difficulty variance between map tiers, but also allows you to find the best location for your PoE 2 currency farming needs at each stage.

Increased Citadel Spawn Rate

It's important to note that this update increases the spawn rate of Citadels by 66%. This is because many players in Rise of the Abyssal League have been complaining about their inability to encounter Citadels. Some players have even reached level 94 before encountering a group of Citadels. This issue with the random number generator (RNG) has caused widespread community outcry.

While this update makes Citadel encounters more predictable, honestly, it might not be enough.

Finally, it's important to note that these aren't all the changes coming in next week's patch 0.3.1; more changes are coming soon. Overall, exiles, I'm very excited to see this patch arrive, and I think many of the changes within it will push Path of Exile 2 in a positive direction.

In any case, ideally, the successful release of patch 0.3.1 will also bring 0.4.0 one step closer! If you're looking to boost your in-game prowess after this update, head over to POECurrency.com to buy POE currency at a fraction of the price and dominate Wraeclast today!

Fellow gaming enthusiasts, Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2025, Japan's largest gaming event, has attracted millions of viewers, and numerous live game broadcasts will be available right before your eyes during the event!

This year's Tokyo Game Show runs from Thursday, September 25th to Sunday, September 28th. The theme is "Unlimited, Neverending Playground," reflecting their vision of bringing together players and creators from around the world to create a borderless arena. The theme of the latest Path Of Exile 2 Rise of the Abyssal League aligns perfectly with this concept.

As a classic game with over a decade of experience in the dark action RPG genre, Path Of Exile has always been a popular attraction at several offline game shows.

At Gamescom 2025, Path of Exile 2 launched its Boss Rush event, earning countless praise from players for its complex skill system, upgraded graphics, and addictive boss loop. It's no surprise, then, that the developers, striking while the iron is hot, are participating in TGS 2025 at Makuhari Messe, offering a prime opportunity to promote the new league.

Boss Rush Event Overview

During Tokyo Game Show 2025, a Boss Rush challenge will be held at Path of Exile 2 booth, testing your reflexes.

During the event, 15 powerful bosses, drawn from across the game's various chapters, will attack one after another, with the goal of defeating as many as possible within 20 minutes.

Participants will be asked to choose from seven pre-set characters with fixed attributes, skills, and equipment. They will then have 20 minutes to defeat as many of 15 bosses as possible. These bosses are powerful opponents drawn from all four current Path of Exile 2 Acts.

It's worth noting that this event's difficulty level is likely to be on par with, or even higher than, Path of Exile 2's toughest Pinnacle Boss. However, players won't be able to use their best endgame builds to get an advantage. This means you can no longer spend PoE 2 currency to quickly power up your character to defeat the boss. All you have to rely on are skill and strategy! Pre-built characters will be a true test of your skill, adaptability, and reflexes.

Simply put, the faster you complete this desperate fight, the higher you'll rank on Boss Rush challenge leaderboard. Everyone in attendance can actively participate, and a live leaderboard above the event booth will display the top-scoring Exiles.

Where there's competition, there's reward! Top-ranked players will not only have a chance to win exclusive prizes only available at this event, but also enjoy the glory of being on the leaderboard! Even players who don't win merchandise will still have bragging rights.

However, the developers haven't yet announced any Boss Rush event rewards; the focus is on real-world rewards and exposure.

Because TGS hosts daily 1v1 Boss Rush duels for invited streamers and content creators, and these head-to-head matches follow the same rules, it's a great opportunity to boost your stream's popularity!

Boss Mechanics

As we mentioned earlier, Boss Rush challenge at Tokyo Game Show 2025 features 15 consecutive boss battles drawn from various PoE 2 Acts.

For hardcore PoE players familiar with boss mechanics, clearing all of them in under 20 minutes might not seem like a challenge. However, it seems the developers are confident that only a handful of players will be able to defeat all 15.

I suspect this is not only because of the high difficulty, but also because many of the bosses are new in patch 0.3.0. Many of the bosses in the challenge have never been publicly revealed, giving players a sneak peek at upcoming content, forcing participants to grapple with unfamiliar mechanics.

Each battle begins when a timer starts, and players move directly from one boss arena to the next without downtime. Before each boss appears, a small group of monsters spawns, allowing players to test their skills. Then, the boss itself appears. Players can defeat the boss an unlimited number of times within the timer before continuing. Defeating a boss immediately opens the portal to the next arena.

Notably, the bosses increase in difficulty as you progress through the challenge. Each subsequent boss is higher level than the previous one. These 15 unique bosses cover the early to late stages of the campaign. Once the 20-minute timer expires or all bosses are defeated, your challenge ends.

How To Prepare?

To rank high in this competitive Boss Rush event and win coveted exclusive rewards, you'll need to be well prepared.

Master All Boss Strategies From Acts 1-4

Also, currently, all 15 bosses in Boss Rush are from the current Acts 1-4. This means you must have fought every boss in the current campaign and mastered all the strategies for dealing with these encounters to help you smoothly complete the challenge without being caught off guard by unknown risks.

Practice Continuously

Because this event differs from regular PoE 2 battles, it's a series of strictly timed encounters. Killing enemies and clearing the map is faster and more challenging, and there's no rest period between battles. Any time you re-enter a fight counts against your time, so mastering your skills is absolutely crucial to victory.

Especially if you waste time adjusting your skill rotation or getting caught in a boss trap, your opponent could already be several bosses ahead of you!

Develop Meta Strategy

While you won't be able to spend the vast sums of POE 2 currency and countless hours crafting your character's gear, gems, and passive skills in this challenge like you would in regular games, understanding the synergies between each skill and how to maximize their potential can still help you turn defeat into victory in crucial moments. Good tactical strategy is always the foundation of victory!

Regardless, the goal of this POE 2 Boss Rush event is to encourage every player to showcase their competitive talent. You'll be able to completely abandon your reliance on equipment and win with your own strategy and ingenuity!

Even if you can't make it to POE 2 Boss Rush event, you can still follow the participants' live streams online and start your own campaign. As long as you're willing to invest enough currency to craft a good build, you can also experience the exhilarating boss-killing experience. If you don't have enough currency, the large amount of POE 2 currency for sale on POECurrency.com will definitely meet your needs!

Path of Exile 2 Act 4 adds several new major bosses, one of which is Benedictus, First Herald of Utopia. A member of Twilight Order, Benedictus possesses devastating ranged and area-of-effect attacks, can hurl boulders, and create deadly mazes, making this boss encounter a real test of your survivability!

But don't worry, because here we'll show you how to defeat Benedictus, First Herald of Utopia. We'll teach you how to approach him at the right time, which attacks and techniques are most effective, and how to survive his area-of-effect damage - or, more accurately, how to escape his maze!

Be extremely careful, as even a single mistake against Benedictus can mean your chances of survival are virtually non-existent!

Boss Location

Benedictus is located at the end of The Excavation map, after the island of Arastas. You can't miss him, as he's a key part of the storyline and clearly visible on the map. You must defeat him to access the forge, where you can craft the three weapon fragments you need to defeat The Beast.

However, since all Path of Exile 2 maps are randomly generated, you might find Benedictus in different locations. Keep looking!

Boss Battles

Upon entering the arena, Benedictus, First Herald of Utopia, will teleport to the center and begin the fight.

Phase 1

In Phase 1, his basic attacks are easily dodged, so the main strategy is to wait for him to cast spells and then counterattack.

His first attack is released when he shouts "Lash!" Benedictus fires a fireball with his staff, allowing you to counterattack for significant damage.

Another attack that deals significant damage is when he says, "We rise... You fall!", causing lightning to strike your location. However, you can avoid this attack by staying on the move and moving away from your current position.

Another attack to watch out for is when he says, "The Savior is pure... you are vile!" or "Behold the power of truth." Giant rocks will appear floating above the arena and then naturally fall. The landing point will be marked by lightning, making it easy to spot. They will then immediately descend, dealing physical and lightning damage.

Physical and lightning damage are the primary damage dealt in this boss fight, so if your resistances seem a bit low, you'll need to boost them. It's recommended to spend PoE 2 currency to add a Storm Rune to your chest armor to increase your resistances. This will help prevent you from being killed by Benedictus's powerful lightning laser.

However, this attack isn't over yet, as a rocky mountain will appear at the landing point. If you get too close, a bolt of lightning will strike the rocks, causing them to explode. This attack can be extremely lethal, so stay away.

When Benedictus's health bar is reduced to around 60%, he'll say, "Divinity holds you in its lie... Let go! Be free!" or "Your Corpse will feed the new tomorrow." He'll then teleport to the center of the arena and levitate, channeling energy for his next attack. A lightning blast will cover most of the arena. He's now invincible, so any previously applied damage will be lost.

To survive this attack, you need to head to the center of the map, underneath Benedictus, as that's the only place you're safe from the shockwave. Failing to do this will probably result in your death.

If you survive, you'll find a maze has appeared. This part is tricky, as you'll need to find the exit and escape quickly.

Phase 2

Again, be quick. Benedictus will then destroy the maze, and if you still haven't escaped, you'll likely die.

If you manage to escape, continue damaging him until his health is reduced to 50%. Phase 2 begins here.

At this point, Benedictus will say, "Utopia awaits, whether you like it or not." Two massive pillars will fall, shrinking the arena's size, meaning you now have even less room to escape.

The boss will then launch a new attack: "Die in a pit of lies!" Honestly, it's very similar to Emperor Palpatine's signature attack, except it ends with a massive bolt of lightning. So, avoid it at all costs.

Another new attack is when Benedictus says, "Suffer!", where he summons a massive rock to smash into you.

Soon after, the boss will again say, "Divinity holds you in its lie... Let go! Be free!" or "Your Corpse will feed the new tomorrow." This time, he'll walk to the edge of the map. You'll need to run to where he is and stand beneath him. He'll create another maze, but this time, it's much larger.

So, run out of the maze as quickly as possible and wait for him to destroy it. After the maze explodes, return to where he was. I recommend staying nearby and following the same pattern of his attacking, dodging, and counterattacking. Remember, don't be afraid to use your flasks, especially life flasks.

Once you've dealt him a critical blow, he'll call out to Countess, telling her to leave and offering to sacrifice himself and bury everything.

At this point, Tavakai will suddenly attack him, preventing Benedictus from doing so. A brief conversation ensues, and after Tavakai kills Kanu, you'll receive loot and eventually instructions to enter The Excavation, where you can craft weapons.

This concludes the fight against Benedictus, First Herald of Utopia boss in PoE 2! Escaping the maze is almost iconic in this encounter, but if you don't want the awkwardness of running around, dealing with Benedictus might be a bit tricky!

Exiles, it's truly disappointing that Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.3.0 doesn't include all subsequent Acts 4–6. But fortunately, in order to quell players' complaints, the developers not only launched the basic Act 4, but also added 3 new Interludes to allow players to continuously advance the campaign and reach the level required for the endgame content.

In addition to offering powerful bosses and additional story quests, the new campaign content also offers bonus drops of additional skill points and character stat boosts. These rewards are crucial for your character development. So, let's take a look at all the permanent stat boosts you can earn from Acts 1–4.

Act 1

Starting from Act 1, the first attribute bonus is located in Clearfell. Find Beira of the Rotten Pack and defeat her to gain an additional 10% Freeze Resistance.

The second is The Crowbell in Hunting Grounds. Defeating this boss grants two weapon passive skill points.

Next, travel to Freythorn, connected to Hunting Grounds. There, after completing several rituals, we'll fight The King in the Mists Pinnacle boss for an additional 30 maximum Spirit.

After defeating The King in the Mists, travel to Ogham Farmlands and find Una's Home. Inside, you'll find Una's Lute Box. Open it, loot Una's Lute, and return it to Una in town. Completing The Lost Lute quest grants two weapon passive skill points.

Next, if this is your first character in Rise of the Abyssal League, to unlock Salvage Bench, you'll need to find Renley's Tools in Ogham Village. Finally, on the first floor of Ogham Manor, find and defeat Candlemass to gain 20 maximum life. Note that Candlemass usually appears after the first walkway, but in rare cases, it can appear earlier.

Act 2

Entering Act 2, starting in Keth, you have two objectives. The first is to defeat Kabala, The Constrictor Queen, to gain two weapon passive skill points.

Afterward, in the same area, defeat as many enemies as possible to find Kabala Clan Relic. If you don't find the relic in Keth, continue on, as it can also drop in The Lost City or Buried Shrines.

Similarly, in Mastodon Badlands or The Bone Pits, defeat enemies until you find Sun Clan Relic.

After obtaining the two relics in Valley of the Titans, open three Ancient Seals and look for a waypoint with a nearby Relic Altar. Place the relics you found in the Relic Altar to gain a Charm Slot and choose between gaining 30% increased Charm Charge or extending Charm's duration by 30%.

If you want to change the buff later, you can always return to Altar and select a different option.

Next, travel to Deshar and find and interact with Fallen Dekhara to receive Final Letter. Return Final Letter to Shambrin in town to receive two weapon passive skill points.

Finally, find and interact with Sisters of Garukhan Shrine to gain 10% Lightning Resistance.

Act 3

Now, moving on to Act 3, we'll begin in Jungle Ruins, finding and defeating Mighty Silverfist to gain two passive skill points. Mighty Silverfist is a boss with powerful physical damage, especially his slams and rolling abilities, which are particularly deadly if your character has low armor. So before you begin, don't forget to spend some POE 2 Currency to boost your defenses.

Afterwards, in the same area, find the entrance to The Venom Crypts near the waypoint. Once inside, look for an interactable corpse to obtain a Corpse-Snake Venom. Return the venom to town and choose to increase your stun threshold by 25%, your elemental ailments threshold by 30%, or your health regeneration rate by 25%. Note that this decision is permanent and cannot be changed.

Next, in The Azak Bog, find and defeat Ignagduk, The Bog Witch, to obtain Gemrot Skull, which increases your maximum Spirit by an additional 30.

Then head to Jiquani's Machinarium to find an additional Small Soul Core to unlock Blackjaw, Remnant boss. Defeat Blackjaw and consume Flame Core to gain an additional 10% fire resistance.

If you're starting Act 3 for the first time, continue to The Molten Vault, defeat Mektul, the Forgemaster, obtain Hammer of Kamasa, and return it to Oswald in town to unlock Reforging Bench.

Finally, enter Aggorat through Utzaal and defeat stronger enemies to obtain a Sacrificial Heart. Then, in the upper right corner of Aggorat, find an altar and a Sacrificial Dagger. Pick up the dagger, place a Sacrificial Heart, and then stab the dagger to gain two skill points.

Act 4

Enter Act 4, sail to The Isle of Kin, and defeat Blind Beast to gain two passive skill points. To complete the level faster, it's recommended to find and access Voltaxic Spire and buff your character with Sulphite Intoxication, increasing movement speed, elemental resistance, and most importantly, damage.

Also in The Isle of Kin, you'll find a fossilized formation of Lesser Jeweler's Orb. Killing the rare beast here will grant you an Uncut Support Gem.

Continue to Boat Charter and search for the secret of Abandoned Ship. Open a rare chest and receive another Lesser Jeweler's Orb.

Next, in Abandoned Prison, kill monsters until you find Chapel Key. Use the key to interact with Goddess of Justice, who will give you the option to flask for either 30% increased health regeneration or 30% increased mana regeneration. Again, if you want to change your choice later, you can always return to the altar and select a different option.

Afterwards, in Eye of Hinekora near the end of the area, find Silent Hall and pay your respects to receive an additional 5% maximum mana.

Then, in the next area, The Halls of the Dead, find and defeat waves of enemies. Upon completion, you'll be rewarded with a consumable Tattoo, which grants 5 Strength or 5% Fire Resistance, 5 Dexterity or 5% Lightning Resistance, and 5 Intelligence or 5% Cold Resistance.

Continue through Halls of the Dead and search for Yama, the White. After defeating the boss, proceed to Trial of the Ancestors and speak with Navali at the top of the area to gain 2 Weapon Passive Skill Points.

Finally, after escaping the ambush and heading to Arastas, before speaking with Torvian, Hand of the Savior, look for Morning and Evening Bells, which will reward you with three PoE 2 Regal Orbs and three Exalted Orbs. Morning Bell is in the town square, and Evening Bell is on the cliffside.

Anyway, these are the locations and methods for all the permanent buffs currently available for characters in 4 Acts campaign. If you've completed all the necessary main quests, these are your next targets! Hurry and make your character even more powerful!