Path of Exile 2's incredible new build guide feature just got even easier to use

Path of Exile 2 has become much easier to recommend to my friends and any interested new players since the launch of its 0.5 update, Return of the Ancients. That's partly thanks to Grinding Gear Games' endgame rework, which transforms what was once an intimidating and endless grind into a handy list of clear, defined goals that help you learn how to progress. The other big piece of the puzzle, however, is the in-game integration of build guides, making it much easier to follow advice from the pros - and that particular tool is now easier than ever to take advantage of.

You don't need to follow a build guide to enjoy Path of Exile 2; indeed, I'd generally encourage first-timers to just go in fresh and experiment for themselves. I know that can feel rather intimidating given how large the passive skill tree is, and the number of possible skill gems, supports, and item stats there are to learn, however. If you'd rather start out with some guidance, you can now import a build guide that will highlight your path through the passive tree, recommend specific stat priorities for each gear slot, and so on.

It's a tremendous boon for learning the action RPG's ins and outs. Even as someone with years of experience, I've been using a Whirling Assault Martial Artist build from 'havoc616' to assist my first foray into the PoE 2 Monk this season. Seeing the tree clearly highlighted, with nodes marked in priority order, has made it vastly simpler to adapt on the fly. I can follow the recommendations, making more informed decisions about where it's worth deviating based on my current loadout, without having to constantly cross-reference back to a browser tab.

Now, using PoE 2 build guides is even easier. Grinding Gear Games has enabled the ability for guide creators to implement a 'subscribe' button on their build pages, which connects to your account on the Path of Exile website. You can then sign up to as many of these as you wish (in many cases, creators might include several versions to account for different stages of the progression), and they'll automatically be updated in-game for you. If you've ever used loot filter subscriptions, it works in much the same way.

This is a twofold benefit: firstly, it cuts out the hassle of having to download a build file and then make sure you're putting it in the right place on your PC. Secondly, these build subscriptions will automatically update, so you won't need to worry that you might be missing any potentially important changes. You're also free to upload your own creation, if you've planned one out yourself and want to have it incorporated into the game (or share it with others).

The other good news is that this opens up the build guide importing feature to PoE 2 players on consoles, who previously couldn't use the tool due to the inability to copy files across. Unfortunately, GGG notes that it ran into some issues with the initial deployment of this on console and had to perform a rollback, so it may not be operating as intended at the time of writing. The dev says, "We're working on getting this resolved as soon as possible."