Path of Exile 2 Feedback: 1 Life Per Map and Other Game-Changing Challenges GGG Needs to Address
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Path of Exile 2 is a bold reimagining of the ARPG experience, but certain design choices—like the 1 life per map system—have sparked intense community debate. While the game’s visuals, combat mechanics, and potential shine through, here are some key issues players feel need urgent attention to make PoE2 truly exceptional.
The Problem With 1 Life Per Map
Punishing Progression: Losing a map and its contents after a single death feels overly punishing, especially when maps require significant resources and effort to access.
Unfair Boss Fights: One-shots and off-screen mechanics make learning boss encounters almost impossible without external guides, defeating the purpose of skill-based combat.
Loot Heartbreak: Dying mid-map often means leaving behind valuable loot—adding frustration to the already high stakes of endgame mapping.
Suggested Fix:
Revert to 6 portals per map or allow retries with remaining portals, resetting boss health upon player death to preserve challenge without being overly punishing.
Other Key Issues & Suggestions
Defense Scaling Needs Improvement:
Dodge Reliance: Armor, evasion, and other traditional defenses feel underwhelming, forcing players to rely on dodge rolling, which limits build diversity.
Life vs. Energy Shield (ES): ES has significantly more scaling options, leaving life builds struggling to compete.
Fix: Balance defense systems so players feel progressively tankier as they invest in survivability.
Crafting & Map Drops:
Crafting Frustrations: The current crafting system feels too random and lacks deterministic elements, especially in SSF.
Waystone Issues: Dropping Tier 2 waystones in Tier 15 maps undermines progression and resource management.
Fix: Introduce more deterministic crafting and adjust waystone tiers to align with map levels.
Endgame Design Flaws:
Citadel & Pinnacle Bosses: Requiring extensive grind to access one-attempt fights discourages players from engaging with these encounters.
Skill Restrictions: Locking certain skills behind Level 52 hampers build creativity during early progression.
Fix: Allow multiple attempts for pinnacle bosses and unlock all skills by Level 28, as in PoE1.
Melee Weapon Diversity:
Limiting melee builds to maces in Early Access restricts creativity and leaves players without diverse playstyles.
Fix: Introduce swords and axes earlier to expand melee build options.
On-Death Effects & Loot Timing:
Dying while looting due to on-death effects creates frustration.
Fix: Delay loot drops until after on-death effects resolve, giving players clarity and safety when collecting rewards.
What Players Love About PoE2
Act 1 Excellence: Its pacing, visuals, and rewards set a high bar for the rest of the campaign.
Visuals & Combat: Stunning graphics and engaging, tactical combat mechanics lay a strong foundation for the game’s future.
Creative Potential: The core systems offer a canvas for innovation if refined based on community feedback.
Final Thoughts:
Path of Exile 2 has the potential to become the greatest ARPG of all time, but addressing these community concerns is critical. GGG, your players are passionate, and their insights could pave the way for a truly revolutionary game.
Join the conversation—what are your thoughts on the 1 life per map system and other challenges? Share your ideas in the comments below!
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