Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 is the final league before version 1.0 arrives. It was released at the end of May, and many players have likely already completed most of the content in Runes of Aldur league.
Since this could be a long-lasting league, its popularity has declined over time, but it is still worth paying attention to. Here, POECurrency.com takes a look at the mixed feedback from the player community regarding the expansion released in Patch 0.5.0; perhaps GGG might consider incorporating some of these successful improvements into the full 1.0 release.
The Pros
Build Diversity
The build diversity in Runes of Aldur league is impressive. The development team made extensive balance adjustments, with a major focus on improving the overall endgame experience.
Instead of relying on heavy nerfs to remove certain builds or strategies from the game, the official approach was to strengthen weaker playstyles and avoid directly eliminating powerful options as often happened in the past.
As a result, almost every Ascendancy and base class now has at least one skill that performs at an acceptable level. You no longer feel punished simply because you did not choose top-tier meta builds such as Twister or Ice Shot.
Farming Methods
Although every league has its own popular metas, almost every farming method in Patch 0.5.0 can provide solid PoE2 currency rewards. This is mainly thanks to the massive amount of new content introduced by the development team. The additions include:
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Arbiter of Divinity and its corresponding Atlas Passive Tree
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Breach introduced Genesis Tree from PoE 1
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Expedition was integrated with the mechanics of Runes of Aldur league
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Delirium added the 200% stacking mechanic
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Ritual introduced An Audience with the King reward mechanic with improved rewards
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Vaal Temple and Abyss also received new passive options or mechanical updates
The enormous amount of content also brought countless bugs. Some issues were severe enough to prevent story progression or block players from obtaining passive points. However, the player population did not decline because of these problems.
Chase Uniques
The value of Chase Uniques in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.0 is extremely high. Although this can have a negative impact on many average players, the value of these Chase Uniques will gradually decrease as the league progresses and eventually reach a level that is more accessible to regular players.
The importance of high-value Chase Uniques is that they are genuinely worth farming for. Many Chase Uniques are still worth hundreds of PoE 2 Divine Orbs. This is exactly what makes them worth pursuing and farming. When you finally obtain one, the sense of achievement from the power increase feels much more meaningful.
Of course, if you don’t enjoy the pursuit, you can directly buy PoE 2 currency at POECurrency.com. Farming specific items is a long and random process; trading with other players directly using currency is much more time-efficient.
High-Difficulty Content
The high-difficulty content in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 is genuinely challenging. Although the difficulty of 200% Delirium has been reduced, it remains a demanding activity that allows you to test the strength of your build while also providing massive amounts of loot.
Of course, not every piece of content reaches this standard. For players seeking the ultimate challenge, the current boss encounters are still too easy. There is currently no Uber boss or similar endgame challenge that requires even the strongest players several days to complete their first clear.
The Cons
Inflation
Inflation exists in almost every league, but the problem is particularly severe in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.0. The value of Mirror of Kalandra nearly doubled within just one week.
There are many reasons behind the inflation of Mirror of Kalandra, including the increasing power level of mirror-tier gear and free Mirror of Kalandra services, where some players allow others to duplicate their top-tier equipment without using their own Mirror.
This has made Mirrors more valuable as a practical tool than as a long-term investment. However, the fundamental issue is the lack of effective ways to consume Divine Orbs.
In PoE 1, players could consume Divine Orbs through Crafting Bench. This was an extremely powerful crafting tool, and most mid-to-late game crafting processes required at least one type of such expenditure.
Crafting System
However, in Path of Exile 2, the official team decided not to include Crafting Bench because new players might not know how to find it or might find it too complicated. However, the new system is actually worse because the functions of Crafting Bench have been split into three different systems:
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Omens
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Runes
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Essences
A system that could previously be handled through one interface has now become three separate systems with different mechanics. Players also need to obtain these materials through the currency exchange system.
The new system is more complicated, more confusing, harder to understand, and provides weaker functions with more uncertainty. Aside from having better integration with map mechanics, PoE 2’s crafting system is inferior to PoE 1 in almost every other aspect.
The reason Chaos Orbs maintain their value is that they are a core crafting material and are constantly consumed. This does not negate the current precarious state of the in-game economy.
Although Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 has both strengths and weaknesses, POECurrency.com believes that its overall quality outweighs its flaws. This is inseparable from the efforts of the development team, which has continued releasing timely patches to fix various issues. If you have not tried it yet, you are in a fortunate position because this league will continue for a long time.
