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English Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients is here –
everything that changed in the biggest early access update yet
A new league, rebuilt endgame, two brand-new Ascendancy classes, and over 100 new runes await all exiles starting May 29, 2026.
Grinding Gear Games has unveiled Return of the Ancients — the largest Path of Exile 2 update before the official 1.0 launch. With the new challenge league Runes of Aldur, a complete endgame overhaul, rune-based crafting, and the brand-new Runic Ward defensive layer, this patch fundamentally reshapes how exiles progress through the Atlas and take on the game's most fearsome bosses.
✦ What's new in the patch
Runes of Aldur League
A brand-new challenge league with a fully fresh economy. Find Remnants scattered across areas, fill their rune slots, and fight off monster waves to claim rare crafted items.
The Fortress & Renewed Atlas
A Fortress rises after you clear your first tower map, serving as the endgame hub. It grants passive points for a massively expanded Atlas Passive Tree with over 300 nodes.
Verisium Runeforging
A brand-new crafting system powered by Verisium metal — dropped by Remnant-spawned monsters — that adds the new Runic Ward defensive layer to equipment.
2 New Ascendancies
Martial Artist (Monk) and Spirit Walker (Huntress) join the roster, opening up fresh build synergies and playstyles for veteran exiles.
100+ New Runes
Including Masterwork tiers that push item stats beyond traditional caps and elemental conversion options — massively expanding the buildcraft depth available to players.
5 New Endgame Storylines
Beyond the Fortress, five new narrative arcs expand the Atlas — from oceanic expeditions to the investigation of ancient Kalguuran tombs with unique pinnacle bosses.
Breach, Delirium & Ritual Reworked
Three of PoE2's most popular league mechanics were completely redesigned with deeper encounters, new reward structures, and richer progression loops.
First-ever Challenge System
Complete league tasks to unlock cosmetic armor sets and a unique Hideout statue — a beloved PoE1 staple making its official debut in PoE2.
🔥 Top highlights of the update
Endgame rebuilt from scratch: The Fortress
The endgame now has a brand-new central structure. After clearing your first tower map, the Fortress emerges — a hub featuring an all-new Pinnacle Boss, maps that award Atlas Passive Tree points, and over 300 nodes to fully customize your endgame progression. The single biggest endgame improvement in PoE2's history so far.
Runic Ward: a whole new defensive layer
The Verisium Runeforging system introduces Runic Ward — a secondary shield that acts as both bonus life and a resource for Kalguuran skills. It completely reshapes the defensive equation for any build, without relying on traditional resistance stacking.
Remnant crafting: maximum risk, maximum reward
Find Remnants with up to 10 rune slots, fill them all, and face massive waves of empowered enemies. The more runeshapes used, the harder the encounter — and the rarer the item you walk away with. The boldest crafts yield the most legendary loot.
◆ How Divine Orbs make everything easier in Return of the Ancients
With Patch 0.5.0 resetting the economy entirely, the race to build a powerful character starts from scratch. Leveling fast means getting the right gear in the first few hours — and that's exactly where Divine Orbs give you an edge. With them you can buy rare equipment on the trading site, so you can build your gear without relying on random drops.
When grinding Atlas maps and pushing through the new Fortress storylines, having Divines in stock means you can buy gear from other players on the trade market faster — since Divine Orbs are the highest-value currency in the player-to-player economy. And when tackling the toughest endgame bosses of this patch, where every point of life and resistance matters, perfect-rolled gear is what separates exiles who clear the Fortress Pinnacle from those who struggle to survive the climb.
