Path of Exile 2’s early access launch has been met with both excitement and server woes, boasting over half a million active players battling queues and account issues. Amidst these challenges, developer Grinding Gear Games (GGG) has been transparent about server stability and, importantly, balance adjustments. On Saturday, GGG announced the first significant nerf, targeting the overpowered Supercharged Slam skill.
This warrior-centric skill, primarily used with two-handed maces, delivers devastating initial damage followed by an aftershock. Its power proved too potent for GGG, leading to a swift decision to rebalance.
“Supercharged Slam is unfortunately dealing far too much damage than was intended given the short channel window required to hit maximum stages,” GGG explained on Twitter/X. They stressed the importance of early intervention, emphasizing a desire for diverse and viable builds. A single overpowered skill undermines build diversity and diminishes the enjoyment of other options.
altA Warrior in Path of Exile 2, soon to experience a less potent Supercharged Slam.
While Supercharged Slam offered considerable burst damage, its utility extended beyond initial impact, featuring aftershock damage and potential synergy with other attributes. The nerf primarily focuses on the initial damage output, implemented via hotfix. Further adjustments targeting the skill’s rapid charge buildup are planned for a later update.
“We will be starting with a heavy damage reduction on the ability in the next hotfix, which should be out within an hour,” GGG confirmed. “At a later time we will be making further adjustments to how long it takes to build up charges, as it is far too quick at the moment.”
Well we’ve finally hit that point where a skill with unacceptable balance has been discovered!
Supercharged Slam is unfortunately dealing far too much damage than was intended given the short channel window required to hit maximum stages. We are imminently going to be reducing…
— Path of Exile (@pathofexile) December 7, 2024
The early access nature of Path of Exile 2 underscores the inevitability of such balancing adjustments. While players often treat early access as a full release, ongoing tweaks and nerfs are expected in an evolving game. The community acknowledges the skill’s excessive power but hopes for a measured nerf that maintains viability. Over-nerfing, a common pitfall in game development, can lead to a homogenized experience lacking compelling build options. Hopefully, Path of Exile 2 will navigate these challenges effectively, fostering a diverse and engaging endgame experience.
