Path of Exile 2's full release on December 11 PST comes with a Challenge League that hands you an army, then asks you to keep it fed. Grinding Gear Games walked through Conquerors of Wraeclast at its ExileCon keynote in Auckland, and the big change isn't a bigger boss. Your troops can eventually run maps while you do something else.
We covered the Shadow and the December date when they landed, and the league got a single line. Here's how it plays, going by Inven Global's keynote report, PC Gamer's rundown and the studio's own notes.
Place your troops, then get in there
Inven reports that the league opens with a rescue. Free a group of captured mercenaries and their leader, Varek, takes over recruitment and army management for you.
Battles start before the first hit lands. You position your forces first, and placement counts because each unit type has its own role and match-ups. Inven's example is an easy one to learn from: shield-bearers resist arrows, so put them up front where the ranged fire is heaviest.
Then the camera zooms out and you charge in alongside them. This isn't an autobattler. Inven reports that Game Director Jonathan Rogers stressed the army isn't there to fight every battle in your place.
Troops also cost you twice. Inven says mercenaries are hired with gold, while food and upkeep run on supplies from crates found across campaign zones. So the next step after recruiting is budgeting. Turns out the secret to conquering Wraeclast is remembering lunch.
The scale climbs from there. The studio's release, carried by RPG Site, lists over 70 new points of interest and 23 campaign battles. Inven says those run from defending villages to breaking down castle gates. The release also promises siege engines, war elephants and two-headed Chimeras.
Your stronghold, and commanders who map for you
In the endgame you build a stronghold. Inven lists three architectural styles, Ezomyte, Maraketh and Karui, each with over 20 building types and upgrade options.
That unlocks the system worth paying attention to. Commanders work in four steps, according to Inven: assign them some of your reserve troops, hand over a Waystone, send them off, then collect the loot. The commander keeps a cut of the gold as a fee. Runs take real time, longer for harder and more distant maps, but you can queue several and come back later.
The release caps you at three commanders. The Steam notice calls it a "real-time endgame system". Inven says the presentation didn't make clear whether maps keep clearing once you fully close the game. PC Gamer compares the commanders to Kingsmarch in Path of Exile 1, turning gold into Atlas progress and loot.
The war also feeds your gear. Inven reports that bosses drop stronghold treasury keys, and treasuries hold new crafting materials such as Crimson Iron, which lets you pick the modifiers you want to replace at a Reforging Bench. The results become fractured and further Reforging is restricted, so pick carefully. This isn't a reroll button you can mash until the numbers look right.
The 100-castle faction war
The studio's release says factions compete for 100 castles across the Atlas. Inven calls them strongholds and reports 100 of them on a single shared Atlas. Steam's notice says you team up with everyone in your chosen faction to take castles from other player factions.
Inven reports that whoever claims a castle gets a substantial item rarity bonus, while the rest of the faction gets a smaller one. Holding one also opens Hunting Grounds maps nearby and gives you a new starting point for exploring the Atlas.
One thing isn't settled. PC Gamer describes this as battling other players, but Inven says it doesn't necessarily mean direct PvP between characters, and that how castles change hands still needs explaining. If you're a PvP fan, wait for the details.
What else changed
The release says Path of Exile 2 is now Steam Deck Verified, and it debuts on Mac at full release, supporting M2-series Macs and newer, plus M1 Pro systems. It also promises up to 25% additional CPU performance gains in 1.0.
One line doesn't match. Steam's notice lists both the Knight and the Master-at-Arms for 1.0, while the release on RPG Site says the Duelist's second Ascendancy will arrive at a later date. Don't plan a launch build around it until the studio clears that up.
Beau's take: The sieges will sell the trailer, but commanders will decide how this league gets played. If they keep clearing maps after you log off, expect them to become standard practice for anyone chasing the economy, and fast.
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