The first week of Path of Exile 2's "Last of the Druids" season feels like everybody's relearning the game at once. You log in, run a couple maps, and suddenly your old instincts don't help much. Shapeshifting isn't just a theme, it's a whole new set of problems to solve, especially once "Fate of the Vaal" starts tossing weird modifiers into your runs. A lot of players are building around what drops and adjusting on the fly, and you'll hear the same phrase in global chat over and over: "How is this even legal." If you're planning to jump in late, having some PoE 2 Currency ready for quick fixes can keep the momentum going when the season starts demanding specific pieces.

The Bear Problem

Tanky setups have a real moment right now, and the Bear form is the loudest example. People watched Zizaran lean into Bear Slam plus Earthquake and went, "Yep, that's the blueprint." The big win isn't just damage. It's that you can stand in stuff that would normally send you back to town. Stack life, stack armor, keep warcries rolling, and the build becomes less about perfect play and more about staying calm while the screen shakes. It's not stylish, but it clears rough rooms in the Vaal Temple without that constant "one mistake and I'm done" feeling.

Speed Builds That Pay for Their Sins

Then you've got the other crowd, the folks who'd rather go fast and deal with the consequences. Mathil's Wolf-style Lightning Strike approach is basically that mindset in motion. Maps blur. Packs pop before they wake up. It's also the kind of build where you learn real quick what you can't ignore, because the moment you hesitate, something volatile tags you and you're staring at the death screen. Still, if your goal is farming and you don't mind living a bit on the edge, it's hard to beat that pace.

Hardcore Brains and Ugly Boss Deletes

Some of the most interesting ideas aren't even about raw speed or raw tankiness, they're about control. Steelmage's Raven-leaning setups, freezing threats before they get near you, are the kind of thing Hardcore players love because it buys thinking time. Quin's take on summoning is messy in a good way, letting minions do the work while you focus on dodging. And yeah, there's the Bleed Wolf Flicker Strike style that people keep testing even if it makes them dizzy, because when it works, bosses don't get to do much of anything.

Gear Reality Check

Here's the part nobody wants to hear: most of these builds don't feel "busted" until the gear lines up. Precursor Tablets, Vaal Temple room mods, and those annoying breakpoint rolls matter a ton, and crafting can be a straight-up sinkhole. You'll hit a streak where every attempt bricks and it starts to feel personal. A lot of players just decide their time's worth more than another night of trading, so they top up and move on, especially if they spot divine orbs for sale and want to actually play the build instead of babysitting the market.