What Happens When PoE 2’s Dawn of the Hunt League Ends?

The Third Edict update is going to launch in 10 days from now, and new PoE2 players are starting to wonder what exactly will happen when Dawn of the Hunt ends – and what that means for your characters, stash, and progress in Path of Exile 2.

When Does the League End?

According to Grinding Gear Games, the Dawn of the Hunt league will officially end on August 26 at 3 PM PDT. That means you have just a few more days to wrap up your characters or get a feel for the game before everything resets.

If you are in the EU, that is August 27 at 12 AM (midnight, GMT+2). The in-game clock shows your local time, so no need to convert it yourself.

What Happens to Your Characters and Stash?

• All your Dawn of the Hunt characters will be transferred to the Standard or Hardcore Early Access leagues.
• Nothing gets deleted – your characters and items will still exist.
• Your stash tabs become “Remove Only” in Standard. You can take items out, but you cannot put them back in.
• Stash layouts carry over, so how you organize now will reflect in your future leagues.
• Any stash tabs you bought are permanent and usable in every league, but new ones will start empty unless migrated.

This is normal for how Path of Exile handles league transitions, so if this is your first league, do not stress – your loot is safe!

If you are curious about what other players think of all this, here is the Reddit thread where the community discusses league endings, stash tips, and launch prep:

What Happens When Dawn of the Hunt Leagues End
byu/EarthBounder inPathOfExile2

Should New Players Still Start Now?

Starting PoE 2 now is honestly not such a bad idea.

Even with the league ending soon, this is still a great time to get familiar with the game and experiment with weapons and builds before Patch 0.3 releases on August 29. Just know that your progress will be moved to Standard when the new league begins, and most players prefer to start fresh with each league anyway.

Also worth noting: you can technically use any skill on any character, but skills are tied to the weapon you equip. So if you want to cast spells, equip a wand or staff – not a sword!

What About Long-Term Characters and Early Access?

It seems that some players are worried about investing too much into Early Access characters in Path of Exile 2, since we know that once 1.0 launches, current characters will be locked into a separate “Early Access Standard” realm.

That means they will not get new content added after 1.0. But for most players, the point of leagues is to enjoy the game now – not to hoard progress for later.

Are Wisps and Rite of Passage Going Away?

Not exactly. The Azmeri Wisps added in 0.2 are part of the core game now, not a league mechanic. They will stick around, but appear less frequently in the Campaign once The Third Edict begins.

As for certain unique items (like Rite of Passage), there is a bit of uncertainty right now about whether or not they will drop again in the new league. No official word yet – but if they become legacy, they might turn into collectible brag pieces.

What Is Next for PoE 2?

• Patch 0.3 and the next league launch on August 29.
• Livestream reveal happens Wednesday, August 20, at 1 PM PDT on Twitch
• New mechanics are expected to replace Wisps in the Campaign.
• Many expect the full 1.0 launch to arrive after 2025, with more Acts and systems still in development.

For now, it is a great time to experiment, try out fun builds, and get ready for the big reset.

We will keep you posted with a full recap from the PoE2 August 20 livestream – and all the juicy details about The Third Edict.