Shopping Cart Empty
Continue ShoppingPath of Exile 2 is a sprawling action RPG that throws you into the dark, unforgiving world of Wraeclast. With its intricate mechanics, massive skill tree, and endless customization options, it's easy to feel overwhelmed as a beginner. But don't worry—these 50 tips and tricks will help you navigate the game's complexities, survive tough battles, and build a character you're proud of. Whether you're new to the series or a returning player, these insights will set you on the path to success.
Start with the basics: Enable loot highlighting and health bars to make gameplay smoother.
Experiment freely: Try different classes and skills to find what suits your playstyle.
Plan your build: Follow a guide or have a rough idea to avoid wasting resources.
Focus on survival: Prioritize flasks, resistances, and defensive stats early on.
Explore and trade: Use the map, side quests, and trading system to gather resources.
Path of Exile 2 is a complex action RPG with a focus on deep build crafting, challenging combat, and loot-driven progression. Set in Wraeclast, it features six playable classes, a massive Passive Skill Tree, and a new skill gem system. The game's early access launched on December 6, 2024, and is likely in full release or close to it by June 2025, offering a rich campaign and endgame content.
These tips are designed to help you avoid common pitfalls, like wasting currency or building an ineffective character. They're drawn from community insights and player experiences, ensuring you get practical advice to make your journey enjoyable and rewarding.
Below is a detailed list of 50 tips and tricks to help you thrive in Path of Exile 2. Each tip is crafted to be actionable and beginner-friendly, with insights to help you understand the game's systems and make smart decisions.
Activate Always Highlight Loot
Go to Options > Interface > Gameplay and enable “Always Highlight Loot.” This makes dropped items like skill gems and socketed gear visible, so you don't miss valuable loot in the chaos of battle.
Enable Health and Mana Bars
In Options > Interface, turn on “Show Mini Life Bar Above You” and “Mini Life Bar Above NPCs.” These bars help you monitor your health and enemies' status, crucial for surviving tough fights.
Hoard Socketed and Quality Gear
Salvage socketed gear at the town's Salvage Bench for Artificer Shards (10 shards = 1 Artificer Orb for adding sockets). Break down quality gear for Blacksmith's Whetstones and Armor Scraps to enhance your equipment.
Check Vendors Before Leveling
Visit town vendors before leveling up, as their inventory refreshes. Grab socketed or quality gear for your build or to salvage for resources.
Hold ALT for Gear Details
Press ALT (or the right joystick on controllers) to view detailed item descriptions. This helps you understand stats and modifiers, ensuring you pick gear that suits your build.
Organize Your Stash Early
Use premium stash tabs (purchased with early access currency) and set tab affinities for auto-sorting (Ctrl + Left Click). Without premium tabs, manually sort items by type to track orbs and crafting materials.
Trade Smartly
Use the trading system at Path of Exile Trade to find specific gear or modifiers. List your extra loot to earn crafting materials or currency.
Master Weapon Switching
Assign Passive Skill Tree points to specific weapon sets (toggle between Weapon Set 1 and 2 at the top right). For example, use one set for cold damage and another for fire damage to adapt to different enemies.
Track Unfinished Boss Fights
Check the world map: gray icons indicate defeated bosses, while colored ones show incomplete fights. Clear them for unique loot, passive skill points, or stat boosts.
Reset Areas for Farming
At a Waypoint, hold Ctrl (or the controller equivalent) before selecting an area to reset it. Farm bosses and mobs in areas like Act 3's Sandswept Marsh for high-quality drops.
Explore Gem Customization
In the gem-cutting menu, select “All Gems” and filter by Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence to experiment with unique skill combinations for your build.
Save Valuable Orbs
Hold onto Exalted Orbs and rare items for tough bosses or critical upgrades. Avoid spending them early to ensure you have resources for challenging encounters.
Try All Classes
Experiment with the six classes (Mercenary, Monk, Ranger, Sorceress, Warrior, Witch) in Clearfall to understand their playstyles and stat reliance (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence).
Learn the Passive Skill Tree
Explore the massive Passive Skill Tree, noting nodes for Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and weapon-specific bonuses to plan your character's growth.
Don't Fear Respeccing
After saving the Hooded One in Act 1, respec Passive Skill Tree nodes for about 247 gold per node. It's a great way to fix early mistakes.
Use the Crafting System
Upgrade gear with Orbs (Normal, Magic, Rare, Unique). Focus on Affixes like Armour (Strength), Evasion (Dexterity), or Energy Shield (Intelligence) to match your build.
Complete Side Quests
Do Act 1 side quests for experience, loot, and rewards to avoid being underleveled (aim for level 16 by the end of Act 1). Enemies respawn for extra grinding.
Study Boss Attack Patterns
Practice against bosses like the Devourer in the “Treacherous Ground” quest. Use dodge mechanics (space bar) and manage Life/Mana flasks to survive.
Avoid Hardcore Mode
Stick to standard mode to retry without losing progress. Hardcore mode is punishing for beginners.
Focus on the Main Campaign
Invest time in the campaign to learn mechanics, encounter bosses, and reach the endgame faster.
Test Different Classes
Try various classes early to find one that suits your playstyle, reducing the need to restart later.
Plan Your Build
Have a build in mind to navigate the skill tree effectively. For example, pick defensive nodes for tanky builds.
Upgrade Flasks Often
Prioritize flask upgrades for better health restoration and survival in tough fights.
Read Item Stats Carefully
Check item details in safe areas to ensure they align with your build's needs.
Explore Maps Thoroughly
Use optional map content to gather resources when stuck, especially on tough bosses.
Understand the Gem System
Learn how skill gems and Support Gems work to create efficient builds, unlike the original game's system.
Collect Items for Selling
Pick up loot and sell it via town portals to manage your small inventory and earn currency.
Identify Items Before Selling
Identify items for better vendor prices. Meet the Hooded One in Act 1 for free identification.
Follow a Build Guide
Use a beginner-friendly build guide to avoid costly respecs and focus your skill choices.
Equip Better Flasks
Upgrade to flasks with more charges or recovery modifiers using Currency Items from drops or vendors.
Explore Every Area
Fully explore maps for chests and points of interest to ensure you're leveled up for later challenges.
Use Weapon Specialization
Swap weapons for flexibility and allocate Passive Skill Tree points for a secondary weapon set.
Spend Gold Wisely
Gold is scarce early on. Gamble for weapons with Finn in Clearfell, but save for respecs later.
Prioritize Relevant Modifiers
Choose gear with modifiers like Attack Speed or Physical Damage for your build, even if it's only Magic rarity.
Identify Items for Free
After the “Mysterious Shade” quest in Act 1, use the Hooded One to identify items for free with a Scroll of Wisdom.
Join or Create a Guild
Guilds make progression smoother. Buy a Guild Stash for loot sharing when you have funds.
Use the Trading Feature
Trade for specific items or essences to complete your build efficiently.
Salvage Socketed Gear
Salvage gear with sockets for Artificer's Orbs (10 shards = 1 orb) to add rune sockets to your gear.
Use Town Portals
Summon a portal to town to identify, sell, disenchant, or store gear. Keep essential currency for crafting.
Save Exalted Orbs
Exalted Orbs are valuable trade currency. Save them for high-quality gear or after reaching Cruel difficulty.
Choose the Right Charms
Equip charms like Topaz Charm for lightning resistance to counter specific boss elemental damage.
Farm Soul Cores in Trial of Chaos
Run the Trial of Chaos to farm Soul Cores, which offer powerful socketable modifiers.
Check DPS in Skills Menu
Open the skills menu to view DPS and damage breakdowns. Assign weapon sets to skills for optimal performance.
Choose Trade League
Start in the Trade League for the simplest beginner experience, allowing trading and partying.
Understand Class Strengths
Learn each class's strengths (e.g., Ranger for Dexterity and bows) to pick one that matches your playstyle.
Master the Passive Skill Tree
Understanding the skill tree's nodes and paths is key to building a strong character.
Use Dodge Roll Effectively
Master the dodge roll (space bar) to avoid projectiles and position better in fights.
Manage Resources
Monitor Life, Mana, and Spirit. Use Spirit for auras or minions, increased via boss rewards or items.
Learn the Skill Gem System
Skills come from gems, not leveling. Mix and match Uncut Skill Gems and Support Gems for unique builds.
Use Flasks Strategically
Flasks are lifesavers. Use Life, Mana, or Utility flasks (e.g., for Armour) at the right moments.
Path of Exile 2 is a game that rewards patience, experimentation, and learning from mistakes. These 50 tips cover the essentials to get you started, from surviving early battles to optimizing your build for the endgame. Don't be afraid to try new things, explore Wraeclast, and connect with the community through guilds or trading. With these strategies, you'll be well-equipped to tackle the challenges ahead and enjoy the depth of this incredible RPG.
