In ExileCon 2023, Grinding Gear Video games took us via a piece of Act 3 and confirmed off two of its six new character lessons. In fact, I’m speaking concerning the Sorceress and the Monk. The demo confirmed half-hour of uninterrupted gameplay, the place many noticed how the lessons work in apply. The co-founder of Grinding Gear Video games—James Rogers—emphasised that the dev staff has accomplished severe work to make utilizing expertise satisfying.
Very like the shadow, the Monk relies on Intelligence and Dexterity, whereas the Sorceress relies on Intelligence alone. For those who’re interested by their expertise and talents, learn our overview of the lessons to seek out out!
Sorceress Abilities
The Sorceress is an Intelligence-based class that focuses on elemental destruction. By wielding lightning and ice spells, she will be able to use the next expertise:
Spark: A lightning assault that bounces round; nice to make use of in tight passageways. You should use a Piercing help gem to up the voltage, enabling Spark to hit a whole room of targets as an alternative of being a single-target assault. For those who use Arc help with it, it’ll flip into a robust, single-target hit.
Ice Nova: An AoE talent that hits all enemies round you and slows them down. Because the Sorceress is squishier than most lessons, having Ice Nova round is a superb approach to escape the melee vary.
Frost Bomb: Locations a bomb on the bottom. Earlier than detonation, the bomb will scale back the enemies’ chilly resistance for some time. It’s an ideal talent to make use of together with your different chilly expertise earlier than it expires.
Arctic Armor: A buff that builds up when the Sorceress stands nonetheless. The armor helps enhance her melee protection, which is weak in comparison with the opposite lessons. Monsters that hit the Sorceress whereas the buff is lively will take chilly injury till it builds up into the Freeze impact. The one caveat of Arctic Armor is that standing nonetheless will go away the category weak to enemy assaults.
Comet: A tough-hitting talent that prices a number of mana to make use of. It has an extended forged time, however it’s definitely worth the wait in the event you pull it off. Comet offers devastating injury, particularly on enemies that transfer slowly or stand nonetheless. Each time the Sorceress casts this spell, she’ll mechanically transfer again barely to maneuver out of the vary of hazard.
The Sorceress seems to be fairly rad regardless of being a glass cannon. Whereas the Witch class is centered round occult magic and summons, the Sorceress is all about utilizing elemental magic. Little question a few of her expertise will really feel acquainted when she goes dwell in Path of Exile 2, however the dev staff assures that they’ll play otherwise to the Witch in apply.
Monk Abilities
A melee fighter who excels in uncooked power and mobility, the Monk’s main focus is energy expenses, which considerably profit his expertise. The Monk’s expertise are the next:
Wind Blast: Blasts away enemies; nice for crowd management functions. The nearer the enemies are to the caster, the farther they get knocked again. Nevertheless, Wind Blast isn’t as efficient on bigger mobs.
Killing Palm: A strike that marks an enemy as culled. When the goal dies, the Monk will acquire an influence cost. Most of the Monk’s expertise work together with energy expenses, making Killing Palm an ideal prep talent. It additionally has a built-in sprint ahead, enabling you to focus on the talent proper the place you want it.
Whirling Assault: It doesn’t do as a lot injury as the opposite expertise, however it covers a number of floor and means that you can flip as you execute it. For those who flip on the excellent time, you may even get a few further hits on the monsters.
Falling Thunder: Creates a small lightning AoE in entrance of you (and not using a energy cost). If in case you have some energy expenses added in, Falling Thunder turns into a bigger AoE assault with further projectiles able to clearing out a mob.
Flicker Strike: For those who’re actively enjoying Path of Exile, then Flicker Strike is perhaps a well-known talent to you. This talent teleports you to a close-by monster by consuming energy expenses and briefly growing your motion period. It’s an ideal finisher to make use of on a difficult boss ought to you have got energy expenses constructed up beforehand.
Glacial Cascade: Creates a wave of ice in entrance of the Monk. Many of the injury happens on the finish of the wave, so your greatest wager is to cease the enemy in its tracks first, then place the wave good to finish on the mob. Hitting frozen mobs with Glacial Cascade will deal extra injury.
Shattering Palm: A palm strike that places an ice bomb on the goal. As soon as the goal has sufficient injury dealt to it or is useless, the bomb will explode. The explosion will deal injury and might freeze a mob or boss.
Ice Strike: Creates three sequential assaults which have an opportunity to freeze a goal.
Wave of Frost: An assault that has a built-in retreat. Tosses out a chilly assault that may freeze a mob and lets the consumer transfer backward; it pairs properly with Glacial Cascade.
Since lots of the Monk’s expertise have built-in actions, he’s a flexible and agile fighter. The category’s mobility is additional emphasised with the upcoming dodge roll mechanic, permitting you to shortly reposition and evade assaults whereas in fight.
