While you can make your way through most content solo in Path of Exile 2, the game is much more fun when enjoyed with a friend in multiplayer or couch co-op. The game will allow you to make a party of up to six players, and there are a few variations to certain elements of gameplay that come into effect when you are enjoying multiplayer.
Much of these variations revolve around loot sharing and bossing, hence, there are a few things that you will need to keep in mind when you are tackling missions with a group of friends.
So if you want to make the most of the multiplayer aspects in the RPG, here is how you can do it.
How to add friends in Path of Exile 2
To add a friend in Path of Exile 2, you will need to open the Social Menu, head to the “Friends” tab, and then select “Add New Friend”. A box will open up where you will need to type their in-game name along with the hashtag.
Confirm it, and wait for them to accept the request. Once they do, you will then be able to invite them to a party and they will be on the same instance as you.
Note: You will only be able to add and invite a friend in PoE 2 if they are on the same server as you are.
How to invite friends to a party and play PoE 2 multiplayer
Once you have added your friends to your socials list, you will be able to invite them to a party by pressing J again to open up the Social Screen and then finding their portrait. As long as they are online you will be able to right-click on their portrait and then select the “Invite to Party” option.
When they accept the invite and become a pretty member, their portrait will appear on the left side of the screen. You can also teleport to their location by clicking on the spiral that is below their portrait.
How does the Party Board system work in Path of Exile 2
The Party Board is a system in PoE 2 that will let you look for groups of players doing a particular content. You don’t have to skim through the Notice Board or use global channels to find a group for an activity.
When you open the “Party” tab in the Social Menu you will be prompted to either make or join a party. If you are making a party you will be able to set a few Item Allocation modes including:
- Free for All
- Short
- Permanent Allocation
You can also adjust the Default Level Downscaling as well as access to Map Portals which will have the following options:
- All Party Members
- Only Friends
- Only Friends or Guild
- Only You
If you are playing solo and looking to join a party instead, you can use the Part Board to join one of the various groups that are going for the activity that you want.
Things to keep in mind for PoE 2 multiplayer
Here are a few important things to keep in mind when enjoying multiplayer with your friends in Path of Exile 2:
1) Loot is shared and not picked up by on player
if you are in a party and you see an item drop, there is a small period when you will not be able to pick it up. You will need to decide as a group who gets it and sort it out accordingly.
There is no loot stealing in PoE 2, and you will need to work with other party members if you are looking to get your hands on a particular item.
2) Enemies and bosses will have a higher health pool when you are in a party
If you are tackling content in multiplayer you will see that enemies and bosses have a much higher health pool. Moreover, you will also see that elite enemies are spawning more often. So while clearing mobs will be easier, clearing harder content will take a bit more time.
3) You can swap loot by trading with party members
To trade with friends and party members in Path of Exile 2, you will need to right-click on their portrait and then select the “Trade” option. Once they accept the request, you will be able to swap any time that you want.
4) You can only access areas that you have unlocked
You will be able to only access areas that you have unlocked when enjoying PoE 2 with friends. Even if one of your party members has access to a zone that you don’t, you will not be able to get there if you have not discovered it for yourself by progressing through the narrative.
How to revive friends and other players in Path of Exile 2
One neat party system in PoE 2 is that you will be able to revive fallen allies if you are still standing. This feature comes in clutch when you are up against some really hard content. So if a party member goes down, this is how you can revive them:
- Stand in the golden AoE which surrounds their fallen body.
- Click and fold the “revive” words which are on a banner over their body.
- The animation takes a while to complete, and you will have to go through the entirety if it to successfully revive them.
- If you are attacked or release the click, the revive animation will be interrupted and you will have to start it all over again.
How to play couch co-op in PoE 2
To set up a couch co-op in Path of Exile 2, you will need to have at least two controllers and two characters made, once you have that set, you will need to:
- Head to the character select menu and then tap on the settings cog which is on the top left.
- Here in the input, you will need to switch to “Controller”. Make sure that a controller is connected if the option is greyed out.
- Now select “Controller #1” and pick the first connected controller.
- Next, scroll down to the “Controller #2” option. Select “Controller Device” and then choose the second controller.
- If you have done this correctly, you will get the ‘Couch Coop Mode Enabled’ notification. Now save your changes, and exit the menu, you will now see two characters standing next to each other.
Note: in couch co-op not only do you share a screen with your friends, you also share gold with them when clearing content.
