While most of the discussions around the release of Path of Exile 2 (PoE2) center on its significant departures from the original and all the shiny new features it offers to prospective players, there’s a monumental feature lying untouched and unseen since the announcement of the split between PoE1 and PoE2. This feature isn’t about the endgame Maps, nor future trade improvements, and not even the possibility of an in-game passive skill tree planner. The real unsung hero here is the Ascendancy Classes system, introduced back in Path of Exile 1 with patch 2.2.

The Ascendancy Evolution
PoE2 boasts an impressive 36 Ascendancy Classes, yet we have very little information about their design and intricacies. With the PoE2 beta looming in less than 8 months, we’re soon to get a clearer picture. However, let’s dive into what we’ve gathered so far:

When PoE2 was announced, Grinding Gear Games (GGG) proposed adding three more Ascendancy Classes for nearly all core classes, except the Scion. The goal was ambitious and raised eyebrows among the community. But as the years went by, it became clear that simply adding new Ascendancy Classes to the existing seven core classes was problematic.

So, GGG made a pivot. They decided against just stacking more onto PoE1. Instead, they introduced six entirely new core classes in PoE2, each with its own set of three Ascendancies. This bold move means that not only is PoE2 bringing six fresh classes, but also a total of 36 Ascendancy Classes, some of which are brand new and others which have been reimagined.

The Speculation Station
Given the sneak peeks we got at ExileCon 2019 and the evolution since then, we can venture some educated guesses:

New Ascendancies
Beast Master: Likely a Druid ascendancy.
Survivalist & Tactician: Potentially Ranger ascendancies.
Archinist: Possibly attached to the Sorceress.
Defiler: Likely replacing the Witch’s Elementalist.
Reaver & Ancestor: Transitioning from Marauders to Warrior.

Possible Departures
Gladiator: Retained for the Duelist.
Assassin: Might move to the Mercenary.
Ascendant: Could vanish as Scion is no longer a class in PoE2’s initial release.

Safe Bets
Duelist’s Slayer & Champion
Shadow’s Saboteur & Trickster
Marauder’s Chieftain
Witch’s Necromancer & Occultist
All three Ranger and Templar Ascendancies.
In raw numbers, this massive shift introduces a plethora of new class content. From the Monk to the Huntress, the changes promise to revitalize the core gameplay mechanics in PoE2.

Looking Forward
So, when can we expect more on PoE2’s ascendancy landscape? My prediction leans towards the reveal of PoE 3.23, scheduled for late November 2023. GGG has hinted that this will be our next big update on PoE2. Given what we know so far and what’s yet to be revealed, it seems like the perfect time to delve deep into PoE2’s most intriguing yet-unveiled feature.

Closing Thoughts
Thank you for joining me on this exploratory journey through the world of Ascendancies in PoE2. A big shout out to the Exile community for their continued support.