Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame is set to launch on July 24 (PDT), bringing a sweeping new expansion to Grinding Gear Games’ action RPG. The update introduces an entirely new oceanic exploration mechanic, permanent changes to the Mercenary system, and significant overhauls to endgame content that have been long requested by the community.
Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame
The centerpiece of the expansion is a deep-sea exploration system powered by the Allflame. Players descend beneath the ocean surface aboard an Allflame-powered Bathysphere, guided by corsair captain Valerie and her cursed navigator Vesper. The objective involves piecing together scattered treasure charts, boarding the legendary vessel The Sovereign, and charting a course into the abyss.
Once beneath the waves, players deploy Allflame Lanterns to create temporary safe zones. Within these zones, they harvest resources, battle monsters, and recover hidden treasures before encroaching darkness forces a retreat. The mechanic adds a time-pressure survival layer to the usual loot-hunting loop.
Mercenaries of Trarthus, previously a limited mechanic, are now a permanent core feature from Act 3 onwards. Players can duel mercenaries to claim their equipment, recruit them as temporary allies, or obtain Warrants to summon them again in future Maps. A new Ascendancy class accompanies this change. The Luminary Ascendancy for the Scion allows permanent recruitment, full equipment management, and ongoing companionship with Mercenary characters throughout a playthrough.
Two major endgame systems receive substantial updates in Curse of the Allflame. Abyss has been comprehensively overhauled with faster encounters, improved pacing, exclusive loot drops, a redesigned Atlas Tree, and an all-new Pinnacle Boss; Legion, meanwhile, introduces Vestigial Unique Items and Enshrouding Crystals alongside streamlined encounters and improved rewards. Both changes aim to make these endgame activities more rewarding and less repetitive for experienced players.
Pokdepinion: Path of Exile keeps adding layers to an already labyrinthine game, and somehow the answer to making it more accessible is to send players to the bottom of the ocean with a cursed lantern counting down to their doom.
