Updated August 28, 2026. The gamescom Opening Night Live reveal aired on August 25. This guide now covers confirmed details: Duelist class mechanics, sword skills, and the December 11, 2026 1.0 launch date.
Quick answer (TL;DR): GGG confirmed at gamescom Opening Night Live (August 25, 2026): Path of Exile 2 is getting swords and the Duelist class, and the full 1.0 launch is set for December 11, 2026. The Duelist is a Strength/Dexterity hybrid with a Dual Stance system (Blood Stance + Sand Stance), a parry mechanic, and skills including Dual Strike, Lacerate, Cleave, Lightning Sweep, Whirling Blades, and Flicker Strike. A unique two-handed sword was shown (name not yet officially confirmed by GGG). The Duelist does not arrive in 0.5.5; the Forbidden Rites Event (September 4, 2026) is a temporary league with an economy reset but no new class. Duelist, swords, and full free-to-play launch together on December 11. The trailer is live on the official Path of Exile YouTube channel.
Path of Exile 2's biggest missing piece has been hiding in plain sight since Early Access launched: there are no swords in the game. Eight of the planned twelve classes are playable, but the fast, weaving, blade-focused Duelist — and the entire sword weapon category that comes with them — has been absent for nearly two years. Now GGG is heading to the single biggest stage in gaming, gamescom Opening Night Live, with an "exclusive reveal you won't want to miss" and a teaser that all but spells out S-W-O-R-D-S.
This guide covers exactly when and how to watch, what GGG has actually confirmed versus what's smart speculation, who the Duelist is and how they fit the 12-class roadmap, and the one question the whole community is arguing about: is this a 0.5.5 thing or a 1.0 thing? All times and facts are checked against GGG's own forum post and pathofexile.com.
PoE2 - Divine & Exalted Orbs
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When is the PoE2 gamescom 2026 reveal, and how do I watch it?
The reveal is part of gamescom Opening Night Live (ONL), the show that kicks off gamescom every year. Per GGG's official announcement, "gamescom ONL kicks off on August 25 at 11:00 AM PDT." The Path of Exile 2 segment airs during that broadcast.
Where to watch: the show streams on twitch.tv/gamescom. GGG confirmed that if you can't catch it live, "we'll also be posting the reveal on our social channels shortly after, so you won't miss out" — so the trailer will hit the official Path of Exile YouTube and X accounts within minutes of airing.
Here's the start time converted to the zones our readers actually use:
| Region | Local time (Aug 25, 2026) |
|---|---|
| US Pacific (PDT) | 11:00 AM |
| US Eastern (EDT) | 2:00 PM |
| UK (BST) | 7:00 PM |
| Central Europe (CEST) | 8:00 PM |
| GMT+3 (Moscow/Istanbul) | 9:00 PM |
| New Zealand (NZST, GGG HQ) | Aug 26, 6:00 AM |
Important: ONL is a multi-game showcase, not a Path of Exile-only stream. The PoE2 slot is one segment inside a two-hour-plus broadcast, so tune in near the top of the show and be ready to wait. If you're at gamescom in person, GGG is running a hands-on demo of the newly revealed content at their booth in Hall 6.1, B031 — the first public chance to actually play whatever gets shown.
What GGG confirmed at gamescom: Duelist class, swords, and December 11 launch
The gamescom ONL trailer delivered on every expectation. GGG confirmed three major facts:
- Swords confirmed — both one-handed and two-handed variants. One-handed swords can be dual-wielded or paired with a shield or sceptre. Two-handed swords are the raw damage option. A unique two-handed sword was briefly shown in the trailer, though GGG has not yet named it in official materials.
- Duelist class confirmed. The Duelist is a Strength/Dexterity hybrid — the same passive tree position as the Mercenary, at the bottom-middle. Lore framing: a Grand Arena-trained champion who fights for those who cannot defend themselves. The Duelist is the first class in PoE2 dedicated to sword combat.
- PoE2 1.0 full launch confirmed for December 11, 2026 — this is when Duelist, swords, remaining Acts, and full free-to-play status go live across PC (Steam/Epic), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
A registration campaign launched simultaneously at pathofexile2.com/register, with cosmetic rewards unlocked at community milestone tiers (helmet attachment → weapon effect → portal → wings → pet as registration counts climb).
Who is the Duelist in PoE2?
The Duelist is one of PoE2's twelve planned character classes. GGG built the roster as two classes for every combination of Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence, each with three ascendancies (36 ascendancies at full scope). The Duelist is the Strength/Dexterity hybrid — the "master the art of swordplay" archetype, light on their feet and built around aggressive melee.
As of the current 0.5 "Return of the Ancients" (Runes of Aldur) patch, eight of the twelve classes are live:
- Warrior (Str), Ranger (Dex), Witch (Int), Sorceress (Int), Monk (Dex/Int), Mercenary (Str/Dex), plus the two EA additions Huntress (Dex/Str spear user) and Druid (shapeshifter).
That leaves four classes still unreleased: Marauder, Templar, Duelist, and Shadow. Of those, the Duelist is the most-requested precisely because it unlocks a whole weapon category. GGG has also been candid that the original plan has shifted — the studio has said it may not ship all twelve classes for 1.0, so each new class reveal genuinely matters. That's a big part of why a Duelist tease at gamescom is a bigger deal than a normal patch teaser.
Duelist skills and mechanics confirmed at gamescom
The trailer showed the Duelist's core kit. Here are the confirmed skills, plus the two defining mechanical systems:
| Skill | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dual Strike | Strike | High single-target DPS, dual-wield focus |
| Lacerate | Melee AoE | Slashing arc attack, bleed synergy |
| Cleave | Melee AoE | Wide sweep for clearing packs |
| Lightning Sweep | Lightning melee | Lightning-infused sword sweep (shown in trailer; less widely confirmed than the others) |
| Whirling Blades | Movement | Dash-through-enemies mobility skill |
| Flicker Strike | Movement/Strike | Teleport-strike; synergises with Slayer ascendancy |
Dual Stance System (confirmed): the Duelist switches between Blood Stance (offensive modifier — more damage, aggressive posture) and Sand Stance (defensive modifier — evasion, positioning bonuses). This stance toggle is a core mechanical identity of the class, not just a cosmetic change.
Parry System (confirmed): a functional parry mechanic adds defensive depth to melee. Timing specifics were not detailed in the trailer.
PoE2 has been in Early Access since December 6, 2024 — roughly 21 months without swords by the time of this reveal. No DPS tooltip values were shown; GGG did not publish numbers in the trailer or the post-reveal forum post.
PoE2 - Power Leveling
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0.5.5 vs 1.0: confirmed answer
This was the community's biggest question before the reveal. GGG answered it directly at gamescom:
- 0.5.5 "Forbidden Rites Event" — September 4, 2026 (20:00 UTC). A one-month temporary league with a full economy reset, 8 new challenges, a Trial of Chaos overhaul, and new unique items. No Duelist in 0.5.5.
- PoE2 1.0 Full Release — December 11, 2026. This is when Duelist, swords, the remaining campaign Acts, and full free-to-play status arrive across PC (Steam/Epic), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
- ExileCon 2026 — November 7–8, 2026 (Auckland, New Zealand). GGG will reveal full ascendancy details (including Duelist ascendancy names and passives) at ExileCon on November 7–8, 2026.
If you want to main the Duelist at 1.0, the prep window is September 4–December 11 — roughly 99 days in the Forbidden Rites event league to build a currency cushion before the 1.0 economy resets.
What the reveal means for your PoE2 economy and 1.0 prep
Whether swords arrive in 0.5.5 or at 1.0, both roads lead to the same thing for your stash: a fresh economy and a fresh grind. The 0.5.5 event league starts a new, separate economy; 1.0 (December 11, 2026) is a full economy reset where standard-league currency values effectively start over. A new class also means a surge of new and returning players re-rolling from scratch — which historically spikes demand (and prices) on early-game currency and leveling services right at launch.
If you already know you want to main the Duelist the second it's playable, the low-stress prep is simple:
Get ready for the new class the smart way:
- PoE2 Divine Orbs — instant delivery, best rate, so your fresh sword build isn't stuck in the poverty phase.
- PoE2 Currency (all orbs) — divine, exalted, chaos and more in one place to bankroll early crafting.
- PoE2 Leveling & Boss Carries — skip the campaign slog on day one and jump straight into mapping with your new Duelist.
- PoE2 Leveling — hand off the level grind and log in to a maps-ready character.
Buying currency into a hard reset is a timing game — a modest cushion set aside now converts into a huge head start when everyone else is farming their first exalts.
FAQ
When did the PoE2 gamescom 2026 reveal air? The reveal aired at gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25, 2026 at 11:00 AM PDT. GGG confirmed the Duelist class, sword weapon type, and the December 11, 2026 1.0 launch date. The trailer is now available on the official Path of Exile YouTube channel.
Are swords confirmed for Path of Exile 2? Yes — confirmed at gamescom ONL on August 25, 2026. GGG revealed both one-handed and two-handed swords, along with the Duelist class built around them. One-handed swords support dual-wield or shield/sceptre combinations; two-handed swords are the raw damage variant. The unique two-handed sword shown in the trailer is the Genos Blade.
Who is the Duelist in PoE2? The Duelist is the Strength/Dexterity "swordplay" class — one of PoE2's twelve planned classes and one of the four not yet released (alongside Marauder, Templar, and Shadow). Eight of the twelve classes are currently live in patch 0.5.
Will swords come in 0.5.5 or in 1.0? The Duelist and swords arrive with 1.0 on December 11, 2026. The next patch — 0.5.5 "Forbidden Rites Event" (September 4, 2026) — is a temporary league with economy reset and new challenges but no new class. The full class reveal with ascendancy details is expected at ExileCon in early November 2026.
Where can I watch the gamescom PoE2 trailer? The reveal trailer is live on the official Path of Exile YouTube channel and on GGG's official X account. GGG posted it shortly after the ONL broadcast ended on August 25.
How many classes does PoE2 have right now? Eight of a planned twelve are playable: Warrior, Ranger, Witch, Sorceress, Monk, Mercenary, Huntress, and Druid. The remaining four — Marauder, Templar, Duelist, and Shadow — are still to come, and GGG has said not all twelve are guaranteed for the 1.0 launch.
What skills does the PoE2 Duelist use? The confirmed sword skills from the gamescom trailer are: Dual Strike (high single-target, dual-wield), Lacerate (slashing AoE, bleed synergy), Cleave (wide sweep), Lightning Sweep (lightning-infused sword arc), Whirling Blades (dash-through-enemies), and Flicker Strike (teleport-strike). The class also uses a Dual Stance system — Blood Stance (offensive) and Sand Stance (defensive) — plus a parry mechanic. No hard tooltip values were published by GGG.
When is PoE2 1.0? December 11, 2026 (PST). This is the full free-to-play launch with Duelist, swords, remaining campaign Acts, and cross-platform availability (PC via Steam/Epic, PS5, Xbox Series X|S). The next event before that is 0.5.5 "Forbidden Rites" (September 4, 2026), which resets the economy but does not include the Duelist class.
Updated August 28, 2026. Confirmed against the official GGG gamescom forum post and post-reveal coverage. All skill names sourced from the reveal trailer; ascendancy names (Gladiator and Slayer) are expected based on trailer visual evidence but not yet officially named by GGG — full ascendancy details coming at ExileCon on November 7–8, 2026.
