Games

If you've never played Path of Exile before, this version of the game is more complicated.

If you have played Path of Exile before, this version of the game replaces the 19 ascendancy classes with 19 different ascendancy classes. The atlas tree has been replaced by atlas idol items. You collect idols by killing monsters and you place the idols into the atlas machine to get extra loot from your play areas.

The nodes of the atlas tree have been made into mods on the idols. This makes it possible to stack up atlas modifiers in a way that usually is not possible. For example, last Phrecia league it was possible to reach 200% increased map modifier effect multiplier, while the regular atlas tree only allowed you to reach 84% map mod effect multiplier. The difference between these value results in at least twice as much loot from your zones.

There were many other atlas modifiers that could be stacked and abused. For example, I think you could achieve 95% chance to not wilt harvest crops. This effectively doubled the amount of harvest plots you have with the 'Crop Rotation' strategy.

One issue with the previous Phrecia league was that it was difficult to set up a functioning atlas strategy by trading with other players. Many players were hesitant to sell their idols and would not respond when engaged. Patch 3.27 introduced the asynchronous trade system which allows you to trade with other players without having to interact with them directly. A player sets a price on their item at the merchant NPC and you buy the item from the merchant NPC. Now you don't have to wait to trade with a player manually. Trade friction is solved.