Feedback on Armor Progression & High-Level Visual Identity in Path of Exile 2

Hi Team,

First, I want to say that the character-specific art in Path of Exile 2 is fantastic! However, as I level up and progress in the game, I feel that armor design doesn’t visually reflect that growth. One of the things I’d love to see improved is stronger visual progression so that when I see another player’s character, I can immediately tell: “That guy must be high level.”

Here are some suggestions that could enhance visual identity and progression in armor and character design:

1. Tiered Armor Evolution
Low-Level (1-20): Basic cloth, leather, or rusty metal armor with a worn-down look.
Mid-Level (21-50): Polished metal, reinforced leather, added engravings, and better-crafted materials.
High-Level (51+): Grand, intricate armor with unique textures, gold/silver trims, glowing energy runes, and battle-worn designs.
This ensures that high-level players stand out visually just by what they wear.

2. Unique Auras & Passive Effects for High-Level Players
Better subtle auras – A glowing energy field, elemental resonance, or mystical mist.
Bloodstained gear – For melee warriors who've fought countless battles.
Ethereal mist or shadow effects – For casters to appear otherworldly.
Elemental energy pulsations – Fire sparks, frost mist, lightning arcs appearing around armor.
Tied to level milestones, achievements, or gear quality.

3. High-Level Stance & Posture Adjustments
Low-level characters stand more casually, as if still learning.
High-level characters adopt a powerful, confident stance, reflecting mastery.
Unique idle animations – Warriors could crack their knuckles, sorceress could have books floating around them.
This makes a player’s level feel recognizable even when standing still.

4. Improved Glow Animations & Energy Effects
More refined and detailed glow effects for armor and weapons.
Glows could have pulsing energy, flickering embers, or swirling magical effects instead of static lighting.
Certain high-tier weapons could leave a glowing trail effect with every swing or spell cast.
This makes glowing elements feel more "alive" and meaningful rather than just being a texture overlay.

5. More Imposing Silhouettes & Armor Layering at Higher Levels
Low-level gear looks lightweight and simple.
Mid-tier armor gains extra plating, capes, sigils, or engravings to indicate strength.
Endgame armor is larger, heavier, and more dominant, with bold designs that demand attention.
Silhouettes should feel progressively more intimidating as a character levels up.

6. Combat FX for High-Level Players
High-level melee attacks leave afterimage slashes.
Spell effects leave longer-lasting trails or glowing remnants.
Blocking or dodging could have subtle impact effects to show mastery.
These small details make fights feel more satisfying for seasoned players.

7. “Warrior’s Mark” - Physical Scars & Tattoos Earned Over Time
Battle scars, burn marks, or mystical tattoos appear at certain milestones.
Armor could develop visual scratches, dents, or reforged engravings based on achievements.
This visually tells a character’s story just by looking at them.

8. Unique Accessories for High-Level Characters
Tattered capes, battle-worn cloaks, and relic trinkets that show experience.
Sigils & engravings on armor/weapons based on class or elemental affinity.
Customizable helms or crowns for legendary-tier players.

Final Impact:
If these elements were implemented, players would instantly recognize a high-level character at a glance without needing to inspect them. This makes progression feel more rewarding and immersive while maintaining PoE's dark fantasy aesthetic.

💡 The goal?
✅ “That guy looks powerful.”
✅ “They must have fought through hell to get that look.”
✅ “That’s the kind of warrior I want my character to become.”

I completely understand that a lot of unique and flashy cosmetics are tied to microtransactions, and I don’t mind paying for them at all! But I also think that there should be some built-in, non-MTX visual progression so that a character naturally looks more impressive as they grow stronger. This would enhance immersion and make levelling feel more rewarding, while still allowing MTX options to remain a premium customization layer.

I appreciate all the effort you're putting into the game and look forward to seeing how PoE 2 evolves. Thanks for taking the time to read my feedback!

they havent come out and confirmed this, but i dont think theres armour in the game past act 3 yet.



acts 1-3 have been built, they are in the game, everything after that seems to be a placeholder. in act 2 we are in the maraketh homeland, all the base items that drop like keth raiment etc re themed around the maraketh. in act3 we are going through the ruins of the vaal, all the base items that start dropping here are vaal based.


then the developed part of the game ends.


act 4-6 is just act 1-3 copy/pasta. all the base items that drop are visually the same as act 1-3, they are just called "advanced...". then in endgame theyre called "expert...".


in the actual act4 that has not been added yet we will visit the karui people, i presume all the base items that start dropping in act4 will not be "advanced act1 base item" but actually just a new base item that is themed around the karui.


i think thats why theres no unique items past act 3 on these base types either. almost everything past act 3 is a placeholder.

That makes a lot of sense, and I think you’re spot on about the placeholder content past Act 3. It really does seem like Acts 1-3 have been fully developed with distinct item theming, while everything beyond that is still a work in progress. The pattern of base item progression Maraketh in Act 2, Vaal in Act 3 definitely suggests that when Act 4 is properly implemented, we’ll see a full set of Karui-themed base items rather than just “advanced” versions of earlier ones.

It’s actually pretty exciting because it means we’ll likely get a proper visual and mechanical progression in the later acts rather than just a copy-paste of earlier assets. If they follow the same approach as the first three acts, the later acts should feel much more distinct once they’re fully realized. And you’re probably right about the lack of uniques past Act 3 being tied to this once they finalize the actual base items for later acts, unique items will likely follow.

It’s a promising sign that they’re putting a lot of care into item identity and world-building, even if it’s not fully in place yet. Looking forward to seeing how it all comes together!