Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame will officially launch on July 24th at 1 PM PDT. Currently, the official release only includes some adjustments and a trailer.

What we know so far is that Patch 3.29 will bring a brand new deep-sea themed challenge league, significant changes to Endgame Encyclopedia system, a new Pacts skill gem system, and comprehensive balancing for Self-cast and Assassin talents.

The specific adjustments are undoubtedly nerfs and buffs, and the content certainly includes more than what the trailer tells us. So, who will be the winners and losers of this update?

Losers

1. Life Stacking

Life Stacking has always held a high position in the meta, dating back to PoE 3.24, when the developers added Apostate, allowing players to gain maximum health through an energy shield for the first time. This was the origin of Life Stacking.

Later updates added more equipment that could provide maximum health and affixes with similar attributes, making Life Stacking ubiquitous. However, in Path of Exile 3.29, all of these items received nerfs. The most severe nerf is to Rathpith Globe, a key support item for Life Stacking.

Rathpith Globe's original 5% increase in spell damage and spell critical strike chance per 100 points of maximum player health has been reduced to 3%. This change isn't limited to items that are no longer obtainable; if you reroll the stats of the original Rathpith Globe using Divine Orbs, it will be downgraded to the nerfed stats of 3.29.

Furthermore, Foulborn Ghostwrithe and Grey Wind, another key Life Stacking item, also received nerfs to varying degrees.

Foulborn Ghostwrithe's percentage of maximum health converted into an energy shield has been reduced from 40% to 35%; and Grey Wind's unique Added Fire Damage based on Maximum Life has also been slightly nerfed.

If your Life Stacking build only uses Rathpith Globe, it won't be nerfed too severely in Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame. However, if you combine it with any other key gear, it will be severely impacted.

2. Breach

Breach was the most profitable mechanic in Path of Exile's Mirage Challenge League in patch 3.28 because of its inherent mechanics and GGG's efforts to improve player rewards.

However, in PoE 3.29, Breach seems to be getting nerfed as well. While the official announcement hasn't explicitly stated it, it does mention a reduction in the average number of monsters in Breach.

This is a cumulative nerf. Because you need to understand that your Path of Exile Currency, Items, crafting materials, and other loot rewards are all tied to the number of monsters, not to mention that some gear requires specific farming in Breach.

A reduction in the number of monsters in Breach essentially means a decrease in both the quantity and quality of loot. You'll need to spend more time farming and clearing monsters to achieve the same level of rewards as before.

3. Totems

Totems received several nerfs in PoE: Curse of the Allflame.

First, the critical strike chance provided by its specialization affix was reduced from 60% to 40%; the critical strike chance increase provided by its core Totem talent for Totems abilities was reduced from 60% to 50%, and the critical strike damage bonus provided by its prerequisite minor talents for Totems abilities was reduced from 20% to 16%.

This nerf primarily targets the free critical strike chance of spellcaster Totems without any gear advantage, impacting their maximum damage output in the mid-to-late game by approximately 5%. Overall, Hierophant is the most affected by Totem nerfs.

Also Read: Starting PoE 3.29 Curse of the Allflame? These 5 Builds Offer a Smooth League Experience

Winners

For game balance, there are losers and winners.

1. Legion

Legion underwent its most extensive reward system overhaul and gameplay simplification since its debut in Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame.

PoE 3.29 completely removed all Incubators, eliminating the need to frequently open your inventory to max out equipment's Incubation progress. As a replacement for Incubators, Legion will now exclusively produce a new currency - Enshrouding Crystals.

You can use Enshrouding Crystals on any Unique Armour and then transfer it to the central crystal in Domain of Timeless Conflict.

After defeating a Legion Boss, the target Unique Armour will be transformed into Vestigial Unique Items, whose original powerful affixes will receive a significant lossless transfer and random amplification. This means you have a chance to create the game's most powerful gear this season.

2. Abyss

Abyss also underwent a complete overhaul in PoE 3.29. The official release not only incorporated the highly praised Abyss exploration mechanic from Path of Exile 2 into PoE 1, but also introduced a brand-new Atlas Boss - Zorath. Its unique drop mechanism has been restructured, shifting from long, map-wide runs to high-intensity, targeted battles.

To enhance the exclusivity of Legion and Abyss rewards, GGG stipulated in Path of Exile 3.29 that core Uniques, Abyssal Jewels, and Stygian Vises can only be obtained through Abyss gameplay itself; these items will no longer randomly drop from regular chests in other leagues.

The new Boss can be unlocked by collecting a new rare ticket item, Zorath's Eye of Malevolence, through Abyss gameplay. Defeating it will grant players a full collection of Abyss-themed Unique Items as rewards. Considering the trailers and other mechanic changes, Abyss is likely to be one of the main ways to obtain Allflame.

Furthermore, with Reflect damage modifier fully removed from Atlas maps in PoE 3.29, players can now freely use large-scale AoE explosions, self-cast spells, and totem setups without any limitations, creating a much smoother and more enjoyable farming experience.

3. Scion

The official team completely reworked Scion ascendancy class, introducing the previously unseen Luminary mechanic, making it the biggest winner of Path of Exile 3.29 League.

Luminary mechanic works synergistically with Trarthan Mercenaries, which became core in 3.29, making Scion the only class that can fully leverage this mechanic.

Previously, re-rolling off-colors across attributes was extremely painful in previous League, but PoE 3.29 completely freed up the gear re-rolling mechanism, drastically reducing the progression cost for Scion with hybrid builds.

Secondly, Path of Exile 3.29 also introduced exception skill gems that require the user to absorb negative status effects. With its exceptionally high talent flexibility and versatile defensive attributes, Scion can perfectly absorb these negative penalties and transform them into terrifying offensive power, greatly enhancing its overall strength.

These are my thoughts on the winners and losers in the latest changes to Curse of the Allflame League. What are your opinions?