The nature of a persistent online game, especially one that updates as frequently as Path of Exile, means that sometimes the relative balance of an individual piece of content, for example, characters in MOBAs, items in ARPGs and cards in CCGs, can shift. Sometimes something pushes them upwards in relative strength, but more often than not, they get pushed down.



During development, we have to walk a fine line between ensuring that the items in Path of Exile retain a sense of permanence and keeping these items up to date with the current state of the game.



In Content Update 2.6.0, we are reviewing and buffing a number of the league-exclusive unique items from the past. In today's post we're revealing three of the unique items we've chosen to review and sharing our thoughts regarding what's changing and why. Gifts from Above Added as one of the more common unique items exclusive to Anarchy, Gifts from Above is an item that, despite its age, found a niche. This was in part due to the ever-growing popularity of critical strike builds. However, the triggered consecrated ground causes performance issues, so we're swapping in a functionally similar skill that places consecrated ground when you crit, but has a small cooldown.



To compensate for this change, and to bring it in line with current item power expectations, any Gifts from Above rings obtained after 2.6.0 are getting beefy boosts to damage and chance to block while standing on consecrated ground.

Added as one of the more common unique items exclusive to Anarchy, Gifts from Above is an item that, despite its age, found a niche. This was in part due to the ever-growing popularity of critical strike builds. However, the triggered consecrated ground causes performance issues, so we're swapping in a functionally similar skill that places consecrated ground when you crit, but has a small cooldown.To compensate for this change, and to bring it in line with current item power expectations, any Gifts from Above rings obtained after 2.6.0 are getting beefy boosts to damage and chance to block while standing on consecrated ground. Trolltimber Spire Trolltimber Spire was one of the more common league-exclusive uniques obtainable during Tempest. The core mod, life leech for totems, was intended to provide a little more survivability for a totem build's primary damage source (the totems!). Unfortunately, this was also the patch in which we significantly increased the base life of totems, and greatly shortened their base durations. As a result of the poor timing, this saw very little use.



In Ascendancy, we introduced the concept of totems leeching their life to the totem-summoner via the Hinekora, Death's Fury node. When reviewing past league uniques, this mechanic felt like a natural replacement for Trolltimber Spire's defunct leech mod, providing some of the Ascendancy node's utility for other classes that may want it, while also allowing for the possibility of stacking with the existing ascendancy node. Trolltimber Spire was one of the more common league-exclusive uniques obtainable during Tempest. The core mod, life leech for totems, was intended to provide a little more survivability for a totem build's primary damage source (the totems!). Unfortunately, this was also the patch in which we significantly increased the base life of totems, and greatly shortened their base durations. As a result of the poor timing, this saw very little use.In Ascendancy, we introduced the concept of totems leeching their life to the totem-summoner via the Hinekora, Death's Fury node. When reviewing past league uniques, this mechanic felt like a natural replacement for Trolltimber Spire's defunct leech mod, providing some of the Ascendancy node's utility for other classes that may want it, while also allowing for the possibility of stacking with the existing ascendancy node. Shavronne's Revelation Once upon a time, Shavronne's Revelation was a name that could cause traders across Standard to salivate. One of the single largest sources of regeneration of any type, and it applied to energy shield of all things! It was so strong, in fact, that prior to the addition of Zana (where we planned to once again allow Revelation and other league-exclusive uniques to drop), we had to nerf it.



Two-and-a-half years later, with the addition of Ascendancy classes, greatly expanded end-game content, and many other unique items that rival its power (including a few Fated uniques), Shavronne's revelation is still great. But for some items 'great' just isn't good enough, and having something to aspire to is just as important as it was back in Anarchy/Onslaught.



So new Shavronne's Revelations is swapping the increased mana regeneration for flat mana regeneration, broadening the usefulness of this mod. On top of that, it's also gaining flat added mana when you're taking advantage of the energy shield regeneration, and flat energy shield when you're taking advantage of the mana regen. You will still lose the ability to recover one or the other, but that extra buffer should help make it feel a little less punishing.



Many of other league-exclusive uniques have undergone a similar metamorphosis. For full details, keep an eye out for the 2.6.0 patch notes in a few weeks. Once upon a time, Shavronne's Revelation was a name that could cause traders across Standard to salivate. One of the single largest sources of regeneration of any type, and it applied to energy shield of all things! It was so strong, in fact, that prior to the addition of Zana (where we planned to once again allow Revelation and other league-exclusive uniques to drop), we had to nerf it.Two-and-a-half years later, with the addition of Ascendancy classes, greatly expanded end-game content, and many other unique items that rival its power (including a few Fated uniques), Shavronne's revelation is still great. But for some items 'great' just isn't good enough, and having something to aspire to is just as important as it was back in Anarchy/Onslaught.So new Shavronne's Revelations is swapping the increased mana regeneration for flat mana regeneration, broadening the usefulness of this mod. On top of that, it's also gaining flat added mana when you're taking advantage of the energy shield regeneration, and flat energy shield when you're taking advantage of the mana regen. You will still lose the ability to recover one or the other, but that extra buffer should help make it feel a little less punishing.Many of other league-exclusive uniques have undergone a similar metamorphosis. For full details, keep an eye out for the 2.6.0 patch notes in a few weeks.