Grinding Gear Games has unveiled the full reveal for Path of Exile 2's 0.4.0 update, The Last of the Druids, during its most recent livestream. The presentation showcased a major new class, two Ascendancies, a fresh challenge league, and a sweeping list of balance and endgame changes. Players on both PC and consoles can jump into the new content starting December 12th (PST), when the 0.4.0 patch and the new Fate of the Vaal league go live. Like every league, this marks the beginning of a brand-new economy.
The Druid
The highlight of the reveal is the introduction of the Druid, a hybrid Strength/Intelligence class built around fluidly shifting between Human and three animal forms. Unlike traditional shapeshifter archetypes, PoE 2's Druid seamlessly blends spellcasting with melee transformations, enabling a highly adaptive playstyle that naturally switches between ranged, melee, and area-control abilities.
Animal Talismans
Central to the class are Animal Talismans, a brand-new weapon type. Equipping one grants the Druid the basic attack of its corresponding beast, Bear, Wolf, or Wyvern. Using that basic attack instantly transforms the player into the chosen form. Because transformations are immediate and swapping forms carries no downtime, Druids can rapidly alternate between spells in Human Form and devastating beast attacks.
Human spells tend to be longer-lasting and persistent, supporting the hybrid fantasy of casting abilities and then tearing through enemies while transformed.
Bear Form
The Bear plays like a powerhouse bruiser.
Generating and spending Rage is the cornerstone of this form.
Rampage drives you forward while pulsing destructive ground stomps.
Ferocious Roar temporarily reduces enemy armor and can even socket any Warcry gem to expand build options.
The Bear's Ultimate, Walking Calamity, consumes large amounts of Rage to unleash a fiery storm, creating both damage and additional Rage generation.
Wolf Form
The Wolf embraces high mobility, cold damage, and rapid engagement.
Its basic attack leaps toward targets, making traversal between packs natural and fast.
Lunar Assault excels at freezing enemies, while Pounce leaps onto foes and marks them.
Marked enemies, when slain, summon temporary Wolf minions, and because Pounce acts as a meta gem, players can customize it further by socketing any Mark into it.
Multiple summoned Wolves can fight alongside you, and abilities like Cross-slash consume Marks for burst damage.
With Lunar Blessing, the Wolf transforms into an empowered, faster, deadlier version.
Wyvern Form
The Wyvern combines mid-range melee with long-range breath attacks.
It can Devour corpses to generate Power Charges, which are then consumed to enhance wing attacks and other abilities.
Rolling Magma releases bouncing lava projectiles, which synergize with the Human Form's Volcano spell.
The Wyvern can spit oil to increase ignite potential, turning into a channelled barrage when consuming Power Charges.
Human Form
While unshifted, the Druid gains access to potent elemental spells:
Fire Geysers erupt periodically.
Entangling Vines hinder enemy movement.
