Alright folks, it’s finally happening. December 12 at 11 AM PST we’re getting patch 0.4, “The Last of the Druids,” and it’s shaping up to be the kind of update that’ll drag even the most stubborn veterans back in. The free-to-play weekend running until December 15 means you can rope in friends who’ve been holding out, and with the dev Q&A on Twitch tomorrow, there’s a good chance they’ll talk about those performance hiccups during long Delve runs. Personally, I’m already checking trade for PoE 2 Currency so I can hit the ground running when this drops.
The Druid Arrives
We’ve had teasers floating around for months, but the Druid class is more than just hype. Strength and Intelligence hybrid, three ascendancies—Shaman, Wild Heart, Harbinger. I’ve got my eye on Wild Heart for the Bear form’s Rage bursts and absurd durability, though speed junkies will lean towards the Wolf form with its bleed stacking and nimble dodging. The whole Armor, Energy Shield, and Life balancing while switching forms sounds tough at first, but once you get into it, managing those resources is part of the thrill. And those new talisman two-handers? Perfect mix of brute force and spell power.
League Content That Matters Again
The “Fate of the Vaal” league has that old Atziri flavour—blood rituals, heavy lore—and seems to be nudging us back towards chasing meaningful boss loot. Crafting floods from 0.3 were fun for a while, but too much junk got in the way. Now pinnacle bosses matter again, and that’s a good change. Lightning Herald builds dominated over half the ladder last patch, so it’s no surprise the meta’s getting reined in. I’m betting Deadeye’s Tailwind gets capped too. Speed is fun, but not when it breaks the race scene completely.
Passive Tree Overhaul
The left side finally gets a proper rework, and it’s not just for Druids. STR/INT nodes buffing hybrids will give Blood Mage and other off-meta builds some real potential. It’s refreshing to see attention aimed at spots most players skip over. If you’ve ever been tempted to try a hybrid but got shut down by the passive layout, this patch might just change your mind. It’s the kind of tweak that can make league start theorycrafting way more exciting.
Ready for League Start
League starts can wreck your sleep, so having a plan is key. Whether I go full tank Bear or speed Wolf, I’ll make sure my build is online fast—and yeah, sometimes grabbing a stack of path of exile 2 currency saves hours of grind. This update looks set to push PoE2 into a better place, and with new mechanics and meaningful loot again, it’s hard not to get hyped. See you on the shore.