MMoexp: A New Beginning for PoE2 Players

That’s not the kind of statement you expect to hear about a game that’s built its reputation on complexity, ruthless difficulty, and a skill tree that looks more like a celestial map than a leveling system. Yet, that’s exactly the message of this new Path of Exile 2 miniseries — a bold exploration of how even the most relaxed, time-limited players can dive into Grinding Gear Games’ next-gen ARPG and not just survive… but thrive.

In this first episode, we follow a fresh character through version 0.3.1 Rise of the Abyssal, a hardcore solo self-found (SSF) run — no trading, no help, and death means permanent deletion. The goal? To show that POE2 Currency doesn’t need to be intimidating. It can be learned, enjoyed, and conquered at your own pace.

The Setup: A Chill Witch for a Terrifying World

The journey begins on the riverbank, the game’s quiet yet grim introduction to Wraeclast’s horrors. Before any monsters fall, there’s one important decision: which class to choose.

The options are classic ARPG archetypes — Ranger, Huntress, Warrior, Sorceress, Witch, Mercenary, and Monk — but this time, the choice falls on the Witch. Why? Because minions make everything easier.

For new or casual players, the Witch is an ideal entry point. Her minions tank enemies, deal solid early damage, and let you learn the game’s rhythm — dodging, flasking, and positioning — without being overwhelmed. Path of Exile 2 rewards knowledge and planning, not just reflexes, and minions give you room to breathe while you absorb the game’s systems.

After naming our Witch Andromemach (a random Greek-inspired pick in honor of recent Age of Mythology and Hades 2 sessions), the real adventure begins.

Early Encounters and the Joy of Simplicity

Armed with a Wielded Wand and nothing else, Andromemach takes her first steps through the shoreline ruins. The first few enemies fall easily to auto-attacks until the tutorial gem appears — Unearth — allowing the Witch to summon skeletal warriors and scorpion minions from the corpses of slain monsters. The playstyle immediately clicks: stay behind your minions, cast Unearth for damage and defense, and watch the battlefield come alive.

The new sprint mechanic added in patch 0.3.0 gives combat a fluid, kinetic feel. Holding the spacebar provides a burst of movement speed — useful for dodging or repositioning — though a mistimed sprint can lead to a deadly stun if you’re struck mid-dash. Hardcore players beware: panic sprints can end a run instantly.

The first boss encounter, the Bloated Miller, serves as a perfect tutorial. His lumbering attacks are easily telegraphed, and with a few Unearth casts, he melts under the pressure of summoned scorpions. The satisfaction of watching minions overwhelm a boss never gets old — and this early taste of triumph sets the tone for the rest of the campaign.

Understanding Path of Exile 2’s Foundations

After the Miller’s defeat, the world begins to open up. The Witch gains her first passive skill point, revealing the game’s enormous passive tree. Even in its current 0.3.1 form, the structure feels like a living organism — sprawling, interconnected, and alive with possibility. Early on, the advice is simple:

Prioritize damage first.

You can’t tank what’s already dead.

Path of Exile 2’s early game rewards those who play smart rather than those who grind endlessly. Dodging and positioning can compensate for low defenses, and the game’s solo self-found mode encourages careful resource use. Every orb, gem, and item matters. You’re not just looting; you’re building a future.

The first real side quests — like the Devourer Hunt and the Abyssal Challenge — introduce systems that blend risk and reward. Completing them grants support gems, which expand the depth of your skills. For instance, linking Contagion to your Unearth minions turns them into mobile agents of chaos damage, spreading debuffs through hordes of enemies.

Mastering the Minion Meta

Minions in Path of Exile 2 aren’t just disposable fodder — they’re the backbone of a flexible, scalable strategy. Each summon reserves Spirit, a resource separate from mana that limits how many minions you can maintain. The Witch starts with skeletal warriors, but soon unlocks skeletal snipers, scorpions, and even specialized undead constructs.

Each summon can be tuned through support gems that modify behavior and damage type. Want fiery archers that ignite enemies? Link Fire Attunement. Prefer a defensive playstyle? Attach Cold Attunement for chilling arrows that slow enemies down.

The synergy between Contagion and minions is especially potent. Casting Contagion on a monster spreads a poison-like debuff. When a minion kills that target, the debuff jumps — chain-reacting across entire packs. It’s visually satisfying, mechanically powerful, and perfectly suited for chill, low-stress gameplay.

A Game That Rewards Observation

Every area in Path of Exile 2 feels alive — not just because of the enemies, but because of the environmental clues scattered throughout. Fungal growths, corrupted roots, and glowing cracks often hint at nearby Abyssal zones or hidden dungeons. Unlike many ARPGs, exploration here is more than mindless wandering; it’s a puzzle.

The Abysses themselves are miniature gauntlets, summoning waves of monsters that erupt from underground fissures. They’re fast, frantic, and profitable. Watching your minions handle them effortlessly — especially when buffed with lightning or chaos damage — is pure catharsis.

Patch 0.3’s tuning also makes early combat more forgiving. Wolves and projectile mobs that once annihilated low-level players have been slowed down slightly. The result is a smoother difficulty curve without losing the tension that defines PoE.

Moments of Humanity Amidst Hardcore Play

One of the most charming touches of this playthrough comes when real life interrupts — the player’s daughter wakes up sick mid-session. In Path of Exile 1, that would’ve meant certain death. In Path of Exile 2, the newly introduced pause feature saves the day.

It’s a small thing, but it shows Grinding Gear Games’ evolving philosophy: making PoE accessible without watering it down. Players with families, jobs, or unpredictable schedules can finally experience hardcore gameplay without anxiety over real-life distractions.

The Devourer and the Power of Progression

The next major milestone comes with the Devourer boss fight in the Mud Burrow. Once infamous for its difficulty, it’s now a showcase of mechanical mastery. With Unearth and lightning-buffed minions, the fight ends in seconds — a stunning reversal from the 45-minute slugfest that early testers faced with melee builds.

The reward?

A rare armor piece with double elemental resistances and life regeneration — a godsend in SSF mode. But the real prize is an Exalted Orb, the legendary currency that adds a random modifier to rare gear. Used intelligently, it can transform a good item into a great one.

And that’s the key lesson for new players: spend your currency.

Don’t hoard it. In solo play, every upgrade counts.

Path of Exile 2’s Vendor System: A Hidden Gem

One of the most overlooked yet powerful tools for beginners is the vendor shop. NPCs sell magic, rare, and even unique items with clear outlines denoting rarity. Checking vendor inventories after each quest or level can yield surprising upgrades — especially for rings, amulets, and wands that boost skill levels.

In this playthrough, a +1 to Chaos Spell wand turns out to be a major power spike, directly amplifying Contagion’s damage output. For casuals, this kind of progression — steady, predictable, and non-grindy — is what makes Path of Exile 2 surprisingly welcoming.

The Red Veil: Where Things Get Real

The first real test of skill comes in the Red Veil, a dense, poison-filled forest crawling with wolves, fungal beasts, and rusted skeletons. The Obelisks of Rust summon ambush waves when activated, and unprepared players can easily be overwhelmed.

But with careful positioning and a squad of scorpion minions, the Witch breezes through. The Rust King, an early mini-boss, barely lasts a stun cycle before collapsing under the onslaught of contagion and lightning-enhanced strikes.

By this point, the character has evolved from fragile apprentice to battlefield commander. What began as a casual experiment has turned into a confident display of PoE2’s depth — proof that mastery doesn’t demand grinding, just curiosity.

The Grim Tangle and the True Spirit of Hardcore

The journey’s climax — for now — takes us into the Grim Tangle, a nightmarish zone filled with death explosions, chaos clouds, and swarming blights. It’s the first area that genuinely threatens the Witch’s life. Hardcore nerves kick in. Every sprint is risky. Every flask cooldown feels eternal.

And yet, with patience and awareness, it’s manageable. That’s the magic of Path of Exile 2: the line between chaos and control is razor-thin, but the game always gives you the tools to stay on the right side of it. Whether it’s understanding enemy animations, managing flask timing, or summoning the right minions at the right moment — success feels earned, not gifted.

Path of Exile 2’s New Philosophy

Path of Exile 2 is shaping up to be more than just a sequel. It’s a reimagining of what an ARPG can be — deep yet accessible, punishing yet fair, intimidating yet learnable. The addition of features like the pause function, simplified early mechanics, and visual clarity on items all contribute to a smoother experience without losing the game’s signature complexity.

For years, PoE veterans have worn difficulty as a badge of honor. But Path of Exile 2 seems to understand that there’s a difference between hard and hostile. It’s still brutal when it wants to be — but it’s no longer impenetrable.

Conclusion: The Game That Teaches You Back

After hours of exploration, leveling, and experimentation, one truth becomes clear:

Path of Exile 2 isn’t just for the hardcore. It’s for everyone willing to learn.

You can start with zero knowledge, play on a modest Witch with a couple of skeletons, and still feel the thrill of triumphing against impossible odds buy Path of Exile 2 Currency. The systems are still deep, the bosses still dangerous — but they’re approachable now. You don’t need spreadsheets or 100-hour guides to have fun.

The Witch’s journey in Rise of the Abyssal is more than a tutorial; it’s a statement.

Path of Exile 2 is the ARPG that finally welcomes newcomers into the chaos — and rewards those who dare to try.