The latest Path of Exile update, version 3.27, introduces ‘Keepers of the Flame,’ marking the ARPG’s very first sequel league. While much excitement surrounds the early-access launch of Path of Exile 2, its predecessor continues to thrive, boasting over a decade of dedicated development from Grinding Gear Games. As one of the top free-to-play RPGs on PC, the original PoE is far from slowing down. This new update provides compelling reasons to return, offering delightfully dark systems that empower players to modify their characters’ bodies and cultivate gruesome, warped equipment.
Game director Mark Roberts, in an exclusive pre-reveal discussion, described ‘Keepers of the Flame’ as a direct spiritual successor to the original Breach league. Introduced to the game in 2016, Breach has long been a fan-favorite core mechanic within Path of Exile, celebrated for its straightforward yet thrilling gameplay loop of battling endless enemy waves within an expanding rift. This refreshed iteration of Breach plunges players into the action from the very beginning of their campaign, encountering the mysterious Keepers in Act One’s initial zone, The Coast.
[Video: Path of Exile 3.27 Keepers of the Flame Trailer]
The Keepers of the Flame are dedicated protectors of Wraeclast, tasked with fending off the formidable Breachlords. Their enigmatic founder, Ailith, will accompany players through these warped encounters. When confronted by obstructions erected by the hiveborn, Ailith provides a cleansing flame, enabling players to breach barricades and clear a path for her destructive assault on the hive. In other instances, she’ll join a more classic Breach-style encounter, where sufficient progress can stabilize the rift.
Successfully stabilizing a breach will provoke the wrath of Vruun, Marshal of Xesht, initiating a boss battle you must win to permanently seal the entry point and secure your valuable rewards. Another encounter type involves full-scale Breach Hives, described as ‘visions of the Breachlords made real in Wraeclast.’ Players must infiltrate these hives, confront their most formidable hiveborn adversaries, and assist Ailith in triggering a powerful detonation to collapse the entire structure. Be sure to evacuate before it explodes!
Roberts noted, ‘We’ve incorporated all the knowledge gained since Breach’s release nine years ago, enhancing it in every possible way. Yet, a significant part of Breach’s appeal lies in its straightforward nature. Our goal is to update the mechanic without compromising that fundamental experience. Players will still largely be focused on eliminating endless enemy waves within a circular zone.’
As a reward for your efforts, Ailith will guide you to the Monastery of the Keepers, home to the Genesis Tree. Yes, prepare for more tree jokes – Path of Exile now has another one! This isn’t just a massive plant; it comes with its own dedicated specialization network for players to invest points into, proving that sometimes, reality is stranger than fiction. The Genesis Tree allows you to modify its ‘fruits,’ which encompass everything from valuable items and equipment to crucial currency, and even entirely new limbs.
These unique ‘breach-hands’ are known as Grafts, and they are ‘safely’ fused directly onto your character’s body, enabling you to wield the very power of the Breach. Some Grafts offer passive advantages, while others unlock active skills to augment your existing abilities. With a total of sixteen different Graft types to discover, you can eventually equip a second one to significantly boost your power. Your grafted arm also serves another purpose: it collects ‘Graftblood’ from defeated foes, which can then be used to nurture the Genesis Tree and cultivate your chosen rewards.
Your investment in the Genesis Tree directly influences the equipment you cultivate, allowing you to apply various modifiers to the growth process. Roberts provided an illustration: ‘You can aim for specific boots, with a dexterity prerequisite, an increased likelihood of speed modifiers, and a decreased chance of cold modifiers.’ While these influencing nodes aren’t absolute guarantees, they provide substantial multipliers, heavily skewing the odds in your favor to produce desired outcomes.
Ordinarily, grafted equipment resists modification by standard crafting currencies. However, the Genesis Tree offers a solution: an additional passive point enables it to forge ‘fleshy mockeries of currency orbs’ that effectively circumvent this limitation. Players might also stumble upon unique ‘Foulborn’ variants of these orbs, which prevent lower-value rolls, ensuring a superior outcome—a system reminiscent of Path of Exile 2’s tiered offerings. Furthermore, the ‘Foulborn’ mutation isn’t limited to crafting items; it can also affect unique gear grown from the tree, imbuing them with mutated modifiers that fundamentally alter their functionality.
A further potent method to enhance your character in 3.27 comes through Bloodlines, functioning akin to a secondary Ascendancy that bestows the abilities of Path of Exile’s most legendary bosses. These are unlocked by vanquishing specific foes; for instance, triumphing over the Trialmaster’s ultimate trial in Ultimatum grants access to the Chaos Bloodline, enhancing Vaal skills and corrupted items. Alternatively, defeating Oshabi at the peak of Harvest allows you to harness powers derived from the three forms of Azmerian lifeforce. Each character can specialize in one Bloodline and one Ascendancy, distributing their points freely between them.
For those who ventured into Path of Exile 3.26, ‘Secrets of the Atlas,’ the three pinnacle boss battles from Zara’s questline will be familiar. Now, they return as even more formidable ‘Uber’ variants, accessible via fragments dropped by Tier 17 map bosses. While the Incarnation of Fear and Incarnation of Neglect present substantial challenges individually, the climactic battle against the Incarnation of Dread demands that you overcome both of the other Uber bosses during the encounter. Best of luck, Exile!
Asynchronous trading, successfully tested in Path of Exile 2’s most recent season, is now integrated into the original game. While precise statistics are challenging due to factors like friends exchanging items, Grinding Gear Games indicates that approximately ’40-50% of trades’ since the update have utilized the new Merchant tabs introduced with The Third Edict. For many, including this writer who rarely sold unwanted items in a decade of playing Path of Exile, this feature is a significant quality-of-life improvement.
Naturally, Path of Exile 3.27 brings numerous other additions, including new skill and support gems, alongside a host of valuable quality-of-life enhancements. Among the most notable is the convenience of mass-identifying your entire inventory in town, eliminating the need for Scrolls of Wisdom. Players can also now disenchant items in towns and hideouts, level multiple skill gems simultaneously, respec their entire Atlas passive tree using gold, and quickly open stacked decks directly into their inventory or onto the ground.
Finally, the popular Heist mechanic receives a much-anticipated overhaul. For many, Heist’s initial appeal lay in its thrilling premise: infiltrate a fortified location, seize as much treasure as possible, and escape amidst blaring alarms and swarming guards. However, the necessity of grinding to level up accomplices often deterred players from revisiting it. Grinding Gear Games has commendably removed this requirement, ensuring your rogues now begin at maximum level immediately.
The ‘Keepers of the Flame’ update for Path of Exile 3.27 is set to launch on Friday, October 31. Players can access the game for free through its standalone client.
Whether you’re seeking more immersive titles akin to top-tier ARPGs, or aiming to enhance your gameplay with the precision and comfort of leading gaming peripherals, our guides have you covered.
You can also join our vibrant gaming community to discuss all things ARPG and connect with fellow enthusiasts.