Path of Exile 2: 13 Essential Beginner Tips

As someone who rarely dabbles in the world of looter shooter, and has never played either Path of Exile or Diablo. I have to say, I have no idea what came over me when I decided to give Path of Exile 2 a go.

But let me tell you, I’m glad that I did, as it’s opened my eyes to how fun and addicting these games are, and even with little point of reference, I know that Path of Exile 2 is a brilliant one.

However, as someone who is a complete beginner, I know how alienating and complex the various systems are. The game does an okay job of showing you the basics, but equally, it’s not a game that holds your hand through every single interaction and encounter.

So, with that in mind, from beginner to beginner, I intend to give you some trusty tips that will help you hit the ground running.

13 Avoid Playing Hardcore Mode

Don’t be A Hero

Before you even go about creating your character and go looting and shooting. You’ll have the option to play the game on its standard difficulty or jump straight into Cruelty Mode.

If you’re a seasoned PoE veteran, then this can be a good move to keep things interesting, but if you’re a beginner, this is a death wish as the standard mode is ideal for getting to grips with new systems and mechanics, and this game has a lot of mechanics and deep systems.

Plus, due to the fact that the game is in early access and the storyline is not fully complete yet, the game will have you repeat what is available twice; only the second time will be played on Cruelty Mode anyway.

So, regardless of what you choose, you’ll have to endure the harder difficulty at some point. So, do yourself a favor and take it easy initially.

12 Pick A Class That Suits You

Six To Choose From

One of the most important initial choices you’ll make is what class to play. There are quite a few of these available, and they all have their perks and pitfalls.

Some focus on up close and personal attacks, some deal serious AOE damage, and some like to pick off enemies from a distance. So, reading each description and picking a class that works with your usual playstyle is essential.

While no class is the wrong class to choose, as each has an initial teething period, I would steer newbie players toward the Mercenary Class.

This is because this one plays most like a traditional top-down shooter character, and it is a breeze to pick up and play. Using the crossbow and backing off enemies while chucking grenades is a simple strategy to employ and is surprisingly effective.

But do experiment with all options before locking yourself into a permanent character build.

11 It’s All About Numbers

Effects & Multipliers

This will come as no surprise to those familiar with looter shooters, but in Path of Exile 2, it’s all about buffing your stats and finding buffs and synergies that work for you.

So, when you uncover a new weapon or item, you’ll want to take the time to hit the menus, look at the effects and percentages, and compare your existing gear to what is lying there on the ground because you’d be surprised how often you’ll find a decent upgrade.

Plus, you’ll want to take a look at cooldown timers, the different status effects the item offers, and if the item in question adds to your core stats.

Damage is a key stat, but damage will only get you so far, and you’ll need all the supplementary effects in place around your damage output to create an effective load out.

10 Stick To The Main Quest

Grind When You Need To

While there are opportunities to go off the beaten path and explore in the early hours of Path of Exile 2. Not to mention sprawling areas to explore, you don’t need to reveal every nook and cranny of the map.

You can get lucky and get a decent drop early in the game, but there isn’t really much point exploring areas that don’t progress the narrative, because the likelihood of a good drop from the basic enemies you’ll be fighting is exceedingly low.

Plus, a lot of the time, these areas of the map, in most instances that don’t lead to the next point of interest, don’t have anything worthwhile. You might find a chest with a Makeshift Crossbow, or a basic shield, but the juice is rarely worth the squeeze.

So, in short, always be pushing for the next quest objective, and if you really need to grind for a few new passives, you’ll always have that opportunity later down the line.

While you don’t need to reveal every tiny little area of each instance, if you happen to be in a certain area, and you have an active side quest, it’s usually worth the effort to dig a little deeper and try to do the legwork while you’re in that area.

This is because it will save you from clearing out the area in a brand new instance if you have to come back, but more importantly, it’s because a lot of these side quests give you quest items that give you permanent status buffs or give you additional passives to spend.

This will usually mean fighting some optional bosses and putting yourself in harm’s way, but that’s all part of the job as a hero.

8 Understand The Gem System

Hidden Gems Everywhere

If there’s one system you want to get your head around early on, it’s the gem system. Path of Exile 2 will allow you to pick up Uncut Skill Gems and Uncut Support Gems, which allow you to use new attacks and buff existing skills with additional support effects, respectively.

However, you need to do a lot of menuing, not to mention understand the various Gems that you are committed to crafting.

You’ll want to make decisions that help your build. So, if you have the choice to unlock or upgrade a skill that you foresee yourself using sparingly or the chance to upgrade your most-used skill to the next level, you should go with the skill you’ll get the most use out of.

These gems are mainly acquired through drops from killing enemies, and can also be earned by completing quests and unlocking chests in various instances.

They are relatively common, but don’t waste them, as everyone has a chance to add more firepower to your arsenal.

7 Choose Passives Mindfully

Endless Nodes

If you’re new to Path of Exile, one of the first things that you’ll undoubtedly find intimidating is the enormous skill tree. If you can find a game with a bigger skill tree, then kudos to you, as this one is a beast.

There are hundreds of little nodes to choose from, and this can all be too much for our little brains to handle. But, the good news is that you only have to deal with this tree one passive at a time.

Your choices can be changed at any time with a respec, so don’t panic if you make a wrong move. But, generally speaking, you’ll want to pick passives that help your build.

So, if you’re a DPS character, for example, you’ll want faster projectiles. Or if you’re a strength build, you’ll want to pour points into building that attribute. The bottom line here is to picture a final build and work mindfully towards that.

6 Constantly Upgrade Gear

There’s No Place For Sentimentality

When you pick your class and get going in Path of Exile 2, you’ll be given a decent starting weapon and some very basic armor.

From there, it’s your job to pick up the cavalcade of loot along the way and constantly trade out gear for better options. Initially, this is a no-brainer as your gear is just slightly better than running around with nothing at all, but eventually, you will come across something you really like.

My advice to you would be not to get too attached to any gear you come across, as even rare early-game items and weapons will soon become obsolete, and you may even find that standard rarity weapons offer more damage and stat value eventually.

Sentimentality has no place in this game, so check the stats, and if it’s a better piece of gear, toss your last one aside.

5 Stash Items You Don’t Need

Keep Some Aside

Now, when I say toss these items to one side, I don’t mean that literally. When back at Clearfell, you will find a chest where you can stash your gear, and it has room for a ton of stuff.

So, if you have items that you really like, you see the potential to improve with gems, or you just aren’t ready to sell, you can throw these items into the stash pile.

This is a great option if you don’t have any Scrolls of Wisdom to identify Items and can also be a great way to keep strong weapons and items that might work well if you decide to pivot to a different build as the game progresses.

4 Identify Items Before You Sell

Stock Up On Scrolls of Wisdom

Speaking of Scrolls of Wisdom, you’ll want to make use of these often, as these items are the best way to check the potential of certain items while out on a quest.

This will allow you to see the true stat value of the item, and the various effects it has to offer. Plus, Scrolls of Wisdom are found in the world rather frequently, so there’s no need to pick and choose when you use them.

Not to mention, you can buy them from Una if you’re short a few. These Scrolls are also useful when selling items you don’t need, as identifying items shows their true sell value, meaning you can get a pretty penny for the loot you find and bring back to merchants.

3 Make Use of The Hooded One

A Spooky Helper

It will take a little while for the player to work through the game’s initial quests and remove the bonds keeping the Hooded One imprisoned.

But, eventually, you will get the runes and items needed to get them back on their feet. This progresses the story, but alongside that, the player will also be able to use the Hooded One as a resource, as they have two helpful functions.

The Hooded One can identify all items in your inventory without the need to spend Scrolls of Wisdom. Plus, this NPC is able to reset your passives, allowing the player to respec their character if they so choose.

The latter is a real boon if you made some silly early decisions and can help you refine your build even further. So be sure to make the most of these actions when they become available.

2 Pick Up Anything Gold

Gold Means Good

Path of Exile 2 is a game that has an interesting world, deep systems, and a fun story. But let’s be real; the reason you’ll play this one for hours on end is for the small possibility of getting some amazing loot drops.

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of winning the loot lottery, and in this game, during the early stages, this essentially means netting yourself a rare item.

These items appear in the menus as gold text items, and if you uncover one of these items, you should always take it. It might not be a weapon you plan on using, or it might offer stats at odds with your build.

But these items have incredible sell value, and with the right gems and items, they can be reworked to offer new effects. So, at the very least, pick up and sell these items or stash them for later.

1 Instances Change The Map Layout

Everything Resets

Unlike a lot of games on the market, Path of Exile 2 is bold enough to change the map layout on the fly in an attempt to keep you on your toes. This means that when you leave an area after exploring, or you sign off and then sign back in, everything will be different thanks to you entering a new Instance.

This means that the various caves, tombs, and exits will be rearranged, all previously beaten enemies and even bosses will respawn, and all the drops and loot will be scrambled, too.

So, my tip to you would be, before leaving an area for the next, be sure you are satisfied with your level of thorough exploration, because once you leave, the process starts all over again.

Oh, and don’t expect a map to help you upon your return, because that resets too.