The term “ecology” might seem unusual when talking about ARPG class balance, but for PoE 2 Currency, it’s surprisingly fitting. Every patch creates a new ecosystem — predators, prey, dominant species, and surprising survivals. Patch 0.4.0 reshaped that ecosystem more profoundly than any update since the closed beta began, and no class felt the tremors as strongly as the Druid.

For several months, Druids sat comfortably at the top of the food chain, combining overwhelming area damage, top-tier sustain, and shapeshift durability that trivialized content. Many players expected nerfs — but few anticipated how much the landscape would shift around them. So today we’ll analyze not only what the patch directly changed, but the ecological balance that emerged afterward.

The Pre-Patch Ecosystem: Druid at the Top

Let’s begin with why the Druid was so dominant.

Massive Natural AoE

Bear Slam, Swipe, Trample, Tremor — practically every Druid ability had above-average coverage. This meant Druids killed packs faster, safer, and more consistently than most classes.

Innate Tankiness

Even without gear, Druids started tankier than average. With gear, they became walls with claws.

Low Friction Mechanically

Other classes had to juggle:

• mana problems

• fragile early-game scaling

• gear breakpoints

• complex combos

Druids? You pushed buttons and the room disappeared.

In an ecosystem sense, Druids had too many competitive advantages: they occupied multiple niches at once.

Patch 0.4.0: A Rebalancing Event

Patch 0.4.0 wasn’t a “nerf Druid” patch — it was a rebalance the game patch. The changes fell into three categories:

1. Direct Druid Adjustments

This included:

• smaller AoE on several attacks

• reduced Rage synergy in shapeshifted combat

• slight reductions to innate defensive power

None of these changes were individually catastrophic. But combined, they chipped away at the Druid’s dominance.

2. Competitor Buffs

The real ecosystem shift came from:

• Ranger projectile speed and tracking buffs

• Warrior melee smoothness improvements

• Wizard minion AI and scaling tweaks

• Rogue trap and ambush quality-of-life enhancements

In ecological terms, the Druid’s competitors evolved rapidly.

3. Global Systems Changes

Patch 0.4.0 also included updates to:

• monster resistance

• elite encounter density

• armor and evasion scaling

• mana cost curves

These systemic adjustments hurt Druids more because their strength relied heavily on plowing through content without regard for resistances or movement.

Why Druids Fell Faster Than Expected

Many players assume the Druid was “over-nerfed,” but the truth is more subtle.

Druid Builds Had Low Complexity Buffs

In previous patches, many Druid builds relied on:

• simple scaling

• simple supports

• simple mobility

When low-complexity builds get hit, their power drops dramatically unless adjusted.

Other Classes Had Untapped Potential

The buffs given to Ranger, Warrior, and Witch unlocked builds that were previously “almost viable.” Suddenly the Druid was not competing against mediocrity — it was competing against specialists.

Druid Single-Target Weakness Emerged

When AoE is reduced, single-target is exposed. Druids relied on screen-wide damage to eliminate threats before weaknesses mattered. Now, fights last longer — and longer fights punish Druid sustain more heavily.

The New Meta Ecology: A Balanced Food Chain

Post-0.4.0, the meta resembles a healthier ecosystem.

Ranger = Predator of Wide Maps

With improved projectile tracking, the Ranger now excels in open spaces.

Warrior = Heavyweight Specialist

Better early-game mana and smoother combos allow Warriors to dominate close-quarters fights.

Witch = Controller

Minions are consistent, and elemental builds feel better than ever.

Druid = Adaptable Generalist

Still strong, but no longer dominant.

In ecological terms: Druids have shifted from apex predator to competitive omnivore.

What This Means for Future Patches

Patch 0.4.0 shows that Grinding Gear Games is moving toward:

• fewer extreme outliers

• more viable archetypes

• narrower performance gaps

• stronger class identity

Druids may gain back some AoE or Rage synergy later — but not enough to return to unchecked dominance.

Conclusion: The Wake Is Not a Funeral

The Druid didn’t die. It simply lost its monopoly on power.

Patch 0.4.0 restored ecological balance to cheap PoE 2 Currency — and for the long-term health of the game, that’s a very good thing.