Rigid Ascendancy Restrictions in PoE 2: A Barrier to Player Freedom and Retention

The inability to respec to a different ascendancy in Path of Exile 2 is a misstep that could harm both player retention and overall enjoyment. Here's why:

1. Inconsistent with Current Respec Options
Players can respec the passive talent tree, giving them flexibility to experiment and adapt their builds without starting over. Forcing ascendancies to be a permanent choice feels unnecessarily rigid and out of place in a game otherwise built on choice and adaptability.

2. Discourages New Players
With Path of Exile 2 aiming to attract new players, adding a rigid ascendancy system creates a barrier for those unfamiliar with the game’s depth. Forcing players to reroll entirely if they regret their ascendancy choice could be off-putting, especially to those coming from more accessible ARPGs.
To retain these new players, the game should reduce unnecessary frustrations, not add more. Allowing ascendancy respecs would help balance the needs of more casual players without compromising the depth that veterans love.

3. Reduces Build Experimentation
One of PoE's greatest strengths is its build diversity. Preventing ascendancy changes restricts the player’s ability to explore new playstyles, which is counterproductive to fostering creativity. More choices mean more engagement, especially when builds can be refined and reworked without starting from scratch.

4. Alienates Casual-Competitive Players
Casual players transitioning to a more competitive or meta-focused mindset might realize mid-playthrough that their ascendancy isn’t optimal. Without the ability to respec, they’re left with the choice of continuing with a suboptimal build or starting over, which could lead to frustration and player drop-off.

5. Balancing Flexibility and Integrity
Allowing ascendancy respecs doesn’t have to ruin the integrity of gameplay. A well-balanced system could keep the process meaningful—perhaps by tying it to endgame content or a significant investment. This strikes a balance between accessibility for new or casual players and maintaining the sense of accomplishment for veterans.

Conclusion
Rigid ascendancy systems may appeal to some hardcore players, but they risk alienating the broader audience PoE 2 hopes to attract. Offering ascendancy respecs—just like passive tree respecs—would enhance player choice, foster creativity, and reduce unnecessary barriers. More choices make for better gameplay, and if PoE 2 wants to thrive, it needs to embrace accessibility without sacrificing its depth.

Eh, I like decisions having some significant meaning to them. I may be in the minority, but I like ascendancy choices being permanent.

Was never a major issue. No confirmation it is staying this way, only possibly, leveling uniques which I am sure exist in 2 make rerolling simple.

I'm going to tell you what the forum told me when I brought up a similar list of issues with POE. "Just wait for POE3, the sequel will address all your concerns."

I have over 8k hours played in PoE.

There was ONCE I would love to change my ascendancy. ONE single time.
It was not a big deal in any way.

I prefer the way it is, choices matter. Give them respecs, they will ask for ascendancy change. Give them ascendancy change, they will ask for class game. Give them class change, they will ask for Diablo 5.

No thanks. Its a wise decision (could break the meta, ladders, etc). And anyway not a big deal at all.

HOWEVER if they see thousand people asking for it, Im pretty sure they will change things in the future, its early access for some reason. Nothing is set in stone.

I think letting you change it before reaching maps would not be a bad thing at all, in case anyone new to the game is needing it.

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Andromansis#4714 wrote:

I'm going to tell you what the forum told me when I brought up a similar list of issues with POE. "Just wait for POE3, the sequel will address all your concerns."

hmm in poe1 you can easily switch your ascendency, so it seem poe3 is already here.

@op
so you think cuasual competitive players won't take the 5 hours it takes to level a new char with leveling gear and quit the game instead? You think casuals will at all change ascendencies for optimization instead of trying another class?

na casuals will follow builds, they do it in D4, in poe1 and in elden ring, nothing new here. They don't care about experimenting, because they would fail. and thats fine.

About ascendancy, i would like to focus on the point that both poe1 and poe2 share, the design, as you can see on my masterful artwork below, you get ascendacy points by 2 and there is always a small and a large node separating, another layer of ascendancy, In theory, IF the small nodes would be more impactful, you could choose to take a lot more smaller nodes and Some big ones, but it doesnt seem to be designed that way so im wondering why isnt it one big node? So basicly imagine the smaller circles not being there but the larger circles include them anyway.

Most of your points can just be summed up by saying "Hey players might regret their ascendancy choice".

Yea, for sure. Just like they might regret their class choice. The idea that this will be alleviated if they're stuck with 3 ascendancies out of the 36 instead doesn't make sense to me.

1 death per map and it's bricked.
1 try per boss and it's bricked.
You choose your ascendancy and that's it, no takesiesbacksies.

Poe2 is going to be freakin awesome

Why are you freaking out so much? Its essentialy closed beta. Its made to adress such things in the first place. In one of the interviews Jonathan said that you cant respec AS OF NOW. They may or may not add such feature later on but its being discussed.

reduced build experimention? WHAT? did you somehow miss you can use ALL SKILLS and combine them? and not every game should be casual noob friendly where casuls can beat all content with ease PoE 2 is hard as it should be its not a negative thing that game is hard