With the game finally running smoothly and everyone piling in at once, it’s been wild jumping into Patch 0.4.0 right from launch, especially with players scrambling to figure out the fastest way to get PoE 2 Currency while trying out the new Druid. The class feels way more natural than older shapeshifting systems we have seen in other ARPGs, and you switch forms so quickly that you barely think about it. Most folks are rolling fresh characters even though nothing got wiped, and it makes sense the moment you try those early Talismans. You can tell straight away the class has been built to flow, not fight the controls.

The Early Druid Picks

A lot of players I talked to were trying out different openers, but the Bear Slam Shaman keeps popping up for a reason. You do not need perfect gear and you get tanky almost by accident once you stack some basic armor. Rage builds fast, and when you dump it into Slam, bosses melt before they can get a second phase going. If you prefer constant movement, the Frost Wolf Oracle is still fine for clearing, though the damage can dip if you fall behind on your Talismans. People sometimes forget to grab an Act 1 Talisman early, and it slows the whole flow of the build, so it is worth grabbing the moment you can afford it.

The Fate of the Vaal Loop

The new league mechanic feels familiar in a good way. When you get your first few temple layouts, you will notice the pacing is quick, almost like the early Incursion days. Most players I have run with are going for Sacrifice rooms straight away since the unique drops can give you a big spike in power in the first few acts. Corruption rooms are more of a gamble, but if you enjoy rolling the dice, you can get some hilarious upgrades early on. If you get Atziri to spawn, be ready. She hits harder than people expect this early in the league, so stacking cold res and keeping a decent life flask on hand saves a lot of frustration.

The Early-Game Grind

You will feel the currency squeeze pretty quickly, and linking gear is still the spot where most players hit a wall. Some people love grinding it out, but plenty of others dip into small boosts or trade for a smoother start. If you are trying to push maps fast or you have limited time to play each day, grabbing a little help from a shop that stocks poe2 materials can take the edge off without breaking the whole progression curve, and it lets you get straight to experimenting with the new Druid forms.