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From the very start of Path of Exile 2's development, Grinding Gear Games (GGG) promised something more than a graphical reskin of the beloved action RPG. Instead, they set out to refine core systems, rethink painful mechanics, and reshape how players experience the brutal world of Wraeclast. With each incremental league, PoE2 grows closer to that vision.

The newest seasonal update, The Third Edict (patch 0.3), might be the boldest yet. While it doesn't introduce new Ascendancies or base classes, it revolutionizes combat flow, progression, defenses, and even the Path of Exile 2 trade economy. The result is a game that feels more modern, more fluid, and more welcoming to both veterans and newcomers.

Below, we'll break down the five biggest changes in Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict-and why they matter for anyone planning to invest dozens (or hundreds) of hours in the league.

1. Sprinting: Finally Cutting Down the Dead Time

One of the longest-running complaints in Path of Exile history has been movement downtime. Combat was chaotic and fast, but between monster packs, characters felt sluggish. The only relief came from Quicksilver flasks or niche movement skills, which often left slower builds at a disadvantage.

In The Third Edict, that frustration ends. Players can now hold the roll button to Sprint, dramatically increasing movement speed when traveling. Sprinting chains seamlessly into dodge rolls for smooth escapes, or cancels directly into an attack skill for fluid combat pacing.

The result is transformative. Campaign runs feel tighter and less fatiguing, especially in the newly added Act 4 and interlude content. What could have been another minor quality-of-life tweak turns out to be a game-changer for moment-to-moment gameplay. Without resorting to mounts (a popular fan theory), GGG has finally solved one of PoE's longest-standing pacing problems.

Why it matters: Sprinting removes downtime and makes every build feel more mobile without relying on gimmicks. For many players, this single feature alone is worth diving into 0.3.

2. Support Gem Revolution: Stacking Multiples and Lineage Gems

Support Gems have always been the heart of PoE's build system, letting players customize and supercharge their skills. But until now, one big restriction stifled creativity: you could not stack multiple copies of the same Support Gem.

That's no longer the case. In 0.3, players can now use multiple copies of the same Support Gem simultaneously. That means builds can scale their core mechanic in ways never before possible. Poison archetypes can stack damage multipliers, projectile builds can push extreme scaling, and underperforming skills suddenly become late-game viable.

It's not just a raw power boost. This change represents a design philosophy shift: GGG is giving players more freedom to break the rules and push creativity.

And that's only half the story. The Third Edict also introduces 40+ new Unique Support Gems, known as Lineage Supports. These gems alter skill interactions in bizarre and exciting ways-like inverting mechanics, layering unexpected multipliers, or trading raw damage for utility.

Why it matters: Support Gem stacking and Lineage Supports open the door to a completely new landscape of viable builds. For theorycrafters and build enthusiasts, this is a dream come true.

3. Martial Arts and the Hollow Palm Technique

Even though 0.3 didn't add new Ascendancies, it might as well have with the introduction of the Hollow Palm Technique Keystone. This keystone creates an entirely new playstyle: Martial Arts combat.

Here's how it works:

·Characters fighting unarmed gain quarterstaff-style animations.

·Damage scales directly from skill gem levels rather than weapon DPS.

·Attack speed scales off Evasion, while Critical Strike Chance scales off Energy Shield, creating a hybrid identity unlike any other.

The result is a pseudo-Monk archetype that blends martial-arts flair with mechanical depth. It's visually striking, mechanically rewarding, and fills a fantasy niche PoE fans have wanted for years.

More importantly, Hollow Palm shows GGG's willingness to experiment beyond traditional archetypes. It may not technically be an Ascendancy, but it has the weight and uniqueness of one.

Why it matters: Martial Arts adds a flashy, high-skill playstyle for melee fans, proving that GGG isn't afraid to step outside the mold.

4. Defensive Overhaul: Deflection and Armor Reworks

For years, defenses in PoE were lopsided. Energy Shield reigned supreme, while Evasion and Armor often felt like underpowered afterthoughts. The Third Edict finally addresses this imbalance with two massive defensive changes.

Deflection for Dexterity Builds

Dexterity classes (like Rangers, Huntresses, and Martial Artists) can now convert part of their Evasion into a new mechanic: Deflection. This stat gives a flat chance to reduce incoming hits or ailments by 40%. Unlike Evasion's streaky RNG or Block's hard caps, Deflection scales toward reliability while still fitting the agile fantasy of Dexterity characters.

Armor + Elemental Resistance Synergy

Strength-based characters now benefit from a long-awaited Armor rework. Through new passive tree notables, Armor can be converted into elemental resistances, shoring up weaknesses against fire, cold, and lightning. This creates a more rounded defensive toolkit that's less brittle and no longer dependent on niche Ascendancies.

Together, these changes give each attribute its robust defensive layer:

·DEX → Deflection for agility and consistency

·STR → Armor with elemental synergy

·INT → Energy Shield as the high-capacity buffer

Why it matters: Defenses are finally balanced across attributes, meaning no more funneling every build toward Energy Shield just to survive the late game.

5. Asynchronous Auto-Trading

The final-and arguably most revolutionary-change doesn't happen on the battlefield. It happens in the economy.

For the first time in franchise history, asynchronous automated trading has been implemented. A new NPC named Ange acts as your shopkeeper. By converting Premium Stash Tabs into shop tabs, players can list items at fixed prices. Other players can then use Path of Exile 2 Currency to buy them directly-even if you're offline.

This is monumental. In Path of Exile 1, trading was notoriously clunky: players had to whisper strangers, negotiate prices, and sit in hideouts waiting for trades to complete. Many players avoided trading altogether because of the hassle.

Now, the system is seamless and modern. While still preserving a player-driven market, Ange ensures transactions happen automatically, fairly, and without wasted time.

Why it matters: Auto-trading modernizes PoE's economy to contemporary ARPG standards. It's been anticipated for over a decade, and its arrival alone makes The Third Edict historic.

Conclusion

Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict (0.3) may not introduce new Ascendancies or classes, but its changes are monumental.

·Sprinting makes combat and exploration faster and more fluid.

·Support Gem stacking + Lineage Supports blow open build diversity.

·Hollow Palm Martial Arts adds a flashy, experimental archetype.

·Deflection and Armor reworks rebalance defenses across attributes.

·Asynchronous auto-trading revolutionizes the economy.

Taken together, these updates represent a watershed moment in PoE2's development. GGG isn't just refining what worked in Path of Exile 1-they're reinventing what didn't, pushing the series into a new era of accessibility, depth, and excitement.

For veterans, The Third Edict is a love letter to years of feedback. For new players, it's the perfect time to jump in. Either way, one thing is clear: the road to Wraeclast has never been smoother-or more dangerous.