Path of Exile 2 Introduces New Playable Class: The Mercenary
In a recent livestream, developer Grinding Gear Games unveiled exciting updates for their highly anticipated ARPG sequel, Path of Exile 2. Among the announcements was a sneak peek at a brand-new playable class: the mercenary.
The Path of Exile 2 closed beta is scheduled for June of next year, but fans have been treated to various reasons to get excited in the meantime. IGN had the opportunity to go hands-on with the druid class a few months ago, and now the mercenary takes center stage.
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The mercenary class stands out from the rest, armed with an arsenal of crossbows. These crossbows offer various gameplay experiences, such as long-range sniping, elemental effects in close-quarters combat, and even fully-automatic firepower for taking on hordes of enemies. This unique approach transforms the ARPG experience into something akin to a twinstick shooter.
Compared to the traditional hack-and-slash style of the warrior and druid classes, the mercenary’s emphasis on shooting marks a significant departure for the free-to-play series.
Game director Jonathan Rogers explained the team’s approach to designing each new class, stating, “When thinking about each new class, we really try to think about what can make combat feel different from all the others. For the Mercenary, that difference is the crossbow. A crossbow is fundamentally different than a regular bow because it fires instantly instead of needing to be drawn back. Clicking the fire button should make the character shoot instantly, just like in a shooter. As soon as we experienced that, we realized that there are a lot of design lessons to learn from shooters, and so we fully embraced them.”
Recognizing that the mercenary’s fast-paced playstyle may not align with traditional point-and-click controls, Grinding Gear Games also announced WASD support for Path of Exile 2. This much-requested feature allows players to aim their attacks in one direction while moving their character in another.
In addition to the Path of Exile 2 updates, the livestream also provided exciting details about the upcoming season of the original Path of Exile, known as Affliction. Players can expect quality of life improvements and a wealth of new content to enjoy until the release of Path of Exile 2 next year.
Travis Northup is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter and read his latest game coverage here.