The Path 2 Exile Podcast

It's a mega podcast: TalkativeTri, Lolcohol, and BlazeworksTV join us for a full pre-ExileCon hype cast, and we get into everything we think GGG might reveal.We kick things off with a look back at our favorite Early Access moments, and Rabbit finally addresses the Crimson Cast race controversy. Then we move into ExileCon: what the 1.0 league mechanic could be (including PoE2DB's Blight and Heist prediction, plus Legion, Delve, and Harvest), whether we'll see divination cards, a crafting bench, or seamless controller and keyboard swapping, and how big a surprise GGG might have in store. From there it's our Agree or Disagree game, including whether ExileCon will reveal more than one weapon and a possible second class, whether hardcore SSF is more rewarding than softcore trade, whether 0.1 was actually a better game, and whether PoE 2 is already the greatest ARPG of all time. We also react live to GGG's latest teaser, and announce that we're recording a live podcast at ExileCon with TalkativeTri.

@JorgenPOE joins the podcast this week as we dig into everything building up to ExileCon, from Path of Exile 1 patch 3.30 to what GGG might reveal for PoE 2.We start with the timing of PoE 1's patch 3.30 and how it lines up with ExileCon, then debate when GGG should ideally release patch notes. From there we get into the pre-registration debacle, the Viva La Dirt League video, and what it says about GGG's marketing. Then it's ExileCon predictions: will we get another class, and how do they compare with PoE2DB's predictions? We also talk about bringing back Labyrinth, Sanctum, and Trial of the Ancestors, wonder about a Scourge league, crafting bench, or Tainted Currency, and explain why we think corrupted zones in PoE 2 suck. We wrap up with whether PoE 2 is ready for 1.0 and a discussion of a Boss Gauntlet Mode in PoE 2

787Prada joins the podcast this week, and we take another crack at the campaign skip debate, this time with twink gear in the mix.We start off with some Korean MMO talk, then get into Prada's life outside of PoE 2 and the fallout from the Crimson Race. From there it's the main event: the campaign skip debate, twink gear edition, followed by a question that splits people fast: how many players would actually press a 200 Divine button to skip the campaign? Prada also makes the case for bringing back Realm Gates in a rant about boss friction. We look back on our favorite builds from Early Access, get into Bone Shatter tech and the "Build of the Week" curse, talk Ascendancies including Infernalist, Oracle, and the Gemling question, and debate whether Cyclone is actually going to be good. We close with the question of whether Rarity is even necessary.

We settle the biggest debate of Early Access the only fair way: a full ascendancy bracket to find out which one actually wins it all.This week's episode starts with Rabbit's birthday and some HCSSF heartbreak, then Miso's concert life and the MMO itch that comes with it. From there we get into when four month league cycles might come back, the ExileCon countdown, and what the flood of new players could mean for the game. We run through the podcast lineup and give ExileCon copium a reality check, then move on to our league mechanic wishlist (Delve, Legion, or Harvest?), our dream Divination Cards, and everything we want to see from crafting. We close with the main event: The Great Ascendancy Bracket, where we work our way through every matchup to crown the best ascendancy of Early Access.

Jazzarus joins the podcast this week as we get into the big question everyone's asking: what does PoE 2 actually need before it launches?We open with whether you can even properly prep for 1.0, get to know Jazzarus as "the wolf guy," and speculate on what the starting meta might look like once launch hits. From there we run through our favorite ascendancies and debate whether GGG should integrate more third-party tools directly into the base game. We get into why crafting still needs real work, take a hard look at the current state of the campaign, and close out with a hot take on what PoE 2 genuinely needs to launch successfully. We also go through viewer comments of the week and this week's Build of the Week.

Scorpius joins the podcast this week and makes the case that Martial Artist, not Gemling, might actually be the real S-tier ascendancy.We kick things off with the news that Timmy's Hardcore League is coming back, then get into a big-picture discussion on Endless Atlas progression and the tension between bloat and specialization in build design. From there we cover the current Sword hype (and the accompanying Dagger copium), combo gameplay, and a genuinely heated debate over Bone Shatter, Whirling Slash, and speed-tech. We talk through whether boots should just give move speed outright, our complicated feelings on Sprint, and why GGG needs to get a handle on the Cast-on-X meta. The back half is all ascendancies: ranking the ones nobody talks about, making the real case for Martial Artist over Gemling, roasting the mogged ascendancies, and closing out with a hot take on whether "perfected" builds are ruining the game.

aer0 joins the podcast this week and we get into some real talk about where the Atlas endgame still falls short.We open with aer0's take on the PoE1/PoE2 cycle and get into a genuinely interesting debate about what actually counts as a league starter, plus a deep look at how strong Disciple of Varashta really is. From there we dig into the Atlas endgame rework and why the Atlas Tree still doesn't offer much real choice, the state of the Tablet market, and some Tablet loadout and inventory gripes that have been bugging us. We also talk about whether the community has gotten too "div-per-hour" brained, run through Cities, Delirium, and Expedition, and get into why Ritual still has issues. We close out with a discussion on league fatigue and burnout, the grind to level 100, and whether anyone actually farms the game's alternative content anymore.

Dreamcore joins the podcast this week to talk through everything coming out of Gamescom and the big question looming over the game: is PoE 2 actually ready for release?We start with a Gamescom recap and dig into the new Sword and combo gameplay before getting into the bigger systemic stuff — Uber boss design, gear variance, and how gem levels stack up against caster scaling. From there we get into whether uniques or gem levels matter more right now, recent standout uniques like Constricting Command, and what lessons PoE 2 should be taking from PoE 1's approach to defenses. We also dive into the "campaign sucks" debate, campaign restrictions and respecs, crafting bench access, the ongoing Artificer's Orb shortage, and changes to Ritual, Gas Grenade, Trial of Chaos, and Expedition. We close it out with league starter recaps, a full breakdown of the new Atlas Point system, viewer comments, and this week's Build of the Week.

Fresh off qualifying for ExileCon, GuyThatDies joins the podcast to break down the campaign speedrunning meta and everything that got him there.We get into the grenades-to-Twisters swap that won him his qualifier, a full history of the campaign speedrun meta, and his ranking of the fastest league starters this patch. From there we dig into secret tech in Grenades vs. Twisters, the Earthquake twink build, and why nobody ascends early when speedrunning. Guy also gets into the debate around race rules, permadeath, RNG, and freezing balance changes before ExileCon, plus his advice for casual players who just want faster campaign clears. We round it out with balance talk on Pounce and Wolf Form's dodge-roll exploit, a hot take on complaining vs. just playing the game, and this week's Build of the Week featuring Orb of Storms and Plasma Blast.

Patch 0.5.5 is finally here... and there's a LOT to talk about.

In Episode 58 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we break down everything revealed in Patch 0.5.5, discussing what we think GGG absolutely nailed, where the update fell short, and what it means for the future of Path of Exile 2.

Rabbit also shares his experience attending Gamescom 2026, giving us some behind-the-scenes insight into the event before we dive into the patch itself.

We spend a good portion of the episode discussing the highlights of Patch 0.5.5, followed by an equally in-depth conversation about the parts of the update that left us disappointed. We also put on our tinfoil hats to discuss whether GGG originally planned to reveal Swords during the livestream, or if the Gamescom leak may have changed their plans.

From there, we speculate about the future of Path of Exile 2, including whether Swords and the Duelist will be the only new additions at Version 1.0, discuss Mark's recent comments on the state of Tablets, share our first impressions of Swords and the Duelist, and finish with a deep dive into one of the most iconic melee skills in ARPG history—Cyclone.

Path of Exile 2 is heading to Gamescom 2026, and with a new reveal on the horizon, the big question is: what exactly is GGG going to show us?In Episode 57 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we're joined by Lolcohol and BlazeworksTV to make our predictions for the upcoming Gamescom reveal and discuss what could be next for Path of Exile 2 as we move beyond Patch 0.5.Before getting into our Gamescom predictions, we catch up with Lolcohol and talk about his recent challenge runs, how we approach PoE build guide formats, and the huge variety of league mechanics that Path of Exile has accumulated over the years. We also discuss Mirage and the new Wisp Strongbox mechanic — including whether it's strong enough that a nerf is inevitable.We then look back at Patch 0.5 and the current state of crafting, including the removal of Omen of Corruption and how crafting has evolved throughout the patch.From there, it's prediction time. We discuss what we think GGG could reveal at Gamescom 2026, what we want to see from Patch 0.5.5, and where Path of Exile 2 could be heading as we get closer to its eventual full release.Finally, we tackle two major endgame discussions: whether the Level 100 grind is too difficult in PoE 2 and our biggest problems with the current implementation of Expedition.

How do experienced Path of Exile 2 players actually make their own builds? Where do they start, what do they prioritize, and how do they know when a build is "finished?"In Episode 56 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we're joined by @FunkehChicken, one of the most respected build creators in the Path of Exile 2 community, to dive deep into the process behind making successful builds.We kick things off by discussing our recent experiences in Hardcore, Trade, and Solo Self-Found, including whether Async Trade has ultimately been a positive addition to PoE 2 and how our first Hardcore deaths have shaped the way we approach the game.The heart of the episode focuses on build creation. We discuss how we actually design our builds from the ground up, the differences between creating builds for Softcore versus Hardcore, what players should realistically expect from a "budget build," and the constant balancing act between maximizing damage and investing in defenses.We also talk about the unique challenges of creating build guides in Hardcore, why communication can sometimes be one of the hardest parts of content creation, react to community hot takes, and finish with another round of Comments of the Week.

In Episode 55 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we're joined by @Timmy_P_onTwitch to talk all about Timmy's Hardcore (THC) League, Hardcore, Solo Self-Found, and how these different ways of playing can completely change your experience with POE 2.We catch up with Timmy and discuss the idea behind THC League, what makes Hardcore exciting, and why everyone approaches Hardcore differently. We also talk about Miso's recent experiences playing PoE 1 and HCSSF, and how removing trade changes the way you think about progression.A big part of the discussion revolves around Solo Self-Found and item progression. When you can't simply buy the gear or upgrades you need, ground loot suddenly becomes much more meaningful. However, that also exposes some of the weaknesses of SSF progression, including how scarce important early-game resources like Runes can feel.Later, we get into the current state of Leech and Ascendancy balance, before looking ahead to Patch 0.5.5 and discussing our predictions, wishlist, and what we'd like to see GGG address with the next update.

Has Path of Exile 2 become more about gambling than grinding?In Episode 54 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we're joined by @Redvilespoe to discuss whether Path of Exile 2 is starting to feel like a casino, with more and more systems revolving around RNG and high-risk, high-reward mechanics.We also cover the recent Atlas Master nerfs, the new crafting augments, inflation and RMT, the POE 1 & POE 2 league cycle, leveling to 100, and much more.

Has Patch 0.5 finally fixed Item Rarity... or is it still one of POE 2's biggest problems?In Episode 53 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we're joined by @snoobae8553 to discuss the current state of Item Rarity in Patch 0.5 and whether Grinding Gear Games has found the right balance.We also dive into Patch 0.5 as a whole, Temple, Expedition's permanent boons, update cadence, the POE 1 & POE 2 development cycle, and what we'd like to see moving forward.

Is Mageblood too strong for Path of Exile 2—or is it exactly what a chase unique should be?

In Episode 52 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we celebrate our 1-year anniversary by diving into one of the biggest design debates in POE 2: Mageblood. Is it unhealthy for the game, or is it the perfect example of what a pinnacle chase item should look like?

We also discuss our build-making philosophies, Timmy's Hardcore league, the impact of Jewels on build diversity, gem level scaling, and showcase this week's favorite builds.

Has GGG gone too far with Divine Orb drop rates in Patch 0.5?In Episode 51 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we're joined by xTheFarmerX to discuss one of the biggest debates in the current league: the massive increase in Divine Orb drops and whether it's actually healthy for Path of Exile 2's long-term economy.We also dive into Expedition, boss farming, the current Atlas Passive Tree, performance issues, and our wishlist for Patch 0.5.5.

In Episode 50 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we're joined by @anime.princess to discuss one of the hottest topics in Patch 0.5: the rarity of Lineage Support Gems. We also dive into Runeforging, Jewels, Gemling Legionnaire, gem level scaling, leech, crafting, and what actually makes a good build in Path of Exile 2.Along the way, we share stories from our own league experiences, discuss the current farming meta, and compare POE 2's systems to other ARPGs.

In Episode 49 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we're joined by Fubgun to discuss the current state of the league, why it feels like there are profitable farming strategies everywhere, and how the recent Atlas changes have completely reshaped the endgame.

From Atlas Masters and Expedition to Cities, Tablets, creator influence, and the evolving farming meta, we dive into why so many players are having success making currency this league—and what still needs improvement.

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Has Path of Exile 2 finally surpassed Path of Exile 1?In Episode 48 of The Path 2 Exile Podcast, we're joined by @GhazzyTV to discuss the current state of Patch 0.5, the evolution of POE 2's endgame, and whether the game has reached a point where it can genuinely compete with—or even surpass—POE 1.We dive into minions, crafting, Ritual, Breach, weekly patch cadence, Runic Ward, event leagues, and some of the biggest topics currently shaping the future of Path of Exile.