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Path of Exile

poweRob

poweRob

USMC 1988-1996
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So I'm checking out this game. Anyone have any history with it? It's free to get but they make their money somehow. I'm sure in the game there are all sorts of purchases to be made.



I like the premise in that I'm a diablo nut and have been for decades now. My stepson informed me of it and I found that video and it's peeked my curiousity in that it's very much like diablo but the characters are much more customizable in their builds. My questions are...

  1. Do you like it?
  2. What do you like about it?
  3. How do they get into your wallet?
  4. Does having fun in the game mean opening your wallet all the time?
 
No micropurchases that I'm aware of. I haven't played it in a while so that may have changed but up until about a year ago I can vouch for "free" meaning free.

The game is pretty good and the skill tree is ridiculous. They also seem to be adding content and fixing things on a regular basis (it's always updating on Steam). My only complaint is that it takes forever to load but once it's running there's no hassle.
 
poweRob said:
So I'm checking out this game. Anyone have any history with it? It's free to get but they make their money somehow. I'm sure in the game there are all sorts of purchases to be made.



I like the premise in that I'm a diablo nut and have been for decades now. My stepson informed me of it and I found that video and it's peeked my curiousity in that it's very much like diablo but the characters are much more customizable in their builds. My questions are...

  1. Do you like it?
  2. What do you like about it?
  3. How do they get into your wallet?
  4. Does having fun in the game mean opening your wallet all the time?
Click to expand...


The game allows buyable content, but does not sell anything gamebreaking where you need to buy any of it, the purchases are an option, and things like extra stash space and easily farmable items if you are lazy. However most seem to just buy more stash space, and you would be playing it a long time before you ever needed to expand and even then many do not and stay the free route.

In terms of gameplay, it is very similar to diablo 2, however last I played it the game was pretty incomplete, and they were still adding stuff on trying to complete it, it then like 2-3 years ago was like playing diablo 2 but with only 3 of the 4 acts, they may have added much more since then.

The real oddity is their skill system, unlike diablo 2 skill tree, poe uses a skill maze, where instead of getting 5+ viable builds per character class, you can get hundreds, and it can be complicated enough that you might want to research it first.
 
beerftw said:
The game allows buyable content, but does not sell anything gamebreaking where you need to buy any of it, the purchases are an option, and things like extra stash space and easily farmable items if you are lazy. However most seem to just buy more stash space, and you would be playing it a long time before you ever needed to expand and even then many do not and stay the free route.

In terms of gameplay, it is very similar to diablo 2, however last I played it the game was pretty incomplete, and they were still adding stuff on trying to complete it, it then like 2-3 years ago was like playing diablo 2 but with only 3 of the 4 acts, they may have added much more since then.

The real oddity is their skill system, unlike diablo 2 skill tree, poe uses a skill maze, where instead of getting 5+ viable builds per character class, you can get hundreds, and it can be complicated enough that you might want to research it first.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the input.

So when you build character you are stuck with that build like in diablo 2 or can you reset the build? Diablo 3 allows build changes whenever you want on the same character so I don't have to roll multiples of the same character. I do like that.
 
poweRob said:
Thanks for all the input.

So when you build character you are stuck with that build like in diablo 2 or can you reset the build? Diablo 3 allows build changes whenever you want on the same character so I don't have to roll multiples of the same character. I do like that.
Click to expand...

In poe your build kinda defines your playstyle to an extent but you can modify it any way you want after that through the vast skill maze, and your starting class puts the maze closer to that style.

In terms of resetting builds, If I remember correct you get X amount of refund points, which is not enough to actually re spec your whole build, but rather it allows you to make some corrections to the overall build. So in a sense it is much like how d2 was prior to respecs in patch 1.13, where if you screw it up you have to restart it or live with it.
 
beerftw said:
In poe your build kinda defines your playstyle to an extent but you can modify it any way you want after that through the vast skill maze, and your starting class puts the maze closer to that style.

In terms of resetting builds, If I remember correct you get X amount of refund points, which is not enough to actually re spec your whole build, but rather it allows you to make some corrections to the overall build. So in a sense it is much like how d2 was prior to respecs in patch 1.13, where if you screw it up you have to restart it or live with it.
Click to expand...

Cool beans.

It's not like I have commitment issues but... I like the adaptability. I love strategizing builds a lot. It sucks to be playing and have an idea that you can't convert into but have to roll out a whole new character to try that idea out.

I'm not a hack and slash tank guy. So I won't be playing all the characters. I generally find my fav character and work the crap out of him. Diablo 2 I liked the druid but as a pet build and not as a wolf or bear mode guy. Diablo 3... even with the new necromancer... I much prefer the witch doctor.
 
poweRob said:
So I'm checking out this game. Anyone have any history with it? It's free to get but they make their money somehow. I'm sure in the game there are all sorts of purchases to be made.



I like the premise in that I'm a diablo nut and have been for decades now. My stepson informed me of it and I found that video and it's peeked my curiousity in that it's very much like diablo but the characters are much more customizable in their builds. My questions are...

  1. Do you like it?
  2. What do you like about it?
  3. How do they get into your wallet?
  4. Does having fun in the game mean opening your wallet all the time?
Click to expand...


I've played it a decent amount and like it. There are in game purchases but you by no means need to do so, I never have.

The way the game is setup is much more complex than Diablo. It makes Diablo look kinda like a baby game in it's simplicity, in comparison.

1. So yes here.
2. Graphics are good and runs well.
(a) The passive tree is so big that you'll barely know how to comprehend it (this will take you a while to figure out).
(b) Skills are based off of gem drops you find and the gems level up as you have them socketed into your items.
-The gems are limited in how high you can level them based on your attributes so you can't do everything but you can "multi-class" well.
-Items can have multiple sockets and then some sockets are linked so you can chain gems together for modifications to greater effect
-This system makes the options nearly limitless.
(c) Nice dark storyline.
3. I dunno, exactly, I've never paid a cent.
4. See 1. and 3.

Also something to note, the craft system and stuff is a lot different. There is no gold in the game. It's items and materials that you get from breaking down said items or from drops. This also takes a little to get used to.
 
beerftw said:
The game allows buyable content, but does not sell anything gamebreaking where you need to buy any of it, the purchases are an option, and things like extra stash space and easily farmable items if you are lazy. However most seem to just buy more stash space, and you would be playing it a long time before you ever needed to expand and even then many do not and stay the free route.

In terms of gameplay, it is very similar to diablo 2, however last I played it the game was pretty incomplete, and they were still adding stuff on trying to complete it, it then like 2-3 years ago was like playing diablo 2 but with only 3 of the 4 acts, they may have added much more since then.

The real oddity is their skill system, unlike diablo 2 skill tree, poe uses a skill maze, where instead of getting 5+ viable builds per character class, you can get hundreds, and it can be complicated enough that you might want to research it first.
Click to expand...

They've added things since then. It has more content and they seem to be continuing to work on more.
 
Fishking said:
I've played it a decent amount and like it. There are in game purchases but you by no means need to do so, I never have.

The way the game is setup is much more complex than Diablo. It makes Diablo look kinda like a baby game in it's simplicity, in comparison.

1. So yes here.
2. Graphics are good and runs well.
(a) The passive tree is so big that you'll barely know how to comprehend it (this will take you a while to figure out).
(b) Skills are based off of gem drops you find and the gems level up as you have them socketed into your items.
-The gems are limited in how high you can level them based on your attributes so you can't do everything but you can "multi-class" well.
-Items can have multiple sockets and then some sockets are linked so you can chain gems together for modifications to greater effect
-This system makes the options nearly limitless.
(c) Nice dark storyline.
3. I dunno, exactly, I've never paid a cent.
4. See 1. and 3.

Also something to note, the craft system and stuff is a lot different. There is no gold in the game. It's items and materials that you get from breaking down said items or from drops. This also takes a little to get used to.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the feedback fish. I think I'm going to have to try it. Or I just might command my stepson to play it and report back to me. :lol:
 
poweRob said:
Cool beans.

It's not like I have commitment issues but... I like the adaptability. I love strategizing builds a lot. It sucks to be playing and have an idea that you can't convert into but have to roll out a whole new character to try that idea out.

I'm not a hack and slash tank guy. So I won't be playing all the characters. I generally find my fav character and work the crap out of him. Diablo 2 I liked the druid but as a pet build and not as a wolf or bear mode guy. Diablo 3... even with the new necromancer... I much prefer the witch doctor.
Click to expand...

Thing is, with how it's made, no character really has to play any particular roll. That said, the skill refunds in the passive tree are hardish to come by buy your actual skills, the gems that you socket and level up, can be removed at will and placed into knew items. It's only that passive tree that is harder. However, when they roll out some of the bigger patches or updates they will sometimes provide full passive skill tree refunds.

Again, the passive tree is immense and daunting. You definitely won't be figuring it out right away but if you like a game that has a lot of options to ponder, research, and theorize, then you'll love the passive tree. I know I liked it.
 
poweRob said:
Thank you for the feedback fish. I think I'm going to have to try it. Or I just might command my stepson to play it and report back to me. :lol:
Click to expand...

Np...I have 130 hrs put into it, so far.
 
Fishking said:
Thing is, with how it's made, no character really has to play any particular roll. That said, the skill refunds in the passive tree are hardish to come by buy your actual skills, the gems that you socket and level up, can be removed at will and placed into knew items. It's only that passive tree that is harder. However, when they roll out some of the bigger patches or updates they will sometimes provide full passive skill tree refunds.

Again, the passive tree is immense and daunting. You definitely won't be figuring it out right away but if you like a game that has a lot of options to ponder, research, and theorize, then you'll love the passive tree. I know I liked it.
Click to expand...

That sounds like its in my wheelhouse. I usually don't pvp much so how's the solo in the game?
 
poweRob said:
That sounds like its in my wheelhouse. I usually don't pvp much so how's the solo in the game?
Click to expand...

Oh...I also forgot that you can take out the skill gems and put them in your stash and pick them up with new characters. The only limitation is the level cap to use them increases as they level up and the correlating attribute has to meet the requirements, which also increases as the level increases.

So to make up an example without using real numbers or anything.

Say you have a blue gem for fireball (all blue gems are magic skills). At level 1 say it needs 10 intellect to be able to use but everyone starts out high enough for that. But then as you have it socketed in an item it grows in level/strength and it's like +5 more INT for each level. So your hack and slash dude can make that INT gap up (one level has been met) by either items that give +INT or picking some straight up +INT attributes points in the skill tree.

Now your hack and slash dude can shoot fireballs. Then you can just take the gem out and put it back into the stash and pick it back up with your caster again.
 
poweRob said:
That sounds like its in my wheelhouse. I usually don't pvp much so how's the solo in the game?
Click to expand...

I never got into the PvP aspect, just the PvE and it's fun and challenging, especially as you play through it back in harder modes.
 
Fishking said:
I never got into the PvP aspect, just the PvE and it's fun and challenging, especially as you play through it back in harder modes.
Click to expand...

Going solo like that makes it much more fun IMO because you remove hackers out of the equation who are always shortcutting the game and creating a gaming environment of "keeping up with the joneses". I don't understand why someone would buy a game or play one, then try to find the hacks to play god mode. PLaying like that couldn't possibly be fun.
 
poweRob said:
Going solo like that makes it much more fun IMO because you remove hackers out of the equation who are always shortcutting the game and creating a gaming environment of "keeping up with the joneses". I don't understand why someone would buy a game or play one, then try to find the hacks to play god mode. PLaying like that couldn't possibly be fun.
Click to expand...

Because they are small-minded people who want to find one little spot where they can demonstrate their power and superiority. I'm almost detrimentally fair in competition, be it video games or sports. Sometimes in sports it's actually beneficial to commit a foul/penalty in certain circumstances, but I will not. Now, I may out of frustration sometimes but not to gain the advantage.
 
poweRob said:
Going solo like that makes it much more fun IMO because you remove hackers out of the equation who are always shortcutting the game and creating a gaming environment of "keeping up with the joneses". I don't understand why someone would buy a game or play one, then try to find the hacks to play god mode. PLaying like that couldn't possibly be fun.
Click to expand...

Here's video I found on youtube. Start at the 03:18 mark and quite, whenever. At 05:30 you'll see the passive skill tree and maybe understand what I've been saying about it. It's just...crazy.

 
Fishking said:
Here's video I found on youtube. Start at the 03:18 mark and quite, whenever. At 05:30 you'll see the passive skill tree and maybe understand what I've been saying about it. It's just...crazy.

Click to expand...


downloaded it and started playing last night. Rolled out a witch. DIdn't play too long though.
 
poweRob said:
downloaded it and started playing last night. Rolled out a witch. DIdn't play too long though.
Click to expand...

Yeah...I just started over with a new character and am making a summoning witch, kinda like what the guy in the video is doing.
 
Anyone playing the latest major expansion? I decided that it was time to pick it up again since my biggest issue was the clickclickclick nature of melee combat, and they fixed that in this new release. It is now possible to hold down an attack button and have the attacks continue, as well as auto target after a kill... makes playing melee much more enjoyable now!

Since I was, in theory, starting up again to test melee, I started a Marauder... vowing NOT to go the Fire Totem build this time. It is so much more pleasant in the new system.

Also, I think the creators of this game are playing with me. After countless hours of farming for it on my main, in the first hour on my Legion Alt Tabula Rasa dropped for me.

I still don't have all the gems to take advantage of it, but just before the fight that dropped Tabula Rasa I got a Ground Slam gem... ho.lee.crap is it easy to level with this build. Stacking Life steal and Mana steal Kill with this build is, dare I say, EASIER to play than the Fire Totem Shaman? He levels insanely fast sine I can aggro a whole map and then kill them all with a click.
 
FYI, "Torchlight II" is another Diablo II like game. But the graphics are more cartoony and it isn't up to date like POE. But I haven't played POE. (PC only?)
 
Mr Person said:
FYI, "Torchlight II" is another Diablo II like game. But the graphics are more cartoony and it isn't up to date like POE. But I haven't played POE. (PC only?)
Click to expand...

Re-Edit: It is out for Xbox and PS as well. It is free to play.
 
Last edited:
Played this game a long time ago and got bored with it after a while. I think there were 4 levels when I was playing it and the repetitiveness was too much.
 
PoS said:
Played this game a long time ago and got bored with it after a while. I think there were 4 levels when I was playing it and the repetitiveness was too much.
Click to expand...

I am with you, I played for a few hours years ago and dismissed it as a bad Diablo 3 clone.

It's up to 10 acts from the original 4. There have been a lot of major changes to the game mechanics in the mean time. But generally most ARPGs are repetitive grinds where the pay-off is minmaxing your character to game breaking power.

Most of the allure to the PoE model for me is in the skill building, where you build skills by chaining gem sockets together, and grinding for items that can support your gem links.

For example, early on I had a skill gem drop for my current character that was "Ground Slam" that is an AOE arc attack in front of the character. At this point I have had a single chest piece that is 4 sockets, all linked, so I built a chain with "Ground Slam" and the attack and "Life Leech on Hit", "Added Fire Damage" and "Penetration" support gems linked, making the attack considerably different than the base ground slam.

Likewise I have a Damage shield gem that grants me X extra life as a shield, and I linked that to a "Cast on Damage" gem so I don't have to remember to toggle it after cool down, it fires on its own when I am low health.

And so on. It's a really cool system that has added a lot of options since the old 4 act days.

I didn't really get the allure at first, now I do.
 
jmotivator said:
I am with you, I played for a few hours years ago and dismissed it as a bad Diablo 3 clone.

It's up to 10 acts from the original 4. There have been a lot of major changes to the game mechanics in the mean time. But generally most ARPGs are repetitive grinds where the pay-off is minmaxing your character to game breaking power.

Most of the allure to the PoE model for me is in the skill building, where you build skills by chaining gem sockets together, and grinding for items that can support your gem links.

For example, early on I had a skill gem drop for my current character that was "Ground Slam" that is an AOE arc attack in front of the character. At this point I have had a single chest piece that is 4 sockets, all linked, so I built a chain with "Ground Slam" and the attack and "Life Leech on Hit", "Added Fire Damage" and "Penetration" support gems linked, making the attack considerably different than the base ground slam.

Likewise I have a Damage shield gem that grants me X extra life as a shield, and I linked that to a "Cast on Damage" gem so I don't have to remember to toggle it after cool down, it fires on its own when I am low health.

And so on. It's a really cool system that has added a lot of options since the old 4 act days.

I didn't really get the allure at first, now I do.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I might be interested in it in the future, but the constant clicking is going to make my fingers sore. Also I wanted to play the Scion but there's only a female character for it (Im not one of those types of male gamers who plays females).
 
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