Path of Exile 2 Beginner Guide: What to Know Before You Start

Path of Exile 2 is a deep action RPG, and the game doesn't explain everything up front. This beginner guide covers the systems new players trip over most: leagues, the campaign, skill gems, Spirit, the passive tree, dodging, flasks and loot. It's written for patch 0.5.5 and the free-to-play 1.0 launch on December 11, 2026.

Last checked: November 9, 2026.

1. Choose a league before you choose a class

When you create a character, you pick a league first:

For your first character, the normal (softcore) version of the current league is the safest choice. On December 11 that will be the new Conquerors of Wraeclast league.

Next, pick a class. Every class can finish the campaign, so choose a playstyle you like. Our classes and ascendancies guide explains all eight, plus the Duelist and Shadow coming in 1.0.

2. How the campaign is structured

In Early Access the story runs through Acts 1 to 4, followed by three Interludes that take you to level 65, where the endgame begins. The 1.0 release adds Acts 5 and 6 and completes the campaign.

A few rules that save time:

• Checkpoints and waypoints. Touching a waypoint saves your progress and lets you fast-travel. Boss checkpoints and waypoints also refill your flasks, life, mana and energy shield.
• Dying in the campaign sends you back to your last checkpoint, and the area's enemies respawn.
• Areas reset after sitting empty for roughly 8 to 15 minutes, so don't leave loot on the ground for long.
• Ctrl + click an area entrance or waypoint to force a fresh copy of that area.
• Press U to see your current quests on the world map.

3. Skill gems: how you get and upgrade skills

Your skills come from skill gems, and new ones come from Uncut Skill Gems:

• Right-click an Uncut Skill Gem to open the Skill Gems panel. You can either cut it into a new skill or use it to level up a skill you already have.
• Higher-level uncut gems unlock stronger skills, so check the panel each time you find one.
• You can only socket one copy of each skill gem. You can't run two copies of Fireball, for example.
• Support gems go into sockets on your skill gems and change how that skill works, for example by adding damage or extra projectiles. They have their own attribute requirements, separate from your skills and gear.
• Jeweller's Orbs change how many support sockets a skill gem has: a Lesser one sets it to 3, a Greater one to 4 and a Perfect one to 5.

4. Spirit powers your permanent buffs and minions

Spirit is a resource that you reserve instead of spend. Auras, Herald skills and persistent minions each reserve part of your Spirit while they're active. You assign Spirit in the Skills menu, and you can set it separately for each weapon set.

If a buff or minion won't activate, you probably don't have enough unreserved Spirit. Turn something else off, or look for Spirit on gear and passives.

5. Passive tree and weapon sets

You earn passive skill points as you level and from some quests. All classes share one huge tree but start in different places. Two things beginners miss:

• Weapon sets. You can equip two weapon sets and assign each skill to a specific set in the Skills panel. Right-click the weapon set numbers to use the same weapon in both sets.
• Weapon Set Passive Skill Points. These points only apply while a particular weapon set is active. They're very useful for builds that mix attacks and spells.

Resetting passives costs gold, which you get from selling items and from drops. Some optional quests also reward free Passive Respec Points along with extra passive points. Don't panic about early mistakes, since they can be fixed.

6. Movement and combat basics

• Dodge rolling works during almost any other action. It's your main way to avoid big boss attacks, so practice it early.
• Many melee attacks gap-close to a nearby target, so you don't have to stand right next to enemies.
• Stuns and freezes build up. Hitting enemies repeatedly can stun them, and both you and enemies become harder to stun or freeze again right after it happens.
• Elemental ailments matter. Cold damage can freeze, lightning can shock (making the target take more damage), and fire can ignite (burning damage over time).

7. Flasks, resistances and staying alive

• Flasks refill as you kill monsters. Magic, rare and unique monsters give more charges than normal ones. Wells and checkpoints also refill them.
• Use your flasks. The default keys are 1 and 2. New players often die with full flasks.
• Keep your elemental resistances up. In-game tips call them vital to survival. Check your character sheet often and fix low resistances with gear.
• Look for permanent rewards. Many unique bosses grant a permanent buff when you defeat them, often through an item you right-click, such as extra maximum life or cold resistance.

8. Loot, gold and identifying items

• Identify items with a Scroll of Wisdom, or by talking to the Hooded One in town.
• Sell items you won't use. Items with more modifiers sell for more gold.
• Check vendors when you level up. They restock with new items each time you gain a level.
• Some vendors can disenchant items into currency shards.
• Use an item filter. Once one is set up, press Z to switch between filtered and all items. Filters hide the clutter so valuable drops stand out.

The orbs you pick up are both crafting tools and the game's money. Don't sell or ignore them.

9. Unlock your ascendancy in Acts 2 and 3

Your class gets a big power boost from its ascendancy. You unlock it by completing a Trial of Ascendancy: the Trial of the Sekhemas in Act 2 or the Trial of Chaos in Act 3. The quest rewards that open them, Balbala's Barya and a Chimeral Inscribed Ultimatum, come from the main story. Don't skip them.

10. Use the built-in tools

• In-game build guides. Since patch 0.5.0, the game can load build guide files made by community creators. They show which passives, ascendancy skills and gems to take, which helps a lot on a first character.
• Party play. Players in the same party join the same areas. Monsters get tougher in a group, but the rewards go up too.
• Key bindings. You can change any control in the Input tab of the options menu.

Before you install, check that your PC meets the Path of Exile 2 system requirements.

Frequently asked questions

What level does the endgame start in Path of Exile 2?

Around level 65. The Early Access campaign and its Interludes take you to that level, and the first tier of Waystones, the endgame map items, opens areas at level 65.

How do you dodge roll in Path of Exile 2?

Press the Spacebar. You can dodge roll during almost any other action, and holding Spacebar after the roll puts you into a sprint.

How do you level up skill gems in Path of Exile 2?

Use an Uncut Skill Gem. Right-click it to open the Skill Gems panel, then choose to upgrade an existing skill or cut a new one.

What is Spirit in Path of Exile 2?

Spirit is a resource you reserve for permanent effects such as auras, Herald skills and minions. Each active one reserves part of your Spirit, so your total limits how many you can run at once.

What happens when you die in Path of Exile 2?

In the campaign, you return to your last checkpoint and the area's monsters respawn. In Hardcore leagues, a dead character moves to the matching non-Hardcore league instead.

Should a beginner play Standard or the current league?

The current league. It starts with a fresh economy, so everyone is on equal footing, and GGG recommends it for new content. Standard is better suited to long-term characters.

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