Path of Exile 3.29 “Curse of the Allflame” Gem Overhaul

Grinding Gear Games is preparing to kick off the Path of Exile 3.29 league, “Curse of the Allflame,” and it’s being positioned as a particularly welcoming entry point for players who want an ARPG that’s deep without feeling locked behind decades of tradition. The update arrives as Path of Exile 2 continues toward its own 1.0 milestone, but the original game is staying fully alive—alternating major content with its newer sibling rather than replacing it.

Key takeaways

Path of Exile 3.29, titled “Curse of the Allflame,” launches on Friday, July 24.
The update makes gem setup easier by removing gem-specific socket color restrictions.
GGG is adding 12 new skills, including demon-bound “Pacts,” and rebalancing over 150 older skills.
Rolling Magma may be less of the default path as the game director expects “all kinds of new builds.”
The league mechanic features ocean travel to underwater expeditions and a crafting approach that shows multiple upgrade outcomes.

Path of Exile 3.29: What’s new for players

“Curse of the Allflame” is the next major league update for the original Path of Exile. While Path of Exile 2 is still moving forward toward its planned 1.0 release later this year, Grinding Gear Games says the two action RPGs will continue to coexist. That means Path of Exile 2 and Path of Exile will both receive updates, alternating so players have plenty of loot-driven momentum across both games.

For Path of Exile newcomers, the biggest change is in how skills connect to your gear. In earlier versions, players needed to match gem requirements with socket colors on equipment—an approach that could make experimentation feel restrictive. Path of Exile 3.29 breaks with that near-20-year tradition by removing gem-specific socket color restrictions, making it far easier to find the right equipment space for the abilities you want to use.

This also aims to reduce friction when upgrading loot. If you find a better piece of gear, the process of keeping your preferred skills active should be simpler, since you’re no longer forced to worry about whether the item’s socket layout can support the gems you rely on.

New skills, major rebalance, and a push away from the old meta

GGG is also making a broad shakeup to the balance meta. Path of Exile 3.29 adds 12 new skills to discover, including special “Pacts” that bind you to a demon—trading increased power against negative afflictions. On top of that, more than 150 existing skills are being rebalanced, with an emphasis on bringing spellcasters more into focus.

One effect of these changes is expected to be a shift in common new-player build paths. Many popular starter builds have leaned heavily on a skill called “Rolling Magma,” which uses a bouncing fireball style that can feel awkward but remains strong enough that guides often include fallback recommendations if players don’t gel with it.

During a Path of Exile 3.29 preview, game director Mark Roberts said he expects “all kinds of new builds” to emerge from the update’s changes, and that he’s hoping to move players away from the Rolling Magma meta. While the skill may remain viable, the intent is clear: the update should open up more options so players can level in different directions without feeling locked into a single widely-used approach.

League mechanic and crafting: underwater expeditions with visible outcomes

The “Curse of the Allflame” league mechanic centers on exploration and a distinctive crafting flow. Players begin by sailing across an ocean to reach underwater expeditions, where they map routes while using giant bubbles of air to traverse the sea floor and pursue the best loot.

Crafting is built around reducing risk and teaching players how upgrades can play out. Instead of committing blindly, the league’s crafting system lets you view multiple possible outcomes for an item upgrade before choosing which result to keep. This provides a safety net for experimentation while also helping players learn how each crafting option functions.

Release date and access

Path of Exile 3.29 launches on Friday, July 24 at 1pm PT / 4pm ET / 9pm BST / 10pm CEST. Players can access the update for free via Steam or the game’s standalone launcher. With Path of Exile 2 expected to go free-to-play when its 1.0 update lands, this is framed as a strong window for newcomers to jump into the original game—especially with fewer long-standing constraints standing between new builds and the gems that power them.