Path of Exile is unusual among action role-playing games in that there is no in-game currency. Up to 8 Ascendancy skill points can be assigned out of 12 or 14. Each class has three Ascendancy classes to choose from, except for the Scion, who only has one Ascendancy class that combines the elements of all other Ascendancy classes.

Each class also has access to an Ascendancy class, which grants much stronger, specialized bonuses. As of the 3.0 Fall of Oriath Release, the maximum possible number of passive skill points was 123 (99 from leveling and 24 from quest rewards). The player must therefore not only focus on maximizing all modifiers related to his primary offense and defense, but must also take care to select the most efficient path through the passive skill tree. The passive skill tree is arranged in a complex network starting in separate trunks for each class (aligned with the permutations of the three core attributes). Each one of the characters start on a different position on the passive skill tree. These passive skills improve the core attributes and grant further enhancements such as increased Mana, Health, damage, defenses, regeneration, speed, and more. All classes share the same selection of 1,325 passive skills, from which the player can choose one each time their character levels up, and as an occasional quest reward. Given limits on the number of sockets, players must prioritize gem usage. Depending upon the number of linked sockets the player possesses, a primary attack or skill can be modified with increased attack speed, faster projectiles, multiple projectiles, chaining hits, life leech, auto-cast spells on critical strike, and more. As the character advances and levels up, the equipped skill gems also gain experience, allowing the skills themselves to level up and increase in potency.ДЄctive skills can be modified by items known as Support Gems. Skill gems can be placed in gem sockets of armor, weapons and some types of rings, giving them an active skill.

This makes a large part of gameplay dedicated to finding well-balanced and synergistic equipment.

They come in different rarities with increasingly powerful properties. Items are randomly generated from a wide variety of basic types and endowed with special properties and gem sockets. The different classes are not restricted from investing into skills not aligned with their core attributes, but will have easier access to skills that are aligned with their core attributes. The exception is the Scion, formerly a locked prestige class released in 2013, which is aligned with all three attributes. Each of these classes are aligned with one or two of the three core attributes: Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence. Players can choose from seven available classes to play as (Duelist, Marauder, Ranger, Scion, Shadow, Templar and Witch). While all players on a single server can freely mingle in encampments, gameplay outside of encampments is highly instanced, providing every player or party with an isolated map to freely explore. All areas aside from the central encampments are procedurally generated for increased re-playability. The game borrows heavily from the Diablo series, particularly Diablo II, which Path of Exile has been described as the spiritual successor of. The player controls a single character from an overhead perspective and explores large outdoor areas and caves or dungeons, battling monsters and fulfilling quests from non-player characters (NPCs) to gain experience points and equipment.

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