Path of Exile's 3.8 content patch goes live today, and brings from it the Blight Challenge League, introducing a surprisingly refreshing league mechanic (for the ARPG, a minimum of): tower defense.
Throughout the league, players are going to be fighting The Blight, the spread that would need to be stopped in a very tower defense-style minigame seen in each zone. In the end-game, some maps will likely be entirely ridden with Blight!
Like most Path of Exile leagues of brand new times, Blight brings along with it Softcore (the off the shelf game type where dying is just not punished too heavily) and POE Orbs Hardcore (where each character only lives once and death means you should start over yourself) leagues, Including a Solo Self-Found (where trading and party-play are disabled, so effective a complete single-player experience) version of the, and it is expected to last roughly a couple of months.
Aside from your fresh start that provides each challenge league, Blight 3.8 brings from it a large number of changes and additions (the complete list of what you can get in the 3.8 Patch Notes). Here are some notable aspects:
Oils are a Blight-specific mechanic that permits you to enchant rings and amulets with special properties. Ring enchants enable you to improve your towers, while amulet enchants provides a Notable Passive Skill from your Passive tree.
Summoners are already the focal point from the balance changes just for this patch, with all the Necromancer Ascendancy finding a fresh face.
The Assassin Ascendancy was refreshed and Buy POE Items Poison Assassin is back due to a new skill and support gems.
Saboteur (together with all the Mine mechanics) are also revamped significantly.
The Master mission system continues to be reworked for being less frustrating and grindy, now providing you the freedom to own your master missions in maps within your choosing, and with no daily reset constraints.
Many new skill and support gems in addition to Unique items are added to the action.
Legion (3.7) moved to core, so its mechanics are (mostly) part in the Blight league.
