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Path of Exile 2 Game Modes and Endgame guideChoose between Standard, Hardcore, and Solo Self-Found Leagues in Path of Exile 2
Choose between Standard, Hardcore, and Solo Self-Found Leagues in Path of Exile 2
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games
Curious about the Path of Exile 2 game modes and endgame?Before jumping into the campaign, you’ll have to choose a game mode, a.k.a. aPath of ExileLeague. Different Leagues come with different difficulty levels and social options, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into. Pick the best option to help you reach endgame, and when you do, you’ll be able to dive into various endgame modes such as the Breach and Delirium challenges.
ThePath of Exile 2game modes can be a bit overwhelming to new players. To help you find the best League and navigate the endgame content, this guide explains it all.
In this guide:
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Path of Exile 2 game modes
Path of Exile 2 has four different game modes, also known as ‘Leagues’. This includes two difficulty options, each with their own variation for solo players. Here’s an overview:
Keep in mind that these are the Path of Exile 2 Leagues at the start of the early access period, whereas the full release may offer additional game modes. During early access, you’ll have to replay Act 1 to Act 3 of the campaign in order to unlock endgame content; this is calledCruel Mode. Cruel Mode will turn up the difficulty so you can keep leveling your character, ultimately reaching endgame around level 65. The reason behind this temporary League is that the second half of the campaign (Act 4-6) hasn’t been completed yet - replaying the first three acts will ensure a similar endgame starting point.
Upon creating a new character, you can choose between four game modes. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games
How to choose a League
So, which of these four Leagues is right for you? Upon creating a new character in Path of Exile 2, you must initially choose between two game modes:Standard and Hardcore. Standard League is the default difficulty and the one we recommend for new players, but Hardcore League can be an interesting alternative if you’re looking for a challenge.
Rather than making enemies tougher, Hardcore Mode has a ‘permadeath’ mechanic that disables respawns. If you choose Hardcore over Standard League, it’s important to play very carefully and prioritize your survival rather than making quick progress. Don’t enter areas or boss fights that are way above your level, and don’t experiment with your character build too much. With that in mind, Hardcore Mode can feel rather restrictive if you’re about topick your first class in Path of Exile 2.
First you must decide between the Standard and Hardcore game modes. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games
After you pick a difficulty, there’s another choice you must make: whether to play inSolo Self-Found (SSF)mode or not. You can select SSF mode after you’ve selected a class.
Of course, you could play Standard League and avoid interactions with other players to get a similar experience, but you’d always have the option to buy the best gear if you need to. In SSF mode, you truly are self-reliant. If you like the idea of adapting to circumstances and finding the best build based on what you’ve been given, SSF mode might be for you. If you’re strictly following a Path of Exile 2 class build guide, however, SSF mode may hinder you a lot.
League Migrations: Can you change your game mode?
Can you change your game mode in Path of Exile 2? Unfortunately, League Migrations are unavailable at the start of the early access period, but we expect them to become available soon. When that happens, you’ll likely be able to switch between Standard and Solo-Self Foundorbetween Hardcore and Hardcore SSF modes - thus sticking to your chosen difficulty.
To find the League Migrations option (which is already there), open the game and go to the character selection screen. Above the list of characters, on the right side, there’s a double-arrow button that says ‘League Migrations’ if you hover over it.
If you’d like to switch game modes, use the League Migration option. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games
Although it’s impossible to migrate a character from Standard League to Hardcore League, you can switch in the opposite direction… if your Hardcore character dies. You can continue playing in Standard League, but permadeath really is permanent, so there’s no going back to Hardcore.
Path Of Exile 2 Endgame content
It’s often said that ARPG games don’t truly start before the endgame, and that might also be true for Path of Exile 2. Once you’ve reached a high character level and cleared the campaign, you can keep yourself busy with one of these endgame activities:
Path of Exile’s endgame modes are found on the Atlas map. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games
That’s quite a variety of challenges, isn’t it? One of the best things about the Path of Exile 2 endgame content is that each type of challenge has its own skill tree, so you’ll be able to adjust your build to match each endgame mode. In other words, there’sno need to respecif you want to try a different challenge.
And that’s how to navigate game modes and endgame content in Path of Exile 2. If you’re new to the game, you might want to look at our list ofthings to do first in Path of Exile 2, and make sure you understand thecharacter attributes. Don’t forget to use thePath of Exile 2 crafting systemto get better gear, anduse the gemcutting systemto obtain new skills.
