Summary
Grinding Gear Games recently held its first ExileCon since 2019, back when the company first unveiledPath of Exile 2to the world, putting a big hype train in motion that would unfortunately soon find obstructions on its path through Covid. This year, GGG doubled down on everything about the game, including the revelation thatPath of Exile 2will be a standalone gamecontrary to what was stated back then, all while bothPoE 2and the original game keep getting new updates for players to enjoy. Sharing the same ARPG roots means that many comparisons can be drawn between GGG’s upcoming game and theDiablofranchise, and an easy one stems from the similarities shared by the Huntress and the Amazon.
One could say thatPath of Exile 2has a clear advantage overDiablo 4just by featuring a total of 12 base classes, all coming with three Ascendancy classes each, compared to Blizzard’s ARPG only featuring five.Diablo 4is likely not done with its classes just yet, and there are even theories pointing out how the recent installment of the franchise could keep being a love letter toDiablo 2by adding the Amazon. Either way, this class shares its DNA withPath of Exile 2’s Huntress, and it shows in the latter’s gameplay.
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How Path of Exile 2’s Huntress Compares to Diablo 2’s Amazon
While this was not the only build available for Amazon players inDiablo 2, the javelin is arguably the most iconic weapon the class gets access to, with incredible add-clearing and endgame skills like Plague Javelin and Lightning Strike destroying monsters and demons. Packed with a skill tree dedicated to bows and crossbows, one to spears and javelins, and one to passive and magic skills, the Amazon is a greatclass inDiablo 2, and it looks likePath of Exile 2is borrowing some core elements from it.
Path of Exile 2’s closed betais still a ways off, but those who attended ExileCon could play the game and explore the various classes coming with it. The first impressions were thatPath of Exile 2is generally much slower than the original, which was also seen in the live gameplay footage provided by Grinding Gear Games, but this is not necessarily widespread to all classes - and it seems to also hold particularly true for the ExileCon beta. In fact, the Huntress comes with multiple AoE skills that make it feel a lot similar to the Amazon.
Also using a spear as the main weapon, the Huntress' way of wielding the spear is very reminiscent of the Amazon’s hold of the javelin. On top of that, the Huntress can throw its spear with skills like Storm Spear, which hurls the weapon at an enemy and then releases bolts of lightning capable of hitting multiple monsters. With Spearfield and Whirling Slash also available to the Huntress, it’s already clear that she will be one of the best characters to pick inPath of Exile 2when it comes to defeating packs of enemies at once.
Furthermore, the Huntress can also replicate the boss-killing efficacy ofDiablo 2’s Amazonby combining the AoE continuous damage from Whirling Slash and the huge DPS coming from Rapid Assault, which can prove devastating even forPath of Exile 2’s hard boss fights. As such, it’s likely that those who enjoyed the Amazon inDiablo 2will feel right at home when playing the Huntress inPath of Exile 2, and that’s not even counting possible direction the class could go into with Ascendancy and further endgame combos.
