Yesterday, we released Patch 3.15.0e which introduced several changes and bug fixes to Path of Exile alongside some balance changes for Royale ahead of our next Royale weekend. We are also working on a couple of other improvements we want to keep you in the loop about.

If you missed out on getting your Rhoa Dinners last time, this is your chance to get in on the action! If this is your first time playing Royale, you can find out more about the game mode here.

Matches start at Jul 30, 2021 4:00 PM (EDT) and will be available until Aug 02, 2021 3:00 AM (EDT) (this is displayed in your local time).

3.15.0e Patch Notes

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug where Logbook explicit modifiers were not applying to Expedition areas.
• Fixed a bug where you were unable to complete the “Defeat these Unique Monsters” challenge if you killed Innocence before The Matriarch in Act 5. Killing The Risen Matriarch now gives credit towards this challenge if you have already killed Innocence.
• Fixed a bug where Medved, Feller of Heroes was not affected by Remnant modifiers.
• Fixed a bug where the Usurper’s Penance unique helmet could not drop.
• Fixed two instance crashes.
• Fixed a client crash.

In order for the Logbook fix to take effect (for those on while it was deployed) you'll have to create a new Hideout through Helena, or let your Hideout instance timeout.

Royale-Specific Changes: (Only affects Royale, not regular gameplay)

This week's changes are mostly focused on increasing the variety of viable build options, reducing the chance of feeling stuck at level 1, and fixing a few lingering issues.

Royale Gameplay Changes

• Players who disconnect from a Royale match will now leave behind a corpse, allowing their items to be looted.
• Killing another player now grants 500 experience plus 20% of the player's total experience (previously 200 experience plus 20%).
• The penalty applied to experience gain for killing a lower level player has been increased. For example, killing a player 2 levels lower than you would previously reduce the experience gained from the kill by approximately 40%, it is now reduced by approximately 60%.
• Night Adders and Serpentine Constructs no longer flee from players, and grant approximately 20% more experience when killed.
• Equipment drops from monsters and chests are less likely to be magic (and therefore more likely to be either normal or rare).
• Monsters now drop significantly higher numbers of Skill and Support Gems.
• Items spawned on the ground are more likely to be Skill and Support Gems.

Royale Skill and Support Gem Changes

• Ball Lightning now deals approximately 35% more damage to players. Its damage against monsters has not been changed.
• Blight's base damage over time has been reduced by 30% at all gem levels. The base duration of its damage over time debuff has been reduced from 2.5 seconds to 1.5 seconds. Blight's mana cost has been increased, it now costs 3 mana at gem level 1, and 4 mana at gem level 3 (previously 2 mana at gem level 1, and 3 mana at gem level 8).
• Burning Arrow now proliferates ignites inflicted, with a radius of 15. It now has 20-47% more damage with ignite at gem levels 1-10 (previously 0-18%).
• Cobra Lash now chains an additional time at gem level 1. It now has a 60% chance to poison at all levels (previously 40%). Its mana cost has been reduced from 5 to 4.
• The mana cost of Divine Ire has been increased to 3 (previously 1).
• The flat damage component of Explosive Arrow's explosions has been reduced by 20% at all levels. Additionally, Explosive Arrow now deals approximately 24% less damage to players.
• Fireball's base radius has been increased by 3, and it now gains 5-7 radius as the projectile travels further at gem levels 1-10 (previously 0-4). It now has a 50% chance to ignite at all gem levels (previously 20-29% at gem levels 1–10).
• Firestorm's base damage has been increased by approximately 29% at all levels.
• Heavy Strike now adds 4-6 melee strike range at gem levels 1-10 (previously 2-3).
• Ice Spear's base damage has been increased by 100% at all levels. To compensate, it now deals 45% less damage to players.
• Leap Slam now has +1.2 seconds to attack time (previously 0.85 seconds).
• Lesser Multiple Projectiles Support now causes supported skills to deal 30-25% less damage at gem levels 1-10 (previously 15-10% less damage).
• Rain of Arrows now deals 70% of base weapon damage at level 1 (previously 60%). Additionally, it now deals 20% more damage to players.
• Whirling Blades now has +1.5 seconds to attack time (previously 0.5 seconds).

Royale Passive Skill Tree Changes

• The Accelerated Volley notable passive now also causes projectiles to pierce an additional time.
• The Spellmaster notable passive now grants 10% increased cast speed. It no longer grants 10% increased spell damage.
• The amount of melee strike range granted by the Reigning Champion notable passive has been reduced from 5 to 3.
• The Path to Power, Frenetic Fighter and Endless Endurance notable passives now grant 300% increased power/frenzy/endurance charge duration respectively (previously 50%).
• The Veinslicer notable passive now grants 4 life for each enemy hit by your attacks (previously 12).

Royale Item Changes

• The Fated End and Doedre's Damning unique rings can no longer drop.
• The Cloak of Defiance unique body armour no longer grants 1% of mana regenerated per second.
• The Dance of the Offered unique boots no longer grant +50–60 to maximum mana.
• The Royale-exclusive version of the "of Ease" local attack speed modifier on weapons now has a range of 15-25% (previously 8-15%).

Royale Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug where unusable Quicksilver Flasks could occasionally drop. There are meant to be no Quicksilver Flasks in Royale.
• Fixed a bug where Divine Ire was unable to hit players while channelling.
• Fixed a visual bug where the "Damage with Hits is Lucky" stat on the Cruel Voltage notable passive was not being displayed.

You will need to restart your client to receive the client changes in this patch. It is important to do this before this weekends Path of Exile: Royale event, as otherwise your client will be out of sync.

In addition to the improvements listed in today's patch above, we also wanted to reassure you that we're also still working on the following improvements and will deploy them as soon as possible.

Vendor Reroll Adjustments

We're changing the drop rates for the various Expedition NPC's reroll currency. The plan is that they'll drop from Runic Monsters in stacks (rather than as single drops) that scale up in quantity based on monster level, making them more common. Note that this change will affect Runic Monsters only, and drops from Excavated Chests will remain unchanged. Artifacts will also scale up in the same way, providing more in the endgame.

While you'll ultimately get more reroll currency for Dannig, Rog and Tujen because of the increased stack sizes, the drop chance has remained unchanged with the exception of Astragali (Gwennen's reroll currency), which has had its drop rate slightly lowered in maps. It was already far more common than the other ones.

We also wanted to mention that the fix from 3.15.0d, "Fixed a bug where item quantity modifiers did not affect drops for some items such as Crescent Splinters, Sacred Blossoms, and Expedition Artifacts" should make Expedition currencies more common as drops and increase their stack size in general.

Curse Map Mods

As mentioned in our What We're Working On post earlier this week, we are changing the Curse map modifiers to not have increased effect. These two changes are next up on our list of fixes to deploy as soon as feasible.

We'll be continuing to monitor your feedback regarding Expedition and Royale! In the meantime, we'll see you on the island, Exiles!