In a heartening display of camaraderie, returning Path of Exile players are cautioning sequel newcomers that they could be falling foul of some petty in-game scams that have been around since the original.
“PSA: Double check your Divine trades” and “report scammers,” begs one poster on the Path of Exile 2 subreddit. As an always-online multiplayer RPG, players spend a lot of time interacting with strangers and friends alike. Trading items is part and parcel of what makes Path of Exile 2 tick, but much like its predecessor, the game is already ridden with nasty cheaters looking to rob you blind by taking advantage of the commerce chain.
Another thread on the subreddit goes into this scam in detail. “They list an item at a very attractive price,” explains ReadyToKill8. “Then, when you trade with him, he initially shows you the correct item, but cancels the trade, then asks a little more. When re-trading, he will swap to a different item.” The problem here seems to be compounded by the frequent use of two in-game currencies: Exhalted Orbs and Divine Orbs respectively. Divine Orbs seem to be worth more, a premium currency primarily used in high-value crafting, while Exhalted Orbs are worth markedly less thanks to a change in the meta. As a result, scammers might try and take advantage of new players not realizing the value of their items, or trading them for an unfair price by creating confusion between currency types.
There will always be a handful of wronguns when it comes to online multiplayer games, but it’s good to see veterans helping newer fans suss out the strange new world of Path of Exile 2. Oh, and don’t forget to report any n’er-do-wells, of course.