PoE 2 Is Moving in the Wrong Direction

Greetings to all respected players and members of the development team, if anyone from GGG happens to read this.

I would like to discuss several things that, in my opinion, are important regarding Path of Exile 2.

1) The slowing down of gameplay

Path of Exile has always been a very deep and diverse game, where people created all kinds of builds and found their own personal playstyles. Every player wants to “push their build further,” and no matter whether a build is more passive or more active, I do not think players want their gameplay to be artificially slowed down.

For some reason, GGG seems to repeatedly move in the direction of slowing gameplay down. Examples include things like repeated support gem use, which was already addressed in patches, or the later addition of sprint.

Certain class mechanics also slow builds down a lot. For example, the Monk ascendancy has meditation to restore Energy Shield, the Chayula specialization requires collecting flames, and now, in the new ascendancy, the player will apparently need to stand still while copies use abilities. For Warrior, one of the least popular ascendancies is Kitava’s Smith, where you have to forge on an anvil in the middle of combat, instead of something more classic and straightforward, like a Kitava Berserker, for example.

I also want to mention that teleportation and pet-based movement being Spirit-reserving abilities feels very strange. It is as if Leap Slam in PoE 1 reserved mana. That would feel awful. I am sure other classes also have similar mechanics that slow down gameplay.

2) The lack of pure, living, raw physical power

PoE 2 has a lot of magic. Honestly, maybe even too much. Almost every character summons something, casts something, calls spirits, uses totems, and so on. Even Warriors seem to be lacking rage, warcries, and similar raw physical mechanics.

My favorite skill gem, Flicker Strike, now works through Power Charges, which basically turns a melee striker skill into something that feels more like a mage skill. The game currently feels like it lacks enough mechanics based around rage, warcries, bleeding, and brutal physical combat.

I would really like to see more pure warrior-style archetypes in the game, such as a Berserker, an Assassin, or even a Witch Hunter who does not just cover the map with grenades and rain silver arrows with bleed effects on enemies.

Maybe this whole monologue sounds exaggerated, like I am basically saying: “Give me a Berserker with Flicker Strike, bleed, slams, endless teleportation, and blood all over the walls.” But I genuinely feel that PoE 2 is missing this kind of raw physical gameplay. There is just too much magic.

Thank you for reading.

I think this game is like magic the gathering, just here to milk money from super smart, autistic type kids.

Peak duality of player bases post here.

buddy you are late to this particular strain of whining. this post has been made thousands of times before and it'll be made thousands of times after your post.

I know what you mean. I can't find a single class that feels right for me.

If i play archer arrows don't feel physical, they feel more like green magic spell projectiles. In PoE1 you can use your bow to shoot arrows into enemies to the point they look like porcupines. In PoE2 all bow attacks feel like spells.

I love spears in literally all games except Poe2. I don't understand how they messed up spears. In Poe2 you swing your spear like a whirlwind it's beyond stupid.

There is no class fantasy, i can't choose a weapon and focus on a skill i like, instead of doing physical attacks with my weapon to hurt enemies it's always something stupid like ....oh i need to do 3 whirlwinds, then use a cooldown skill then cast like 7 twisters.

I didn't even bother to read what you wrote.. It's the same thing over and over again..................

I agree, everything feels like spells, magic. Even the warrior is a totem mage. The incoming monk class is basically a summoner that casts mirror image spells of himself.

I just started a warrior and after 20 hours on it I thought the same thing - why am I playing a caster? I tried all skill combos and playstyles (because that was the goal) and every time I'm just casting man.

Warrior is just a geomancer pretty much.