Path of Exile 2 Devs Shorten Act 3 and Release Patch 0.2.0d

Grinding Gear Games is continuing to roll out improvements to Path of Exile 2, and this week brings two big updates so far: a major round of campaign area adjustments (focused on Act 3) and patch 0.2.0d, which adds a new skill and fixes multiple bugs, including a huge exploit.

If you felt some zones were dragging, you are definitely not alone. Based on clear-time data, GGG has either trimmed or reworked several areas to reduce backtracking, improve boss access, and smooth progression. Here is what changed.

Act 3 Area Clear Fixes – Faster Layouts, Less Backtracking

GGG’s goal was to improve clear times in Act 3 without losing each area’s identity. Most changes are about cutting dead ends, bringing important entrances closer together, or reducing search variance. These updates will roll out in the coming days.

Here is a quick breakdown:

• The Drowned City & Utzaal: Removed long dead-end paths caused by cut content. These exits now properly lead to relevant areas, saving lots of backtracking.
• The Apex of Filth: Spiral layout removed; smaller and easier to reach the boss now.
• Azak Bog: Layout changed from square to rectangular. Boss always spawns at the far end to reduce randomness.
• Infested Barrens: Now bottlenecks you past the Waterways waypoint, making progression clearer.
• Jungle Ruins: Exit visibility improved. Checkpoint moved closer to prevent wandering.
• Chimeral Wetlands: Temple of Chaos and Machinarium entrances moved closer together.
• Jiquani’s Machinarium & Sanctum: One extra Soul Core added to each, reducing time needed to find them.
• General Side-Area Fix: Area timeout has been increased for zones with side-areas, to prevent frustrating resets when backtracking.

These changes are part of GGG’s effort to improve campaign pacing while keeping things flexible for future updates. They might not feel like a huge fix just yet, but it is a good first step, and it shows the devs are clearly paying attention to all the feedback players are sharing, both in-game and across social platforms.

If you want, you can check out the official post here.

Patch 0.2.0d Notes – New Skill, Bug Fixes, and Exploit Bans

Patch 0.2.0d is now also live and includes the following updates:

• New Huntress Spear Skill – Cull the Weak
  • Fast dash that grants a Frenzy Charge on kill.
  • Has Culling Strike.
  • Offered at Tier 3+ (Spearfield moved to Tier 5+).
• Freedom of Faith Nerf
  • Now only lets you reroll Favours twice at Ritual Altars (was infinite).
  • This fix follows an exploit that GGG has now patched. Offending accounts are being banned, and wealth is being removed.
• Skill and Ailment Improvements
  • Elemental Sundering now pauses Freeze/Shock/Ignite during build-up, instead of removing them immediately.
  • Whirlwind Lance projectiles now cluster more tightly.
  • Ancestral Spirits from Warbringer now properly triggers.
  • Toxic Growth can now be supported by Overabundance.
• Bug Fixes
  • Fixed shapeshift issues with Convalescence and Demon Form.
  • Melee splash radius was stacking twice—now fixed.
  • Trial of the Sekhemas and Connal, the Tormented fights now function correctly after resets.
  • Flesh Larva monsters can no longer be imprisoned in Essences.

GGG says this is just the first pass for campaign adjustments, and more tuning is likely as the team monitors feedback. We will keep you posted on what comes next for Path of Exile 2.

In the meantime, stay sane, Exiles.