The standout twist in Path of Exile 2’s 0.4.0 update, The Last of the Druids, is that shapeshifting is not exclusive to the new Druid class. Equip one of the new two-handed Talisman weapons and any class can take an animal form, gaining that form’s basic attack. The Druid still has its own ascendancies and Primal skills, but animal-form combat can now be part of other classes’ builds too.
How Talismans let other classes shapeshift
Grinding Gear Games describes Talismans as two-handed martial weapons used for shapeshifting attacks. Equipping one transforms the wielder, grants a basic attack for the selected form, and allows the player to change forms. The official reveal names wolf, bear, and fire-breathing wyvern forms. GGG’s 0.4.0 patch notes and the official reveal trailer describe the system and its forms.
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Because the weapons are not restricted to the Druid, the mechanic broadens the update beyond a class launch: another class can build around an animal form without becoming a Druid. The exact build implications depend on how a player combines the weapon with the rest of a character’s setup; the cited sources do not establish a strongest form or a current balance ranking.
Why the animal forms can dodge
During alpha testing, players objected to having to return to human form to dodge roll. PC Gamer reported that co-creative director Jonathan Rogers said the team responded by building dodges for all three animal forms. Rogers recalled, “We had so much negativity around the fact that you couldn’t dodge roll as an animal that people just had this thing of, like, I want to stay as a bear.” He also described getting the animations right as “man, it was tough to get that to work right.” PC Gamer’s interview report attributes those comments to Rogers.
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The Druid is a new playable class with two ascendancies: Oracle and Shaman. GGG’s 2025 patch notes count over 20 new skills, primarily Primal Skills; over 35 new Supports; over 8 new Lineage Supports, described as more powerful supports available in Endgame; over 250 passive skills; and over 10 Unique Items. The notes also list four new Augment items. These are counts stated by GGG, not independently measured totals. The official patch notes also list ongoing additions to sound, art, effects, and environments.
The two ascendancies are different specialization paths for the class, but the available information here does not establish which is stronger. A recommendation would depend on the specific build and the game’s balance at the time a player is choosing.
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The Fate of the Vaal
Update 0.4.0 also launched The Fate of the Vaal league. Players encounter remnants of the Vaal civilization, sacrifice afflicted monsters to power devices, then travel to Lira Vaal to alter the temple layout and pursue room rewards. GGG lists Standard, Hardcore, Solo Self-Found, and private league variants in its patch notes.
Abyss becomes part of the core game
The Abyss mechanic moved into the core game. GGG says Abyss encounters can appear in some campaign areas beginning in Act 2, as well as in Endgame. This is a separate addition from the Fate of the Vaal league mechanic.
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GGG announced that update 0.4.0 would be available on PC and consoles at 11 a.m. Pacific on December 12, 2025. The launch announcement offered the game free to play for three days beginning December 12 Pacific time; the official launch thread later specified the promotion ended at 11 a.m. Pacific on December 15. That was a time-limited 2025 offer, not confirmation of current access terms. See the update announcement and the launch thread for the original dates.
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