Path of Exile 2 hits 1.0 on December 11 with new acts, classes, and league

Path of Exile 2 will leave Early Access and launch its full 1.0 release on December 11 PST, Grinding Gear Games has confirmed. The update finishes the campaign with Acts 5 and 6, adds the Shadow and Duelist classes, and starts a new Challenge League called Conquerors of Wraeclast.

The full campaign will span six acts, with the new final chapters adding 24 areas, 18 unique bosses, and more than 20 Champion Rare encounters. The game will also remain free to play when 1.0 arrives, according to GGG’s official ExileCon announcements post.

The Shadow is built around daggers, traps, and a new stealth system. While stealthed, enemies won’t spot the player until they get close, and dagger skills gain extra bonuses. Traps can be prepared from stealth and then triggered in sequence, setting up combo-style attacks. The Shadow launches with the Assassin and Infiltrator Ascendancies.

The Duelist focuses on sword combat and stance management. His Ready Stance powers up sword skills, with upgrades into Sand or Blood Stances for different combat options. His first two Ascendancies in 1.0 are the Knight and Master-at-Arms.

Conquerors of Wraeclast is the first league for the full release. Players join Varek and his mercenaries, recruit troops, capture fortifications, and build toward a faction stronghold in the endgame. The league also includes a new storyline tied to the Blood Lord, over 70 points of interest, castle treasuries, and a new crafting material for reforging gear.

GGG is also using 1.0 for a broad balance pass. The update adds more than 40 Unique Items, reworks over 70 existing Uniques, adds skills for classes including Warrior and Witch, changes Support Gems, and makes major adjustments to the Passive Skill Tree. Several classes and Ascendancies are being reworked too, including Mercenary, Infernalist, Blood Mage, and Acolyte of Chayula.

Further reading: Official Path of Exile 2 Steam news