With Path of Exile 2 edging closer to its release, fans have been eagerly awaiting concrete information on the new ascendancy classes and nodes. Thanks to a recent leak from Grinding Gear Games (GGG), we now have confirmed details on the Oracle and Shaman ascendancies for version 0.4. These classes introduce intriguing mechanics and gameplay possibilities, but they also present some balancing challenges. In this article, we’ll explore each node, dissect their potential impact, and speculate on how these changes might shape the POE2 Currency.
Oracle Ascendancy Overview
The Oracle is shaping up to be one of the more experimental classes in PoE2, with a focus on manipulating chance, critical hits, and complex defensive mechanics. Some of the early nodes confirmed for the Oracle are particularly interesting, including Lesser Harm, Inevitable Crits, Converging Paths, Harmony Within, Unseen Paths, and Entwined Realities.
Lesser Harm
The Oracle’s Lesser Harm node introduces a unique defensive mechanic based on the game’s lucky/unlucky system. In essence, this node reduces the damage you take by rolling enemy hits twice and applying the worse of the two rolls. For example, if an enemy hits for 50–100 damage and rolls 90 and 62, the damage taken will be 62. This mechanic also affects enemy critical hits, lowering the chances of taking a high-damage crit.
This node is a solid early-game defensive option for Oracles, providing consistent mitigation without requiring active skill use. The synergy with other “chance-based” mechanics in PoE2 could make Lesser Harm an essential node for defensive builds that rely on surviving heavy hits while building toward endgame power.
Inevitable Crits
Arguably one of the more provocative Oracle nodes is Inevitable Crits. This node guarantees that all hits will eventually crit. The mechanics work by rerolling the critical hit chance on hits that fail until they succeed. However, each reroll reduces the crit damage bonus by 30%.
The implications are fascinating: even low-crit-chance builds will see every hit as a critical strike, though weaker builds will take a hit in crit damage. This node opens up unique build possibilities for spellcasters and minion-based Oracles, where consistency of crits could outweigh raw crit damage. It is especially interesting for hybrid builds that want guaranteed crits for triggering on-hit effects without heavily investing in crit chance.
Converging Paths
Next up is Converging Paths, tied to the Moment of Vulnerability mechanic. This node allows players to capitalize on enemies primed for stun, electrocution, or freeze. When hitting such enemies, a “vis” of the enemy appears and takes a portion of the damage you deal to your target—about 98% by default.
Mechanically, this is a complex node that rewards careful setup. Players will need to apply status effects strategically to maximize damage output. While the node offers potential for high damage, the prerequisite of priming enemies first makes it more niche compared to more straightforward offensive ascendancy options.
Harmony Within
The Harmony Within node interacts with PoE2’s hit damage mechanics by applying damage to mana before life. This is essentially a “life-over-mana” defensive mechanic, allowing players to preserve their health pool at the cost of 15% reduced life and mana. Unlike damage-over-time effects, this node affects direct hits, offering interesting defensive utility for mana-dependent Oracle builds.
Unseen Paths & Entwined Realities
Two nodes, Unseen Paths and Entwined Realities, offer unconventional tree manipulation. Unseen Paths allows access to hidden passive nodes, while Entwined Realities permits players to allocate passive points near keystone nodes without needing a direct path connection.
These nodes are high-risk, high-reward. Early on, they offer minimal direct power, but if leveraged correctly, they could unlock potent combinations and access to otherwise unreachable passive nodes. However, this design means that the Oracle may start weak in early gameplay, only shining in later stages if the hidden paths are balanced well. The developers face a tricky balancing act: make these nodes too weak, and the Oracle is underpowered; too strong, and the class could be overpowered.
Shaman Ascendancy Overview
Shaman is positioned as a flexible class focused on minions, elemental damage, and hit-based survivability. Recent leaks confirm multiple nodes, including 40 Spirits, Wisdom of the Magi, Unnamed Heartwood, Druidic Champion, Reactive Growth, Avatar of Evolution, Furious Wellspring, and Turning of the Zone.
40 Spirits
This node grants bonuses for each empty charm slot, reinforcing Shaman builds that prioritize charms for passive bonuses. While strong during the campaign, it comes at the cost of sacrificing charms, which can limit versatility. Still, it remains an effective early-league option for low-budget minion setups.
Wisdom of the Magi
This node enhances the benefits of bonded modifiers, runes, and idols. Only Shamans who allocate this node can fully leverage these modifiers, making it a niche but potentially powerful choice for minion or elemental builds that want to maximize spell or totem efficiency.
Unnamed Heartwood
This previously unknown node increases the maximum number of summoned totems, with summoned totems persisting six seconds after reaching zero life. It directly improves Shaman’s minion-based strategies, making totem-based builds more resilient and effective in both clearing mobs and sustaining damage in tougher encounters.
Druidic Champion
The Druidic Champion node grants bonus spell damage for every two rage accumulated. This synergizes well with other rage-based mechanics and encourages Shaman builds that focus on resource management and stacking multiple buffs for increased damage.
Reactive Growth
This defensive node reduces elemental damage taken by 10% and introduces the adaptation mechanic. Adaptations are gained by taking elemental damage and then reduce subsequent damage of the same type. Players can have up to three adaptations at a time, and they are permanent unless further modified.
Combined with the Avatar of Evolution node, which converts 15% of physical damage into elemental damage (split across fire, cold, and lightning), Shamans gain not only enhanced elemental survivability but also increased elemental damage throughput.
Furious Wellspring
This node provides continuous rage regeneration and adjusts mana-related mechanics to also affect rage. Importantly, non-basic attacks now consume rage, adding a layer of resource management that encourages careful planning of abilities. This synergizes with upcoming minion support nodes that grant rage to minions, further enhancing Shaman group strategies.
Turning of the Zone & Bear Apocalypse
Shaman’s Turning of the Zone applies exposure to enemies in the player’s presence, granting extra elemental damage for a random element. The Bear Apocalypse node is a “build glory” mechanic that triggers massive elemental attacks at maximum glory, effectively turning the Shaman into a walking destructive force for a short duration. These nodes emphasize Shaman’s identity as an elemental powerhouse with both offensive and defensive utility.
Implications for Gameplay
The Oracle appears to be a late-game oriented, high-risk class. Its nodes require setup and offer unconventional benefits, which may result in a slow start for new players. Key nodes like Unseen Paths and Entwined Realities offer the potential for creative builds, but success depends heavily on the strength of the hidden nodes and player strategy. In early play, the Oracle might feel underpowered, but skilled players may unlock powerful synergies in endgame content.
Conversely, the Shaman is shaping up to be a more accessible class with immediate utility. Minion-based builds, elemental damage conversions, and hit-based survivability mechanics make it strong for campaign and league starts. Shaman also has clear synergy with rage mechanics and elemental adaptations, making it viable for both aggressive and defensive playstyles. The class is likely to remain competitive with other starter builds while offering deeper customization for advanced players.
Strategic Takeaways
For Oracles, players will need to consider long-term planning and node investment carefully. Key early choices like Lesser Harm and Moment of Vulnerability will help stabilize gameplay, but unlocking Unseen Paths and Entwined Realities is where the class will shine. Players should prepare for a steep learning curve, as the class heavily relies on understanding PoE2’s new mechanics.
Shamans, meanwhile, can take advantage of immediate defensive and offensive benefits. Totem summoning, elemental conversions, and rage management make the class versatile. Minion-focused players, especially those leveraging Wolves, Spectres, or Totems, may find the Shaman to be the most consistent early- and mid-game option.
Conclusion
The confirmed ascendancy nodes for Oracle and Shaman in PoE2 demonstrate GGG’s ambition to innovate within the classic PoE framework. Oracle presents a high-risk, high-reward class that could either be exceptionally strong or disappoint depending on hidden node balance. Shaman, by contrast, offers solid starter power and strong minion and elemental synergies that make it approachable and viable from the early stages of the game.
Both classes expand the strategic depth of PoE2, rewarding players who experiment with mechanics like lucky/unlucky rolls, guaranteed crits, adaptive elemental resistance, and rage-based combat buy POE2 Currency. As the game moves closer to launch, it will be fascinating to see how these ascendancies perform in practice and how players will optimize builds to exploit their unique nodes.
PoE2’s ascendancy system continues to push the envelope in terms of customization and player choice, ensuring that veterans and newcomers alike will have plenty of opportunities to explore creative, powerful, and sometimes unpredictable character builds.