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Apparently, Path of Exile 2 is much more newcomer-friendly than the prequel. That statement made me wonder how the veterans even dared to jump into this game. Now, I’m not saying that to insult Path of Exile 2 because I enjoy playing this game. However, I will admit that as a newbie, many things are rather overwhelming, but making a great build is undoubtedly the top cause of my headache.
An Honest Confession From a Path of Exile Noob
Let me make it clear that I enjoyed the time I spent playing Path of Exile 2. While I still prefer to play JRPGs, I’ve had fun exploring the dark secrets in the Wraeclast continent. That being said, combat is the main focus of this game, while the story takes a back seat. That’s not a bad thing, especially considering how great combat feels.
I initially picked the Mercenary class but soon switched to Witch since I’m curious how it would feel to command an army of minions. It’s really fun to see the undead army that you raise tear apart waves of monsters. Yet, as I started to familiarize myself with my character, the thought of creating a good build that would help me survive Path of Exile 2 end-game content arose.
Some Path of Exile 2 fans may suggest just trying things out and picking whatever catches my interest. While I don’t mind testing things myself, I still want to have rough guidelines that will help me know if I’m going the right path. Since I’m playing the Witch, I know she can later become a Bloodmage or an Infernalist. I like setting things on fire, so I’m drawn to the second ascendancy class.
A Budding Headache
I began to look around the internet, read some articles, and watch some Path of Exile 2 videos. Some info that I read is pretty straightforward. Here are the best abilities you may want to pick. Here are the passive skills you want to unlock. However, as I dug deeper the more confusing and overwhelming things became.
Besides the basic skills, you can also insert Skill Gems to add buffs or other beneficial effects. You can also embed Gems into your gear which is also understandable. Things became a bit complicated when veteran players told you to pay attention to prefixes and suffixes on your gear.
Not only that, but you also need to pay attention to your character’s attribute stats. Since I’m playing a Witch, having high Intelligence is a must, but I also need to pay attention to Dexterity and Strength. I already encountered many equipment and skills I can’t learn because I don’t have high enough attribute stats. This isn’t me complaining, but it is another thing I need to keep track of as I upgrade my character.
The passive skill tree is another beast. If you want to make a great build in Path of Exile 2, you need to know where you want to go. The problem is that the skill tree is very overwhelming and expansive. Other fans have even jokingly called it “biblically accurate,” which I wholeheartedly agree with.
I mean, have you seen how many skill nodes you can unlock? Looking at the passive tree skill screen always gives me decision paralysis. I know you can reset those skills by talking to an NPC, but you still need to spend some gold, which I don’t have much at this point.
I also need to pay attention to my Spirit allocation in Path of Exile 2. While the Witch can summon permanent minions, it requires limited resources called Spirit. That’s another level of decision I need to make. Do I want extra DPS minions, or do I want to add more meat shields to protect the Witch?
What I want to say is that Path of Exile 2 is a very deep game with a lot of mechanics. Unlike many triple-A games that like to hold your hand, this game wants its players to explore and learn things independently. Unfortunately, as a new player, there are a ton of new things that I need to grasp. I suppose I have to follow the old adage of taking one step at a time.
