Alright, listen up – December 12 is set to be a wild one. Patch 0.4, “The Last of the Druids,” lands at 11AM PST, and yeah, I’ve been counting the days since 0.3 got pushed back. This time they’re even throwing in a free-to-play weekend that runs to the 15th, so it’s a perfect excuse to rope in those mates who’ve been sitting on the fence. If you’re watching the pre-patch Twitch stream tomorrow, Jonathan and Mark have a Q&A lined up with drops, so there’s no reason to miss it. I just hope they finally smooth out that annoying stutter in deep Delve runs – nothing kills momentum faster. Oh, and if you’re short on prep time, grabbing some PoE 2 Currency could be a solid shortcut for launch week.

The Druid Arrives

The main draw here? Easily the Druid class. It’s a STR/INT hybrid we’ve only seen teased for months, but it looks like a proper game-changer rather than a rehash. The three ascendancies – Shaman, Wild Heart, Harbinger – each push in different directions. I’m already sketching a Wild Heart setup because Bear form with Rage bursts and beefy mitigation just screams “try to kill me.” Wolf form looks slick for stacking bleeds and darting in and out of fights. It’s not just about shifting shapes either – swapping forms means juggling armour, energy shield, and life pools on the fly. Sounds tricky, but that’s part of the fun. Those new Talisman two-handers also seem primed to let you smash and cast with equal ferocity.

The New League

Then there’s “Fate of the Vaal.” Think Atziri, blood rites, and old-school boss chase – the kind of content veterans will remember from way back. It’s tighter on story and making uniques count again. In 0.3, crafting spam got ridiculous, so aiming for big bosses feels like a breath of fresh air. The lightning meta is about to take a hit too. Herald sat on over half the ladder last time, and while it was fun, it’s due for a shake-up. I’ve also got a feeling Deadeye’s Tailwind will see nerfs, because endless speed runs have made racing a bit of a joke.

Passive Tree Changes

The left-hand side of the passive tree is finally getting proper attention. STR/INT nodes won’t just help Druids – Blood Mage mains are going to find some nasty hybrid paths opening up. It’s going to make planning builds way more interesting rather than the same old rush for the right-side crit nodes. League starts are still going to be marathons, and everyone’s going to feel the grind. If you’re looking to hit the ground running without losing sleep, snapping up some poe2 cheap divine might be the quickest way to kit out your build for the chaos that’s coming.