All Path of Exile 2 Act 3 Map Changes Explained
Image Credit: Grinding Gear Games, Path of Exile 2 (POE2)
Grinding Gear Games just pulled out the Act 3 scissors and gave the campaign a well-needed trim. If you’ve been wandering in circles, screaming at your map, or rage-quitting because of a dead-end door to nowhere—good news. The devs heard your pain and made some map changes that should save time, sanity, and probably a mouse or two.
Here’s what changed in the different PoE 2 areas:
The Drowned City
There used to be a giant dead end that led to... absolutely nothing. It was a sad hallway with an inaccessible door and no checkpoint. Now it's gone. You won’t wander off into the void anymore. One less way to get lost. Hooray.
Utzaal
This one had two dead ends. Double the frustration, double the backtracking. Both of those annoying spots have been removed. So the only thing killing you in here should be the monsters, not your sense of direction.
The Apex of Filth
Originally a huge spiral. Looked cool. Felt terrible. They're breaking the “it must be a spiral because of lore” rule and just making it smaller. Now you’ll spend less time doing laps.
The Azak Bog
Before, the boss could be anywhere, so you’d explore the whole giant map like some desperate swamp cartographer. Now the map is a cleaner rectangle, and the boss is just... at the end. Simple. Direct. Reasonable.
Infested Barrens
Used to send you on a side quest just to find the Waterways waypoint (which you really want if you plan to come back later). Now, the waypoint is near the start and you pretty much have to walk past it. Good fix. Less wandering. Less regret.
Jungle Ruins
Exit was too hard to see. Players missed it. Got annoyed. Got lost. They’ve made the exit more visible now and moved the checkpoint, so you won’t miss it unless you're actively trying to.
Chimeral Wetlands
Sometimes the two exits—Temple of Chaos and Machinarium—were really far apart, which made for a long, dumb loop. They’ve been moved closer together. Less running. More boss fighting.
Jiquani’s Machinarium & Sanctum
Both of these areas were dragging out because players had to find Soul Cores, and finding them took way too long. The fix? Add more Soul Cores. It’s not complicated, but it works.
General Fix: Area Resets
You’d go into a side area, come back out, and find the main map had reset. Like the game forgot you were just there. For now, they’re increasing the reset timer so it happens less. A real fix is coming later, but this should stop the bleeding.
Final Blurb
Act 3 used to be a swampy, spirally mess full of dead ends and map regrets. These changes won’t make you a better player, but they’ll make the game feel a lot less like a cruel joke. You still might die, but at least now you’ll die in the right direction.
