Path of Exile 2 offers two main ways to experience its world: through Standard characters and through League characters tied to seasonal content. With the arrival of the game’s first full League, Rise of the Abyssal, many players are deciding whether to dive in with a fresh character or stick with their Standard ones. Let’s break down how both systems work, and why most players prefer starting fresh when a new League launches.
What Are Standard Characters?
Standard characters are the default option for Path of Exile 2. They exist permanently, unaffected by the changing seasons of content. These characters can:
- Access the core game campaign and endgame maps.
- Progress through story Acts, Interludes, and the Atlas without time restrictions.
- Keep all items, gear, and passive skill progress indefinitely.
For players who enjoy stability or returning to the game after long breaks, Standard characters are a way to continue progressing without starting over. However, they miss out on seasonal mechanics, unique drops, and temporary story content added in each League.
What Are League Characters?
Leagues are seasonal events in Path of Exile 2, typically lasting a few months, each adding exclusive mechanics, loot, and challenges. To access this content, you must create a League character.
In the case of Rise of the Abyssal (Patch 0.3.0), League characters will encounter Abyssal Pits in every zone. These encounters begin with fissures that influence nearby monsters. Killing these influenced monsters causes fissures to seal, and once all fissures are closed, the Abyssal Pit itself opens, releasing waves of monsters. What spawns depends on what you killed nearby: magic packs spawn enhanced Abyssals, rares produce rare Abyssals, Rogues respawn as Lich Born with dangerous modifiers, bosses can trigger giant Larva, and Essence monsters drop bonus Essences of the Abyss. This mechanic gives players control over how challenging and rewarding each encounter becomes.
Monsters emerging from the Pit can absorb modifiers and transform them into stronger Abyssal Modifiers. In certain faction-controlled zones, these modifiers can escalate into Lich Born Modifiers, which are far deadlier but also offer superior rewards.
Rewards Unique to Rise of the Abyssal
Playing a League character in this season isn’t just about facing new monsters—it’s also about earning exclusive rewards.
- Abyssal Eyes – socketable items that grant powerful effects, limited to one of each type.
- Lineage Support Gems – new Support Gems that expand build diversity.
- Abyssal Omens – special crafting items like the Omen of Abyssal Echoes, which lets you reroll Well of Souls options.
- Undying Hate Timeless Jewel – transforms parts of your passive tree into new Abyssal-themed passives.
- Unique Abyssal Gear – including modular socketables such as Darkness Enthroned, offering item-slot-swapping effects.
The Well of Souls is central to this season’s crafting system. By using an Ancient Bone like a Gnawed Bone on an item, players can seed it with a hidden Desecrated Modifier. At the Well, this modifier is revealed, and players choose one of three outcomes. Waystones can also be enhanced with Preserved Vertebrae, unlocking exclusive modifiers such as “Abysses have 7–9 additional Pits” or “Abysses lead to an Abyssal Boss.” Some modifiers are obtainable only through this system, making it essential for endgame crafting.
League content also introduces new areas. Abyssal Depths guarantee that every Rare enemy carries an Abyssal Modifier and end with a Lich Born mini-boss, rewarding players with multiple Troves and exclusive items. Ancient Spires, which appear less frequently, lead to Abyssal Commander bosses with their own unique loot. Commanders can drop Kulemak’s Invitation, which allows entry into the Vessel of Kulemak encounter through the Well of Souls—one of the pinnacle boss fights of the season.
What Happens When the League Ends?
When Rise of the Abyssal concludes, all League characters automatically transfer into the Standard league.
- They keep their levels, skills, and items.
- Abyssal mechanics and drops, however, will no longer appear in Standard play.
- This means your character continues to exist, but without access to the seasonal mechanics that defined their journey.
In short, League play is temporary in mechanics but permanent in progress.
Should You Play Standard or Rise of the Abyssal?
For most players, the recommendation is clear: play the League. Here’s why:
- More Content: Rise of the Abyssal adds bosses, loot, crafting, and new areas that Standard characters cannot access.
- Better Progression: League characters benefit from new Interludes that accelerate leveling toward endgame.
- Community Engagement: Leagues bring everyone back together at the start of a season, making it easier to trade, join parties, and test builds in an active economy.
- No Risk of Loss: After the League ends, your character becomes Standard anyway—so you get extra content with no permanent downside.
The timing also makes this season especially inviting. The 0.3.0 “Third Edict” update launched alongside a free weekend (Aug 29–Sept 1), letting new players try the game without needing an early access key, with all progress preserved afterward.
Standard remains a good option for casual play or players who want continuity with their older characters. But if you want the complete Path of Exile 2 experience, Rise of the Abyssal offers more depth, rewards, and excitement.
See also: Abyssal Path of Exile 2 Guide: Rise of the Abyssal League, Well of Souls, and Rewards
The choice between Standard and League characters in Path of Exile 2 ultimately comes down to your playstyle. Standard characters provide permanence and stability, while League characters unlock exclusive mechanics, bosses, and loot that make each season unique. From shaping Pit spawns to uncovering Abyssal Depths and Commanders, and from crafting at the Well of Souls to chasing socketable rewards, League play offers far more variety and progression.
If you’re ready to see everything Patch 0.3.0 has to offer, starting a Rise of the Abyssal character is the best way to experience Path of Exile 2. You’ll explore new mechanics, earn powerful rewards, and enjoy an active community—knowing that when the League ends, your progress carries into Standard. Play Now!
