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Path of Exile 2 reveals WASD movement with new Mercenary class

Path of Exile 2's latest class reveal doubles as an announcement for a new way to play the dungeon crawler.
Ozzie Mejia
Ozzie Mejia
Grinding Gear Games
5

Grinding Gear Games has gradually introduced new classes and mechanics for its anticipated sequel, Path of Exile 2. Another new class was revealed on Thursday and it's another one that's unlike anything seen in the original game. The Mercenary packs a powerful crossbow, which can be fired in any direction, even as he's running. But, wait! How does this work with Path of Exile's "click-to-move" control scheme? That's the other part of the Mercenary reveal. Path of Exile 2 is also getting a new WASD movement option.

Path of Exile 2's Mercenary will wield a crossbow, which is noticeably different than a standard bow. Instead of needing to pull back, the crossbow will fire rounds immediately. This opened the door for Grinding Gear to design crossbows more like firearms in modern shooters, offering varieties that work like sniper rifles, shotguns, and assault rifles. To accommodate this new class, the Path of Exile sequel will utilize WASD movement for the first time. While it's meant to suit Mercenary players, all players will have the option of using this new movement scheme. In fact, it's now possible to switch between WASD movement and the classic click-to-move scheme at any time with the click of a single key.

The Mercenary can equip two crossbows at a time, which will open up a range of possibilities for players. The other idea to consider when using this class is different ammo types, which can include armor-piercing rounds, incendiary rounds, perma-frost burst rounds, and others. Switching between different crossbows with their own ammo types will prove key in dealing with different situations. Attachments, such as grenade rounds, can also aid Mercenary players in various situations.

The Mercenary fires perma-frost rounds in Path of Exile 2
The Mercenary invites enemies to chill with perma-frost rounds.
Source: Grinding Gear Games

Previous class reveals, like the Monk, have shown off what the Path of Exile sequel brings to the table and an evolved experience from the first game. With that said, the original Path of Exile continues to receive major updates. We'll have more on what was revealed for the first PoE shortly. In the meantime, check out our recent hands-on preview. Path of Exile 2 enters closed beta on June 7, 2024 and hopes to finalize a release date shortly after.

Senior Editor
Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?

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