Path Of Exile 2's New Druid Class Is The Most Fun You Can Have...

Like a lot of folks, I viewed the Path of Exile 2 0.4 livestream with lukewarm ambivalence. We knew we were getting the druid because it didn't quite make the cut for 0.3, but apart from that it seemed a little mopey—no new campaign bits, a league mechanic we already recognized from PoE1, and most importantly, no endgame changes. I came away from the presentation with a big ole' meh.

That changed the first time I reared up as a bear and slapped a zombie with my big, meaty paw.

Say what you want about the pacing change between PoE2 and its predecessor, I really do find the combat to be more fun. Early bosses especially have that tough soulslike feel, and having to do more than just activate Righteous Fire and meander through loot explosions actually makes me enjoy the game more. That's in part down to how the skills are designed to make you use them in concert and the monsters themselves, but perhaps the biggest factor is the new character rigs that have let GGG make some really satisfying skills.

When the druid rears up on its hind legs in bear form to smack things with Maul, you feel huge. The smacks are meaty and crunchy, and when you slam back down to do the second part of the combo, the resulting earthquake feels amazing. You don't just twiddle your fingers to cast your buffs, you let loose a bellowing roar. And the ultimate skill for bear form is literally called Walking Calamity, which causes a giant swarm of meteors to fall from the sky as you crash around through packs of mobs, hurling them to and fro. Exquisite.

It gets even better when you pick up the Fury of the King talisman, too. This unique changes your regular bear form into a demon bear and unlocks a new skill, Molten Crash. Not only does it do tons of damage, but the animation for the demon bear pouncing on its enemies reminds me of a kitten learning to hunt by attacking a ball of yarn. (If the kitten then triggered an earthquake that shot out huge gouts of burning lava.)

The other druid builds don't disappoint, either. Wolf form could use some love when it comes to the minion build, but people are clearing super fast with Herald of Ice. The drake build has incredible single target damage, and while it's buggy as hell it sure looks fun to flap around breathing fire on stuff. Even the plant magic is good, although the character I used to explore that was not a druid. The new sorceress ascendancy, Disciple of Varashta, is based on summoning djinn and made for a good time filling the scr

Source: PC Gamer