Path of Exile 2—the long‑anticipated follow‑up to Grinding Gear Games’s beloved ARPG—continues its journey through early access, gradually expanding its roster of playable classes, weapon types, and gameplay systems. While the POE 2 Currency game hasn’t yet fully left early access as of early 2026, development updates and community speculation give us a solid picture of what classes and weapon archetypes players are likely to see throughout 2026 leading up to the full 1.0 release.

Current State and Roadmap

At launch, Path of Exile 2 featured six of the planned twelve character classes, tied to Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence attributes. These include staples such as Warrior, Ranger, Witch, Sorceress, Monk, and Mercenary. Since then, Grinding Gear Games has been incrementally introducing additional classes through major patches, with the Huntress and Druid among the more recent additions in late 2025.

Each new class not only brings a fresh playstyle but also a distinct set of weapons—both familiar and new—that reshape how players approach combat.

Classes Likely to Arrive in 2026

While official release dates for future classes haven’t all been confirmed, both community analysis and developer hints lay out a fairly optimistic roadmap for 2026.

Duelist – Sword Mastery and Agile Combat

One of the most highly anticipated additions, the Duelist embodies a blend of Strength and Dexterity, specializing in swift melee combat with swords. Community sources suggest he may finally arrive in Path of Exile 2 during a mid‑2026 patch cycle, potentially around the 0.6 update window.

Weapon Focus:

Swords: One‑handed for fast attacks and evasion, two‑handed for heavier strikes, and sword‑and‑shield hybrids for tanky builds.

Playstyle: Agile melee combat emphasizing parry, counterattacks, and fluid movement.

The Duelist is particularly exciting because swords—long a fan favorite—were absent from the earliest stages of PoE 2 development, despite community demand and internal commentary from GGG about their necessity.

Templar – Holy Warrior with Flail Power

Another class expected to arrive in 2026 is the Templar, a Strength/Intelligence hybrid that blends martial prowess with divine magic. Rumors and player projections place the Templar’s release potentially in late 2026, possibly around or just before the 1.0 launch window.

Weapon Focus:

Flails: Uncommon in ARPGs, flails give the Templar a unique identity, emphasizing sweeping strikes and holy‑infused melee spells.

Playstyle: A paladin‑like archetype combining buffs, consecrated ground effects, and defenses with offensive flail techniques.

Marauder – Brutal Strength and Axes

The Marauder is arguably the most straightforward class design conceptually: a pure Strength warrior wielding gargantuan axes. Community forecasts have placed the Marauder’s arrival around the full 1.0 release toward the end of 2026, although delays and prioritization could shift this.

Weapon Focus:

Axes: Expect high‑damage cleaves, sweeping area damage, and builds centered on raw physical force.

Playstyle: A tank‑style bruiser who thrives in the thick of battle, soaking hits while dishing out devastating blows.

Shadow – Stealth and Precision (Possibly Post‑2026)

The Shadow, a Dexterity/Intelligence hybrid familiar from the original game, represents dagger‑centric assassin gameplay. While it’s beloved by many fans, current projections speculate the Shadow might arrive post‑1.0, potentially in early 2027 due to the complexity of its mechanics and unique skill interactions.

Weapon Types and Their Impact

With each class comes the promise of new weapon types and mechanics:

Swords for the Duelist will diversify melee play, offering both speed and tactical depth.

Flails with the Templar introduce unconventional melee timing and range.

Axes for the Marauder emphasize brute force and crowd control.

These weapon types not only broaden build variety but also interact uniquely with PoE 2’s evolving skill gem system and passive trees, giving players new ways to customize their characters.

Looking Ahead

As Path of Exile 2 continues its early access development in 2026, the buy POE 2 Currency Orbs staggered release of classes like the Duelist, Templar, and Marauder promises to shape the meta and expand combat diversity. Although some classes like the Shadow may slip into 2027, the combination of new weapon types and class identities makes the journey to full release an exciting one for the ARPG community.

Whether you’re a fan of swift swordplay, holy flail strikes, or raw axe devastation, PoE 2’s future looks packed with options for every playstyle.