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Path of Exile 2's The Third Edict update introduced many new variables, primarily removing the upper limit on Suppport Gems and significantly improving the crafting system. These changes disrupted the balance of power sources for standard characters.

Both in terms of balance between characters and skills, will be these problems can be solved with the addition of other parts of the game, such as Remaining Classes and Ascendancies, the addition of new weapon types, new skills, and updates to the Passive Skill Tree.

However, the balance of power sources for standard characters remains largely unresolved. Let's examine the causes of this imbalance and identify areas where the game's developers can improve the player experience.

Character Power Source Composition

In Path of Exile 2 0.3.0, standard characters can gain power from a variety of sources, primarily through Passive Skill Tree and its Jewel Sockets, Ascendancy and corresponding node selection, the character's Armor and Weapons, Flasks and Charms, and their skills and Suppport Gems.

Normally, each source of power for a player character should be similar, with one power source comparable to another, preventing significant imbalances. Each power source should complement each other for a balanced build, allowing players to balance these power sources to achieve their desired effect.

Power Source Imbalance

However, in POE 2, this balanced power source pattern does not exist. As it stands, character power sources are significantly skewed. Passive Skill Tree is generally single and meager, with the majority of power coming from the character's equipment, specifically their Armor and Weapons.

A closer look at the numerous issues in Path of Exile 2 0.3.0 reveals that most of them stem from equipment being overly powerful, far more powerful than anything else. This is an area the game needs to improve in future updates.

Player Experience

It is recommended that the game developers work on optimizing the player experience during the game, especially during their first paly-through.

The game developers have already made some efforts in this regard, such as by fine-tuning drop rates in specific campaign areas and points of interest. As you progress through an Act, you can earn a variety of rewards, including POE 2 currency like Artificer's Orb and Jeweler's Orb, as well as rare item drops.

They hope to make up for RNG gap in other systems in the game by allowing players to obtain these items to continue the game progress.

The Impact Of Equipment Quality

While these guaranteed drops are certainly important, they far from compensating for poor equipment. For example, at the beginning of Act 3, you can obtain a guaranteed drop of a Jeweler's Orb, which grants you additional Suppport Gems and 20%-30% increased damage.

While this may sound impressive, it's important to understand that the primary source of your damage is your weapon. For spell builds, Staff and Wand already provide significant damage bonuses, and for attack-based builds, this is even more true, as the primary source of damage comes from the weapon itself.

Thus, if a player has a poor weapon, a 20%-30% damage bonus won't be very effective. If you have a wonderful weapon, this damage bonus is simply icing on the cake, speeding up your farming process.

Knowledge Differences

Different players' knowledge of the game can lead to different gaming experiences. Games like POE 2 require extensive strategy development. A player who knows how to utilize all available tools and can analyze which item modifiers are useful and which aren't can use their intelligence to forge a successful path in the game, even if their item drops and POE 2 currency drop rates are poor.

However, if players don't understand the game and don't know how to use their currency—for example, not using Essences they encounter, not utilizing their Regal and Exalted Orbs effectively, not upgrading their weapons quickly, not checking Vendor for movement speed boosts, and relying solely on luck to progress through the game—then their experience won't be very good.

Those who have done their homework and understand the game better should receive more rewards than others, allowing them to level up faster. However, currently, players gain too much power from their gear and too little from Passive Skill Tree and other aspects. Even a strong Passive Skill Tree can't compensate for the poor RNG.

Item Gem Level Modifier Strength

Now, finally, we get to the biggest contributing factor to this problem: the disproportionate Gem Level modifiers on gear. The power gained from item modifiers is a significant downgrade to Remaining Classes, Ascendancies, and everything else.

No matter your build, even if your weapon has all the other perfect modifiers, without gem level, it's just garbage. It sounds exaggerated, but it's the truth. A standard weapon with a gem level modifier outperforms a perfect weapon without one.

Why is this so? Two-Handed weapons can reach gem level seven, Amulets can reach up to gem level three, and special Amulets can reach even higher levels. Then there are gloves, which can gain some gem levels through Melee skills. There's even the Prism of Belief, which grants you three additional gem levels with special skills.

Let's take a slightly less extreme example-Crossbows. What's the difference between a Crossbow with a gem level modifier and one without?

A perfect combat Essence can add six gem levels to an attack skill. Explosive Grenade's damage increases from 878% of its original value at gem level 20 to 1,372% at gem level 26. Just by increasing Crossbows' damage by one additional modifier, it's two-thirds higher. That's outrageous.

This is just the gem level increase for the weapon itself. If your Amulet reaches three gem levels, the Explosive Grenade's attack damage will increase by 1,716%, doubling its damage without the original gem level.

This is a relatively small difference; the difference would be even more dramatic with Two-Handed Maces or Giant's Blood. In a campaign, the difference between having a gem level modifier and not having one is truly dramatic; just having this modifier alone can give you a significant boost in power.

The problem is that affixes on weapons alone can reach a maximum of seven gem levels, while a notable in the Passive Skill Tree can only reach one gem level if you're incredibly lucky.

By the way, if you can effectively utilize these notables in the Passive Skill Tree - those that grant you a gem level - they can become some of the strongest nodes in Passive Skill Tree.

Therefore, it's reasonable to suggest that game developers reduce the gem level modifiers on items. The maximum gem level for two-handed weapons should be increased by three, and the weight of the highest gem level should be reduced, so that the bonus to weapon damage is less significant.

Amulets should follow the system already in place in PoE 1: one modifier increases all skill levels by one, and another set of modifiers increases specific skill types by one, for a total bonus of two.

Establishing A Better Baseline

This is just one obvious cause of unbalanced energy sources, caused by overpowered gear, insufficient passive skill trees, and other factors. If the game developers are interested, they should be able to identify deeper factors. This way, they can adjust for the RNG differences between players and eliminate the need for guaranteed PoE 2 currency and rare item drops, as players can already have a basic understanding of their character's strength based on their gear.

Passive Skill Tree And Ascendancies Issues

Path of Exile 2 has revamped the Passive Skill Tree in 0.3.0, adding many new attributes. However, it's still not enough. It would be great if the Passive Skill Tree had more powerful options, more build-specific options, and the ability to include Ascendancies.

Ascendancies should be more detailed, offering more interesting build options, rather than the current Deadeye Ascendancy. While powerful, it's perfunctory and hollow.

Warbringer is one of the better Ascendancy classes in the game right now. It has a lot of detail, including bonuses from the Ancestral Spirit Minion's Totem branch, a powerful and specialized Warcry, and an Armor Break branch.

Although Armor Break isn't very strong yet, it's on the right track. It opens up more possibilities, and working on a particular mechanic might lead to unexpected results that aren't currently available in other classes.

Well, this discussion on the item design of Path of Exile 2 0.3.0 ends here. We still hope that the game developers can see the current problems and make improvements so that players can enjoy the game.

Each class in Diablo 4 typically undergoes changes over the course of the season, thanks to the introduction of new special abilities, the gradual formation and refinement of season mechanics, and the rebalancing of skills and passives. 

With the arrival of Diablo 4 Season 10, the release of new Chaos Armor, Chaos Perks, and new Uniques will allow each class to develop its own exploration effectiveness or exploration style.

Excellent Classes

Sorcerer

First and foremost is Sorcerer. Following its powerful performance in Diablo 4 Season 9, Sorcerer is poised to become one of the strongest classes in Season 10. While Hydra Sorcerer build has been weakened by Serpentine Aspect, other builds can more than compensate for this shortcoming.

The addition of the new Galvanic Azurite Unique Ring grants Sorcerers powerful Lightning Skills. Furthermore, buffs to Charged Bolts and Overflowing Energy make Chain Lightning and Crackling Energy Sorcerer builds ideal for this season's class.

If you want to successfully build a top-level battle build at the beginning of the season, preparing enough Diablo 4 Gold to upgrade this ring in advance will help you get twice the result with half the effort!

Many players believe that even with Sorcerer nerf, Hydra Sorcerer remains exceptional, though it's now reaching a point where Sorcerer can't do anything else except Hydra Sorcerer.

Spiritborn

Another class that performed strongly in Season 9 is Spiritborn, and they're very likely to continue their success in Season 10. While their latest Hesha e Kesungi Unqiue Gloves aren't particularly impressive, Chaos Armor boost allows the class to have the best of both Unique and Mythic options.

Players no longer have to choose between key Uniques like Loyalty's Mantle and Mythics like Heir of Perdition, and they can still choose build-defining Mythics while still gaining this excellent Unique affix on other items.

Druid

Druid in Diablo 4 showed promise in season 9, and in season 10, with the new Kilt of Blackwing, it became a threat to other classes. Since it can be combined with Storm's Companion and other Unique Pants to form Chaos Armor, this item will further enhance Druid's build.

Although Druid's Grizzly Rage was nerfed on PTR, changes elsewhere should make the class even stronger than it was last season. Inevitably, the nerf to Druid's Grizzly Rage angered many players.

Good Classes

Necromancer

Although Necromancer received a significant buff and a minor nerf in season 10, there's nothing new to elevate its role in the new season. While its new unique skill, Gospel of the Devotee, has some potential, it likely won't significantly improve Necromancer builds in Diablo 4.

Thus, while Necromancer may be replaced by a better class in the new season, it's still a solid choice overall.

Barbarians

Also, Barbarians may see a slight increase in their role in Diablo 4 season 10 compared to before. Chaos Armor offers a number of interesting unique builds for this class. In Season 9, Hooves of the Mountain God Unique Boots significantly improved Barbarians' Lunging Strike.

However, with the addition of Chaos Armor in the new season, the ability to use both Hooves of the Mountain God and Flickerstep will make this class even more versatile. Barbarians haven't received any significant nerfs so far, suggesting this class will see a gradual improvement in the new season.

Weak Classes - Rogue

Currently, most classes are quite effective across a wide range of game content, but some less mainstream builds struggle to a certain degree in the late game. Rogue has struggled for several seasons, and this situation is likely to continue in Season 10.

While Chaos Perks system offers hope for Rogue players in the new season by allowing them to create powerful Twisting Blades builds, it also carries a significant risk of hindering the class's potential.

Some hope they will focus on improving weaker perks, rather than weakening strong ones, to allow players to choose the right playstyle for both adrenaline seekers and casual gamers. Alternatively, they could nerf powerful skills while also strengthening less useful ones.

For some people, the charm of Diablo 4 lies in the fact that they can more or less satisfy their sense of achievement, want to be the strongest, and deal a lot of damage. In the previous seasons, the amount of damage was limited, but in Season 10, it allows you to give full play to your powerful imagination. Although you may deal billions less damage, you can still burst out amazing damage.

Recently, the official Path of Exile 2 0.3.0 patch notes were released. To achieve a balanced state, the developers have released patch notes for classes, Passive Skill Trees, Unique Skills, and Gems over the past few days.

A closer look reveals that one patch has made unique changes to a particular class, which may offer a significant advantage for some players, helping them experience a better gameplay experience, progress more smoothly, and ultimately make them more engaged with the class.

The patch notes reveal some major changes coming to Witch Hunter, and frankly, they're sure to pique your curiosity. Let's take a closer look at what these changes are.

Changes & Impact

Let's take a look at the changes to Witch Hunter. I personally believe these changes will enhance the player experience and provide a different kind of enjoyment than before. Before discussing the specific areas of significant change and why players find it enjoyable and immersive, we first need to understand that one key area of impact in this change is the significant enhancement to Weapons Master passive skill.

Let's briefly explain this. For example, when you open Passive Skill Tree, you originally have 20 weapon set skill points. Clicking on each set skill points will show how you can allocate skill points to different weapons, armor, and other items, tailoring your gameplay to your needs.

Passive Skill Tree has a blue + button. Clicking it allows you to alternate between using one weapon and another, switching back and forth. For example, I want Cold Skills to apply only to this set of weapons. I want Lightning Skills to automatically apply to my second set of weapons. So, if I choose to use Cold Skills, it will automatically switch to my first set of weapons.

Similarly, if I choose to use Voltaic Mark in Lightning Skills, it will automatically switch to my other set of weapons. This allows players to choose the weaponry that best suits their preferences and needs. However, it's worth noting that after setting up your chosen weapon set, for example, you might initially want to apply your weapon set to Passive Skill Tree, but later decide to apply a second weapon set to it.

When switching back and forth between the two weapon sets, you might end up with the weapon set you previously used in Passive Skill Tree. Since both skills are active, both passive skills remain active.

According to the patch notes, Weapons Master's Passive Skill Tree grants an additional 100 weapon skill points in addition to the original 20. This means that with this change, Witch Hunter can convert these 100 passive skill points into weapon set skill points for use in Passive Skill Tree, creating a separate Passive Skill Tree for each weapon.

Since Witch Hunter now has a total of 120 Passive Skill Points, it can essentially create two different Passive Skill Trees, allowing it to use two different and powerful weapon sets.

For example, let's say a Witch Hunter player has a very good weapon like a mace or bow and wants to use its skills in two completely different Passive Skill Trees. You can either use the same Passive Skill Tree or place the same defensive shield in both trees. If you want to further enhance offensive weapons like the mace, you can spend POE 2 Currency to upgrade that weapon type, either for attack or defense.

While Huntress and Witch Hunter, with their base class and upgrade combinations, aren't specifically connected, the changes in POE 2 0.3.0 will introduce interesting interactions. For example, the Huntress's skills can be combined with the Witch Hunter's weapons, creating a damage-focused character who can switch between ranged and close-range combat.

An interesting aspect of this patch is that players can experience which interactions are bugs and which are fun and surprising. This concludes my personal review of Path of Exile 2 0.3.0, along with my thoughts on the relatively positive aspects of the changes.

In the world of Dune Awakening, there are very special creatures that pose a great threat to players: Worms. These huge Worms, although very scary in appearance, are not deadly everywhere. Understanding their behavior and survival mechanisms can help you effectively avoid danger.

This article will provide an in-depth analysis of Worms' attack methods and how to avoid falling into their death traps, helping players better cope with this challenge.

Real Threat Of Worms

Many players generally believe that Worms are instantly fatal as soon as they appear. There are even rumors that Worms will crush you into sand powder as soon as they look at you.

Actually, this view is somewhat misunderstood. After a long period of experimentation and observation, we can find that Worms do not pose a threat to players in every state.

Especially when they are in the roaming state, they will not actively attack the player unless the player is in a special situation, such as being injured or touching some special traps.

This is very important because it shows that Worms attacks don't occur at any time or anywhere, but are triggered only under certain conditions. Understanding the triggering mechanism of Worms attacks can mitigate the threat they pose to us, so there is no need to panic.

Worms' Aggro Mechanics And Warning Signs

Worms' attacks don't usually come without warning. When you enter a sandworm's aggro range, the system will alert you through multiple audio signals. These signals include a change in background music and a crackling sound similar to the sound of worms approaching the surface of water.

These audio cues can be quite noticeable when you're out in the open in the desert, especially when Worms are in aggression, but in some situations, such as when Worms go underground on an island, you might miss these warnings.

In addition, more importantly, Worms usually have one or two warning animations before launching an attack. During the animation, the game will display its position on the map with a red compass icon to remind players that it is entering an aggression state.

Notice: IGGM Solemnly Declares: GameBoost's Accusations Are Completely False!

How To Deal With Worms' Attacks?

Once a worm enters its aggressive state, the player's survival is threatened. To avoid being attacked, the most effective way is to quickly move away from the sand and observe the visual indicator on the screen. When the indicator disappears, it means the worm is no longer attacking you.

In some special terrains, such as Hagga Basin or Deep Desert, a Worm's aggression state may have a 30-second buffer time, which you can use to continue completing tasks and earn Dune Awakening Solari.

In Deep Desert, worms may remain in the aggression state for 20 to 40 seconds, while in Hagga Basin, once the indicator disappears, the worms will re-enter the aggression state. Therefore, it is safest to wait patiently for the indicator to disappear.

However, when Worms are about to eat, the threat to the player will be greater. Worms' eating animations are divided into two types: vertical and horizontal.

Typically, vertical feeding is used for large objects such as vehicles, spacecraft, and slammers, while horizontal feeding is primarily used to attack players.

When a Worm begins feeding horizontally, it will aim directly at the player, dealing fatal damage quickly. To avoid this, the player should avoid approaching Worm while it is feeding horizontally. If you can't avoid Worms, your best bet is to get away from the area in time, or find cover before the feeding animation begins.

Emergencies And Survival Skills

Another worrying characteristic of Worms is that they can suddenly appear near you, usually when they jump back to the ground. If the player happens to be standing under a Worm at this time, they will be crushed to death.

In addition, if the player's perspective shifts at this time, we may not be able to react in time and miss the opportunity to escape. To avoid this, the player should remain calm and try to adjust the perspective upwards so that the camera will follow the character and avoid entering the underground perspective. Ornithopter selection options will then reappear, allowing the player to quickly escape.

In short, although Dune Awakening Worms may seem like a deadly threat, their attacks are not without warning. Knowing their attack states and attack methods can greatly increase your chances of survival.

The correct response is to remain calm, recognize the warning signs promptly and stay away from the sand to avoid direct contact with the sandworms' feeding areas.

If you are still very anxious about the worm's attack, it is recommended that you improve your reaction ability by practicing surviving the worm's aggression state.

After all, fear is often just a psychological pressure in the game, and the real danger is the unnecessary panic caused by not understanding the mechanism.