There’s a real buzz going around the Path of Exile crowd right now, and it’s not hard to see why. Grinding Gear Games has finally confirmed that the next big alpha update, patch 0.4.0, is landing in early December. For those of us who’ve been glued to every teaser and dev chat, this feels like an early Christmas drop. And it’s not just a small tweak or balance pass – we’re talking about a huge batch of new stuff, the kind that makes you want to clear your weekend. Oh, and if you’ve been stocking up on PoE 2 Currency for the sequel, you might want to keep it handy – this update could change how you play entirely.
The headline addition is the Monk – a brand new class, not just a rehash of something we’ve seen before. This one’s all about speed and precision. You’ll be swinging a quarterstaff, chaining together fast combos, dodging in and out of danger, and throwing in bursts of elemental damage when the moment’s right. It’s active, it’s punchy, and it’s a far cry from the old “drop a totem and wait” style some players remember. The animations look slick, but more importantly, the combat feels like it’s built to keep you engaged every second you’re in a fight.
That’s not the only thing coming in 0.4.0. Act 3 is opening up, and it’s nothing like the areas we’ve wandered through before. Picture a massive jungle – dark, humid, and crawling with creatures you probably don’t want to meet in the dark. There are fresh skill gems to try, enemies that’ll force you to rethink your approach, and a boss fight that’s already being teased as a serious skill check. On top of the new content, GGG’s been fine-tuning the dodge roll system, making it feel sharper and more natural to use mid-combat. These aren’t just extras – they’re changes that could shape how the game feels at its core.
Players are already in theorycraft mode. Reddit’s full of build ideas, and streamers are planning Monk showcases for day one. This patch feels like a proper milestone – something that shows the game’s moving forward at a steady pace and getting closer to the closed beta. For those of us who’ve been waiting to really sink our teeth into PoE 2, December’s shaping up to be the month. If you’re ready to dive back in, maybe check out u4gm PoE 2 Currency before the update hits – you’ll want every edge you can get when the jungle calls.