5 biggest things we expect from Path of Exile 2 patch 0.3.0

It’s been over two months since Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt launched. Players have had mixed feelings about the update. This reflected heavily on the game’s Steam reviews, which were overwhelmingly negative during the league start. Currently, though, they are Mixed. The only hope is patch 0.3.0, which is expected to land sometime in September 2025.

Besides a few hints, there isn’t much information regarding what’s to come, but we have a few things in mind we’d like to see.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

What to expect from Path of Exile 2’s patch 0.3.0

The biggest complaint about Dawn of the Hunt was that the game was being slowed down. Players complained that the campaign was a slog to go through. The overall experience was the same for me.

Similar to the launch, I teamed up with a friend, and we both struggled to defeat Count Geonor for an hour. It was then that we decided to fight him solo and teamed up again from Act 2. However, there was a visible shift in the meta. A lot of Skill Gems received balance changes, with most of them being nerfs.

Now that we are well into the new season, here’s what we expect GGG to add with PoE 2 patch 0.3.0:

1) New character class (Druid)

Druid is the most awaited character class (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Patch 0.2.0 introduced Huntress, but the original plans also included the Druid. The reason for not including the class was that it wasn’t ready, as per Game Director Jonathan Rogers. It is one of the most anticipated classes in the game.

The same amount of content isn’t realistic for the next major, considering both PoE 1 and 2 are entering a four-month seasonal cycle. However, delaying a few Ascendency classes for a new character is worth sacrificing for the upcoming update.

2) Addressing the map size issue

The map size has been an issue from the start (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Map size has been one of the biggest complaints since the release of Path of Exile 2. While you can zoom through the campaign, ignoring the additional enemies, it's the endgame areas that require players to clear each one.

The map does show the location of rare enemies, and if there isn’t any checkpoint nearby, you’ll need to walk your way back in Season 2, Dawn of the Hunt. But the hopes for QoL improvements are high in the 0.3.0 update.

3) Balance changes (more endgame viable skills)

Skills need to be endgame ready (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Lightning Spear was the meta in Dawn of the Huntress because of its map-clearing speed, something players desperately needed. However, over 45% of the entire seasonal builds were based around a single skill.

Even if there aren’t many new skills in patch 0.3.0, balancing the current ones to make them endgame viable will go a long way. They don’t have to do it all, but having different options for boss DPS and map clearing will provide build diversity and allow players to work with the gear they get.

4) Endgame activities

Trial of Chaos (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

By endgame expansion, we don’t mean full-fledged bosses and new endgame mechanics, but Grinding Gear Games can use the existing ones. Something like the Hiest or the revamped Immortal Syndicate from PoE 1 will add new gameplay and currency-earning options for players.

Part of the reason why we expect a new endgame activity is that Dawn of the Hunt didn’t bring many. Apart from the new Azmerian wisps, there wasn’t anything new to challenge in the endgame.

5) GGG to follow the promised release cycle

New PoE season every four months (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

The main reason for the delay in Path of Exile updates, according to the game director, was due to the studio trying to cram as much content as possible. This won’t be the case going forward, as GGG promised a four-month release cycle for both games.

However, short cycles mean there will be some sacrifices with content, but that’s how the original game worked. It also means players won’t be stuck with the same season for a long time if GGG misses the mark.

These are a few changes we expect GGG to make with patch 0.3.0, but as mentioned, there are some uncertainties. While the expectations are high, the shortened time between each season makes it hard to predict what the developer will focus on next.

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About the author

Mayank Singh Rathour is an MMO writer at Sportskeeda. He graduated from college with a degree in Business Administration and has over two years of experience as an esports journalist.

Mayank was introduced to gaming at an early age and played Contra, Double Dragon, Castlevania, etc., on his Nintendo DS. When he was a little older, Counter-Strike — a title that majorly helped develop his passion for gaming — became his favorite pastime. Though he's played a bunch of games since then, his love of CS has remained strong. Shroud, a former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive pro, is an inspiration to him. He's also a fan of series' esports scene, following teams like Vitality, NAVI, and The Mongols closely.

When Mayank has some free time, he plays basketball and helps people build PCs.

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Edited by Dinesh Renthlei