Path of Exile 2: official artwork shown in ZAUS.GG’s ExileCon 2026 report. Credit: Grinding Gear Games.
ExileCon 2026 unveiled the next updates for Path of Exile 1 and Path of Exile 2 on Friday, November 6 for viewers in Brazil. Grinding Gear Games (GGG) detailed the Covens of Umbra league, announced that Threads of Creation will replace Scarabs, and confirmed that Path of Exile 2’s full 1.0 release will be free-to-play, with a complete campaign and two new classes.
Two dates anchor the schedule: November 13, 2026, for PoE 1 expansion 3.30, and December 11 for PoE 2. Below are the main announcements from the keynote, based on the official ExileCon announcement, the developer’s statements, and the press material. The event continues through the weekend; this report does not attempt to anticipate sessions that have yet to take place.
In this article
Path of Exile 1: Covens of Umbra and the 3.30 league
In Covens of Umbra, followers of the Coven Queen perform rituals to extend her influence. After defeating these covenites, players can choose a Fate that alters the area’s boss and adds effects to the encounter. Rewards scale with the difficulty, but the precise mechanics and balance between options can only be assessed when the expansion becomes available.
League progression also involves the Wickerman, an effigy that receives Viscera obtained from bosses empowered by Fates. These remains grant the character some of the enemy’s power. The system extends to more challenging encounters through Grim Fates, linked to Pinnacle Boss Viscera. GGG even hinted at a possible encounter with the Coven Queen, without explaining all the conditions required to reach her.
The teaser previously covered by ZAUS.GG focused on the expansion’s name and expectations for 3.30. Now that the presentation has taken place, the mechanics actually announced can be separated from earlier speculation.
Scarabs are out; Threads of Creation enter the Map Device
The biggest overhaul for players running maps is the removal of Scarabs and the arrival of Threads of Creation. Applied directly to the Map Device, Threads let players select league mechanics for an area and increase the difficulty and rarity of the monsters involved. Investing more Threads also increases the chance of powerful random effects associated with the selected activity.
According to GGG’s official announcement, the new system can guarantee up to three different major mechanics in one area. The Atlas passive tree has also been redesigned, with new passive clusters, stats, and effects, including options previously tied to Scarabs.
This changes endgame planning, but it does not yet establish the best farming strategy. ZAUS.GG’s guides to the Atlas passive tree and preparing maps with Scarabs describe how things worked before 3.30. They remain useful as historical references and conceptual foundations, not ready-to-use setups for the new expansion.
Mirage, Harvest, Beyond, Expedition, and Incursion are changing
Covens of Umbra extends beyond its new league mechanic: several established systems are receiving changes. GGG confirmed the following for update 3.30:
- Mirage: returns to the pool of map encounters, with a chance to appear randomly or as a map modifier, as with other selectable activities.
- Beyond: defeating a boss no longer stops monster portals from opening. Some bosses can also open a portal to their own domain.
- Harvest: the Sacred Grove no longer appears in maps in its previous form. It is replaced by roots that can receive modifiers through currency.
- Expedition: Gwennen receives a different service. The developer indicated that gambling will involve items belonging to the player.
- Incursion: Atziri takes a role in the Temple of Atzoatl in place of the Vaal Omnitect, alongside adjustments to the temple’s structure.
The developer also announced a major loot overhaul, with changes to item acquisition and rewards, plus new Unique items. Because this initial report is not an exhaustive list of numerical changes, exact drop rates, economic returns, and farming efficiency will still require patch notes and in-game observation.
Players planning a currency-focused league start should reconsider their investment and routes. ZAUS.GG’s guide to choosing farming strategies and calculating profit remains useful as a measurement method, not as evidence that any mechanic will be profitable in 3.30.
Path of Exile 2 1.0: complete campaign and free-to-play launch
The second half of the keynote covered Path of Exile 2’s full release on December 11, 2026. On that date, the game will leave early access and become free-to-play. The campaign will feature six acts, including the new Acts 5 and 6, which add 24 areas, 18 unique bosses, and more than 20 special encounters with Rare monsters called Champions.
The press release describes version 1.0 as containing 10 playable classes, 26 Ascendancies, more than 320 skills, more than 400 Unique items, and over 150 endgame maps. Those figures describe the content announced for the full release, not just the additions coming in December.
Shadow and Duelist: two new base classes
The Shadow fights with daggers, traps, and a new Stealth mechanic. While hidden, monsters only notice the character once they get close enough, and dagger skills have their own benefits. Traps can be prepared during Stealth and triggered in sequence, allowing combinations before enemies approach. The confirmed Ascendancies are Assassin and Infiltrator.
The Duelist is a swordsman built around a Stance system. Ready Stance improves sword abilities and can transition into Sand Stance or Blood Stance. The announced Ascendancies are Knight and Master-at-Arms. Knight is therefore a Duelist Ascendancy, not a separate base class.
Conquerors of Wraeclast: armies, fortresses, and factions
PoE 2’s new challenge league is called Conquerors of Wraeclast. Players join Varek and his mercenaries, recruit fighters, locate enemy positions, and lead assaults on fortresses. The storyline connects to the threat posed by the awakening of an ancient Blood Lord.
GGG described more than 70 points of interest related to recruitment, exploration, and quests. Captured castles may reveal treasures and new crafting materials capable of reshaping gear. No universal reward formula was announced, and the activity’s efficiency will depend on how the league actually works.
Upon reaching endgame, players can establish their own fortress and choose one of three factions, each with its own visuals, fortifications, and troops. A real-time system lets players delegate Atlas tasks to commanders. Players in the same faction can also cooperate to take castles contested by rival factions.
The conflict was presented as a collective faction activity. The announcement does not establish that there will be direct character-versus-character PvP. Further details on rules, costs, and the results of conquest campaigns will require later explanations from GGG and access to the league itself.
Items, passive tree, and Ascendancies overhauled in PoE 2
Beyond the new content, version 1.0 will add more than 40 Unique items and rework more than 70 existing ones. Warrior and Witch will gain additional skills, and Support Gems will receive major balance changes. The passive tree will receive hundreds of new stats, while Jewel Sockets will move inside passive clusters, changing allocation decisions.
Examples of the class and Ascendancy changes presented by the developer include:
- Mercenary: a revision of ammunition reloading and transitions between ammo types.
- Infernalist: a new demonic minion able to use an assigned spell, up to three Infernal Hounds, and new Covenant skills.
- Blood Mage: additional skills and curses, alongside a revision of Corrupted Blood mechanics.
- Acolyte of Chayula: a companion that uses Quarterstaff skills and the ability to transfer one’s soul to a clone, destroying the previous body.
These are announced examples, not an exhaustive account of every balance adjustment. Official launch patch notes will be needed to evaluate numbers, skill scaling, and builds.
Dates, platforms, and how to follow ExileCon
| Announcement | Date for viewers in Brazil |
|---|---|
| PoE 1 — Curse of the Allflame (3.29) ends | November 9, 2026, at 6 p.m. Brasília time |
| PoE 1 — Covens of Umbra (3.30) | November 13, 2026, at 4 p.m. Brasília time (previously announced as 11 a.m. PST) |
| PoE 2 — 1.0 and Conquerors of Wraeclast | December 11, 2026 (PST date; the exact launch time was not confirmed in the announcements consulted) |
Path of Exile 1‘s new content will be free on platforms already supported by the game. GGG confirmed that Path of Exile 2 will be free-to-play at full launch on PC/Mac, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, and Xbox, subject to each platform’s availability. For PoE 2, the announced date is December 11 in Pacific time; there is no basis for inventing an exact Brasília launch hour.
PoE 2’s official sign-up campaign offers cosmetic rewards tied to community milestones. According to GGG, registration is separate from early access purchases and requires email confirmation.
ExileCon 2026 continues on November 7 and 8 in New Zealand time, with demonstrations, developer talks, and competitive finals. To watch, visit the official Twitch channel or GGG’s YouTube channel. The announced Twitch Drops campaign offers Nightfowl cosmetics after 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours of eligible viewing, between November 6 at 12:30 p.m. PST and November 7 at 11:59 p.m. PST; check the official event page for current requirements.
For players, the keynote’s main takeaway is clear: PoE 1 is changing how maps are prepared and explored, while PoE 2 completes its campaign and introduces a league focused on territorial conquest. The announcements give players a direction for planning, but they are not yet enough to declare which build, mechanic, or farming strategy will be strongest at launch.
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