Path of Exile 2 to Reintroduce Swords in 1.0 as Grinding Gear Explains Delay
Grinding Gear Games is bringing back one of the most requested missing pieces for Path of Exile 2—swords—when the 1.0 build lands this December. In an interview, game director Jonathan Rogers explained why the absence lasted longer than players expected, and why the studio’s approach to the Duelist class (including its signature “spin to win” style) required far more work than simply adding a weapon type.
Why swords were missing until Path of Exile 2’s 1.0
Rogers said the team “couldn’t imagine” shipping version 1.0 without swords. At the same time, he admitted he was surprised by how much attention the community put on their absence—enough that it became a target for criticism and even jokes.
He also pointed to a development sequencing issue: some class work arrived later than others. Classes centered on close-quarters combat were not among the earliest priorities, and getting them up to the standard the community expected for PoE2 turned out to be more demanding than expected.
What makes Duelist hard to build
The Duelist was highlighted as a key example of that extra challenge. Rogers called it one of the more difficult classes to prototype, largely because of the animation burden. The studio’s goal wasn’t just to fill the screen with effects, but to make sword fighting feel like an actual duel.
Rogers said they managed to hit that target, and that the Duelist should stand out compared to many other action RPG characters. He also framed the character’s theme as familiar to longtime players of the original Path of Exile, while emphasizing that the class will play completely differently.
Mechanically, the Duelist is set to bring back stances associated with “Blood” and “Sand,” but Rogers stressed that these weren’t simply carried over—they were effectively rebuilt and will function in a new way.
“Spin to win” returns—without breaking the combos system
While the Duelist’s overall kit required careful redesign, the team was certain from the start that it had to include Cyclone—the iconic attack built around spinning with a weapon. The problem, Rogers said, was balancing that classic “spin to win” identity with Path of Exile 2’s more combo-focused combat.
Rather than changing Cyclone’s character outright, GGG chose to expand how it can be modified. Rogers stated that players who want a simpler experience will still be able to build Cyclone in less complicated ways by selecting the right unique items, gems, and other mechanics. At the other end of the spectrum, endgame options are intended to push Cyclone into something “crazy,” giving advanced players room to explore deeper variations.
Rogers also addressed GGG’s broader design process: despite years of experience with the franchise, the studio doesn’t follow a single recipe for what makes a class “good.” Instead, it runs lots of prototypes and tries to find the element that gives each character a unique identity—for example, ensuring a Druid’s animal form moves like the intended creature (like a wolf) rather than behaving like a human in an animal costume.
When players can try it
Rogers said the results of this work won’t be delayed for too long. Path of Exile 2 version 1.0 is set to launch on December 11.
- GGG targeted version 1.0 shipping without swords for no one, despite the community focusing on their absence for a long time.
- Rogers linked the delay to how class development order affected close-combat setups and how hard it was to meet community expectations.
- The Duelist became a standout example: difficult sword-fight animation work, a familiar theme, but rebuilt mechanics including Blood/Sand stances.
- Cyclone is confirmed as part of the Duelist kit, with GGG expanding modification options to fit the game’s combo-driven combat.
- Path of Exile 2 1.0 launches December 11.
