Path of Exile 2 developer Grinding Gear Games (GGG) has responded to the community's backlash against the Dawn of the Hunt update with a series of emergency changes. The update, which launched earlier this month, introduced the new Huntress class, five new ascension classes, and a plethora of new unique items and crafting options. However, the community's reaction was overwhelmingly negative, with Steam user reviews plummeting to 'mostly negative' due to the perceived slowdown in gameplay pace.

The Dawn of the Hunt update added significant content to Path of Exile 2, including the Huntress class, which uses a Spear and Buckler for hybrid melee and ranged combat. The new ascension classes include the Ritualist, Amazon, Smith of Kitava, Tactician, and Lich. Alongside these additions, the update brought mechanical overhauls, over a hundred new unique items, and expanded crafting options. Despite the new content, players felt the game had become a "total slog" due to the slower pace.

In response to the community's feedback, GGG has released patch notes for the upcoming 0.2.0e update, set to launch on April 11. The patch addresses several key issues raised by players, including monster speed, boss mechanics, player minion behavior, and crafting changes. Here are the detailed patch notes:

Monster Speed Changes

GGG has made adjustments to monster behavior to address player complaints about being overwhelmed. Changes include removing interrupt events from human monsters like Cultists, Faridun, and Tribal Humans, and modifying the Haste Aura modifier to not appear on already fast monsters.

Act 1

• Werewolf Prowlers and Tendril Prowlers now enter a walking stance after melee actions.
• Hungering Stalkers have reduced Life and Damage.
• Reduced the number of Bloom Serpents and Venomous Crabs.
• Cultists in Freythorn no longer have interrupt events and walk after melee actions.
• Blood Cretins' Blood Pools have a shorter duration.
• Reduced monster density in Ogham Manor.

Act 2

• Boulder Ants in Titan Valley replaced by Risen Maraketh.
• Faridun modified to remove interrupt events.

Act 3

• Diretusk Boar and Antlion Charger's charge mechanics adjusted.
• Lost City monster composition adjusted to reduce ranged monsters.
• Azak Bog monster composition changed to reduce ranged and elite monsters.
• Fixed Slitherspitter's poison spray damage type.

Boss Changes

• Viper Napuatzi's Chaos Rains reduced in number and size.
• Uxmal's location changes reduced, Energy Shield recharge removed while in the air, and Flame Breath frequency decreased.
• Xyclucian's arena cleared of ground foliage for better visibility.

Player Minion Changes

• Minion revive timers adjusted to mitigate long waits.
• Disenchanting Bind Spectre or Tame Beast gems now unbinds them.
• Tamed beasts can now fit through gaps the player can.

Other Player Balance

• Rally support now works with any Melee Attack.
• Glory no longer consumed if interrupted.
• Fixed a bug with Ritualist's Blood Boils.

Crafting Changes

• Added mods to runes for caster weapons.
• Renly's shop now offers a Blank rune.
• Artificers Orb's drop locations fixed.

Performance Improvements

• Optimized ground foliage for better performance.

0.2.0E Deployment Timeline

The patch will be deployed at around 10AM NZT, with additional changes planned for after the weekend.

Charm Changes

• Charm slots on belts now granted by implicit mods.
• Several charm issues fixed, and charm mods made more powerful.

Stash Tab Affinities

• Added affinities for Socketables, Fragments, Breach, Expedition, and Ritual items.
• Charms can now be stored in Flask stash tabs.

Atlas Bookmarks

• Added the ability to bookmark locations on the atlas for easy navigation.

These changes aim to address the community's concerns and improve the overall gameplay experience. Whether these adjustments will be enough to turn the tide of negative reviews remains to be seen, but GGG's commitment to responding to player feedback is evident.