Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict (Patch 0.3.0) officially released on August 29, 2025 at 1:00 PM PDT. It is the second major Early Access expansion for PoE 2, developed by Grinding Gear Games (GGG). The update is free for all existing PoE 2 Early Access players and required no additional purchase.
At a Glance — The Third Edict Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Patch Version | 0.3.0 |
| Release Date | August 29, 2025 |
| Release Time | 1:00 PM PDT / 8:00 PM UTC |
| Developer | Grinding Gear Games (GGG) |
| Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic, Standalone), PS5, Xbox Series X/S |
| Cost | Free for existing PoE 2 Early Access owners |
| League | Rise of the Abyssals |
| New Campaign Content | Act 4 + 3 Interlude Acts |
| Free Weekend | August 29 – September 1, 2025 |
| Pre-download Available | August 28, 2025 (PC torrent) |
Global Release Times — When Did It Go Live in Your Region?
The Third Edict launched simultaneously worldwide at 1:00 PM PDT on August 29, 2025. Here is the global time conversion:
| Region | Local Time | Date |
| PDT (Los Angeles) | 1:00 PM | August 29, 2025 |
| MDT (Denver) | 2:00 PM | August 29, 2025 |
| CDT (Chicago) | 3:00 PM | August 29, 2025 |
| EDT (New York) | 4:00 PM | August 29, 2025 |
| BRT (Brazil) | 5:00 PM | August 29, 2025 |
| BST (London) | 9:00 PM | August 29, 2025 |
| CEST (Paris/Berlin) | 10:00 PM | August 29, 2025 |
| IST (India) | 1:30 AM | August 30, 2025 |
| CST (Beijing) | 4:00 AM | August 30, 2025 |
| JST/KST (Japan/Korea) | 5:00 AM | August 30, 2025 |
| AEST (Sydney) | 6:00 AM | August 30, 2025 |
What Is Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict?
The Third Edict is the second major content update for Path of Exile 2 during its Early Access phase. GGG announced it at Gamescom 2025 on August 14 and hosted a full content livestream on August 20, 2025.
The update is not a small patch. It fundamentally restructures the campaign, introduces the first full league mechanic, overhauls character systems, and adds dozens of hours of new content. Grinding Gear Games called it the most ambitious update in PoE 2’s Early Access run.
Here is everything new in Patch 0.3.0, broken down by category
Act 4 — The Ngamakanui Archipelago
Act 4 is the centerpiece of The Third Edict. The story continues directly from Act 3, where Doryani agrees to help your character find an ancient weapon — the Instrument of the Third Edict — powerful enough to stop the Beast.
The hunt takes you to Kingsmarch, a Kalguuran port town that serves as the staging ground, and then out to sea toward the Ngamakanui Archipelago — the Karui homeland.
Act 4 Content Summary
| Feature | Detail |
| New Areas | 16 total |
| New Bosses | 12 named bosses |
| New Enemy Types | 100+ new monsters |
| Islands to Explore | 8 distinct islands |
| Structure | Fully non-linear — visit islands in any order |
| Starting Hub | Kingsmarch (port town) |
| Setting | Ngamakanui Archipelago (Karui homeland) |
Notable Act 4 Islands
• Whakapanu Island — Serene beaches with hidden dangers
• Isle of Kin — Volcanic shores, smoke-choked, and home to the brutal Lord of Kin
• Siren-ridden coves — Guarded by Diamora, the Song of Death
The non-linear design is a first for PoE 2. Players chart their own course across the eight islands rather than following a forced path, giving the act genuine replay value across multiple characters.
Patch 0.3.0 is the permanent removal of Cruel difficulty.
In previous versions, players had to complete Acts 1–3 twice — once on Normal and once on Cruel — before reaching the endgame. The Third Edict replaces Cruel entirely with three new Interlude Acts, which serve as narrative bridges between Act 4 and the endgame.
Interlude Overview
| Interlude | Location | Story Summary |
| Interlude 1 | Return to Ogham | Help Renly rebuild the village and cleanse the corruption in Holten Village |
| Interlude 2 | Vastiri Desert | Aid Asala in fulfilling a sacred vow and investigate the disrupted Gifting ritual |
| Interlude 3 | Great Mountain | Search for lost Vaal descendants, find the hidden vault, and uncover its secrets |
Interlude Content Numbers
• 19 new areas across all three Interludes
• 9 new bosses to defeat
• Takes players from Act 4 completion to level 65 — the point where endgame begins
• Available in the Standard League as permanent content after the season
This change eliminates one of the most common Early Access complaints: having to grind through the same content twice just to access the endgame.
Rise of the Abyssals — PoE 2’s First Full League
Rise of the Abyssals is Path of Exile 2’s first official full league, launching alongside The Third Edict. It introduces a completely fresh economy and a deep new league mechanic built around Abyssal fissures.
How Rise of the Abyssals Works
In the overworld:
1. Encounter fissures in the ground throughout Wraeclast — these drain the life force of nearby monsters
2. Kill the affected monsters — this triggers Abyssal squads to erupt from the fissures
3. Defeat the Abyssal enemies to close the fissure
4. Clear enough fissures in an area and a pit opens — unleashing waves of stronger enemies
5. Finishing the encounter rewards either an Abyssal Trove (loot) or reveals a path to the Abyssal Depths
League variants available:
• Standard (Rise of the Abyssals)
• Hardcore (Rise of the Abyssals)
• Solo Self-Found (Rise of the Abyssals)
• Private League versions
Abyssal Crafting — The Well of Souls
A new crafting system launches with the league:
| Step | Action |
| 1 | Collect Ancient Bones from Abyssal encounters |
| 2 | Socket bones into rare items to add hidden Desecrated modifiers |
| 3 | Visit the Well of Souls in Act 2 |
| 4 | Reveal the hidden modifier and choose one of three upgrade options |
| 5 | Item is permanently transformed with the chosen modifier |
This creates a more deterministic crafting path compared to traditional RNG-heavy PoE crafting.
New Abyssal Bosses
• 4 new Depth bosses in the Abyssal Depths
• Vessel of Kulemak — pinnacle boss encounter
• Lichborne variants of rare and boss enemies
• Bosses in the Depths drop the Undying Hate Timeless Jewel — modifies part of the Passive Skill Tree when socketed
• Bosses may drop Kulemak’s Invitation — used at the Well of Souls for a secret encounter
Major System Changes in Patch 0.3.0
Support Gem Overhaul
The support gem system received the most fundamental redesign in PoE 2 history:
| Old System | New System (0.3.0) |
| Maximum one copy of each Support Gem per character | Unlimited copies — use the same gem on multiple skills |
| Flat power level | Multiple tiers — gems upgrade as you progress |
| Limited synergy options | 40 new Lineage support gems (endgame exclusive) |
| Generic support design | 11 brand-new support gems added |
The one-per-character restriction was a core design constraint in PoE 2 since launch. Removing it fundamentally changes how players build characters and opens significantly more customization.
Sprinting — New Core Mechanic
The Third Edict adds sprinting to every character class in the game:
• How to activate: Hold the Dodge Roll button after finishing a roll — your character transitions into a sprint
• No time limit — sprint indefinitely
• All classes have access from day one
• Best use cases: Faster map traversal, escaping dangerous situations, repositioning between encounters
• Sprinting no longer locks onto enemies (fixed in 0.3.0b hotfix) for more responsive movement
Defense System Changes
Two major defensive additions launch with 0.3.0:
Deflection (New Mechanic):
• Tied to Evasion and Dexterity builds
• Gained through Armour modifiers and Passive Tree points
• Provides a chance to reduce incoming damage by 40% from a hit
• Chance to Deflect scales with the attacker’s Accuracy
• Functions similarly to Spell Suppression in Path of Exile 1
Armour vs Elemental Damage:
• New stat: “X% of Armour also applies to Elemental Damage taken from Hits”
• Available on items and the Passive Skill Tree
• Gives Armour-based characters a genuine tool against elemental threats for the first time
New Skills Added in 0.3.0
| Skill | Class | Type |
| Forge Hammer | Warrior | Active melee skill |
| Ice-Tipped Arrows | Ranger | Active ranged skill |
| Mortar Cannon | — | Active area skill |
| Toxic Domain | — | Ascendancy mechanic |
| Ravenous Swarm | — | Ascendancy mechanic |
Endgame Map Changes
• 25 new Endgame Maps featuring environments, monsters, and bosses from Act 4 and the Interludes
• New sandstorm encounter in Desert Biome maps — activate three pylons in surrounding maps to reveal a hidden map inside the sandstorm
• Uber difficulty versions of Interlude bosses added for higher-tier challenge
• Ancient Spire encounters in the Abyssal Depths — defeat Abyssal commanders guarding powerful rewards
Crafting System Updates
• Essence system reworked — now has 4 tiers: Lesser, Normal, Greater, and Perfect
• Each Essence now adds a specific modifier (not just a tag type) based on tier and item type
• Hinekora’s Lock introduced as a new crafting currency for preview crafting
• Waystones reworked — every modifier now has a specific downside, a specific upside, and bonus waystone drop chance
Asynchronous Trading System
The Third Edict introduces a completely new trade system — one of the most anticipated features in the PoE 2 community:
• Asynchronous trading — list items and complete trades without both players needing to be online simultaneously
• Reduces the friction of the traditional PoE whisper-and-wait trade model
• Direct integration with the in-game economy
• Full details available at poetrades.net
Free Weekend — Try PoE 2 at No Cost
The Third Edict launched with a free play window for new players:
| Detail | Information |
| Start | August 29, 2025 at 1:00 PM PDT |
| End | September 1, 2025 at 1:00 PM PDT |
| Duration | 3 days |
| Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic, Standalone), PS5, Xbox Series X/S |
| Content Access | Full game — all current content including Act 4 and Rise of the Abyssals |
| Progress Saved? | Yes — all characters, loot, and progression permanently saved |
| To Continue After? | Purchase any Supporter Pack (serves as Early Access entry) |
All character progression earned during the free weekend carries over permanently if you decide to purchase the game afterward.
Pre-Download Information
Players could download the patch ahead of the official launch:
• PC pre-download available: August 28, 2025 (torrent file for PC client)
• Console pre-download: Available for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S before launch
• Requirement: Only players with existing PoE 2 Early Access could pre-download
What Happened to Existing Characters?
Many players asked about character migration when The Third Edict launched. GGG addressed this directly:
• Dawn of the Hunt leagues ended: August 26, 2025 at 3:00 PM PDT (before the new patch)
• All existing characters and items migrated to Standard or Hardcore Early Access league — no wipes
• Free passive tree respec granted to all characters due to the extensive balance changes
• New leagues started fresh with a new economy on August 29
Post-Launch Patches
GGG deployed updates rapidly after The Third Edict launched:
13 hotfixes in the first week post-launch, addressing:
• Warbringer’s Totem Ascendancy Notable bug fix
• Abyssal monster rebalancing for smoother progression
• Abyssal monsters now introducible as Spectres
• Vessel of Kulemak: Teleport Slam adjusted (unavoidable but lower damage)
• Strider of the Pit: global cooldown added to Spear Slam
• Motion blur removed when closing Abyssal Pits
• Sprinting no longer locks onto enemies
• Map progression fixes (Derelict Mansion, Razed Fields, Arastas)
Frequently Asked Questions
When did The Third Edict release? August 29, 2025 at 1:00 PM PDT. This was Patch 0.3.0 for Path of Exile 2.
Is The Third Edict free? Yes. The update is free for all existing PoE 2 Early Access players. New players could also access it during the free weekend from August 29 to September 1, 2025.
What is the new league in The Third Edict? Rise of the Abyssals — PoE 2’s first full league mechanic, featuring Abyssal fissures, Depth encounters, Abyssal crafting via the Well of Souls, and new boss fights.
Did The Third Edict add new classes? No new classes were added. However, all existing classes received significant skill additions, balance reworks, and new Ascendancy mechanics.
What happened to Cruel difficulty? Cruel difficulty was permanently removed and replaced by three Interlude Acts — narrative mini-acts that take players from Act 4 completion to level 65 for endgame entry.
Can you play PoE 2 The Third Edict on console? Yes. The Third Edict launched simultaneously on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
What patch number is The Third Edict? Patch 0.3.0, with subsequent hotfixes labeled 0.3.0a through 0.3.0b and beyond.
How many new areas did The Third Edict add? Act 4 adds 16 new areas. The three Interludes add 19 more areas. The endgame receives 25 new maps. Total: 60 new explorable areas added in Patch 0.3.0.
Summary
Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict released on August 29, 2025 at 1:00 PM PDT as Patch 0.3.0. It brought Act 4 across the non-linear Ngamakanui Archipelago, three Interlude Acts replacing Cruel difficulty, PoE 2’s first full league in Rise of the Abyssals, a complete support gem overhaul, sprinting for all classes, new defensive systems, the asynchronous trade system, and over 60 new areas to explore.
It is the most comprehensive update in PoE 2’s Early Access and set the foundation for the game’s full release trajectory.
For PoE 2 currency, trade tools, and build resources, visit poetrades.net.
Hello! My name is Jennifer Allaway. I’m a narrative designer and writer living in the greater Seattle area of Washington!
I broke into the game industry with landmark research on the prevalence of sexism in the game industry and it’s impact on game content. When I finally made the leap into development, I completed contract work on several successful indie games, including IGF Narrative nominee Unavowed, 2064: Read Only Memories and Shardlight.
