Path of Exile’s ever-shifting meta is being turned on its head once again with update 3.26. This time, Grinding Gear Games is directly targeting some of the most dominant build archetypes, pushing players to
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Topping the list of changes is the nerf to certain projectile-based skills. Skills like Tornado Shot and Kinetic Blast, long-time favorites in speed farming and bossing, have had their scaling efficiency reduced. These changes aim to prevent single-skill dominance in the economy and races.
Meanwhile, buff-based summoner builds are getting attention. The AI of minions has been improved, making them more responsive in combat, and defensive scaling has been fine-tuned to make minion survivability a strategic choice rather than a given.
Poison and bleed builds, which have lagged behind elemental builds in recent leagues, are receiving a damage-over-time (DoT) overhaul. These archetypes now benefit from better support synergy and keystone options on the tree, allowing them to finally compete at higher levels.
Support gem changes are another source of shakeup. More powerful multipliers now come with trade-offs like increased mana cost or reduced area of effect, pushing players to make meaningful decisions rather than stacking the highest numbers.
Ascendancy nodes in classes like Raider, Trickster, and Chieftain are also being adjusted to open up new endgame strategies. These changes promote builds that focus on mobility, regeneration, and hybrid damage types, areas that were previously niche.
The meta shift is also reflected in newly added unique items, which complement niche archetypes and promote diversity. For theorycrafters and competitive players, the path forward in 3.26 will require adapting quickly and thinking creatively.
In short, Path of Exile 3.26 isn’t just a balance patch—it’s a declaration of change. Players who lean into the shakeup
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