[Feedback] A League Worth Saving – Wisp Rework Proposal from a Player With 1,000+ Hours

Hi GGG team,

I rarely post here, but with over 1,000 hours played across the last two seasons, I figured it was time to share some constructive feedback regarding the current league's state. It's no shocker that DoTH has not been received well, so I will save the negativity and rather focus on solutions. Despite its flaws, I'm still enjoying the game. I told my friends that I went into the season with low expectations considering the copious hours I played last season. I knew only so much could be accomplished within a short time frame. Anyways, I’m writing this because I believe the systems in this league have opened up serious potential for future iterations.

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What Was Promised – and What We Got

At face value, this league offered:

- A (probably intended) momentum-based enemy juicing system (Wisps)

- Expansion of charms and rune socket system (talismans).

- A new endgame dynamic in towers added and expanded, Rogue Exile spawns, as well as corrupted vs cleansed zones

- Ultra-rare loot with teeth (Rite of Passage Golden Charm)

- Fracturing orbs slightly increasing deterministic crafting

But each system, which seemed promising in isolation, lacks layered depth and integration causing the replayability-X-factor to fall short of what your playerbase expects.

- Wisps feel detached and buggy.

- Cleansed areas feel rewarding, but are too often gated behind Atlas RNG and tower setup constraints.

- And the charm system remains underbaked in function.

The result? Systems that don’t reinforce each other, leaving players unsure why they should engage—and worse, whether it’s worth the time.

So let's break each system down and offer a solution.

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The Current Wisp Mechanic – From Spectacle to Skippable

The Original Intention:

1. Wisps appear organically
2. They activate once the player walks into their AoE aura.
3. They then randomly travel in a direction towards a Rare mob, empowering non-rare enemies they pass through, building power as they travel.
4. Once they get to the Rare, the Wisp possesses it, transferring the power it built, which then (supposedly) increases that monster's loot table (correlative to the power built)

- Player agency in “chasing” or “funneling” Wisps


The Reality:

- Wisps flee away from player direction, breaking map flow
- Engagement is inconsistent, Wisps can spawn at the end or with no rares nearby
- The core “fun” of building power through action is replaced with watching light particles choose their own adventure
- No player agency at all. They are at the mercy of this buggy Wisp.


Why That Hurts:

PoE as a game was foundationally built on deliberate action and calculated chaos. Wisps, in their current form, serve as the antithesis of ARPG farming.

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What I Propose:

Keep the philosophy the same, but change the integration. Allow me to introduce:

The Wisp Spirit Infusion Loop

How It Works: Wisp Encounter → Spirit Possession

Touching a Wisp gives the player a Spirit Buff (Bear, Cat, etc.; can replicate the Rite of Passage Golden Charm buff)


Buff lasts 20s; killing mobs during this time builds Spirit Charge.

Rare Encounter → Spirit Transfer:

The next Rare or Unique enemy encountered absorbs the Spirit

Power and loot quality scales with how many kills occurred while infused

Killing the mob has a chance to drop:

1. Socketable (Talisman)
2. Spirit-themed "Brand" (new charm-quality crafting system, see below)
3. Totemic Carving (new map crafting system, see below)
4. Very rarely: The unique Golden Charm


Loop Reinfusion Mechanism:

If the player built sufficient charge, the Spirit returns (with reduced duration after each reinfusion)
With each loop, momentum and risk are simultaneously built, and rewards are stacked.

The Spirit Infusion timer breakdown could be something like:

1st Infusion: 20 second buff → Transfer to 1st Rare or Unique upon damage dealt
Monster Dies, 2 potential outcomes:
- Slight delay, then Wisp transfers back to player
- Small chance Spirit Alpha Boss spawns (chance increasing with Spirit Charge built; but still small)

2nd Infusion: 15 seconds → Transfer to 1st Rare or Unique upon damage dealt
Monster Dies, 2 potential outcomes:
- Slight delay, then Wisp transfers back to player
- Slightly higher chance Spirit Alpha Boss spawns (chance increasing with Spirit Charge built)

3rd Infusion: 10 seconds → Transfer to 1st Rare or Unique upon damage dealt
Monster Dies, 2 potential outcomes:
- Slightly delay, then Wisp transfers back to player
- Slightly higher chance Spirit Alpha Boss spawns (chance increasing with Spirit Charge built)

4th Infusion: 5 seconds → Transfer to 1st Rare or Unique upon damage dealt
- Monster Dies:
- Highest chance for Spirit Alpha Boss to spawn (chance increasing exponentially with Spirit Charge built)

Cease infusion loop.

Note: If the buff expires, the Wisp spirit just leaves the player and nothing happens.

Spirit Alpha Boss:

After multiple loops or high enough charge, the respective Spirit Alpha has a chance to spawns for whatever Wisp type was infused.

This is your deterministic, earned boss:

- Always drops a Talisman of the respective (slain) animal type
- Always drops a Totem Carving of the Spirit Class type (Primal, Vivid, Wild, Sacred) [see below]
- Chance it drops a Spirit-specific "Brand" (Primal Brand, Vivid Brand, Wild Brand, Sacred Brand) [see below]
- Rare chance at Unique Golden Charm

Ending Clarifications:

- More than 1 wisp archetype can infuse a player, allowing multi-spirit infusions and transfers.
- If timer expires on player, wisp leaves player and dies.

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With that said, I'll now propose two new layers to the Wisp mechanic, furthering reinforcing its value:

1. Totemic Carvings: Map crafting

2. Spirit Brands: Charm Quality crafting

These would not only make Wisps more rewarding, but would add the depth needed to solidify the mechanic's "staying power" in PoE 2. Let's dive in.

Totemic Carvings

Totemic Carvings could be simple. They function like map-annointments but for Wisps. They basically infuse a map, not only guaranteeing that at least 1 Wisp from that Spirit archetype spawns (could also be a range: "1-3 Wisps Spawn in Map"), but provide other Wisp mechanic benefits as well such as map-enchantments that say, "All monsters are possessed by Cat Spirits", etc.

The possibilities are really endless, and I could write an entire forum post on just this concept, but I think the idea speaks for itself, and you could take it in any direction you see fit.

Spirit Brands

This one's interesting. This could be the system that introduces "Charm Quality". These could either be animal specific or spirit-archetype specific (subject to what makes the most sense). They basically allow the player to "Enchant" or "Brand" a magic charm with quality. The magnitude of the enchant increases with quality (capped at 20%), and the quality would increase (like other quality systems) in increments of 5%.

The types of enchants could be rudimentary versions of the buffs on the Rite of Passage Golden Charm. For example, instead of 20% damage reduction (as seen on the "Possessed by the Bear Spirit"), it could be something like 1% damage reduction (per 5 quality) when charm is triggered. This would not only solve the absent charm-quality-system, but would introduce low impact utility to charms ultimately adding new incentives to engage with Wisps (as well as charms).

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Aside from the Wisp system, I had one other suggestion to further expand PoE 2's crafting system, specific to the Cleansed/Corrupted concept.

I really like the narrative behind the Cleansed/Corrupted Atlas system, but while running some Cleansed maps the other day, I thought to myself, there is no inverse to the Vaal Orb (or 'Corrupting Orb').

This is where I introduce a new currency:


Cleansing Orb concept art.


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The Cleansing Orb System:

A rare drop found only in Cleansed maps, with the Immured Fury boss having a higher chance.

This currency could be slightly MORE rare than Divine Orbs, as it possesses a lot of power.

On Use: Apply to any corrupted item (weapon, armour, maybe maps?)

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Rolls ONE of the following:

1. Purifying Fracture – ~25%:

- Removes the Corrupted tag.
- Fractures the enchant (or implicit if no enchant exists).

- The item can now be corrupted again.

Potential to open system for double enchant corruptions (would create a 2-enchant cap on items).

2. Sanctified Restoration – ~25%:

- Removes the Corrupted tag.
- Rerolls affix values (Divine Orb effect).
- Applies a Cleansed tag – item is now locked, cannot be modified further

Cleansed tag being similar to "Mirrored" tag. It basically locks an items ability to further craft on it. Would be a soft way of "bricking" an item.


3. Gentle Release – ~50%:

- Simply removes the Corrupted tag.
- No other changes.

Allows the person to Corrupt an item again (which has an inherit risk) to try for a chase-enchant. Also allows a player to potentially craft on an item that has been corrupted. It would also solve the, "found a good corrupted item but can't add quality, sockets, or modify it" problem. Rogue Exiles love dropping corrupted items, so it would make those drops more useful.


Why This Matters:

This isn’t just a recovery tool. It’s a system that:
- Adds more meaningful reason to run Cleansed content
- Adds light deterministic recovery to corruption crafting without trivializing it.
- Gives high-value items a redemption arc, not just a trash bin.

It also echoes the risk PoE is known for:

Attempting to re-corrupt could grant a second enchant, or ruin the item.


The choice, not the outcome, is what matters.

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Final Note – On Negativity, and Future Directions

I understand DoTH has not been received well, and I can only imagine that the devs have been feeling like they're running a marathon, chasing a target that only gets further away the closer they get. The memes. The Twitch takes. The subreddit spiral. I get it. It’s been loud, and not all of it fair. But I just want to say, beneath the noise is a signal:

People are mad because they still care.

They remember how PoE 1 made them feel.

That when they died, it was their fault.
That when they won, it was earned.
That complexity was a ladder, not a wall.

While this league fell short of people's expectations, it isn't too late to build upon the foundation you created. What I’ve offered here isn’t a wishlist. It’s a path: modular, thematic, contained within your existing systems. I do not expect full implementation of everything suggested here, but moreso that it's read and maybe used as a tool to inspire creativity in new systems that ultimately increase PoE 2's "fun factor".

I wrote it not because I’m done, but because I still believe.


Thanks for reading.

Wow the whisp thing sounds actually fun, current whisps are so slow and i have had some ignoring 1 rare and go to another one rly far away.
The suggested ORB also seems to be something really helpfull for new players, give's them the chance to have another try in a item they currupted to try and make it a bit better, a lot of times, the only decent item they own, this would certainly make runing cleansed maps more fun.

Thanks dude, I think the Wisp system could be really good if slightly adjusted. It definitely has potential that gets overlooked because it feels really bad right now. And there's obviously no one running it, the Rite of Passage Golden Charm being 600+ div indicates this. Hoping something is done!

good thinking op, +1 overall

+1

Wisp change sounds amazing. Really hope they see your feedback and adapt it.

Interesting concepts. But regarding the Spirit (first proposal) isn't it a bit how the mechanic of Affliction was? You removed the need of Wildwood and collecting the "orbs" and kept/moved all towards the mobs, which is not bad but seems like a matter of re-implementing the mechanic rather than something "new", but is an interesting one.

The other two concepts I would like to see them in a game, either like that, or maybe slightly adjusted by them depending on what they consider, but not too much deviation from what you said.

The cleansing orb part, at least first "outcome", to be fair I see it as totally broken (power wise). Locking the implicit/enchant is gonna be overpowered, especially as you have said you can, potentially, add a new one. What about the belts that benefit from the new essence that will add, deterministically, two enchants? Won't it, if applied, end up with potentially 3 enchants on the belt? (WE RAMPING BIG TIME)

Nice artwork for the orb itself though, really impressive.

Thanks for the reply-- glad that some of these ideas are resonating and can be discussed!

Regarding your first comment- I only played a couple PoE 1 seasons so I never got a chance to play Affliction. I was really late to the party on PoE 1 (first season was 3 months after D4 released) but fell in love when I finally decided to learn it (and all its intricacies). Then I ended up being a hideout warrior who crafted all day haha

As for the Cleansing Orb, nothing is concrete here-- I was just throwing out some ideas to see if they resonate with anyone. These orbs could do something completely different from what I proposed, I just think it would be a cool 'narrative' piece further solidifying the relationship between Corruption vs Cleansed.

I also don't think 2 enchants is that crazy. There's a system in PoE 1 for 2 potential "Corruption" enchants (Corruption Chamber, Temple of Atzoatl); not to mention influenced items, Eldritch/Exarch, multi-implicit Synth belts, etc. so it wouldn't be too far off. Most of the corruption enchants are pretty underwhelming relative to PoE 1. Moreover, the chance for one of the better outcomes could be low, and the implicit-fracturing outcome wouldn't be that broken considering we have no Blessed Orbs. Overall, the percentages should be adjusted relative to their power, just wanted to include some arbitrary numbers for example sake. Lastly, limiting these drops to an already limited area (Cleansed area) and making them more rare than Divine Orbs would keep them in line and not easily spammed / used. It would be another chase currency for end game crafters.

Regarding the belt with 3 enchants, PoE 1 synth belts could have 3 implicits AND a corruption enchant in PoE 1.

The essence for belts also occupies a suffix spot so the 2 enchants isn't really 2 enchants because you give up an elemental res, chaos res, or strength affix for a t2 attribute roll, or +%max ES / + % EV enchant (and in some rare use cases, a + % to max, fire/light/cold elemental resist).

+1 , let's go Johnny boy start listening to feed back

Alva: "WOW, that's the biggest Soul Core I have seen!"

I really like the cleaning orb idea. The caveat is I think the risk/reward needs to be balanced appropriately to not override the coolness that exists with a good corruption, especially on unique items (specifically in POE 1). Making the orb more rare than a divine is a good start, but I think the brick potential needs to be high (50%+ and maybe even 75%). Make it so the thought of reversing corruption on an already good item while seeking a "perfect" item can cause insane dopamine or immense pain.

Badass concept art, too!