Path of Exile 2 is about to get its biggest content update since early access launched. Patch 0.5, titled Return of the Ancients, goes live on May 29 at 1PM PDT and brings a full endgame transformation, a brand-new league, two new ascendancies, expanded crafting, and a ton of quality-of-life improvements. This is widely expected to be the final major early-access patch before the full 1.0 release later in 2026.
Here is everything players need to know to have a big headstart before the servers come online.
Free Weekend and Early Access Deals
From May 29 to June 1, anyone can play the full Return of the Ancients content completely free on PC (Steam, Epic, Standalone), PlayStation, and Xbox. You get complete access to the entire game, including the new league and endgame systems. All progress is saved to your account permanently.
The Early Access Supporter Pack is 50% off from May 29 until June 12. It includes full game access plus 150 store points for cosmetics. If you enjoy the free weekend, this is the cheapest way to keep playing afterward.
New League: Runes of Aldur
The headline feature is the Runes of Aldur challenge league. It introduces a completely new runesmithing crafting system that lets you empower and customize items in fresh ways. Complete 8 in-game challenges to unlock the full Knight of Aldur Armor Set and a Hideout totem decoration (purely cosmetic).
During the free weekend you can also earn extra rewards:
- Ezomyte Rune Scars Character Skin – Reach the Clearfell Encampment.
- Candlemass Portal Effect – Defeat Count Geonor at the end of Act 1.
- Runeseeker Avatar Decoration – Play for just 15 minutes via the Discord Quest (available until June 5).
Tip: Log into the Discord desktop app and accept the quest on the left side under Shop (or Quest tab on mobile) to track progress easily.
Complete Endgame Overhaul
This is the biggest reason to be excited. The old waystone grind is gone. Instead, you now follow five narrative-driven storylines that integrate core league mechanics and give the endgame real purpose and satisfying conclusions. The storylines are:
- Fog-covered areas to confront Tangmazu, the Raven Trickster.
- Defending the Keepers of the Flame monks against enemy waves.
- Freeing a trapped spirit from the King in the Mist.
- Assisting the Atlas Masters.
- Exploring the oceans to find Rog’s missing wife.
Here are video recaps of the new end game content you can experience:
Each storyline brings back a familiar league mechanic but adds its own unique crafting system and bosses. The Atlas now has fixed points of interest so you can always pursue the content you enjoy most. New Masters of the Atlas further customize your mapping experience.
GB's quick tip: Prioritize unlocking and progressing through the new Fortress area in the Atlas. This is the central progression hub and the best way to fill out the entire reworked Atlas Tree.
Two New Ascendancies
Patch 0.5 adds Martial Artist (for Monk) and Spirit Walker (for Huntress). These are designed to feel powerful and fun right from league start and open up entirely new build archetypes. Here is a quick video showing them off:
Ascendancy Changes
They have made a few buffs and changes to a few older ascendancies that needed some work, check it out in the video below:
New Crafting Systems and Tools
Runesmithing – The core of the new league, allowing deep item customization.
Alloys and Fluxes – New currencies for transforming resistances and modifiers.
Genesis Tree – A new system that expands crafting possibilities later in the league and is the source of powerful new items like the Absent Amulet.
Runic Ward – A brand-new defensive layer that sits below Life (Energy Shield is above Life). You can survive with zero Life if you still have Runic Ward. It also serves as the resource cost for 30 brand-new skills that have no attribute requirements, making them easy to slot into any build.
Important crafting tip: Corruption has been reworked. Vaal Orbs now multiply the current numeric values of modifiers instead of randomizing them. Always use Divine Orbs to maximize stats on an item before corrupting it if you are trying to break stat limits. The old Omen of Corruption (guaranteed change) has been removed, so corrupting now carries a higher risk of doing nothing.
Other Major Features and Quality of Life
- Improved campaign replayability.
- Brand-new in-game Build Planner that lets you import builds directly from creators or websites. It shows the full passive tree, skill gem setups, and even notes on gear and gems to cut.
- In-game price checking – Hold Control + Alt + Click on any item to instantly open the market search with the stats pre-filled. This is a huge time-saver and reduces the need for third-party tools for basic checks.
- Dedicated dodge-roll keybind (no more accidental sprinting).
- Many balance changes, new uniques, monster adjustments, and QoL tweaks across the board.
Free Weekend and Progression FAQ
- No progression cap during the free weekend.
- You can use an existing Path of Exile 1 account to play.
- All characters and progress are saved. After the weekend ends, buy a Supporter Pack to continue or wait for full free-to-play release.
- Microtransactions purchased during the weekend stay on your account.
Patch 0.5 is shaping up to be the most player-friendly major update Path of Exile 2 has received. The combination of narrative-driven endgame storylines, fresh crafting tools (with some early-game adjustments), new ascendancies, and the free weekend makes this the perfect time for new players to jump in and for veterans to return with a clean slate. If you need some direction for starters and builds check out our earlier article covering what we think will be some of the best starters for the league!
Whether you are planning to try the new Martial Artist or Spirit Walker, experiment with runesmithing, or just enjoy the overhauled Atlas, there is something here for every type of player. Mark your calendar for May 29 at 1PM PDT, download during the free weekend, and get ready for the Return of the Ancients. Wraeclast is calling and I will see you in the new league.
What are your thoughts on the article? What class or ascendancy will you be playing first? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!