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If you’re coming from POE1 thinking you’ll smash through the story and be in maps in no time, you’re in for a surprise. Path of Exile 2 takes a very different pace – slower, more deliberate, and a lot more punishing. You move through the acts with purpose now, not just racing ahead. Bosses hit harder, mobs feel more dangerous, and even early fights demand you pay attention. It’s less of a sprint and more of a long trek where each step matters. You’ll quickly realise that keeping your character alive often means planning ahead, and managing things like PoE 2 Currency is part of that right from the beginning. Bosses That Make You Think Twice
Gone are the days when act bosses were just a speed bump. In POE2 these fights feel like actual tests – of your build, your timing, your ability to read what’s going on. You can’t just over-level and faceroll. You’ll end up learning attack patterns, dodging big hits, and waiting out dangerous phases. Sometimes you’ll lose a fight, go back, tweak your gear or skill setup, and try again. These battles gate key gems and gear upgrades, so skipping them isn’t an option. When you beat one, it genuinely feels like you earned it. That shift adds a lot of weight to the campaign. Gear and Gold – Early Priorities
In POE1, you could cruise through early levels without much thought for gear. Not here. Even the first areas can punish sloppy equipment choices. You’ll want to grab solid bases when they drop, throw a few crafting currencies into them, and push your resistances up fast. Gold changes things too – it’s not just a vendor thing now, it’s tied into progression. Sometimes spending gold on that one upgrade keeps your run alive. The game rewards paying attention to your kit from level one. Treat every item drop like it could be the one that carries you through the next fight. Build Planning – Narrow and Flexible
The socket-on-gem system flips old POE thinking on its head. You’re not chasing a perfect 6-link armour anymore; instead you’re hunting those multi-socket gems that can become the core of your build. Stick to one or two main skills and push them hard with the right supports and passives. Have enough single-target for bosses and decent AoE for zones, but don’t waste resources spreading too thin. That said, POE2 will sometimes push you to adapt – a boss mechanic might make you swap in a utility skill or change supports – and being flexible without losing focus is part of the challenge. Just remember, even the strongest build needs decent gear and capped resists to survive, so keeping an eye on upgrades and managing cheap poe 2 currency is as important as any passive tree choice.
Gone are the days when act bosses were just a speed bump. In POE2 these fights feel like actual tests – of your build, your timing, your ability to read what’s going on. You can’t just over-level and faceroll. You’ll end up learning attack patterns, dodging big hits, and waiting out dangerous phases. Sometimes you’ll lose a fight, go back, tweak your gear or skill setup, and try again. These battles gate key gems and gear upgrades, so skipping them isn’t an option. When you beat one, it genuinely feels like you earned it. That shift adds a lot of weight to the campaign. Gear and Gold – Early Priorities
In POE1, you could cruise through early levels without much thought for gear. Not here. Even the first areas can punish sloppy equipment choices. You’ll want to grab solid bases when they drop, throw a few crafting currencies into them, and push your resistances up fast. Gold changes things too – it’s not just a vendor thing now, it’s tied into progression. Sometimes spending gold on that one upgrade keeps your run alive. The game rewards paying attention to your kit from level one. Treat every item drop like it could be the one that carries you through the next fight. Build Planning – Narrow and Flexible
The socket-on-gem system flips old POE thinking on its head. You’re not chasing a perfect 6-link armour anymore; instead you’re hunting those multi-socket gems that can become the core of your build. Stick to one or two main skills and push them hard with the right supports and passives. Have enough single-target for bosses and decent AoE for zones, but don’t waste resources spreading too thin. That said, POE2 will sometimes push you to adapt – a boss mechanic might make you swap in a utility skill or change supports – and being flexible without losing focus is part of the challenge. Just remember, even the strongest build needs decent gear and capped resists to survive, so keeping an eye on upgrades and managing cheap poe 2 currency is as important as any passive tree choice.