Path Of Exile 3.26 Best Mercenary Equipment: What Items Should They Be Paired With?

Since the launch of Path of Exile: Keepers of the Flame League, based on player feedback from the game community, the developers have made numerous adjustments to the game through a series of patches. Patch 3.27.0d, officially released on November 19th, brings players a number of long-awaited optimizations and improvements to the game experience.

While this patch update isn't large in scale, it focuses on addressing several aspects of player concern, including Hive Fortress, boss combat mechanics, and the ease of use in daily operations, ensuring players have a fulfilling experience in the remaining time of this League. Below, I will introduce the series of changes made in this patch.

Main Optimizations

Patch 3.27.0d optimizes several core game aspects, aiming to improve the smoothness of combat and the convenience of controls.

Hive Fortress

When Keepers of the Flame League was first launched, the lack of walls on the map made players vulnerable to monster attacks. The developers added walls with openings in subsequent updates, but this introduced a new problem - the map's efficiency was low. Therefore, the developers have further updated this in 3.27.0d Patch update.

Now, at the start of an encounter in Hive Fortress, a skill that instantly destroys all walls around Ailith will be available. This change aims to help players clear the battlefield more quickly, avoiding being hindered by terrain in the early stages of combat, and thus more effectively dealing with enemy swarms.

It's important to note that this wall-destroying skill is only available during the first four waves of enemies in the encounter. For players, this change strikes a good balance, preventing them from being surrounded by monsters without cover in the early stages, while also allowing for a rapid increase in map clearing efficiency once the situation stabilizes.

Sirus Adjustments

The update to Path of Exile: Keepers of the Flame removed Chayula and Atziri and added Sirus and Incarnation of Dread. This update brings two key changes to Sirus's behavior:

• 1. He now uses a wider range of abilities, making his behavior closer to regular combat.
• 2. The life threshold mechanic has been removed, giving players the opportunity to one-shot him with extremely high damage output. This is good news for players with top-tier DPS, as they can end the fight much faster.

Incarnation Optimizations

Incarnation boss fight is one of the most challenging in the game, and its Uber version was introduced in POE 3.27 Keepers of the Flame. However, players playing in Ruthless mode were not getting boss unique item drops, so 3.27.0d patch fixed this issue.

Also, Ice Nova and Ice Comets abilities in Incarnation of Neglect have been nerfed because their damage was higher than expected. In addition, Incarnation of Dread in Valdo's Maps now correctly generates Chilled Ground at random locations.

Merchant Tab Changes

In PoE 3.27.0d Patch, Merchant Tab has received a very useful optimization: players can now use Ctrl+F to search Sales History when Sales History tab is open.

Furthermore, the developers have fixed a bug where players couldn't type 'h' in Sales History and have grayed out items in Merchant Tab that are untradeable and can only be traded at the currency exchange.

Orb Of Scouring

Now, when using Orb of Alchemy or Orb of Chance, players can quickly switch to Orb of Scouring. Simply press Alt key to switch the currently used Orb, slightly speeding up crafting, which undoubtedly greatly enhances the player experience.

Additionally, this feature prevents players from using the wrong currency on their equipment, avoiding damage to useful items or wasting valuable POE Currency.

Other Fixes

• Fixed an issue where the "Visually disable equipped Grafts" option wouldn't save after switching regions, satisfying players who like to customize their character's appearance.
• Fixed an issue where players couldn't use Portals while fighting The Feared in Valdo Map.
• Fixed a bug where the fights against Tul and Esh in Breach might not be completed.

Controller

• Added a "Leave Hideout" option to the pause menu when using a controller in another player's hideout.
• Fixed a bug where players using controller couldn't switch scout report correlation on the currency store page.
• The issue where controller players couldn't apply Corruption Altar in Vaal Ruins area to Gem items has been fixed.
• Added the same currency switching functionality as PC players for Controller users; players can switch by pressing Y button or the triangle button.

If you're still battling it out in the current League, these optimizations will definitely make your map-farming journey smoother. Of course, becoming the strongest player in the game is every player's dream, so on top of these optimizations, you can also buy Path of Exile Currency from EZG.com to acquire powerful items to help you achieve your dream.

Overall, while POE 3.27.0d Patch doesn't feature any earth-shattering changes, each optimization is perfectly placed. It's clear the developers have diligently collected player feedback and continuously refined the details. These changes make the current Keepers of the Flame experience more complete and fill us with anticipation for future updates.

Since the release of League 3.27 - Keepers of the Flame in Path of Exile, the development team has closely monitored player feedback. In response to various player concerns, the official 3.27.0c patch was released on November 13th, making several significant adjustments to game balance.

These changes not only significantly impact Breach gameplay experience but also bring new changes to League's trading economy.

Regarding Hive Changes

Prior to this patch, the player community raised numerous issues regarding Hive, including slow Hive encounter pacing, insufficient rewards, and the fact that Hive encounters occupied a large portion of the map.

Furthermore, destroying Hive walls and activating mob spawners required a significant amount of valuable time, leaving insufficient time for exploring other League mechanics. Therefore, to encourage player participation in Breach Hive, the developers made the following changes:

• Significantly increased the number of mobs per wave in regular Hive encounters on the map, with an increase of up to 80% in level 83 maps.
• The number of destructible Hive mob generators has also been increased by 40%. The number of Breach monster hordes generated in Breach Hive and the number of Skill items granted by Ailith have both received a slight increase.

In addition, a key mechanic has been adjusted: when players destroy a flammable Hive pack spawner, it will unleash a wave of purple flames, clearing all walls within a 7.5-meter radius. This effect will spread through a chain reaction, greatly improving clearing efficiency in open areas.

However, in complex terrain maps such as Necropolis Map, the efficiency of Hive encounters will still be somewhat limited.

The arena layout in Hive Fortress has also added obstacles to guide monster paths. This design poses a challenge to builds that rely on long-range monster clearing capabilities, but provides a better defensive experience for slower-paced builds or novice players, reducing the risk of Ailith being destroyed too early.

Regarding Graftblood Changes

To improve the reward experience of Breach gameplay, POE 3.27.0c Patch increases the amount of Graftblood and Wombgifts players obtain in Hive encounters. Graftblood rewards are increased by up to 50% in level 83 maps, and Hive Fortresses provide an additional 25% Graftblood.

Furthermore, defeating Fortress bosses Esh and Tul now also directly rewards Graftblood, making these side areas more attractive to players focused on collecting this resource. For players in the later stages of map progression, rewards in level 16 maps have also been increased, which will help craft more Genesis Tree items.

Genesis Tree And Item Expansion

This update adds over 80 new Foulborn Unique items to Genesis Tree system, greatly enriching the item discovery experience. At the same time, the cost of Graftblood required to plant Wombgifts on Genesis Tree has been reduced by 40%, allowing players to plant and experiment more frequently.

The new merchant recipe allows players to exchange five Wombgifts for a random item of the same type, providing solo players with a way to manage excess rewards and creating new strategic possibilities for Trade League players.

It's also worth noting that the market price of Ancient Wombgifts is likely to fluctuate as demand for Foulborn Unique items is expected to increase.

Monster Farming Strategies Enhanced

The developers have also adjusted some Scarab effects to improve the competitiveness of less common monster-killing strategies. For example, the maximum number of Scarabs of Divinity has been increased, as has the number of Rare Monsters affected by Pantheon-Touched.

Titanic Scarab of Legend adds more affixes to unique monsters, while area monsters affected by Allflame Ember of Propagation, Legion Scarab of Eternal Conflict, and Abyss Scarab of Profound Depth effects have received significant reward increases.

On the other hand, Torment Scarab of Possession and Horned Scarab of Nemeses have been rebalanced in terms of quantity caps or effects, while Horned Scarab of Bloodlines and Beyond Scarab of Haemophilia have had their attribute bonuses added or enhanced.

These adjustments aim to make more diverse ways to defeat bosses competitive with current mainstream strategies such as Strongboxes or Harvest.

Also Read: How To Maximize Divine Orbs In Path Of Exile 3.27 Keepers Of The Flame By Farming Scarabs?

Other Changes

Unique Items added to the core gameplay in Path of Exile 3.27 League now support submissions for Voidborn Reliquary Key and Valdo's Puzzle Box. Regarding inventory operations, holding down Ctrl key when placing stackable items into Market Stash Tabs will no longer automatically merge them into the existing stack, simplifying item management.

Meanwhile, Path of Exile 3.27.0c Patch fixes the missing Avoidance and Attributes crafting recipes in Maelström of Chaos Unique Map and reduces the damage of some monster abilities, such as Draconarius Wilhelm Flamebrand's Fireball and Forest Warrior's Cyclone. This is expected to positively impact summoner builds centered around specific Spectres.

This update also fixes several bugs discovered since the release of League 3.27, including missing visual effects, interface anomalies, and area instance crashes.

The developers are continuously refining all aspects of Keepers of the Flame. While Genesis Tree system has been well-received by players for its deterministic rewards, the time cost of Hive Breaches and Fortresses remains a concern for some top players.

Currently, the new League is still in its early stages, and the trading economy has ample time to stabilize. If key resources remain scarce, the developers are likely to further adjust the drop mechanism in subsequent updates. 

The developers' positive response to player feedback indicates that Path of Exile 3.27 will continue to evolve over the next few months, bringing players a more optimized gaming experience.

Furthermore, as Path of Exile 3.27 League continues to improve, more and more powerful equipment and unique rewards are gradually unlocking. If you want to quickly improve your character's strength in this League, quickly buy Path of Exile Currency from EZG.com to easily obtain more powerful items! This will give you an advantage in the game and allow you to enjoy more exciting challenges and adventures!

Upgrading your character, collecting more Foulborn Unique items, and mastering everything in Breach mechanism will be the most important step for you to become a top player, bringing you endless loot and glory!

To ignite the competitive spirit of high-level players, the developers of Path of Exile recently launched a new boss-killing event: defeating Uber Incarnation of Dread in Hardcore Solo Self-Found mode of Keepers of the Flame league. Winners will receive generous rewards, including a new laptop, in-game items, and cosmetics.

In fact, this Uber Boss isn’t extremely difficult; it can be defeated with some strategy and skill. The only thing to be aware of is that the exploration mode is hardcore, and you can only complete it solo. This means death is permanent, and you cannot trade equipment with other players.

Therefore, you need to build a character with strong survivability and damage output to complete this challenge. If you’re thinking about how to deal with this boss and get the rich rewards, you might want to check out this build guide that’s best suited for entering this HCSSF mode, which will definitely help you achieve twice the results with half the effort!

1. Earthshatter Berserker

In previous leagues’ Hardcore modes, Earthshatter Berserker stood out as one of the most popular and durable builds thanks to its exceptional tankiness and explosive melee power. Fortunately, in Path of Exile 3.27: Keepers of the Flame, this build received no significant nerfs or mechanical changes, allowing it to retain its dominant position in HCSSF gameplay.

Its main operating mechanism is to utilize the buffs provided by Rage, various Warcries, and Berserker Ascendancy to enhance its combat effectiveness and deliver devastating blows to enemies. You can choose the following skill gems and support gems for its setup:

• Earthshatter: Fortify - Overexertion - Pulverise - Melee Physical Damage - Brutality
• Leap Slam: Rage - Faster Attacks - Momentum
• Autoexertion Support: Intimidating Cry - Battlemage’s Cry
• Autoexertion Support: Seismic Cry - Rallying Cry - Enduring Cry
• Blood and Sand
• Blood Rage

The skill rotation is also very simple - first, use Leap Slam to get close to the boss and build up Rage, then cast Earthshatter for perfect offensive damage. Finally, by leveraging the synergy between Warcries and Autoexertion, even more powerful skill casting can be achieved.

2. Righteous Fire Chieftain

Another exceptionally tanky build that performs incredibly well in this Path of Exile HCSSF challenge is Righteous Fire Chieftain. This build stands out with resistances exceeding 80% and powerful self-regeneration mechanics, allowing players to maintain constant survivability even in the most dangerous encounters.

However, it’s worth noting that its single-target damage is weak. You’ll need to buy PoE currency and invest in gear that can reduce skill cooldowns to achieve sustained damage. The following is the gem setup for this highly resilient build:

• Righteous Fire: Elemental Focus - Efficacy - Swift Affliction - Burning Damage - Lifetap
• Fire Trap: Trap and Mine Damage - Swift Affliction - Lifetap - Burning Damage - Concentrated Effect
• Summon Flame Golem
• Purity of Fire
• Determination

The core strategy of Righteous Fire Chieftain build is to stack as many defensive layers as possible while maintaining powerful self-regeneration to endure heavy boss attacks. By continuously activating healing abilities and keeping Righteous Fire active, you can deal consistent burning damage while sustaining your health through regeneration. 

3. Reap Elementalist

Although spell-based offensive builds have traditionally been seen as unsuitable for high-difficulty content such as endgame or Hardcore Solo Self-Found mode, EasyGaming – EZG.com have discovered that the newly enhanced Reap skill changes everything. 

In the latest Keepers of the Flame league, Reap allows spellcasters to deal powerful, sustained physical damage over time, making it a surprisingly viable choice for hardcore players seeking both challenge and efficiency.

While Reap will cost you some health, the enhanced Blood Charge mechanics allow you to easily deal high amounts of physical damage over time to a single enemy, which is exactly what this challenge requires: each time you cast this skill on Uber Boss, you gain Blood Charge, which increases your skill cost by 20% and damage by 15%.

Thanks to this skill, Elementalist has become the top choice in the Ascendancy class, as it can utilize various golems to further increase damage. Although Liege of the Primordial passive was recently debuffed by the developers, defeating a boss is still no problem at all. The following are the details of the gem setup:

• Reap: Cruelty - Efficacy - Brutality - Swift Affliction - Corrupting Fever
• Minion Life Support: Flame Golem - Chaos Golem - Stone Golem - Lightning Golem
• Malevolence
• Vulnerability
• Pride

Once in the arena, make full use of Reap to continuously stack Blood Charge, allowing your attacks to deal progressively higher damage with every strike. At the same time, don’t overlook your defense. Summon your Stone Golem and take advantage of its powerful healing ability to keep your health at a safe level while staying aggressive.

These are the three most powerful builds best suited for completing the latest events. In summary, this boss challenge event, which is hold by Path of Exile 3.27 is less about luck and more about grit, precision, and the thrill of surviving on the edge. Every move matters, every mistake is fatal, and that’s exactly what makes conquering Uber Boss so satisfying. It’s pure, unforgiving PoE at its finest.

With the full release of Path of Exile: Keepers of the Flame 3.27, a new playstyle called Kinetic Blast Elementalist build is rapidly gaining popularity throughout the player community.

This build, with its revolutionary map clearing efficiency and smooth gameplay, is redefining players' understanding of the early game progression, becoming one of the most anticipated and powerful builds in the current League. Below, I will provide a detailed analysis of this build.

Advantages And Disadvantages Analysis

Advantages

The core breakthrough of Kinetic Blast Elementalist build lies in its perfect integration of area-of-effect map clearing and elemental damage. Compared to traditional builds, this playstyle achieves a qualitative leap in several dimensions:

Improved Map Clearing Efficiency

The area-of-effect explosion generated by Kinetic Blast, combined with Elementalist Ascendancy Passives, can create a spectacular chain reaction of explosions across the entire screen. According to player community feedback, at the same gear level, this build clears maps approximately 40% - 60% faster than traditional builds.

Optimized Gameplay

Its ranged attack capability allows players to deal massive damage while maintaining a safe distance. Combined with flexible movement skills, it achieves a seamless, move-and-fight experience, greatly reducing survivability pressure.

Weaknesses

During combat, this build's survivability is relatively weak. Players need to move cautiously and avoid high-damage boss skills, avoiding simply standing still and attacking.

Furthermore, its strength depends on early upgrades of key skills. Players need to acquire core skill gems as soon as possible or upgrade gear using POE Currency to further optimize the gameplay experience.

Game Mechanics And Gameplay

The core mechanics of Kinetic Blast Elementalist build revolve around skill synergy and elemental damage amplification. Witch obtains Kinetic Blast skill after completing Sever the Right Hand quest in Act III; other classes require completing A Fixture of Fate quest and unlocking Siosa.

In terms of skill configuration, Kinetic Blast launches a projectile that creates multiple AOE explosions. To enhance the power of these explosions, this build utilizes various Herald skills and Golems.

Once the gems are configured, summon one of each type of golem, then begin hurling Kinetic Blasts in the general direction of the enemies. The area-of-effect shockwaves generated by this skill not only deal considerable damage but also apply various Elemental Ailments.

When facing large groups of enemies or powerful bosses, you can place some Totems that fire Kinetic Bolts to supplement your damage output, while simultaneously applying Assassin's Mark to ensure more damage is dealt to Rare and Unique enemies.

Here is the ideal skill gem configuration for Kinetic Blast Elementalist:

• Kinetic Blast: Living Lightning - Sacred Wisps - Volatile Dead
• Kinetic Bolt: Ballista Totem - Living Lightning - Faster Attacks
• Golems: Summon Ice Golem - Summon Lightning Golem - Summon Flame Golem - Summon Stone Golem
• Heralds: Herald of Thunder - Herald of Ice
• Assassin's Mark: Mark on Hit
• Clarity
• Haste

For players seeking stronger mob clearing capabilities, adding Barrage Support to Kinetic Blast will further expand the build's area-of-effect damage.

In terms of mana management, using Clarity with Lightning golem is usually sufficient; simply ensure you stack mana as much as possible to activate all skills that require mana conservation.

Passive Tree And Ascendancy

Properly planning Passive Tree and Ascendancy is also crucial for this build's progression.

Passive Tree Development

Starting from the nodes on the left, prioritize all passive skills related to spell damage until you unlock Arcanist's Domain. Then move right to Practical Application, and successively unlock Wandslinger and Prodigal Perfection; these nodes significantly increase damage output.

The extra projectiles provided by Wand Mastery will be extremely helpful throughout PoE campaign and the early game. You can continue to activate it after obtaining Barrage Support, or reallocate this talent point to other talents as needed.

Around level 60, focus on stacking elemental damage while also considering defensive capabilities with Life and Energy Shield. This balanced approach allows players to clear monsters more effectively, resulting in a larger drop of POE Currency rewards, providing a stronger advantage for your game.

Ascendancy

After unlocking Elementalist Ascendancy class, prioritize the Liege of Primordial passive skill, which allows you to summon two or more golems.

At this point, ensure you have unlocked Golem Commander passive skill to enhance the buffs provided by all golems.

Other useful Ascendancy passives include Shaper of Flames, which fully utilizes Fire Mastery's 100% bonus damage against Ignited Enemies; Shaper of Winter and Shaper of Storm also better take advantage of elemental ailments.

Gear Selection

Gear selection is also critical in this build. Although the player's skills don't consume a lot of mana, the player needs mana to maintain the required buffs. Here are the various gears needed for this build and their corresponding affixes:

Weapon

Prioritize Wand or Eclipse Solaris with the affixes Elemental Damage, Physical Damage, Spell Damage, Critical Strike Chance, and Flat Damage.

Armor

• Helmet: Choose Lich's Circlet or Thrillsteel, prioritizing Increased Energy Shield, Flat Energy Shield, Life, and Resistances.
• Body Armor: Look for gear with Increased Evasion, Energy Shield, Flat Evasion, or Energy Shield, Life, and Resistances.
• Gloves: Requires fixed Flat Elemental Damage, Resistances, and Attributes.
• Boots: Movement Speed and Maximum Life are core affixes.

Accessories

• Amulet: Citrine Amulet is the best choice, prioritizing Attributes, Flat Damage, Mana Regen, and Global Critical Strike Chance.
• Ring: Look for rings with the affixes Maximum Life, Resistances, and Non-Channeling Skills have -x to Total Mana Cost.
• Belt: Leather Belt or Belt of the Deciever, with core affixes of Life, Mana, Resistances, and Attributes.

Since this build lacks damage reduction, survival relies primarily on the defensive attributes on the gear. If forced to choose between two, prioritize increasing resistances, then health, and finally damage. Since Strength and Dexterity are the most lacking attributes in this build, acquiring Citrine Amulet as quickly as possible is crucial.

Whether players aim for fast farming or a balanced approach of offense and defense, this build provides smooth gameplay while maintaining efficient map clearing. Try this build and experience the ultimate thrill of traversing the map and dealing damage while dodging.

In Path of Exile 3.27 league, the introduction of Foulborn unique item is changing gameplay in unprecedented ways.

These items are remarkable because they achieve revolutionary changes in performance through the complete replacement of affixes, even giving rise to some entirely new playstyles that were previously unimaginable.

This mechanism not only brings a fresh experience to veteran players but also injects new vitality into the depth and diversity of game strategies. Next, I will show you some changes to Uniques based on the introduction of Foulborn unique item.

Affix Revolution

Take Rathpith Globe as an example. In Foulborn modifier, it went from being an ordinary piece of equipment to becoming the core of the life-stacking damage over time build.

Whether based on ignite or bleed attacks, players can achieve damage outputs that were previously unattainable thanks to the new affixes. This change not only demonstrates the decisive influence of affix design on build construction but also showcases the development team's ingenuity in the equipment mechanics.

However, players should note that some affixes, although not shown in the official list, are still displayed on the item. This phenomenon stems from a legacy mechanism of old Breach system.

For example, Xoph's Heart can be upgraded to Xoph's Blood through Blessing of Xoph, but due to this system, some affixes can exist on both items simultaneously.

This allows the latter to potentially carry key attributes such as converting damage received into fire damage, even if not explicitly stated. Similar situations have also occurred with equipment such as The Halcyon and The Pandemonius.

This discovery provides more possibilities for players who pursue maximum attribute stacking, and also reminds the community to combine practical experience with database information when researching Uniques.

Golem Stacking

First, let's look at the major adjustments Midnight Bargain underwent in Foulborn. The two affixes, which retain 30% health and cannot be used simultaneously with Chaos Inoculation, are too demanding for the equipment's enhancement effect. Therefore, these two affixes can be completely removed.

Instead, the affix Lose 500% Life and Energy Shield per Second per Minion is used. While this effect is demanding when there are many Minions, combined with Golem summoning effect of The Dark Monarch helmet, players can build an unprecedented army of Golems.

The potential of this combination lies in its high-risk, high-reward nature. Players must use some form of health regeneration to offset health loss in exchange for an absolute advantage in the number of minions.

This design provides a completely new tactical dimension to Summoner build and allows Golem gameplay to find a new balance between defense and offense.

Poison Stacking 

Next, let's take a look at Warped Timepiece, whose collaboration with Beacon of Madness is arguably one of the most creative combinations in POE 3.27 league.

Amulet's Debuffs on you expire 100% faster affix effectively negates the negative effects of Boots skill - Embrace Madness.

Warped Timepiece in Foulborn goes a step further, combining a 30% increase in Temporal Chains Curse Effect with a 25% slower expire rate for other effects on Cursed enemies, greatly enhancing the crowd control and damage potential of the poison build.

The ingenuity of this combination lies in making the originally high-risk Embrace Madness controllable, while simultaneously amplifying the curse effect to achieve continuous stacking of poison damage.

This approach of mitigating negative effects through modifier linkage provides an important reference for future build design.

Monster Resistance Inversion 

Kiloava's Bluster shield has been transformed from a defensive item into an offensive weapon in POE Foulbor. Its new affix, Hits, has a 20-25% chance to treat Enemy Monsters with inverted Elemental Resistance values, making it particularly effective against enemies with high resistance.

Although this effect is probabilistic, its average damage increase is still significant, making it especially suitable for builds that rely on elemental damage.

The Oppressor shield underwent an even more dramatic transformation. Originally designed to be weak, this item had all its negative affixes removed in Foulbor update, instead offering a high chance of attack and spell blocking.

Also Read: How To Farm Gold Quickly In Path Of Exile 3.27? | Scarabs, Maps, Atlas Skills

Triple Attribute Stacking

For those who prefer stacking attributes, Hand of Wisdom and Action and Hand of Thought and Motion in Foulborn unique items are undoubtedly a boon.

These two hands can now provide bonuses to Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence simultaneously, perfectly complementing the attribute damage conversion mechanism centered around Cyclopean Coil.

This change opens up new options for late-game attribute stacking builds and further raises the ceiling for this type of playstyle.

The introduction of Foulborn unique items is not only a content update for Path of Exile 3.27 league, but also a deep restructuring of the game's equipment system.

By completely replacing affixes, unique items that were once considered toys or useless are given new life, and players are given more creative space to build.

Whether it's the risk-reward balance of Golem summons or the novel crowd control mechanics of poison build, Foulborn Uniques constantly challenges players' understanding and adaptation to the game.

As players further explore these items, even more revolutionary builds are sure to emerge.

As time goes by, Path of Exile 3.26 Secrets of the Atlas expansion is coming to an end, and the new Keepers of the Flame expansion is expected to officially enter the game on October 31, bringing an improved league mechanism and a lot of new content to further enhance players’ gaming experience.

Although some of the changes in the previous league were well-liked by players, patch 3.27 for the new league became the focus of discussion as soon as it was released. After all, who doesn’t like new things? Of course, the patch notes are still very lengthy, which is in line with the tradition of the developer.

In order to help you understand all the new major features and improvements contained in POE 3.27 in the shortest possible time, here will be a detailed introduction to each one, including the league mechanism, Genesis Tree, asynchronous trade and Bloodline Ascendancy classes.

New League Mechanic: Improved Breach

First, let’s look at the new league mechanics that players are most concerned about after each league change. In fact, the core mechanics in Keepers of the Flame can’t be called new, but rather an improved version of POE Breach League released in 2016.

Before this expansion, Breach was simply a portal that spawned a steady stream of monsters before collapsing. However, in Patch 3.27, Breach was upgraded to an in-game encounter, which can give you rich rewards, like POE currency and loot.

The expansion’s story follows Breachlords as they prepare to expand into Wraeclast, and Ailith forms Order of the Keepers of the Flame to stop them. Upon entering new League on October 31st, you’ll interact with an NPC named Ailith, who serves as the central figure in this League’s story.

She will take you into Mud Flats, an exploration area filled with many Breach Monsters, which are in the process of building nests. As a member of this organization, you need to clear all monsters in these dangerous areas and protect Alith so that she can easily use the enhanced Flame to destroy all nests.

Some action areas contain a massive Breach Hand, which takes you into Unstable Breach, where the number and quality of monsters are much higher than those in the regular Breach. You need to clear all monsters before the space collapses and kill Vruuen, Marshal of Xesht to stabilize Breach.

Genesis Tree & Grafts

As you and Ailith continue your exploration, she’ll lead you to Monastery of the Keepers, the gathering point for the organization she founded. Here you’ll unlock new content to further enhance your character build: The Genesis Tree, a new passive skill tree in Path of Exile new expansion.

This passive skill tree requires you to interact with Graftblood, which can be obtained by fighting Hiveborns in areas such as Breach Hives, Unstable Breaches, and Hive Fortresses. After you’ve cultivated a certain number of these PoE items, you can interact with Genesis Tree to reward you with wombgifts, which contain currency, gear, unique items, and league-exclusive Grafts.

If we compare this tree to a regular passive skill tree, Grafts are like an item that can be inserted into a gem slot, which can grant your build various attribute bonuses and unique Breach-themed skills. However, it’s worth noting that they cannot modify their affixes or stats using gold or other regular in-game currencies, as only Impliants introduced in PoE 3.27 can be used to craft them.

Asynchronous Trade

Next up is Asynchronous trading, a major improvement by the developers to the long-criticized trading system. After entering Keepers of the Flame expansion and completing all the content in Act 6, you can invite Faustus to your hideout for asynchronous trades, but please note that this feature will not be available if it is located in Rogue Harbour.

You can then place the items you wish to sell in Merchant’s tab and select a single-currency price (integer). Other players who need to acquire items or materials through player-to-player trading can check the current market situation directly from their hideout by interacting with Faustus.

After being teleported to the seller’s hideout, players can initiate a trade without needing to message the seller privately, regardless of whether the seller is online or not. This feature may lead to more frequent item trading among players, resulting in a more active in-game community and increased player satisfaction.

However, it’s important to note that in addition to the listed price, you also need to pay a tax when acquiring tradable items, which is in POE Gold. The exact amount depends on factors such as the item’s rarity and level. As the seller, you don’t need to pay this fee, but you won’t receive the gold after the transaction is completed.

Bloodline Ascendancy Classes

The last one is Bloodline Ascendancy classes, which can be used as secondary Ascendancy classes in Keepers of the Flame to provide additional passive skills to your build. Currently, ten classes have been announced, and you need to defeat specific bosses and complete tasks to unlock them. Their names are as follows:

• Nameless Bloodline - The King in the Mists
• Oshabi Bloodline - Oshabi, Avatar of the Grove
• Chaos Bloodline - The Trialmaster
• Aul Bloodline - Aul, the Crystal King
• Lycia Bloodline - Lycia, Herald of the Scourge
• Delirious Bloodline - Simulacrum
• Olroth Bloodline - Olroth, Origin of the Fall
• Catarina Bloodline - Catarina, Master of Undeath
• Farrul Bloodline - Farrul, First of the Plains
• Breach Bloodline - It That Was Tul & It That Was Esh

After you activate the passive skill tree of these classes, you will need to consume Ascendancy passive skill points to unlock each skill node, and you will get 5 points or a certain amount of gold back when it is saved, just like Ascendancy passive skill tree.

There is only one difference - Bloodline Ascendancy classes are not exclusive to classes. You can freely switch between these options. Specifically, after experiencing a specific encounter, you can switch by interacting with an altar that provides another Bloodline Ascendancy class. This altar can be used by all members of the party present.

These are some of the more important new features in Path of Exile 3.27 Keepers of the Flame. Overall, the developers have shown great sincerity towards all original players and are very eager to make amends for previous mistakes. Stay tuned for the implementation of all the details!