PoE 3.26 – What I Think Should Go Core (and What Shouldn’t)

I think Tier 16.5 maps are better than Tier 17 maps in terms of how annoying they are to roll — but that's about it. Personally, I don’t run Tier 17 maps because I don’t like the frustrating modifiers, so I don’t think they should go core.

I do like the new mercenaries and think they should go core, but not as a map mechanic. Instead, I think a merc of a specific type should appear in each Act and be hireable for some amount of gold. When hired, they should come with a random set of gear and skills. This avoids the frustration of hunting for the perfect merc in maps and also adds a gold sink for players who aren't using Kingsmarch.

As for the new bosses — I like them and definitely think they should go core. I’m always happy to see more endgame bosses, but I do have some feedback for a few of them:

Incarnation of Fear: Decent fight overall. If you have low DPS, sometimes too many orbs spawn and the boss stands in them, making it impossible for melee builds to reach him. Outside of that, it’s a good fight.

Incarnation of Neglect: Great fight — I really liked this one. That said, I haven’t fought it since day one, but back then the lasers were sometimes invisible. If that’s still the case, it definitely needs fixing.

Incarnation of Dread: Way too many phases. I did like the mechanic of grabbing flowers and bringing them back, but the fight just drags on too long due to all the transitions.

TL;DR: Remove Tier 16.5 maps, make mercs hireable in towns instead of as a mechanic, and definitely keep the bosses.

Thanks for reading!