Passive Tree Loadout System for Bossing vs. Clearing

[QoL Suggestion] Passive Tree Loadout System: Supporting Build Diversity Between Bossing and Mapping

Dear Grinding Gear Games Development Team,
I really love your craft, and I am writing to respectfully suggest a significant quality-of-life improvement for Path of Exile 2 that I believe would greatly enhance player experience, build diversity, and engagement with high-end content: a Passive Skill Tree Loadout System.
1. The Current Challenge & The Need
The core of Path of Exile is deep character customization, anchored by the Passive Skill Tree. However, as builds often need vastly different allocations to succeed in distinct gameplay scenarios—specifically, high-speed Map Clearing versus focused Single-Target Bossing—players are currently faced with a prohibitive choice:
* Sub-Optimal Specialization: Design a single build that performs adequately (but not excellently) in both roles.
* High Respec Cost/Friction: Frequently respec the entire Passive Tree, a process that is time-consuming and requires significant investment in Orbs of Regret.
A Loadout System would mitigate this friction, encouraging players to explore specific build optimizations without demanding an undue time or currency cost for role-switching.
2. Proposed Solution: The Loadout System
I propose a system that allows players to save and quickly swap between multiple pre-allocated Passive Skill Trees (PSTs).
Key Features:
* Loadout Slots: Each character would be granted a minimum of two (2) Loadout Slots for the Passive Skill Tree.
* Loadout A: Typically dedicated to Map Clearing/Speed Farming.
* Loadout B: Dedicated to Bossing/Single-Target Encounters.
* Initial Allocation: When a Loadout Slot is unlocked or first activated, the player must fully allocate all desired passive points and pay the standard cost for all associated skill points, exactly as they would for a primary tree.
* Switching Mechanism: Switching between saved Loadouts can only occur at a designated safe zone, such as a "Loadout Nexus" within the player's Hideout, or possibly upon entering town after completing a map. Crucially, this switch must not be possible during active combat, within a Map instance, or inside a Boss Arena.
Potential Trade-offs/Costs for Balance:
To ensure this remains an important, considered choice rather than a spam-able ability, GGG could introduce a reasonable constraint:
* Currency Cost: A small, fixed fee of a specific in-game currency (e.g., Orbs of Regret or a new specialized currency) to activate a Loadout switch.
* Cooldown: A moderate global cooldown (e.g., 5-10 minutes) after a switch is performed.
3. Benefits to the Game
Implementing this system would provide numerous benefits:
* Promotes Boss Engagement: Players would be far more willing to attempt difficult, high-reward boss encounters if they can specialize their character for the fight with low friction.
* Respects Player Time: It preserves the strategic depth of the Passive Tree (as points still need to be earned and allocated) while respecting the time investment of dedicated players.
* Encourages Build Exploration: It lowers the barrier to entry for experimenting with different playstyles within the same character framework.
Thank you for considering this suggestion. I am very excited for the future of Path of Exile 2 and appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback.
Sincerely,
[Yyessem / Lambrrrt#7996]