Path of Exile 2's Dawn of the Hunt expansion introduces a new class, new ascendancies, endgame improvements, and a fresh league mechanic. Whether you're a returning player or new to the franchise, understanding these updates will help you optimize your experience. This guide will cover key features, best farming strategies, and how to progress efficiently in PoE 2: Dawn of the Hunt.

1. Dawn of the Hunt - Key Features & Release Date

The 0.2.0 update for Path of Exile 2, titled Dawn of the Hunt, is scheduled for release on April 4, 2025, at noon PDT. This update is a massive expansion, introducing:

A new class: The Huntress, featuring Spears as a new weapon type.

New ascendancies for multiple classes: Ritualist, Amazon, Smith of Kitava, Tactician, and Lich.

Azmerian Wisps, the new league mechanic that enhances monsters and rewards you with Talismans.

Overhauled endgame systems, including 7 new maps, a revamped Atlas Passive Tree, and Corrupted Nexus challenges.

100+ new unique items and support gems, offering expanded build possibilities.

2. Best Starter Builds for Dawn of the Hunt

Choosing the right build at the start of the league is essential for efficient leveling and farming. Here are three recommended starter builds for Dawn of the Hunt:

A. Huntress - Spear Lightning Strike

Pros: Great mobility, high damage, and hybrid melee/ranged attacks.

Cons: Requires precise positioning and good attack speed investment.

Recommended Playstyle: Focus on Spear-based attacks and use mobility skills to weave between enemies.

B. Witch - Lich Chaos Minions

Pros: Minions deal Chaos damage, great for passive clearing.

Cons: Minion AI sometimes struggles against fast bosses.

Recommended Playstyle: Use Summon Skeletons and Spectres for a chaos-based summoner approach.

C. Warrior - Smith of Kitava Fire Slam

Pros: Tanky, high burst damage, solid for melee combat.

Cons: Requires investment in armor/life for survivability.

Recommended Playstyle: Stack Fire damage and use heavy slams to clear packs.

3. How to Progress Efficiently in the Dawn of the Hunt

A. Leveling Guide (Acts 1-10)

Prioritize movement speed (boots with +10-15% speed).

Use AoE skills for faster clearing.

Upgrade weapons frequently, especially when using attack-based builds.

Unlock waypoints and complete side quests that give passive skill points.

B. Early Mapping Strategy

Focus on completing all white and yellow maps quickly.

Target Azmerian Wisps encounters to get Talismans for extra power.

Prioritize Atlas Passives that boost map drops and league mechanics.

C. Currency & Gear Progression

Chaos Orbs: Trade for early-game upgrades.

Fracturing Orbs: Lock in valuable affixes for high-tier crafting.

Simplex Amulets: Enhance gear for stronger character scaling.

4. How to Earn & Use Currency in Dawn of the Hunt

A. Farming Currency Efficiently

Run High-Yield Maps: Target new endgame maps with high pack density.

Azmerian Wisps: These encounters drop Talismans, which can be sold for profit.

Essence Corruption: Corrupt trapped essences to obtain rare crafting materials.

Unique Strongboxes: These can drop valuable loot, including high-tier uniques.

B. Crafting & Item Selling

Use Fracturing Orbs to lock in key stats on a Rare item before further crafting.

Trade Talismans with high resistances, life, or damage modifiers for profit.

Recombination Crafting (Expedition Mechanic): Merge Path of Exile 2 items to obtain powerful hybrid gear.

5. Endgame Mapping & Corrupted Nexus

A. Running Endgame Maps Efficiently

Atlas Passive Tree Revamp: Invest in map sustain nodes to maintain efficiency.

New 6-Portal System: More portals mean longer map progression before failure.

Tower & Tablet Improvements: Towers now contain bosses and unique rewards.

B. Corrupted Nexus System

Corrupted Maps contain harder enemies but offer better loot rewards.

Clearing a Corrupted Nexus will convert surrounding maps into Cleansed Maps, which provide alternative loot options.

C. Boss Strategies for Pinnacle Fights

New pinnacle bosses do NOT give XP anymore.

Death in these fights does not cause XP loss, encouraging practice runs.

Use high-avoidance builds for difficult encounters.

6. Final Thoughts & Key Takeaways

Dawn of the Hunt is one of the most ambitious updates for Path of Exile 2, offering a fresh take on endgame progression, new builds, and better itemization systems.

Try the Huntress for a new hybrid melee/ranged playstyle.

Experiment with Talismans & Azmerian Wisps for unique build enhancements.

Use Corrupted Nexus & Fracturing Orbs to farm high-value loot.

Plan Atlas Passive upgrades to optimize currency farming.

With these strategies, you'll maximize efficiency, PoE2 currency gain, and character strength in PoE 2's Dawn of the Hunt expansion. Happy hunting, Exile!

MMOexp POE 2 Team