Patch Notes

PoE2 0.2.0f: How to Respec Ascendancy, Use Atlas Bookmarks, and Why Charm & Rune Drops Changed

A historical how-to for 0.2.0f: respeccing your Ascendancy via a qualifying trial and the Ascension Device, using Atlas Bookmarks, and why Charm slots and Lesser/Medium Rune drops changed at high tier.

0.2.0fUpdated 2026-08-02
The Trialmaster and Ascendancy trials in 0.2.0f
On this page
  1. Quick answer: how to respec
  2. Historical context: version facts
  3. Migration guide: respec flow
  4. Trial requirement table
  5. Atlas Bookmarks
  6. Charm slots: before and after
  7. Rune drop progression
  8. Pinnacle respawn change
  9. Current applicability (0.5.4e)
  10. Then vs now
  11. Known issues & troubleshooting
  12. Community evidence
  13. FAQ
  14. Sources and verification
  15. Changelog
Historical Patch

Not the current client version

Current comparison baseline: 0.5.4e

Last checked against current content: 2026-08-02

OVERVIEW

Quick answer: how to respec

Patch 0.2.0f added the ability to respec your Ascendancy class, a change many players had requested since early access began. The short answer: you do not respec by talking to an NPC. You must complete an Ascendancy trial that meets the points requirement, then use the Ascension Device to refund your points and choose a new Ascendancy.

This article explains the full 0.2.0f flow, the Atlas Bookmarks that also arrived in this patch, and the Charm and Rune drop changes that surprised players. Because 0.2.0f is a historical patch, we note which behaviours still apply in 0.5.4e and which were later adjusted.

If your only goal is the respec, jump to the migration guide below. If your old belt's Charm slots did not update, or you stopped seeing Lesser Runes at high level, the change-explorer and FAQ sections cover those cases.

  • Ascendancy Respec, Atlas Bookmarks, and Charm or Rune drops all changed in 0.2.0f.
  • Respec requires completing a qualifying Ascendancy trial.
  • Old belts do not automatically gain the new Charm slot behaviour.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Historical context: version facts

Early Access, 0.2.0f hotfix window

Compared against the current 0.5.4e baseline.

0.2.0f was a focused follow-up to the large Dawn of the Hunt content update. While 0.2.0 introduced whole systems, 0.2.0f concentrated on quality-of-life and drop-rate corrections that players had flagged during the first weeks of the league.

The headline features were Ascendancy Respecialisation and Atlas Bookmarks, but the patch also adjusted how Charms and Runes drop. These drop changes are the kind of silent adjustment that old guides miss, so we document them here as historical fact.

As with other historical patches, the current baseline is 0.5.4e. Some 0.2.0f rules still hold; others were refined in later patches. The current-applicability section lists which is which.

  • 0.2.0f followed the 0.2.0 Dawn of the Hunt update.
  • Focused on QoL: Ascendancy respec and Atlas Bookmarks.
  • Also adjusted Charm and Rune drop behaviour.

MIGRATION GUIDE

Migration guide: respec flow

  1. From: Locked into current Ascendancy with no respec optionTo: Complete an Ascendancy trial that meets the points requirement

    You must earn the trial points (the meeting-point threshold) before a respec is possible.

  2. From: Existing Ascendancy points allocatedTo: Refund all Ascendancy points to zero at the Ascension Device

    The device lets you strip your current Ascendancy allocation back to a blank slate.

  3. From: No Ascendancy chosenTo: Choose your new Ascendancy at the Ascension Device

    After refunding, pick the Ascendancy you want from the device interface.

  4. From: New Ascendancy selectedTo: Reallocate your Ascendancy points as desired

    Spend the refunded points in the new Ascendancy's tree.

DATA TABLE

Trial requirement table

Note: Ascendancy trial requirements relevant to respeccing in 0.2.0f (specific thresholds marked unknown where unverified).

TrialLevelPoints requiredNotes
First Ascendancy trialunknown / 待核实meeting-point requirementComplete the trial and meet the points threshold before respeccing.
Subsequent trialsunknown / 待核实per trialEach later Ascendancy step has its own trial and point gate.
Ascension Devicen/arefund to 0 then reallocateUsed to strip and reassign Ascendancy points.

OVERVIEW

Atlas Bookmarks

Atlas Bookmarks were added in 0.2.0f as a way to save and jump between points of interest on your Atlas. Each bookmark stores a location you can return to through the Atlas navigation, reducing the friction of repeated farming routes.

Bookmarks appear as icons you place on the Atlas with a label, so you can name a favourite map, a Tower, or a farming cluster and revisit it without re-finding the spot manually. The exact number of bookmarks available and the icon set are details we mark as unverified, because later patches adjusted the Atlas UI.

In practice, bookmarks turned the Atlas from a map you re-explored each session into a set of saved waypoints. This was a quiet but meaningful quality-of-life win for players running the same rotations daily.

  • Bookmarks save Atlas locations for quick return.
  • Each bookmark has an icon and a label.
  • Bookmark count and exact icon set are 待核实 for 0.2.0f.

BEFORE AFTER

Charm slots: before and after

Before 0.2.0f (existing belts)Belts crafted before the Charm-slot change already had their slot configuration. They were built under the old Charm rules.
After 0.2.0f (new belts)New belts gain the updated Charm slot behaviour. Belts that existed before the change do not automatically receive the new slots; you must obtain or craft a new belt to get them.

CHANGE EXPLORER

Rune drop progression

Item

Lesser Rune drop stop

In 0.2.0f, Lesser Runes stopped dropping once you reached higher character or area tiers, shifting the rune economy toward higher-tier runes.

Official 0.2.0f notes
Item

Medium Rune drop stop

Medium Runes likewise stopped dropping at high tier, so late-game rune income came from the top-end runes rather than low and mid tiers.

Official 0.2.0f notes

CHANGE EXPLORER

Pinnacle respawn change

Boss

Difficulty 0 unlimited respawn (historical rule)

0.2.0f documented a historical rule where Pinnacle bosses at Difficulty 0 allowed unlimited respawns. The exact respawn limits at higher difficulties and the later changes are marked 待核实, as respawn rules were adjusted in subsequent patches (for example, 0.1.1c extended respawn to more bosses).

Official 0.2.0f notes

CURRENT APPLICABILITY

Current applicability (0.5.4e)

MechanicStatusCurrent rule (0.5.4e)Superseded byRead
Ascendancy RespecStill currentRespeccing via a qualifying trial and the Ascension Device remains possible in 0.5.4e.Ascendancy guide
Atlas BookmarksStill currentAtlas Bookmarks persist as an Atlas navigation feature in 0.5.4e.Atlas guide
Charm slot on old beltsChanged laterOld belts still do not auto-update; new belts carry current Charm slots.later patchesCharm item page
Lesser or Medium Rune drop stopChanged laterHigh-tier rune drop gates persist but were expanded by later rune additions (0.2.1 added 22 Endgame Runes).0.2.1Rune item page

THEN VS NOW

Then vs now

Ascendancy change

Then

Pre-0.2.0f: no respec option.

Now

0.5.4e: respec via trial plus Ascension Device.

Atlas navigation

Then

Pre-0.2.0f: manual re-finding of spots.

Now

0.5.4e: saved bookmarks.

Charm slots

Then

Pre-0.2.0f: old belts locked to old slots.

Now

0.5.4e: new belts use current slots.

KNOWN ISSUES

Known issues & troubleshooting

  • TrackingPlayers report being unable to switch Ascendancy immediately after a trial; confirming the points requirement and using the Ascension Device resolves it.
  • OpenOld belts do not show new Charm slots; this is expected behaviour, not a bug - obtain a new belt.
  • OpenLesser Runes stop dropping at high tier; intended drop progression, not a missing drop.

COMMUNITY EVIDENCE

Community evidence

Forum (0.2.0f)Players asked why they could not change Ascendancy right after a trial.
Finished the trial but the respec button is greyed out.
Consistent with the requirement to meet the points threshold and use the Ascension Device.
Reddit (0.2.0f)Players noticed old belts lacked new Charm slots.
My old belt never got the charm slots.
Matches the historical rule that existing belts do not auto-update.

QUESTIONS

FAQ

Why can't I switch Ascendancy after the trial?

You must meet the trial's points requirement and then use the Ascension Device to refund your points and choose a new Ascendancy; finishing the trial alone is not enough.

Why didn't my old belt's Charm slots update?

Existing belts keep their original slot configuration. The new Charm slot behaviour applies to belts made or acquired after the change, so you need a new belt to get the slots.

Why do I no longer see Lesser Runes at high level?

0.2.0f changed rune drop progression so Lesser (and Medium) Runes stop dropping once you reach high character or area tiers; this is intended, not a bug.

How do Atlas Bookmarks work?

You place a labelled icon on the Atlas to save a location and return to it through Atlas navigation. The exact bookmark count for 0.2.0f is 待核实.

Can I respec more than once?

Yes, each respec follows the same flow: complete a qualifying trial, refund at the Ascension Device, and reallocate. Later Ascendancy steps have their own trial gates.

Are these 0.2.0f rules still current in 0.5.4e?

Mostly. Respec and bookmarks persist; Charm slots and rune drops were refined in later patches such as 0.2.1.

SOURCES

Sources and verification

Path of Exile 2 official 0.2.0f Patch Notes

Ascendancy Respec, Atlas Bookmarks, Charm and Rune drop changes.

Path of Exile 2 official 0.2.0 Patch Notes

Dawn of the Hunt baseline context.

PoE2 official forums (EA index)

Early Access patch note index.

CHANGELOG

Changelog

    • Historical write-up of 0.2.0f Ascendancy Respec, Atlas Bookmarks, and Charm or Rune drop changes.
    • Added troubleshooting and FAQ for respec and charm-slot questions.

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