Path of Exile 2 is an action RPG from Grinding Gear Games. According to the publisher's announcement, the game "launches as a fully free-to-play action RPG on December 11 (PST)". That date marks the 1.0 full release, the end of Early Access. If you have never played, this guide covers the basics you need before your first run. GameNavigator is an independent guide site and not affiliated with the developer.
One note before we start: the game is still in Early Access as of 2026-10-18, and 1.0 will change things. We mark the parts most likely to move.
What changes with 1.0
Three announced changes matter to newcomers:
- Free-to-play. The full release is free-to-play. According to the developer, everyone who registers on the official site by December 11 (PST) receives at least two exclusive cosmetic effects.
- A new class. The full release introduces the Duelist, which according to RPG Site brings the sword to Path of Exile 2.
- More campaign. The final two acts launch with the 1.0 full release, along with other content and changes.
Everything else, including balance, vendors and exact numbers, can shift at launch, so treat any detail below as "true for now".
Choosing a class
Maxroll's class overview lists these classes as playable during Early Access: Warrior, Huntress, Sorceress, Mercenary, Monk, Druid, Ranger and Witch. The same overview marks four more (Marauder, Duelist, Shadow and Templar) as not yet released, and the Duelist is the one confirmed for 1.0. The overview's own text and table do not agree on the exact count, so check the character screen when you log in rather than relying on a number.
The most useful sentence for a beginner comes from that same overview: you can use any weapon or play any skill on any class in the endgame. Your class is a starting point, not a cage. It still shapes your early game, because of the starting position on the passive tree, the Ascendancy bonuses you unlock later and the skills the campaign offers you.
Two examples from PC Gamer's class overview help with a first orientation: the Warrior is a melee class built around slam skills, and the Witch is the minion-focused option. For the other classes, read the description on the character screen and pick whatever appeals to you.
Do not agonize. Early characters are cheap to replace, and learning how the systems fit together is worth more than the perfect first pick.
Skill gems and support gems
Skills in Path of Exile 2 do not come from a class menu. They come from gems. Maxroll's leveling guide explains that you level skills using Uncut Skill Gems, and it advises putting your higher-level gems into your main damage dealers.
Support gems modify the skills they are linked to. Some make a skill stronger, others change how it behaves, and some raise the mana cost of linked skills (Maxroll mentions Acceleration as one that does). That trade-off is the core idea: power is never free.
Beginner habits that help:
- Put your best gems into the skill you use most, not into everything.
- Read what a support gem does before you link it, including its cost.
Exact numbers may change with 1.0, so we do not quote a figure here.
The passive tree and attributes
As you level, you earn passive points to spend on a large tree. Your class starts in a different area of it, and that is why classes feel different in the early game even though the endgame is open.
Attribute nodes deserve attention. Your gear, skill gems and support gems require Strength, Dexterity or Intelligence, so you need enough of the right ones to use what you find. The good news is that you are not locked in. Maxroll notes that it often does not matter which attributes you get on gear, because you can change your attribute passives, and that respeccing the flexible attribute nodes costs small amounts. Respeccing uses in-game Gold, so do not spend all of it.
The dodge roll
Movement matters in combat. Maxroll's guide describes the roll as making you smaller, which lets you slip between monsters that would otherwise block your escape. It also warns that the roll will not save you from area attacks such as boss slams, so learn the telegraphs and move out of them instead of rolling blindly.
The campaign
The campaign is where you learn the game. You gain levels, pick up gems and gear, and meet the bosses that teach you the rules. Act 2 has an unusual navigation mechanic because of its moving caravan town, so do not be surprised if it feels different from Act 1. The final two acts arrive with 1.0, so the total length of the story is a number that will change.
Play the campaign at your own speed on your first character. You will remember it better, and experimenting is part of the fun.
Currency and orbs
In Path of Exile 2, items called orbs act as currency and as crafting tools. You use them to upgrade and reshape gear, and you also trade them with other players. As a beginner you only need the basics:
- An Orb of Transmutation upgrades a Normal item, and Maxroll's advice is to use these freely as needed.
- Regal Orbs are fairly easy to obtain thanks to Disenchanting, according to the same guide.
- Gold is a separate resource used for services such as respeccing.
Do not fret about perfect crafting in the first hours. Learning what each orb does as it drops is plenty.
Use a loot filter
Monsters in this genre drop a lot of items, and most of them are junk. A loot filter hides what you do not need and highlights what you do. Maxroll states plainly: "Loot Filters are essential. Every player runs one and you should too." Set one up early, and loosen it later if you feel you are missing something.
Your first hours in short
- Register on the official site by December 11 (PST) for the exclusive cosmetic effects, then pick any class that appeals to you.
- Put your good gems into your main skill and read every support gem before linking it.
- Spend attribute points so your gear and gems are usable, and keep some Gold for respecs.
- Roll to avoid damage, but leave the area attacks you can see coming.
- Turn on a loot filter and use basic orbs freely.
- Expect numbers and content to change at 1.0 on December 11, 2026.