Hello exiles! Patch 0.2.0, Dawn of the Hunt, is barrelling towards us on 4 April 2025, and Grinding Gear Games has just dropped some juicy updates that will make your mapping life a whole lot smoother. Today's news - straight from an official announcement - includes a major tweak to map portals and a handy FAQ for folks new to the Path of Exile 2 grind. Let's break it down with some real talk and useful tips so you're ready to hit the ground running (or slashing) on launch day.
Portal Changes: Less Punishment, More Freedom
Let's start with the big one: map portals are getting a serious glow-up. In Path of Exile 1, every time you went back - whether you died or just needed to stash some loot - a portal would open up. It was brutal, especially if you're the type who panics out of a hairy fight. Dawn of the Hunt flips the script. Now, portals only tick down when you die, not when you dip out to trade or drop equipment.
Here's the deal: the number of portals you get scales with the difficulty of the content. Early maps? You've got training wheels - plenty of portals to mess around with. But as you crank up the juice with tougher mods or higher levels, those portals shrink. It's a clever way of easing newbies in while keeping the hardcore on their toes. What's more, if you find yourself limping back to your portal after a tricky encounter, you won't be penalised for playing smart. This change is a game changer - less stress, more strategy.
FAQ for New Players: The Basics, Sorted
Grinding Gear Games has also put out a FAQ aimed at new players, and while it's light on the endgame nitty-gritty, it's gold for anyone still figuring out the ropes of PoE 2. Here's the quick and dirty rundown:
Release date: Dawn of the Hunt drops on 4 April 2025 at 12pm PDT - think Friday afternoon in the US, midnight-ish in Europe, or a brutal 3am for you Singapore and Perth folk. Coffee or a nap? Your call.
Fresh Economy or Bust: You've got two options - Standard (your old stock and characters stay) or the new Dawn of the Hunt League (everyone starts from scratch). Standard has fat wallets bidding up the prices, so newbies may feel more comfortable with the league's level playing field.
Do I Start Over? Yes, there are no shortcuts for the new league character. The default setting lets you keep rolling with your vets if that's your thing.
League exclusive stuff? Nope! Unlike PoE 1, Dawn of the Hunt keeps the core experience the same in both modes. No FOMO here.
Stash tabs: Paid tabs will carry over into the league, but they'll start out empty. Expect some stash merging shenanigans when the league ends - details TBD.
Paid expansion? Nah, it's free if you've got Early Access. No extra cash needed.
Pre-Download: A torrent file drops the day before - get it early and skip the launch day lag.
What's coming. Full patch notes, item filters and Twitch drops are coming this week. Support gems? These are a surprise for launch - data miners will be feasting as soon as the files drop.
MTX and packs: PoE 1 cosmetics are trickling into PoE 2 as they fit (not all are ready yet). No new supporter packs, but Paladin and Penance from PoE 1 are now fair game.
This FAQ is all about setting expectations - veterans may skim it, but it's a lifeline for anyone who's never touched a Divine Orb.
Why This Matters
The portal tweak is a love letter to players who hated the old “one mistake and you're out” vibe. It's forgiving enough for casuals to learn the ropes, but still keeps the stakes high when you're pushing red maps with one portal left. Couple that with a fresh economy option, and Dawn of the Hunt is shaping up to be a blast for newbies and grizzled exiles alike. Oh, and those patch notes coming soon? Start theorising - your next build is waiting.
Thanks for Reading
That's the lowdown on Dawn of the Hunt's latest teasers—portals that don't hate you and an FAQ to get newbies up to speed. Keep an eye on MMOJUGG for more as we head towards the 4th of April. Happy hunting, exiles!
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