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Ahead of the release of Path of Exile 2 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients on May 29th, this supposedly groundbreaking update for PoE2 has already garnered significant attention, with everyone curious about the new content and changes to come.

Before the official update on May 29th, let's take a look at the changes and content we can deduce from the released teaser and announcements.

Teaser

Players have been speculating and predicting the potential content and changes in the new version based on clues from the few teaser released so far. So, let's first look at what appears in the teaser.

Uncover The Truth

Many initially thought this teaser was related to Kalguuran Runes, possibly indicating an Expedition update. However, the teaser features a big spider boss that seems unrelated to anything we currently know. Therefore, it's highly likely that this is some kind of gameplay mechanic in the new version, or part of an endgame update.

Stop The Madness

In this teaser, there's some dialogue that some believe refers to NPC, Elder Madox. You might not remember him; we saw him in the previous interlude.

Elder Madox mentions something he calls snakes in the dialogue, which some believe refers to Tangmazu, the trickster god who once deceived us. There are also some images that might represent Delirium, which is also related to Tangmazu.

Now It Is Our Time

In this teaser, we see what appears to be Ailith and other monastery monks performing some kind of ritual, which many currently believe is the awakening of Chayula. Notably, a sword shimmering with purple light appears in the teaser, potentially indicating that the highly requested addition of a sword as a weapon in the game is becoming a possibility. However, it's currently unclear whether this is a playable weapon or simply part of the storyline.

Ancient Secrets Rise

The initial teaser, featuring the tagline "Ancient secrets rise", was widely interpreted as a hint at endgame changes. The teaser boasted striking visuals, showcasing a massive structure rising from the ground and a colossal tower composed of statues.

Endgame Update

The most anticipated change is the potential major overhaul of the endgame. Reportedly, this change was originally scheduled for release in version 0.4.0, but due to insufficient preparation or other reasons, it has been delayed until version 0.5.0.

This means that the endgame changes have been in development for six months before the late May update, potentially indicating a very significant scale of modifications.

PoE2's endgame has been criticized for lacking sufficient motivation and specific objectives. While Infinite Atlas seems to offer an endless endgame experience, players lack the micro-progression that provides continuous stimulation and rewards within a larger, overarching goal.

Even with clearly defined objectives like Clean Maps and Find Citadels, the process of acquiring Path of Exile 2 currency feels incredibly tedious. Furthermore, completing these tasks doesn't change the map. We seem to need clearer guidance and goals.

While players can choose their own routes, they're still repeatedly making choices among available options. The new endgame changes might change this, giving players more ways to use PoE 2 currency and providing more options for improving their endgame experience.

Atlas Passive Tree

The current Atlas Passive Tree in game is widely considered terrible. Not only players, but even the developers haven't shied away from expressing their dissatisfaction with the existing system in interviews.

Therefore, just as important as the endgame changes in the new version is Atlas Passive Tree. According to some currently known information, they will completely rebuild the system, shedding its tedious design and introducing new mechanics, which may mean more customization options.

Other Changes

Besides the already mentioned endgame mechanics and Atlas Passive Tree, which everyone is focused on, there are some other changes.

Tutorial System

Currently, players enter the adventure without any guidance, significantly increasing the learning curve. Corruption Zones and The Burning Monolith also give this impression; players lack clear instructions on what to do next. This might be improved in the new version.

Bosses

Some boss battles will be adjusted, and some new boss battles are coming, including bosses copied from PoE 1, such as Olroth and The King in the Mist.

Especially The King in the Mist; Developers don't want to simply copy it verbatim from PoE 1 as a Pinnacle Boss. They want to add more changes to these bosses and significantly increase their strength. Hopefully, these bosses will bring a completely new combat experience, more rare items, and greater changes to the game's endgame mechanics.

Progression System

Different progression systems will be added to this update, helping players more easily access Pinnacle content and creating a more diverse experience.

Biomes

It's speculated that Biomes may function similarly to Map Completion in PoE 1, advancing the Atlas Tree and upgrading your Biomes, bringing you closer to Pinnacle content. This will bring more gameplay variations, increased challenge, and raised the endgame difficulty, as well as the skill ceiling for players.

Overall, the update content for Path of Exile 2 0.5.0 will be revealed at the end of May. The official statement clearly indicates that this will be the biggest update in the history of both PoE games. Changes to endgame gameplay and the restructuring of Atlas Passive Tree are basically confirmed. More detailed updates will be shown in subsequent game teaser.

Dear Raiders, the Third Expedition has officially begun. Are you ready to start? This expedition runs from April 28th to May 4th, giving you a week to achieve your goals. However, it's important to note that this time, your focus isn't on increasing inventory value, but rather on maximizing damage output, completely reshaping the core gameplay.

From Pursuing Loot to Pursuing Purer Combat

As the core reward of Expedition system, skill points are the goal every Raider player has always chased. Previously, unlocking all 5 skill points required repetitive resource farming and inventory value increases, resulting in a more passive and tedious gameplay experience, which was a major complaint from many players. However, in this expedition, the developers have completely shed this repetitive labor, shifting towards a more dynamic combat experience.

Now, your expedition progress and skill point acquisition depend entirely on your combat and damage. You're no longer just focused on gathering resources; you need to focus on equipping better loadouts or finding like-minded teammates to dominate the game. This combat-driven expedition mechanism allows for better synergy with the game's weapon and upgrade systems, resulting in a better player experience.

Redesigning Skill Point Acquisition

In this update, the developers have changed the original design of skill point acquisition. Instead of the previously mentioned 5 skill points, players must achieve a sufficiently high damage target during the game. This includes any method of dealing damage, encompassing weapons, skills, and damage output.

In co-op or solo games, players can accumulate approximately 100,000 damage across multiple matches to earn the maximum reward of 5 skill points. However, for co-op players, you and your friends will not share progress; everyone must strive for more damage. So, players, successful extraction is no longer the primary objective; pursue more aggressive and frenzied combat!

Richer Maps and Enemies

As part of the Third Expedition update, new maps and more threatening enemies bring greater challenges to raiders. This deserted seaside resort map features not only dynamic combat but also a large ARC enemy type described as a high-threat enemy that can significantly impact player progress, offering a more diverse combat experience.

A More Flexible Expedition System

The developers have provided more support mechanisms to ensure raiders can more easily participate in this Expedition.

Players who missed Expedition registration window can still join, but at a later stage, and they will not receive the extra skill points earned by those who registered on time.

However, it's worth noting that there is still a way for lagging players to gain skill points after completing the core requirements of this Expedition, and each skill point costs approximately 300,000 in-game coins.

For players who were unable to participate in the game's early stages due to various reasons, this is undoubtedly a clear and practical way to make up for their regret of not being able to participate in expeditions in time.

More Rewards and a More Long-Term Reward System

ARC Raiders will provide a progress system that gradually expands over time and is permanently saved. If you participate in expeditions, these permanent rewards will always be stored in your account. Larger storage space, more skill points, and more diverse cosmetic rewards:

Each expedition completion grants 12 storage slots.

The stacking rewards for consecutive expedition participation are as follows:

• +5–15% experience gain
• +6–18% resource bonuses (Scrappy materials)
• +60–80% repair efficiency

However, raiders should note that these rewards will reset if an expedition is missed, and there is no way to make up for it.

Many players are eagerly awaiting the cosmetic reward updates, including the Patchwork set (evolved version) and customization toggle options, with more color variations. A unique cosmetic item—Scrappy Turban. The exploration indicator icon, which upgrades with each expedition, will visually change as raiders progress.

The update has generated considerable discussion within the player community, but also presents differing opinions. This is because the update not only introduces more dynamic gameplay and encourages player participation in combat, adding more excitement and variability to matches, but it has also caused anxiety among many raiders regarding the developer's strict time limits on limited-time content and rewards, and the pressure of falling behind other players. The developer has stated that they will continuously adjust the progress reset and retention mechanisms.

Furthermore, with more game content updates, the value of previously accumulated game items will inevitably decrease. The updated ARC Raiders items, better compatible with the current mechanics, will inevitably demonstrate greater value.

Overall, the Third Expedition signifies the developer's intention to shift ARC Raiders experience towards greater player interaction and combat-oriented gameplay, rather than the previous focus on resource accumulation and progression. Repetitive gameplay has been eliminated, and a dynamic and intense experience will be presented in every raider's match. This may significantly influence and change the future direction of game design and development.

It's been over a week since ARC Raiders Riven Tides update, and many players are likely already familiar with the new content. After a week's break, ARC Raiders weekly trials are back, offering a series of brand-new missions for both new and returning players.

This week's trials run from May 4th to May 10th. There are five trials: Destroy Fireballs, Destroy ARC Enemies in Swamp (Dam Battlegrounds), Search Kitchen Cabinets, Damage Any ARC Enemies, and Deal Melee Damage to ARC Enemies.

This guide will explain each of these challenges in detail to help you better complete this week's trials.

How to Destroy Fireballs?

Fireballs are small, spherical ARC mechs designed for sustained close-quarters combat. When in attack mode, Fireballs roll towards their target and open their front panel, unleashing a long burst of flame from their flamethrower. Targets hit by Fireballs' flames will suffer severe damage.

Once a Raider catches fire, it will continue to take burning damage for several seconds, regardless of whether it stops attacking or has been destroyed. Therefore, Fireball Trial can be very deadly for novice players, but it should be one of the easier trials this week. Fireballs spawn on every map, so finding them shouldn't be difficult. Buried City is a good starting point.

When attacking, Fireball opens its front panel, revealing its unarmored core. While the core is fragile and can be destroyed by any weapon, the outer shell covering it is quite sturdy and requires heavy ammunition to penetrate. Light ammunition is ineffective against the shell and will bounce off.

It is recommended that players attempting this trial equip themselves with heavy weapons and use high-powered weapons like Ferro or Anvil to penetrate the outer shell. This should significantly reduce the difficulty of the trial.

How To Search Kitchen Cabinets?

This is a new trial in ARC Raiders. Some maps have very popular residential areas. In this trial, you need to go to these areas, enter the kitchen, and loot the cabinets. It sounds simple, but remember, these places will quickly become overcrowded graveyards because everyone will be doing the same thing.

Therefore, you need to know some places where you might encounter fewer looters. Without further ado, let's talk about the best looting spots on each map.

First, you can go to Ruby Residence and Pale Apartments in Dam Battlegrounds; both places have decent loot. Next is Buried City, which has the most residential buildings on this map. Players can start from Grandioso Apartments, head to Plaza Rosa, pass Red Tower, and finally reach Piazza Arbusto; this route should be the optimal path to complete the mission.

Finally, you can go to Blue Gate map; this Village area is practically designed specifically for this trial, with numerous cabinets.

How To Destroy ARC Enemies in Swamp?

Scoring in this trial is limited to destroying ARC enemies in Dam Battlegrounds Swamp area. So, to begin this trial, players need to enter Dam Battlegrounds and search the area around Swamp. Swamp isn't a single point on the map, but rather three separate locations in the southwest area of ​​Dam Battlegrounds map.

These three locations all count towards the weekly trial objective, so you can freely move between them during the raid. While staying at one point and waiting for monsters to spawn is also an option, rotating between the three locations allows enemies to constantly move through the area, thus speeding up your progress.

These areas will spawn many different enemies, giving players plenty of options. Rocketeers and Leapers earn the highest score per kill, so prioritize attacking them if you want to finish quickly. Once you have enough kills, simply successfully withdraw to complete the trial. Remember to avoid engaging other Raiders.

How To Deal Melee Damage to ARC Enemies?

This is also a brand new trial where scoring is limited to dealing melee damage to ARC enemies in any map or under any conditions, with a minimum of 10 points and a maximum of 150 points. Before starting the trial, you'll need some ARC Raiders Items, plenty of stamina recovery items, and a weapon for self-defense.

You can use free loadouts in ARC Raiders, but for a high score, it's recommended to use some good gear. Here's a recommended item list:

• Survivor MK.3 Augment
• Medium Shield
• 5 Shield Rechargers
• 5-10 Bandages
• As many Adrenaline Shots as possible
• Any guns and ammo you want as backup

It's worth noting that the base health of ticks is insufficient for players to complete this trial by farming them. Therefore, players should choose to knock down or climb onto larger enemies and then unleash a barrage of melee attacks.

How To Damage Any ARC Enemies?

The difficulty of this trial is almost self-evident and frequently appears in various weekly trial events. Players can develop strategies, choose the type of ARC enemies they want to attack, and then go to their preferred map to complete the trial in any way they like.

This concludes this article. This is all the information players need to know about this week's ARC Raiders trial. Don't waste any time, go complete your trial, and we look forward to hearing good news. If you discover any better methods during the process, I look forward to your sharing.

In the recent Trials season 4: What's on the Horizon update for ARC Raiders, besides the two new sets, Solare Set and Rachetta Set, a new Augment item - Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) - was added.

The official statement indicated that, in addition to player feedback regarding the imbalance of some Augment items, they also noticed that some Augment items performed poorly in practice. Therefore, they adjusted the balance of Augment items and buffed some underperforming ones.

In this favorable environment, ARC Raiders players are no longer content with just focusing on existing Augment items; they are eagerly anticipating this new Augment item that brings good news of increased power. So, what exactly does Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) do, and how can one find its blueprint on ARC Raiders map?

Attributes and Functions

The new Augment item for ARC Raiders, Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke), is an upgraded version of Tactical Mk.2 Augment component, offering significantly increased capacity. After finding its blueprint, you need to craft it at Gear Bench, requiring 2 Advanced Electrical Components and 3 Processors.

It boasts a durability of 100, maxed out, and a maximum load capacity of 50, usable with both light and medium shields. In addition, it has 5 quick-use slots, 2 deployable utilities, and 2 safe pockets, offering 19 times the carrying capacity of comparable items. It's arguably one of the most powerful items currently available in ARC Raiders.

It also has a very useful passive skill: when your shield is broken, Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) deploys a small smoke grenade. The cooldown is fixed. It can be a lifesaver when you're threatened or in danger during an assault, allowing you to react quickly using the smoke grenade's effect.

Obtaining Blueprints

Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprint differs from other regular item blueprints; it can only be obtained by looting specific containers on ARC Raiders map.

Riven Tides

The new map, Riven Tides, is the best place to quickly obtain ARC Raiders Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprint, as it contains numerous containers, often hiding high-value equipment and items.

However, I won't suggest blindly searching like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are two areas you should focus on looting: Port Authority Building and Tennis Court POIs. Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprint will spawn in the lockers and drawers at these locations. Stacking Yard is also worth checking, as it has many containers as well.

Buried City

Traveling to Buried City in Night Raid mode will significantly improve the overall quality of looted items and the drop rate of rare blueprints. After repeated testing and verification by the community, Lucky Loot bonus from Night Raid significantly improves the efficiency of obtaining Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprints.

When you arrive in Buried City, prioritize Space Travel building (blue area) and Research building just across the street. These are high-risk, high-value core areas, filled with various containers, drawers, and lockers; thoroughly search them all.

Based on testing by ARC Raiders player community across nearly 180 containers, precisely search these two buildings is one of the most reliable methods for obtaining Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprints.

Stella Montis

Similarly, it's best to enter Stella Montis map during Night Raid and focus on searching Medical Research drawers. It's worth noting that this map is notoriously dangerous and has a bad reputation.

The map is dangerous because of the numerous ARC patrols, including the iconic Shredder from Stella Montis map. It has a bad reputation because ARC Raiders on this map are generally very aggressive and might kill you while you're looting.

Therefore, before entering this map, be sure to bring defensive gear, weapons, and a safe pocket for high-value blueprints, such as Looting Mk. 3 (Safekeeper). After all, it would be a huge loss if you found a blueprint only to have it fall into the hands of lurking rats.

Besides looting blueprints on the map, you can also try the risk of killing elite ARC enemies, such as Queen, Matriarch, Bastion, Leaper, and Rocketeer. These enemies have a chance to drop Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) blueprints, but this is far more dangerous.

In summary, the strategy for obtaining Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprints is:

• Start from Riven Tides - Hotel Panorama Azzurro for the fastest way to acquire a large amount of loot.
• If you want to search more office and container checks, move on to Port Authority Buildings.
• Cabinets, desks, shelves, lockers, backpacks, suitcases, and small containers.
• Activate Surveyors to obtain ARC Raiders resources and Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprint.
• Use Buried City Hospital as a safer alternative route, or utilize Blue Gate Reinforced Reception lockers.
• Collect your loot immediately and store your newly acquired Augment blueprint in a secure pocket.

Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) not only addresses the defensive weaknesses in ARC Raiders but also becomes a key item for turning the tide of battle thanks to its passive smoke mechanic.

Therefore, obtaining Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) blueprint permanently unlocks this top-tier survival tool. Take advantage of the golden environment after the balance adjustments and set out tonight to make it your second shield in ARC Raiders raids.