Path Of Exile's Upcoming Content Update Reveals The Future

Path of Exile’s Content Update 2.3.0 ushers in Prophecy Challenge Leagues on June 03, 2016. While not a full fledged expansion the mini-update brings in oodles of new mechanics to fill appetites for dungeon crawling and monster slaying, all centered around predicting the future. Of course the new Challenge League means a new game mode for players seeking a fresh start. I had a chance to chat with Chris Wilson from Grinding Games who clued me in to what players can expect when Prophecy launches.

While scavenging Wraeclast players will collect Silver Coins, which they can trade to Navali the Soothsayer—an eccentric voodoo mystic who I wouldn’t want to meet alone in a swamp. She hangs around each town players travel to waiting for her hands to be greased in exchange for a prediction.

Navali is a ‘revenant’ in the service of Hinekora, the Karui Goddess of Death, Decay, and the Harbinger of Danger. Navali has been instructed to share shards of the future with the living so that they live wisely and gain knowledge that can enrich the Land of the Dead upon their deaths.

[singlepic id=52367 w=600 h=338 float=none]

The Prophecies Of Grinding

Trading Silver Coins to Navali will grant players a Prophecy, which is then added to their Prophecy Screen (nice and apt), with the ability to hold up to seven prophecies at one time—I can barely predict what I’m going to have for breakfast.

Prophecies alter areas and events in the game, essentially unveiling the clouded future. Whether or not you survive the prophecy is not part of the prediction. There’s a wide range of effects that prophecies generate. Players whose palm reads “A Master Seeks Help” are tasked with finding Elreon and completing his mission. Doing so doubles the amount of reputation and favour gained. Whereas “A Plague of Rats” (a fun biblical reference to 1 Samuel 6:4) spawns a mob of rats to chew at your heels Indiana Jones style.

Once a prophecy is fulfilled it’s removed from players’ Prophecy Screen. Although some Prophecies will lead into another as part of a larger story chain, expanding Path of Exile’s universe and sending players deeper into a narrative mystery. Completing an entire quest line of fortunes will typically result in a unique item. If your stars are aligned to receive “The Feral Lord” the first part of the prophecy tasks players with slaughtering corrupted wildlife in the Southern Forest. Completing the purge will then segue into the second task: an encounter with a dreadful beast in the Northern Forest. Completing the entire chain unlocks better rewards than a single task.

And prophecy quests aren’t entirely linear. Some prophecies have interdependent chains, culminating in a final quest. Completing four quest chains as part of the “Pale Council” will reward items that can be combined to summon the wrath of the entire group.

[singlepic id=52362 w=600 h=338 float=none]

Trading In Fortunes

Most interesting is that in the world of Path of Exile prophecies aren’t necessarily bound to a single player. By placing some extra coin in Navali’s palm players can Seal a Prophecy as a tradeable item. Players can then store the reading for the future or trade it to other players, lining their pockets and building up the economy. The Silver Coins used to unlock prophecies can also be traded to the highest bidder, enabling players not ready to tackle a task an alternative.

I asked Chris if higher stages of a quest chain can be transmuted into a tradeable item and he told me that the team has been having some fierce debates regarding the notion. As it stands, when we talked, players will be able to trade any stage of a Prophecy quest to other players. So a lazy player could, in theory, purchase the final stage of a Prophecy instead of grinding out earlier levels, creating an interesting dynamic. The mechanic may change if it results in negative consequences. I wonder if some players will specialize in selling rare Prophecies.

[singlepic id=52366 w=600 h=338 float=none]

Not Everything That Glitters Is Gold

The Prophecy update also looks to transform some seemingly useless items into highly sought after valuables as Fated Unique Items. Path of Exile players know that the plate vest Bramblejack is largely useless, serving little point even when it’s viable (for about 30 minutes when starting a fresh playthrough). But a prophecy named “The King And The Brambles” tasks players with defeating Daresso while wearing the gimped chest piece—not an easy fight. But if they succeed Bramblejack is transformed into Wall Of Brambles, with impressive stat improvements. It’s an ingenious way to turn uniques that are typically scoffed at into valuables. The transmutations doesn’t apply to every item. Sorry generic white items, you’re still getting tossed.

Where’s The Cheese?

Path of Exile’s mini-update also expands upon the Lord’s Labyrinth from the last expansion, introducing the Endgame Labyrinth. If you want to be a rat in a maze though you’ll have to complete six entirely new Trials of Ascendancy equipped with a new trap. The “Sentinel” trap pops up and unleashes multiple debilitating effects, and must be suppressed with an attack. But be wary, it only takes a few moments before the Sentinel is back.

Path of Exiles content update releases June 03, 2016. Stay tuned for more information as the time draws near and follow the Path of Exile website for additional announcements.