Pet Simulator X: Which Huge Pets Are The Most Desirable?

Path of Exile Patch 3.30 will launch in 2026 and could become a good opportunity to reorganize some of the game's older content. As the game continues to expand, endgame content has received constant updates, but some legacy content, campaign monsters, and old bosses have gradually faded from the current PoE experience.

These monsters and characters once had distinctive identities in Path of Exile, but are now rarely encountered. If Patch 3.30 continues to push content reworks, these forgotten monsters and pieces of lore could become a very worthwhile development direction.

Next, let's take a look at whether Path of Exile Patch 3.30 could make better use of this forgotten content and what it could bring to the current endgame.

Campaign

Path of Exile campaign has gone through multiple content expansions, but some early areas, monsters, and boss encounters still retain relatively old designs. Patch 3.30 could theoretically rework map routes, monster distribution, and boss mechanics.

Even without completely rebuilding campaign, improving the later Acts could make the overall progression feel better. It could make leveling easier for new PoE players while also giving veteran players a break from the highly repetitive leveling routes.

Triskeriaki is a unique Rakango and one of the easily overlooked monsters in PoE campaign. It can be found in a secluded area of Kaom's Dream. It has never been removed, but its location is so hidden that many new players may not even know it exists.

This purple Rakango is particularly interesting because it is one of the few campaign Unique Monsters without a corresponding Map Boss. By comparison, Path of Exile areas such as Bramble Valley already have their own boss content, while Triskeriaki still lacks a similar extension.

If a complete overhaul isn't necessary, simply optimizing the latter half of the campaign could still improve the overall progression experience. It would not only make leveling easier for new players but also help veteran players break away from the repetitive PoE currency farming routine.

Early campaign monsters such as Kuduku and Gloomgut are also worth bringing back into Patch 3.30 Legacy Content discussion. Kuduku, the False God already has a distinctive Totem and Lightning theme, which could provide a foundation for a new encounter involving Sacrifice, Temple mechanics, or a special map event.

Gloomgut, a unique fetid maw that once appeared in Act 3 Sewers, is also highly recognizable because of its size and attack patterns. As PoE campaign has changed over time, this monster has largely disappeared from the everyday experience. Old monsters like this could fit naturally into Atlas as special encounters with their own mechanics and rewards.

Beyond Boss

If Path of Exile 3.30 really plans to reorganize legacy content, the old Beyond bosses would be a very interesting direction to explore. Their most distinctive feature was how an ordinary map could quickly become dangerous as Beyond encounters were repeatedly triggered. Beyond Portals and monsters would continue to appear, eventually leading to a powerful boss.

Abaxoth, the End of All That Is is the most iconic example. Especially in Hardcore, Abaxoth's Flame Blast and other attacks could force players to keep moving and use totems and terrain to find safe positions. The fight could not simply be solved by standing still and dealing damage.

Abaxoth would be an excellent candidate for a redesign. PoE could create a new boss encounter and reward structure around him, preserving the sense of danger that veteran players remember while properly integrating the old content into Patch 3.30 endgame.

The old Beyond system in PoE was more like an otherworldly demon encounter that could suddenly appear while mapping. Although its bosses had strong identities, they did not have particularly deep connections to other endgame systems. Patch 3.30 could use the existing lore to place these old bosses into a new storyline and make them part of a specific faction or special event.

Scourge could be a natural direction for this connection. It also involves otherworldly forces and demons, and has had connections to Beyond-related content, making it a possible bridge between the old Beyond system and the modern Endgame.

However, the two systems do not have exactly the same design style. The old Beyond Bosses focused more on Fire, Cold, Lightning, and other elemental damage, with each boss having distinctive combat characteristics, while Scourge has its own background story and visual identity.

If Path of Exile eventually redesigns Beyond in this direction, it would need to properly explain the relationship between the two.

Problems

Beyond reorganizing old content, PoE 3.30 also needs to address some of the problems exposed by Curse of the Allflame. The current League's problems are mainly related to the economy and the consistency of POE currency income.

High-level maps in PoE 1 can produce huge amounts of rare items, but only a small percentage are actually worth picking up, identifying, and keeping. As characters progress deeper into endgame, Loot Filters tend to hide more and more rare items. Path of Exile 2 item-drop design could provide some useful ideas here, but it should not simply be copied.

PoE 1 already has a mature system built around item modifiers, crafting, builds, and trading. If Patch 3.30 adjusts Loot, it would be better to focus on PoE 1's own item-drop problems and make it easier for players to determine whether an item is worth their attention in endgame, reducing the burden of picking up and identifying large amounts of low-value Rare items.

There is still plenty of old content in Path of Exile 3.30 that could be reused. If future updates can properly reorganize these old systems and characters alongside new content, PoE world and gameplay could feel much more connected and cohesive.

In the long history of gaming, especially in recent years, the quality of anti-cheat measures has become one of the key factors determining whether a competitive FPS can maintain a healthy player base. Games such as PUBG and ARC Raiders have both demonstrated how quickly cheating-related concerns can affect the community's perception of a shooter.

And now, a new tactical FPS is attracting attention. WARDOGS began early access on September 10, 2026, exclusively for PC players via Steam. While it attracted a huge number of players immediately after launch, the first few days were plagued by technical problems and criticism from the community.

The situation is particularly interesting because WARDOGS is not a free-to-play shooter. The base game costs $39.99, while the optional Supporter Pack costs another $12.99, with Supporter Edition priced at $49.99. In FPS of this value, anti-cheat systems should be very sophisticated, but in Wardogs, the opposite is true.

Negative Reviews of WARDOGS Anti-Cheat

WARDOGS' Steam page currently identifies Elytra as its kernel-level anti-cheat solution. This sounds reassuring on paper, since kernel-level anti-cheat systems can operate with a much deeper level of system access than traditional user-level solutions.

However, a powerful anti-cheat system is not necessarily a successful anti-cheat system. For players, the real test is whether it can stop cheaters without creating serious problems for legitimate users. This is where WARDOGS has encountered criticism.

Elytra Anti-Cheating Affects Normal Game Operation

Before Wardogs entered Early Access, players had already reported problems associated with Elytra during the game's beta period. Some players reported that the anti-cheat could prevent the game from launching, while others claimed that starting the game could result in system crashes. Community reports included cases in which players reinstalled or repaired the anti-cheat but continued to experience launch problems.

More seriously, some users reported hard crashes and even blue-screen-like behavior when Elytra kernel driver was loaded. These reports should be treated as community experiences rather than proof that Elytra causes every crash, but they reveal an important problem: an anti-cheat system cannot be considered successful if legitimate players are struggling to launch the game because of it.

There were also discussions suggesting that certain BIOS or virtualization settings could affect Elytra's behavior. However, these workarounds were community discoveries rather than universal solutions officially guaranteed.

For a competitive FPS, this creates an uncomfortable situation. Players install an anti-cheat system to protect their matches, but if that system itself interferes with normal game operation, some users may begin questioning whether the protection is worth the inconvenience.

Easily Banned by Malicious Means

Another concern comes from the opposite direction: false positives and the possibility of legitimate players being punished. Kernel-level anti-cheat systems are powerful precisely because they can inspect processes and system-level behavior that traditional anti-cheat solutions cannot easily access.

However, greater access also means that developers need to be extremely careful when determining what constitutes cheating. This caution itself is not a big problem, but WARDOGS handed over the decision-making power entirely to AI in their misguided cleverness, which greatly increased the possibility of some regular players being maliciously banned.

These players who experience an unexplained ban have little interest in how sophisticated the underlying technology is, instead whether the system can accurately distinguish between a genuine cheater and someone running legitimate software in the background. This is particularly important for WARDOGS because the game is designed around a persistent cash economy.

If a legitimate player who has invested a significant amount of time is mistakenly banned by AI, all the time and effort they've put into this game will be wasted, such as Wardogs cash, gear, and achievements accumulated from each match. What's even more frustrating for players is that the current appeal process is completely ineffective.

Just a Formality

The biggest problem with Elytra is that, at least according to player reports, its presence has not stopped obvious cheating from appearing in WARDOGS matches.

Some players have reported an especially frustrating experience: within a single day, they encountered multiple players using exactly the same ID while allegedly cheating in matches. What makes the situation even more concerning is that these players did not appear to receive immediate bans or other meaningful penalties.

Instead, they were reportedly able to continue playing and carrying out in-game activities as usual. If multiple players displaying the same suspicious identity can repeatedly appear in matches while seemingly facing no consequences, it naturally raises questions about how effectively Elytra is detecting and responding to cheating.

This is particularly damaging to the credibility of a system advertised as kernel-level anti-cheat. In this case, the player experience paints a disappointing picture. Even when suspicious players are repeatedly encountered, the lack of visible enforcement can make reporting feel pointless. Worse still, if these players can continue playing without interruption, they may have little reason to stop.

Instead of discouraging cheating, an ineffective enforcement system can potentially encourage repeat offenders to become even more aggressive. For a costly paid FPS like WARDOGS, this is especially unacceptable. Players are not simply looking for an anti-cheat system to be listed on the Steam page; they expect it to protect the integrity of their matches.

Elytra may be technically sophisticated, but if cheaters can repeatedly enter matches, remain active after being reported, and apparently avoid meaningful punishment, then the anti-cheat risks becoming little more than a formality.

Until Wardogs can demonstrate that suspicious accounts are detected and removed quickly and consistently, players will have every reason to question whether Elytra is actually doing its job.

What Should WARDOGS Do?

Based on the three main negative reviews mentioned above, Wardogs' self-proclaimed extremely strict anti-cheat measures are seen as an obstacle by players, causing many FPS players to leave disappointed. So, what should the game do to change its public image in the shortest possible time?

Stability

An anti-cheat system should protect the game without becoming an obstacle for legitimate players. If Elytra continues to generate launch failures, crashes, or compatibility problems, BULKHEAD needs to prioritize fixing those issues and communicate clearly about what has changed.

Improve Reporting and Appeal Systems

Players need to know what happens after they submit a report. They should not necessarily receive detailed information about detection methods, because revealing too much could help cheat developers bypass the system. However, providing clearer information about the status of reports, penalties, and appeals would help build trust.

Continuous Detection

Since Wardogs already achieved a remarkably large launch, with reports of more than 300,000 concurrent players during its first day and a peak later reported at over 340,000, it is likely to attract more cheating players. 

A larger player base means more attention from both legitimate players and people looking for ways to exploit the game. Elytra therefore cannot simply be installed once and left alone. It needs continuous updates, better behavioral detection, and rapid responses to newly discovered exploits.

By the way, WARDOGS should make better use of its community server system. Active community administrators can provide another layer of moderation that automated anti-cheat systems cannot completely replace. Combining automated detection with human review can provide a more robust overall defense.

What's WARDOGS Future?

While players are now much less tolerant of early access games - for example, technical glitches and server issues in new games are understandable; but in FPS games, anti-cheat system malfunctions are absolutely non-negotiable, as they will determine the outcome of FPS competitive matches.

Therefore, when players in Wardogs Early Access experience game crashes, unjustified bans, and repeated encounters with suspected cheaters that they cannot successfully report, their primary feeling is undoubtedly disappointment, which is the main reason why players have now given up on the game.

However, we shouldn't dismiss it outright. Instead, we should observe the situation rationally: if the developers heed advice, resolve the existing problems one by one, and improve their anti-cheating system, you can still experience the fun of a relatively fair shooting competition.

Ultimately, WARDOGS' future will not be determined by its launch-day problems alone. It will depend on how quickly and seriously the developers respond to them.

GTA 5 created a highly distinctive narrative structure with three playable protagonists: Michael, Franklin, and Trevor.

Players could switch between them, each with their own lives and troubles, making the three-character setup one of Grand Theft Auto 5's most memorable features.

GTA 6, scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, is taking a different approach. Rockstar has reduced the cast to Jason and Lucia, with their relationship set to play a much larger role in the story.

Where GTA 5 Fell Short?

A Rockstar studio head recently mentioned that, following Grand Theft Auto 5, the team discussed increasing the number of protagonists, even considering a four-character structure.

Yet, the more characters there are, the less time players can devote to each one, and the more likely players' emotional connection with each character is to be diluted. Ultimately, the team decided to scale back to just two protagonists: Jason and Lucia.

This highlights the limitations of GTA 5's three-protagonist structure. Michael, Franklin, and Trevor were all distinct, and their dynamic fit Grand Theft Auto's fast-paced satire, chaos, and storytelling style particularly well. 

The problem was that players' attention also had to constantly shift between three different lives. Just as one character's story began to build emotional momentum, the game could hurry on to someone else.

This sequel has more room to keep Jason and Lucia connected through shared missions, everyday activities, and even the way they earn and spend Grand Theft Auto 6 money together, allowing their relationship to develop naturally over time.

What Arthur Changed?

Red Dead Redemption 2 offered a different answer.

Arthur Morgan bore almost the entire emotional weight of the story on his own. After the botched Blackwater heist, he fled with Van der Linde gang, gradually forced to choose between his personal convictions and his loyalty to the group.

Players spend time hunting, camping, riding, and chatting as Arthur, while also seeing how he reacts to strangers, minor events, and everyday life.

After spending dozens of hours together, a simple line of dialogue, a moment of silence, or even a subtle gesture can carry significant emotional weight.

Rockstar aims to bring the depth of Red Dead Redemption 2 world, its sense of interactivity, and the emotional bond players formed with Arthur into GTA 6.

This means quiet, everyday moments are just as important; only when players have grown accustomed to living alongside the characters do the subsequent dangers and conflicts truly pack a punch.

Why GTA 6 Chose a Couple?

The biggest difference between Jason-Lucia duo and Grand Theft Auto 5 trio is that players focus not just on the individuals, but on the relationship between them.

The official site has already outlined the direction of their story: after a heist goes wrong, they are swept up in a criminal conspiracy engulfing Leonida, forcing them to rely even more heavily on one another.

Jason's character profile even suggests that meeting Lucia might be the best - or worst - thing to ever happen to him.

This adds a relational dimension to the dual-protagonist structure. Players will care about what happens to Jason and Lucia individually, while also constantly watching to see where their relationship ultimately leads.

In a sprawling open-world game, this relationship can play out across countless mundane moments, rather than relying solely on key plot beats to drive it forward.

Whether they are planning their next job, scraping together GTA 6 money, or simply exploring Leonida together, these everyday moments serve to shape their relationship.

Romance Isn't Enough

However, simply making Jason and Lucia a couple won't autogenerate the kind of emotional resonance Arthur Morgan achieved.

Whether players ultimately care about them won't depend on the level of a relationship bar or the number of romantic interactions.

Character development in Red Dead Redemption 2 wasn't confined to major plot points; much of the emotional depth emerged from seemingly ordinary moments.

Jason and Lucia need that same kind of gradual development.

How they interact day-to-day, who backs down first during a conflict, and how they face each other after a failed mission - these details may prove more significant than any scripted romance mission.

As long as players feel they are witnessing a relationship evolve over time, even ordinary scenes can serve a narrative purpose. 

Arthur Set the Standard

Arthur raised the bar significantly regarding player expectations for Rockstar's protagonist characterization.

In the past, many players were satisfied if a Grand Theft Auto story was simply entertaining. However, after experiencing Red Dead Redemption 2, they now expect a protagonist with a fully realized character arc - someone who leaves a lasting impression.

The challenge facing Jason and Lucia is even more complex.

With Arthur, Rockstar mainly had to make one character work. GTA 6 must make Jason work, make Lucia work, and make their relationship feel convincing as well.

If one character lacks substance, players might easily view the other as the true protagonist; if the relationship lacks credibility, the extensive shared narrative could suffer.

Ultimately, the dual-protagonist structure risks repeating a problem seen in GTA 5: having more perspectives can actually result in players forming deep emotional connections with fewer characters

Conversely, if the structure succeeds, Grand Theft Auto 6 could effectively bridge two distinct design philosophies from Rockstar's past.

GTA 5 demonstrated how multiple protagonists can expand freedom in missions and storytelling, while Red Dead Redemption 2 proved the immense emotional payoff that comes from spending a long time with a single character.

For GTA 6, players will certainly still care about mission rewards, vehicles, weapons, and Grand Theft Auto 6 money; yet, what ultimately determines whether the story leaves a lasting impression will likely be Jason and Lucia themselves.

OTW is returning to Ultimate Team in FC 27. While veteran players are familiar with this type of dynamic card from past campaigns, the mechanics revealed so far for FC 27 show significant changes.

With more ways to trigger upgrades - and the possibility of obtaining certain Ones to Watch players via Season Pass or Objectives - the feature is evolving from a simple showcase of new transfers into a system that directly affects early-game squad building and the market during the opening week.

If these designs launch as currently described, players will need to consider more than just whether a specific OTW card's stats might increase.

More OTW Upgrade Paths

FC 27 continues the concept of dynamic upgrades while expanding the channels that trigger them.

In-game, Ones to Watch cards receive a +1 boost if the player wins Player of the Month honors or makes TOTW; awards linked to single-match performances - such as Star Performer - are also included in the upgrade criteria.

Additionally, OTW cards can receive further boosts if the player's team wins three out of six domestic league matches.

Combined, these factors significantly improve the consistency of OTW card progression. A player's monthly performance, individual match displays, and team results can all drive the card's growth.

For a card that already boasts solid pace, dribbling, or physical stats at launch, one or two +1 upgrades can make a tangible difference in performance. As the season progresses, players who benefit from multiple upgrade paths will naturally remain viable options for a longer period.

Why OTW Matters Early On?

Coins are scarce during the early game, yet standard Gold Cards are quickly superseded. A position reinforced by a significant investment today might soon see less expensive or superior alternatives appear - a common source of wasted resources when building early squads.

The advantages of Ones to Watch cards may be further amplified in FC 27. A dynamic card that is already strong enough for the starting lineup can continue to improve alongside the game's meta, provided the player and their team maintain consistent real-world performance. 

Players won't need to constantly swap out players for marginal stat boosts - especially in positions like wingers, strikers, and center-backs that are costly to fill early on. An OTW card that remains viable for weeks can save a significant amount of FIFA 27 coins and reduce the hassle of squad adjustments.

Investment strategies will shift accordingly. In FUT 27, players must now factor in team strength, league schedules, guaranteed starting roles, and the potential for POTM contention when making decisions.

More upgrade paths mean the market will price in expectations much faster. Following a winning streak by a top team or a player hitting a sudden run of form, prices may fluctuate even before the actual upgrade takes place.

Season Pass Could Shift the Market

Current information links Di María to Ones to Watch promo, with players like Dembélé, Ferran Torres, and Lacroix also appearing in discussions; some of these cards could potentially be included in Season Pass or Objectives.

If these players can be acquired via Objectives or Season Pass early in the game, OTW cards could directly fill positions where players might otherwise have spent coins.

This will rapidly affect the demand for standard Gold Cards. Take popular attacking players, for instance: in previous FC launches, Gold Cards boasting pace, dribbling, and strong league links often commanded a significant early-game premium.

With a massive number of players building squads simultaneously, demand concentrates on a handful of top-tier players, naturally driving up prices. If a free OTW card becomes available for the same position - offering solid base stats and upgrade potential - the incentive to get a Gold Card diminishes.

This impact extends beyond just the specific player involved. Squad positions are often interchangeable; a free, pacey winger could suppress demand for several other starter cards in the same league and position.

Similarly, a high-quality center-back available through Objectives might lead players to redirect EA Sports FC 27 coins they had earmarked for their defense toward their midfield or attack instead.

How to Use OTW Early?

If you can secure an OTW card from Season Pass or Objectives at the start, holding onto it often offers more long-term value than rushing to find Gold Cards for minor stat upgrades.

As long as the card's base stats meet your squad's current needs, keeping it in your lineup while monitoring real-world fixtures and upgrade potential is more cost-effective than frequently swapping players for marginal gains. 

Players planning to get tradeable OTW cards should pay close attention to real-world football factors. Securing a regular starting spot is crucial; without consistent playing time, it becomes difficult to trigger upgrades based on individual awards or match performance.

A team's competitiveness in its domestic league is equally vital; the requirement to win three out of six matches naturally gives a head start to key players from top-tier clubs. Attacking players who frequently contribute to goals and earn high match ratings are also more likely to be considered for TOTW, POTM, or other performance-based rewards.

You might also want to hold off on getting standard Gold cards for a bit. After launch, it is best to first review the full details of Season Pass, Objectives, and Ones to Watch acquisition paths before deciding where to invest your resources; this helps minimize the risk of overpaying early on.

OTW cards are ideally suited to extending the lifespan of a starter squad in FC 27. A card that begins with a base rating and grows alongside real-world football performance fosters a deeper, long-term sense of investment in the team.

However, if players can easily acquire multiple high-utility dynamic cards shortly after launch, the logic behind squad building during that first week could shift rapidly. Once the full reward paths are revealed, the market may well settle on its trends earlier than in previous years.

The details of Diablo 4 S15, Season of Hell's Legacy, were officially revealed at BlizzCon 2026. Currently positioned as the core of 30th-anniversary celebration, this season not only brings back many classic characters and locations but also introduces a high-risk, high-reward seasonal mechanic.

Diablo 4 Season 15 is confirmed for a September 15th release. This article will analyze the changes in Season of Hell's Legacy.

Seasonal Theme and Story

The core storyline of Season 15 revolves around the return of Deckard Cain. His lost soul has returned, warning players that three Dark Wanderers have reappeared in Sanctuary. The season's story will guide players in hunting down these wanderers and ultimately confronting the remnants of the three Dark Lords.

In this campaign, you'll delve beneath Tristram Cathedral to confront Echo of Diablo, then climb Mount Arreat to fight Echo of Baal, and finally reach Durance of Hate to face Echo of Mephisto.

Core Season Mechanics

Soul Splinters are the core mechanic of S15 of Hell's Legacy in Diablo IV. They manifest as special socketables that can be socketed into jewels. These provide powerful buffs but also come with significant and often fatal debuffs.

Soul Splinters are divided into five rarity levels: Common, Magic, Rare, Legendary, and Unique, and can be upgraded using Horadric Cubes. 

There are eight types of splinters, each providing elemental or physical resistance, as well as specific buffs and debuffs, demonstrating a balance between risk and reward. Let's take a look:

• Splinter of Anguish (Andariel): Increases Critical Strike Chance and Attack Speed, but increases Primary Resource consumption.
• Splinter of Sin (Azmodan): Greatly increases maximum health, but reduces maximum primary resource.
• Splinter of Lies (Belial): Increases gold, Diablo 4 items, and experience gain, but permanently inflicts Weakness and Vulnerability.
• Splinter of the Black Soulstone: When killing an enemy, you gain a stacking damage bonus for each soul absorbed, but each stack also increases the damage you take.
• Splinter of Pain (Duriel): Greatly increases damage reduction, but reduces movement speed.
• Splinter of the Mother (Lilith): Grants you Unhindered status and makes enemies vulnerable for 10 seconds upon contact, but contact with a certain number of enemies will stun you for 4 seconds.
• Splinter of Hellfire (Na-Krul): Greatly increases your damage, but reduces Critical Strike Chance.
• Splinter of Damnation (Skarn): Defeating an Elite Pack grants +1 Monster Power for up to 25 seconds, but makes subsequent enemies stronger.

New Endgame Content and Systems

Diablo 4 Season 15 introduces Waking Nightmares, a brand-new dungeon system showcasing memories and nightmares from Diablo's past key events. Veteran players may find these scenes and encounters familiar, but they have all been redesigned.

Waking Nightmares dungeons are divided into three categories. The largest, in order of size, are large, multi-level Capstone-style dungeons with fixed difficulty, repeatedly challenged at high Torment levels. These will also be available as pinnacle dungeons at Torment 10+ difficulty, offering greater challenge but also more Diablo 4 items.

The second category consists of standard dungeons scattered throughout the world, also recreating classic scenes from Diablo series.

The third type is a small, randomized event involving single-room arena challenges, but portals may randomly open while you're in Helltide area or collecting Whisper caches. Players can choose whether to enter. Once inside, players can interact with the altar, increasing the boss fight difficulty by +15, thus increasing the challenge and yielding more loot.

Crafting and Itemization Updates

In D4 S15, two new recipes were added to Horadric Cube. One recipe resets the base affix values for gear, talismans, charms, and seals while retaining important attributes such as Greater Affixes, enchantments, and tempering.

The other recipe, Horadric Reroll, is specifically for legendary and higher-tier charms and marks. This recipe completely randomizes the base affixes but retains set bonuses and unique abilities.

In addition, Mythic Unique crafting has become more deterministic. In Season of Hell's Legacy, Horadric Cube recipe allows you to upgrade items to Mythic versions without a random number generator (RNG) and retains all affixes.

However, it's important to note that this process cannot be used on D4 items marked as Unmodifiable, and the generated item will have a Crafted tag, meaning you can only equip one of these items at a time.

Class Balance Changes

Diablo 4 Patch 3.2.1 brings a series of significant adjustments aimed at narrowing the gap between classes. After two strong seasons, Barbarians have been weakened overall, including reduced core attribute bonuses and changes to key items (such as Ramaladni's Magnum Opus) - they now consume a percentage of Maximum Fury in combat instead of a fixed value.

Necromancers are arguably the biggest winners, receiving buffs to a range of skills, including Blood Surge, Blood Lance, Army of the Dead, and Corpse Explosion. Blizzard also adjusted Soulrift, making it more prominent in Shadow damage-over-time builds.

Paladins, long considered the weakest class in Diablo 4, received buffs to their Oaths and Core skills in Season of Hell's Legacy, especially Judgement-based build, whose damage now scales with skill level.

In addition, Druids received a series of gameplay optimizations and targeted enhancements, such as Fleshrender's damage bonus now applying to all Tornadoes, and a significant damage increase to Dolmen Stones.

This concludes our analysis of Diablo 4 Season 15. More anniversary events will be released later this season. Blizzard has confirmed that Diablo 4 development will not slow down, and the long-awaited Amazon class will be added to the game in the first half of 2027. Let's look forward to it!

The distribution of Ascendancy classes in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 has become somewhat unbalanced.

Players choosing Gemling Legionnaire account for approximately 37% of the total, whereas Martial Artist and Disciple of Varashta sit at only around 9%; meanwhile, several other Ascendancies - such as Invoker, Pathfinder, Ritualist, and Smith of Kitava - fall below 1% mark.

However, the issue isn't simply that Gemling Legionnaire is overpowered. Currently, one can find compelling reasons to choose this class for a wide variety of playstyles, ranging from Grenade and Twister builds to Flameblast ailment setups.

The fact that so many vastly different builds ultimately converge on a single Ascendancy is the real takeaway from that 37% figure.

Why Advanced Thaumaturgy Matters?

Advanced Thaumaturgy node plays a pivotal role in Gemling Legionnaire's immense popularity in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5.

This node allows Gem Quality to grant additional effects to skills, and for many skills, Quality directly alters the gameplay mechanics. Take Explosive Grenade, for instance: higher Quality results in a greater number of projectiles.

For Grenade builds, this kind of benefit is far more attractive than standard damage increases, especially once players have enough Path of Exile 2 currency to invest in higher-quality gems and supporting gear. It also puts Ascendancies that are thematically better suited for Grenades - such as Witchhunter and Tactician - in an awkward position.

The same applies to Flameblast. Its Quality boosts the magnitude of damaging ailments; when combined with mechanics like Oil Grenade, this can further amplify damage over time effects.

This is precisely what makes Advanced Thaumaturgy so appealing: it encourages players to actively seek out skills that benefit significantly from Quality and then develop new builds around them.

Grenade and Twister Are Just Symptoms

Playstyles like Gemling Grenade and Twister certainly dominate PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5 leaderboards. Twister itself may well undergo adjustments, and certain damage synergies that are clearly overperforming will probably need to be corrected.

However, simply addressing these specific popular skills won't solve the underlying problem. Right now, Explosive Grenade offers high returns on Quality, making Gemling a top pick for Grenade builds; if similar effects appear on other skills in the future, players will inevitably gravitate toward Gemling once again.

Gemling's popularity can also push up the cost of gear used by its strongest builds, meaning players may need to spend more PoE 2 currency to follow the current meta.

The strength of Advanced Thaumaturgy lies in its versatility - it doesn't require a build to be locked into one specific playstyle.

Why Older Ascendancies Fall Behind?

The popularity of Gemling Legionnaire in Patch 0.5.5 has highlighted the issues plaguing many older Ascendancies.

Pathfinder was originally well-suited for Concoction builds, but paths like Shattering Concoction, Bleed Concoction, and Explosion Concoction struggle to become mainstream choices today.

In contrast, PoE 2 players who choose Pathfinder often value the fact that their movement speed is unaffected by Slows or reduced movement speed penalties while using skills.

Ritualist faces similar issues. While features like the extra Ring slot and enhanced Rings and Amulets are highly practical, class-defining mechanics such as Blood Boil and Whispers Be Damned have failed to anchor viable builds on their own.

The disparity between Invoker and Martial Artist is even more apparent. The former primarily offers Spirit and elemental bonuses, whereas Martial Artist's Hollow Form Technique directly generates a Clone, enabling players to develop gameplay strategies centered on it.

Smith of Kitava features clear themes - such as Tempering, Manifest Weapon, and Fire Spell on Hit - but these mechanics currently lack mature synergies; many potential playstyles require convoluted setups to function effectively.

When a build needs several specific interactions just to become competitive, the extra PoE 2 currency required to assemble those pieces can make an already niche Ascendancy even less appealing.

Reworks Show The Right Direction

Interestingly, some Ascendancies recently added or adjusted in Patch 0.5.5 demonstrate a completely different approach.

Disciple of Varashta features mechanics tied to Djinn, giving players a clear incentive: if they want to build around Djinn, this Ascendancy becomes a natural choice. Yet, it doesn't pigeonhole players into playing only Djinn builds; other nodes remain useful for a variety of playstyles.

The same applies to Martial Artist. Hollow Form Technique provides a distinct starting point, allowing players to combine Clone with various skills. Similarly, the new mechanics for Acolyte of Shavronne further expand the potential for Poison stacking, albeit with a higher setup cost.

The changes to Oracle are particularly telling. Following adjustments to Ancestral Bond, Spell Totems function more naturally, and high-ranking Oracle Totem builds have already appeared on the leaderboards. A well-executed Ascendancy rework can indeed bring a previously overlooked class back into the spotlight.

Ascendancies Still Need Identity

GGG has previously expressed concerns about class-locked gameplay. If a shapeshifting build ultimately relies on one specific Ascendancy to be viable, it would indeed undermine the build freedom that PoE 2 emphasizes.

However, PoE 2 faces another issue now. To avoid locking players into a single playstyle, the unique features of some Ascendancies have been designed too conservatively; consequently, the only truly valuable traits left are generic damage boosts, movement speed, Spirit, or other quality-of-life benefits.

While there appear to be many choices on the surface, in actual build creation, players still gravitate toward the most versatile and high-yield classes.

Therefore, leading up to version 1.0, the priority shouldn't necessarily be nerfing Gemling Legionnaire down to a mediocre level - though Advanced Thaumaturgy certainly has aspects that need addressing.

Specific issues - such as Quality effects generating excessive projectiles or certain Ailment synergies exceeding reasonable limits - do need to be adjusted.

But if the approach is simply to keep lowering its benefits until Advanced Thaumaturgy becomes just another generic damage-boosting node, PoE 2 would lose an Ascendancy design that is currently highly successful.

Gemling Legionnaire highlights more than just a power-level issue; it reveals that many older Ascendancies struggle to give players a compelling reason to choose them.

If the focus for 1.0 is solely on nerfing Gemling, the underlying problem will probably persist. The real priority is ensuring other Ascendancies offer distinct playstyles and provide players with more room for build creativity, rather than funneling every build toward the same single answer.