While the Druid class has understandably taken center stage in Path of Exile 2: The Last of the Druids, it is far from the only reason to be excited about Patch 0.4.0. Grinding Gear Games has carried out a sweeping balance pass across a wide range of unique items, breathing new life into many that were previously underused or outright ignored.

A large number of uniques have received substantial offensive and defensive buffs, elevating them from niche or mediocre options into legitimate endgame considerations. With the introduction of Incursion 2.0 and the ability to double-corrupt items in the Locus of Corruption, these newly empowered uniques are also expected to command significantly higher prices than in previous expansions.

If you plan to compete early in the league or want immediate access to these items, having sufficient Path of Exile 2 currency on day one will be critical. Our PoE 2 Store will be live from the moment the new league launches, ensuring you can secure the uniques you need without delay.

In this article, we will break down the most significantly buffed unique items in Patch 0.4.0, explain why they matter, and highlight which builds benefit the most from each change.

Overview of the Unique Item Buff Philosophy in Patch 0.4.0

Grinding Gear Games has made it clear that Patch 0.4.0 is designed to feel impactful. Many underperforming uniques have received meaningful numerical buffs rather than cosmetic or marginal adjustments. These changes primarily focus on:

· Increasing raw defensive scaling

· Enhancing damage multipliers rather than flat values

· Removing or reversing overly punishing downsides

· Expanding build diversity and archetype viability

While some uniques were inevitably nerfed, this article focuses exclusively on items that transitioned from “rarely used” to “genuinely powerful.”

Most Significantly Buffed Unique Items in PoE 2 Patch 0.4.0

Svalinn

Old:

  · (100–150)% Increased Armour

  · −(10–20)% to Maximum Block Chance

New:

  · (150–200)% Increased Armour

  · You take (0–20)% of damage from blocked hits

Svalinn was already a serviceable shield, but its old downside—reducing maximum block chance—was crippling for block-based builds. In Patch 0.4.0, that penalty has been completely removed and replaced with a powerful defensive mechanic.

With a perfect roll, Svalinn allows you to take zero damage from blocked hits, massively improving survivability in high-density encounters. Combined with its increased armour values, this shield is now a premier defensive option for Warriors.

Given its power level, Svalinn is expected to reach premium pricing in the endgame, potentially exceeding 50 Divine Orbs.

The Adorned

Old:

  · (0–100)% Increased Effect of Jewel Socket Passive Skills containing Corrupted Magic Jewels

New:

  · (0–150)% Increased Effect of Jewel Socket Passive Skills containing Corrupted Magic Jewels

The buff to The Adorned is subtle on paper but enormous in practice—especially with double-corruption now available. Corrupted magic jewels can gain up to two implicit modifiers, and when paired with a 150% effect multiplier, their impact becomes staggering.

This jewel shines in builds that can afford multiple jewel sockets and invest in high-end corrupted magic jewels. While the setup cost is high, the payoff in scaling efficiency is unmatched.

Strugglescream

Old:

  · Can have 2 additional instilled modifiers

New:

  · Can have 3 additional instilled modifiers

Strugglescream, PoE 2’s counterpart to Stranglegasp, has received one of the strongest buffs in the entire patch. With the ability to instill up to four notable passive skills, this amulet offers unprecedented passive tree flexibility.

Players can now allocate powerful notables from all corners of the passive tree without pathing investment, provided they have sufficient Liquid Emotions. Given its rarity and power ceiling, Strugglescream is expected to be one of the most expensive uniques in Patch 0.4.0.

Sine Aequo

Old:

  · (40–60)% Increased Armour, Evasion, and Energy Shield

  · Immobilized enemies deal 25% less damage

New:

  · (100–150)% Increased Armour, Evasion, and Energy Shield

  · Immobilized enemies take 20% more damage

Sine Aequo previously suffered from an awkward design choice: immobilizing enemies reduced your damage against them. That downside has now been completely reversed.

With significantly higher defensive values and a new offensive multiplier against immobilized enemies, these gloves are now an excellent choice for Warriors and heavy-control builds. The reduced build-up requirement further enhances their effectiveness for Heavy Stun, Freeze, and Electrocute mechanics.

The Whispering Ice

Old Highlights:

  · +(2–4) to Cold Spell Skills

  · Elemental Exposure: −(20–30)% resistances

New Highlights:

  · +(5–7) to all Cold Spell Skills

  · Elemental Exposure: −(50–60)% resistances

The Whispering Ice has received one of the most dramatic power increases in the patch. The massive boost to cold spell levels applies globally, not just to Icestorm, while the enhanced exposure effect far exceeds standard resistance reduction values.

Stormweavers benefit particularly well from this staff, especially when combined with the Multiplying Squalls ascendancy, enabling devastating multi-cast spell rotations.

Cloak of Defiance

Old:

  · 30% of damage taken from mana before life

  · 50% increased mana regeneration

New:

  · 50% of damage taken from mana before life

  · (50–100)% increased mana regeneration

Cloak of Defiance now fully replicates the Mind Over Matter keystone, freeing up a passive point while offering superior mana regeneration. This makes it exceptionally strong for mana-stacking builds and spellcasters tackling corrupted endgame content.

Stormweavers, Chronomancers, and other mana-centric archetypes gain a major survivability boost from this change.

Lightning Coil

Old:

  · (20–40)% of physical damage from hits taken as lightning damage

New:

  · (30–50)% of physical damage from hits taken as lightning damage

Previously one of the least-used uniques in PoE 2, Lightning Coil now offers meaningful physical damage mitigation through damage conversion. While its lightning resistance penalty still needs to be addressed, the defensive upside is now substantial.

Witch Hunters, particularly Galvanic Shards, build leveraging Sorcery Ward, and gain exceptional synergy from this armor.

Hyrri’s Ire

Old:

  · Added cold damage to attacks

  · Increased chill duration

New:

  · Gain (15–25)% of damage as extra cold damage

  · 25% increased freeze duration

Hyrri’s Ire is no longer restricted to attack-based cold builds. The new “extra cold damage” modifier applies universally, making it viable for spellcasters using cold skills such as Comet or Frost Bomb.

The increased freeze duration further enhances crowd control, making this armor a powerful hybrid offensive-defensive option across multiple archetypes.

Buffed Unique Items in Patch 0.4.0 – Overview

Item Known For Best Used By Buff Rating

Svalinn Block mitigation and armor scaling Warriors 9/10

The Adorned Massive scaling for corrupted magic jewels Jewel-heavy builds 9/10

Strugglescream Four instilled notable passives Most non-amulet-dependent builds 10/10

Sine Aequo Damage bonus to immobilized enemies Warriors, control builds 9/10

The Whispering Ice +5–7 cold spell levels Cold spellcasters 8/10

Cloak of Defiance Full Mind Over Matter effect Mana-stacking builds 8/10

Lightning Coil Physical-to-lightning damage conversion Mercenaries, Witch Hunters 8/10

Hyrri’s Ire Extra cold damage for all damage types Cold-based builds 9/10

Conclusion: PoE 2 Buffed Uniques in Patch 0.4.0

Patch 0.4.0 has fundamentally reshaped the value of many previously overlooked unique PoE2 items. Standouts like Strugglescream, The Whispering Ice, and The Adorned now sit firmly among the most powerful gear choices in Path of Exile 2.

Warriors gain significant defensive and offensive tools, cold-based builds enjoy unprecedented flexibility, and mana-stacking archetypes receive long-overdue survivability options. Combined with Incursion 2.0 and double-corruption mechanics, these buffs ensure that unique items will play a central role in the Fate of the Vaal League economy.

Which of these newly buffed uniques caught your attention? Will any of them become a core part of your league starter or endgame build? Share your thoughts and experiences with Path of Exile 2: The Last of the Druids.

For a deeper dive into league mechanics, be sure to check out our Fate of the Vaal League guide to stay fully prepared for Patch 0.4.0.