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Path of Exile 2 has been steadily revealing a series of upcoming changes in patch 0.2.0, and if you haven’t been keeping up with the latest teases, now’s the time to catch up. This patch introduces new support gems, changes to in-game mapping, and some updates that are stirring up discussions in the community. Let’s break down everything we know so far, including a potentially controversial change to map clearing requirements.

New Support Gems and Their Impact on the Meta

One of the most exciting updates in 0.2.0 is the introduction of new support gems, some of which significantly alter how certain damage types and playstyles function. Grinding Gear Games (GGG) appears to be targeting underused mechanics to make them more viable. Here’s a look at some of the key additions:

  · Non-Elemental Damage Over Time Support Gem: This gem is specifically designed for non-elemental DoT effects like Contagion. It introduces an Energy Shield cost based on Intelligence, scaling damage in a multiplicative manner instead of additive. The damage increases by 8% per 100 Intelligence.

  · Volcanic Eruption Support: This gem causes supported skills to trigger a volcanic eruption upon hitting ignited enemies. The animation resembles Molten Strike blasts and could enable new attack speed-based builds.

  · Extra Cold Damage Support: If a supported skill would gain extra damage from any source, it converts that damage to Cold instead. This could allow for easier cold conversion builds without requiring specific unique Path Of Exile 2 items.

  · Life Flask Bleeding Support: Converts 20% of Life Flask charges into increased magnitude of bleeding, making flask management an essential part of high-DPS bleed builds.

  · Elemental Infliction Support: This gem increases the magnitude of elements inflicted by a supported skill if you are afflicted by that element yourself. When you apply that element to an enemy, it removes it from you. A prime synergy example would be with Doryani’s Prototype, which shocks the user and could now allow you to inflict your own shock onto enemies at a higher magnitude.

With the addition of these gems, Path of Exile 2 continues expanding its skill customization system, ensuring that different playstyles and damage types remain viable. More support gems will likely arrive in future patches as the developers introduce new weapon categories and class archetypes.

Path of Exile 2’s Evolving Meta and Class Popularity

GGG also shared some interesting insights into the meta of Path of Exile 2. According to a snapshot taken from February 18th to 25th, the most played classes in the game are:

  · Invoker

  · Storm Weaver

  · Infernal

This data suggests that Ice Strike Monk and Spark Monk are among the most popular builds. These three classes alone account for over half of the player base. The snapshot also revealed some surprising statistics:

  · Over 900 billion gold has been dropped, with players accumulating 1.5 million gold per second.

  · The average player level is 75, while the median is 89—indicating that more players are progressing through the campaign compared to Path of Exile 1, where many players stall out early.

  · 14.5 million player deaths have occurred, showing just how punishing the game remains, even for experienced players.

GGG's sharing of meta statistics suggests that they are closely monitoring class balance and may tweak weaker classes or abilities in future patches.

Tower Maps and the Controversial Mapping Changes

Perhaps the most contentious change in patch 0.2.0 revolves around tower maps and how they will function in the endgame. The update allows all content, including bosses, to spawn within towers. However, the crucial change is this:

Towers will have the same clear requirements as regular maps, and you will need to fulfill these requirements before activating the tower.

This means that clearing a tower will now require killing all rare mobs in the area—just like a normal map. Previously, players could rush to the tower and activate it immediately, bypassing much of the content in the map. Under this new system, however, players will be forced to complete the objectives before moving forward.

Why Is This Change Controversial?

  1. Efficiency Concerns – Players who prefer quickly activating towers without full clears will now have to adapt to the new system. This impacts Min-Maxers who might unintentionally hit a tower while juicing an area, disrupting their farming efficiency.

  2. Slower Gameplay Flow – Many players enjoyed the fast-paced nature of simply reaching the tower and activating it without needing to hunt down every rare mob.

  3. Unintended Leaks? – Some players speculate that GGG may have inadvertently revealed broader changes coming to mapping, possibly hinting at an overhaul to map objectives or loot interactions.

While this change may frustrate speedrunners and high-efficiency players, it could lead to more structured map clearing and a better-balanced endgame economy. It remains to be seen how the community will react once it’s fully implemented.

Final Thoughts: What to Expect in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.2.0

Patch 0.2.0 brings a lot to the table, from new support gems to potential shifts in the meta and a controversial mapping change that forces players to adapt. While some of these changes might not sit well with everyone, they indicate that Path of Exile 2 is continuously evolving to balance gameplay depth with accessibility.

Key Takeaways:

  · New support gems open up alternative build possibilities, particularly for non-elemental DoT, ignites, and bleed builds.

  · Meta snapshot reveals that Invoker, Storm Weaver, and Infernal are currently the most popular classes.

  · Mapping changes introduce stricter clear requirements for activating towers, sparking debate among players.

We’ll have to wait and see how these changes impact the game in the long run, but for now, Path of Exile 2 remains as dynamic as ever. Stay tuned for more updates as the 0.2.0 patch rolls out, and let us know your thoughts on these changes!