Unveiling the Unparalleled Mastery of Path of Exile 2's Huntress: A Worthy Successor to Diablo 2's Amazon

Highlights

Path of Exile 2's Huntress class draws clear inspiration from Diablo 2's Amazon, utilizing similar mechanics and weapons such as the spear and javelin.

The Huntress is a powerful option for players in Path of Exile 2, thanks to her ability to clear out groups of enemies with her multiple area-of-effect skills. Her skill set allows her to rival the boss-killing effectiveness of the Diablo 2 Amazon, offering continuous damage and high DPS. This makes her a formidable choice for taking on challenging boss fights in Path of Exile 2.

Grinding Gear Games recently hosted its inaugural ExileCon since 2019, when the company initially introduced Path of Exile 2 to the public. This generated significant excitement, which unfortunately faced obstacles due to the Covid pandemic. This year, GGG has intensified its efforts in all aspects of the game, including the revelation that Path of Exile 2 will be a standalone game, contrary to previous statements. Meanwhile, both PoE 2 and the original game continue to receive regular updates for players to enjoy. As both games share the roots of action role-playing games (ARPGs), numerous comparisons can be made between GGG's upcoming game and the Diablo franchise. One notable comparison is the similarities between the Huntress in Path of Exile 2 and the Amazon in Diablo.

It can be argued that Path of Exile 2 has a distinct advantage over Diablo 4 due to its inclusion of a total of 12 base classes, each with three Ascendancy classes, whereas Blizzard's ARPG only features five classes. Diablo 4 may still introduce additional classes, and there are theories suggesting that the recent installment of the franchise could pay homage to Diablo 2 by including the Amazon. Regardless, the Huntress in Path of Exile 2 shares a common heritage with the Amazon, and this is evident in the gameplay of the former.

How Path of Exile 2's Huntress Compares to Diablo 2's Amazon

Although there were other builds available for Amazon players in Diablo 2, the javelin stands out as the most iconic weapon for the class. It possesses remarkable abilities such as add-clearing and endgame skills like Plague Javelin and Lightning Strike, making it highly effective against monsters and demons. The Amazon class in Diablo 2 features a skill tree dedicated to bows and crossbows, one for spears and javelins, and another for passive and magic skills. This class is widely regarded as excellent within the game, and it appears that Path of Exile 2 draws inspiration from some of its core elements.

The closed beta for Path of Exile 2 has yet to be released, but those who attended ExileCon had the opportunity to play the game and explore the different classes it offers. Initial impressions indicate that Path of Exile 2 generally has a slower pace compared to the original game, as evidenced by the live gameplay footage provided by Grinding Gear Games. However, this does not necessarily apply to all classes, and it appears to be especially true for the ExileCon beta. Interestingly, the Huntress class in Path of Exile 2 possesses multiple Area of Effect (AoE) skills that bear a striking resemblance to those of the Amazon class in Diablo 2.

The Huntress excels in using a spear as her primary weapon, showcasing a similar mastery as the Amazon's javelin handling. Alongside her proficient spear-throwing abilities, such as Storm Spear that inflicts lightning bolts upon impact, she possesses Spearfield and Whirling Slash, offering an array of skills that make her an exceptional choice in Path of Exile 2 for taking on groups of enemies simultaneously.

Not only does the Huntress possess impressive crowd control abilities, but she also possesses similarities to Diablo 2's Amazon in terms of her ability to efficiently dispatch bosses. By combining the area-of-effect damage from Whirling Slash with the immense DPS output of Rapid Assault, she becomes a force to be reckoned with during challenging boss battles in Path of Exile 2. Players who relished playing as the Amazon in Diablo 2 will feel right at home with the Huntress in Path of Exile 2, especially considering the potential paths of progression that lie ahead with Ascendancy and further endgame combinations.

Path of Exile 2 is in development.