Anyone who tuned into the Path of Exile 2 0.4.0 reveal and saw "The Last of the Druids" in action is probably counting down the days to December 12 already, especially if you are already thinking about builds and how much PoE 2 Currency you are going to burn testing them. The Druid finally joins the roster on PC and console, and it lands right as the Fate of the Vaal challenge league starts, so everyone jumps into the same fresh economy. What really stands out is how this Intelligence hybrid does not force you to pick between spellcaster or shapeshifter; it pushes you to play both at once, without the usual clunky gap when you change forms.
Shapeshifting That Actually Flows
Most ARPG shapeshifters feel like you are swapping gears in a car with a bad clutch. You stop casting, hit a transform button, wait a bit, then finally start swinging. The Druid does it differently with Animal Talismans, which are new weapons that give you a basic Bear, Wolf, or Wyvern attack. The second you use that attack, you flip forms, no delay, no awkward wind‑up. You can throw down long‑lasting human spells like Entangling Vines or Thunderstorm first, then instantly jump into beast form and tear through packs while your spells keep ticking away. It looks more like weaving a combo than swapping modes, which is exactly what players have wanted for years.
Bear And Wolf Forms For Clear Roles
The Bear form is the obvious pick if you like standing in the middle of everything and daring it to move you. It runs on Rage, so the longer you are in the fight, the more you build up for massive payoffs like the Walking Calamity firestorm. Ferocious Roar is clever too, because it lets you socket any Warcry gem, so you can tailor it to armour shredding, defence, or pure aggression. On the other side you have the Wolf form, which feels made for people who never stop moving. It leans into cold damage and speed, and the Pounce skill acts almost like a meta gem for Marks. You leap in, tag a target, and when it dies you get a wolf minion out of it, which sounds ideal for chain‑pulling and shredding packs in a single flow.
Wyvern Form For Players Who Like Juggling Systems
Wyvern form looks like the option for players who enjoy a bit of plate‑spinning. You mix ranged breath attacks and melee hits while managing a corpse‑eating mechanic that fuels Power Charges. Those charges are not just a buff; you decide whether to pump them into your wings for heavier hits or turn your spit into a channeled barrage. There is also that neat overlap with human spells: using Rolling Magma in Wyvern form can trigger your Volcano skill from human form, which means you get these layered bursts of damage if you time things right. It gives the sense that you are not leaving your spell side behind when you transform, you are doubling down on it.
Why Theorycrafters Are Already Planning
The new Thunderstorm spell, which leaves enemies "wet" and easier to shock or freeze, ties the whole kit together for players who love building around status effects and multipliers. You can already see the outlines of cold Wolf builds darting through soaked mobs, or Wyvern setups that chew corpses, stack Power Charges, then blow everything up while Volcano and Rolling Magma bounce around the screen. Add the pressure of a fresh league start and the race to figure out the best early setups, and you can bet people are already planning where their first stash of buy PoE 2 Currency is going to go when the patch finally lands.
