PoE Sanity

"GGG taking HUGE swings" | Still Sane Podcast #88 | Path of Exile 2 Return of the Ancients 0.5

By Talkative TriWatch videoDuration: PT1H20M35S

Summary

  • Patch 0.5 Expectations: The focus is on endgame content and massive numerical balance shifts, particularly regarding defensive scaling and item power variance.
  • Defensive Rework Proposals: Criticism of current “per-item-slot” defensive nodes and the armor equation’s reliance on hit size; a preference for linear or logarithmic scaling similar to Dota 2.
  • Item Power vs. Passive Tree: A proposal to buff base item damage while nerfing affix ranges to reduce power variance and make passive tree choices more impactful.
  • Speedrunning and Engagement: Racing forces players to engage deeply with enemy design and boss mechanics, providing a more challenging experience than the “one-shot” meta of the endgame.
  • ExileCon Qualifiers: A desire for fair, load-removed timing, regional qualifiers to mitigate latency, and potentially crowd-funded prize pools via supporter packs.
  • Casting History: CrimsonCasts’ background in amateur and Tier 2/3 Dota 2 casting and how that narrative-driven approach applies to Path of Exile 2 racing.

Patch 0.5 First Impressions and Balance Desires

While Patch 0.5 introduces significant endgame content, the most anticipated aspect for competitive players is numerical balance information. The focus remains on how Grinding Gear Games (GGG) might adjust the passive tree and rescale character power. Comprehensive “patch notes reveal” streams serve as the primary tool for min-maxing leveling strategies for new expansions.

Reworking Armor and Defensive Scaling

Current defensive scaling in Path of Exile 2 relies on generic nodes (e.g., Subterfuge Mask, Spectral Ward) that grant bonuses based on specific equipped item types. This pigeonholes players into specific gear bases. Ideally, these should be nerfed in favor of more interesting scaling.

The fundamental math for armor and evasion is also a point of contention. The current armor equation scales with the size of the incident hit, making it effective against small hits but irrelevant against the large “slams” that actually threaten players. A more robust system would:

  1. Remove hit-size scaling from the armor equation.
  2. Provide strength-based characters better ways to handle large hits, especially given the lack of life-scaling on the passive tree.
  3. Move toward a system similar to Dota 2, where armor provides a more consistent physical damage reduction.

Passive Tree Power vs. Item Power Variance

A recurring issue is the high variance between “good” and “bad” items, which often trivializes choices made on the passive tree. Currently, a single lucky affix roll (e.g., flat lightning damage on a mace) can double a weapon’s output, making it impossible for tree investment to catch up.

Proposed solution to bridge the gap between top-tier racers and average players:

  • Increase the base damage of weapons.
  • Reduce the power granted by modifiers/affixes.
  • This “squashes” the variance, ensuring that even “bad” weapons are functional while still allowing for 60% power increases on top-tier gear.

Boss Balance and Campaign Difficulty

There is a massive disparity in boss fight durations. While an average player might spend 119 seconds on a boss like the Forsaken Sun, a speedrunner might finish it in 8 seconds. Squishing item power variance would help the average player struggle less while forcing top-tier players to engage with boss mechanics for a more reasonable duration (e.g., 30 seconds). Speedrunning is not just about skipping content; it is about high-engagement combat where players must understand enemy tells and positioning because they cannot out-gear the encounter.

Campaign Changes and Environmental Clues

Patch 0.5 introduces layout changes to “hated” zones like Freythorn and Venom Crypts, alongside subtle environmental wayfinding clues. Examples of current and upcoming clues include:

  • Volcanic Warrens (Act 4): The direction of lava flow in the background points toward the boss, Taku-tak.
  • Traders’ Passage: Yellow notes on the wall point toward the NPC Belbala.
  • Grim Tangle: Mushroom clusters on the ground indicate proximity to the entrance.

These clues will likely take several patch cycles to become common knowledge within the broader community.

0.5 League Starter Predictions

Without final patch notes, the Witch Hunter is a top contender due to the strength of Sorcery Ward, which is arguably the best defensive ascendancy investment currently available. A viable progression path involves:

  1. Leveling with grenades.
  2. Transitioning to Galvanic Shards and Storm Blast Bolts in maps.
  3. Focusing on high-speed clear and XP gain for SSF ladder pushing.

ExileCon Race Format and Competitive Integrity

The upcoming ExileCon qualifiers require a format that minimizes RNG and technical advantages. Recommendations for a fair circuit include:

  • Average of Multiple Runs: Using a “removed mean of five” (discarding the best and worst times) to mitigate item RNG.
  • Load-Removed Timing: Implementing systems to subtract loading screen times from the final result, similar to Diablo 2 speedrunning.
  • Regional Qualifiers: Dividing qualifiers into Americas, Europe/Africa, and Asia-Oceania to account for server latency.
  • Prize Pool Innovation: GGG could implement a crowd-funded prize pool by selling a “Race Supporter Pack” where a percentage of proceeds goes directly to the finals.

Casting Origins and Professional Background

The name CrimsonCasts originates from a background in the North American amateur Dota 2 scene (ADL, RDL, MDL). Starting as a “watch-along” streamer for friends, the role evolved into MCing charity events and eventually casting Tier 2 and Tier 3 professional matches. This experience highlights the potential for Path of Exile 2 racing to grow through better production and narrative-driven commentary, even if it remains a niche compared to major esports.

Favorite Path of Exile 2 Meta

A standout historical moment was the Rake/Stomping Ground meta in Patch 0.2. Although unbalanced, it provided extreme skill expression through “micro-ing” disengage angles and “flicking” skills, bringing terminology from first-person shooters into the ARPG space.

Key References