Path of Exile updated: animation improvements, map generation recipes + more added

Path of Exile has received a patch today, deploying version 0.10.1 of this free-to-play Diablo-style dungeon crawler. Some bug fixes, some balance changes, but the bulk of the meat here comes in the form of 11 new map types for end-game map generation, and a good amount of aesthetic content updates. By the way, if you’re looking for an experience akin to Diablo III or Torchlight II that’s free to play, I really suggest giving this one a shot – for a game that’s still technically in beta, it’s a tremendous amount of fun, especially with friends. Patch details below.

Version 0.10.1
Features/Content:

• All skill gems and support gems have received new art.
• The 3d artwork for many shields has been substantially updated and improved.
• Overhauled most of the sound effects so that they use pitch and volume variations to avoid being repetitive.
• Added new music for the Act Three boss fight.
• Improved all of the Duelist’s animations.
• The Unique bow Death’s Harp now has a particle effect for its custom art.
• Updated and shrunk the visual size of Frenzy, Endurance and Power charges.
• Added magic-only skeletons for the Map necro boss that can raise magic monsters.
• Pressing the alt (or highlight) key in trade while hovering an item now says “item level” rather than “level” to make it clearer.
• On-hit effects can now apply even if they deal no damage.
• Renamed “Angel Kite Shield” to “Angelic Kite Shield”.
• Overhauled the zombie audio.
• Improved blood effects.
• Continued to incrementally improve the art, effects, environments and sound.

End-game Map Changes:

• Added 11 new types of Maps: Arsenal, Arcade, Ghetto, Promenade, Temple, Colonnade, Bazaar, Crematorium, Precinct, Shipyard and Shrine.
• Map progression now extends to area level 77.
• Maps which had the same level topologies as other maps now have their own new layouts.
• The Labyrinthine mod now provides a more consistent increase in maps and is comparable to the Massive mod on applicable maps.
• Some existing maps have had their bosses changed or reworked.
• Some recipes for upgrading maps produce a different map than they did previously.

Balance Changes:

• Stun Threshold Reduction now has diminishing returns when it exceeds 75%. It’s still possible to build very effective stun characters, but they cannot permanently lock down the hardest of bosses.
• Increased the non-percentage Armour values on item mods to be the same as Evasion.
• Boss totems now do more damage with Spark.
• Increased the damage that Perpetus deals with Ethereal Knives.

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed a bug where monsters affected by the Energy Shield aura would get too much Energy Shield in multiplayer games.
• Fixed a bug with where social status messages could wrap around incorrectly.
• Fixed a bug where players could not right click offline players on the friends list.
• Fixed a bug where the Stun Threshold Reduction on Mortem Morsu was not limited to just attacks by that weapon.
• Fixed a server crash related to currency items.
• Fixed a server crash that would occur involving Bear Traps.
• If you have a full microtransaction stash and purchase an additional microtransaction, a new microtransaction tab will now be added. This currently only works if you are not logged into the game client at the time. The addition of microtransaction stashes while you are logged in will be fixed in a future patch.

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