In Path of Exile 2, pets offer a way to personalize your character's appearance, but it's crucial to understand that they are purely cosmetic and have no impact on your build or combat effectiveness. They are a visual addition, much like your chosen armor and weapon skins.
While gear directly influences your stats and abilities, allowing for diverse and powerful character builds, pets in Path of Exile 2 serve solely as an aesthetic customization option. They are equipped as part of your character's appearance, similar to armor and weapons, but their role is purely visual. Regardless of how intimidating or helpful a pet might look, it will not assist you in battle or provide any stat bonuses.
Each player in Path of Exile 2 has the ability to equip up to two pets simultaneously. These pets will follow you as you explore the game world, although they will completely ignore any enemies you encounter. Additionally, you can place your pets within your hideout, where they will wander around and engage in typical pet behavior.
Despite their lack of gameplay impact, obtaining pets in Path of Exile 2, at least during the Early Access phase, can be quite challenging. Until the full version of the game is released, there are limited ways for players to unlock these cosmetic companions:
Buy Supporter Packs: The most direct way to acquire pets during Early Access is by purchasing specific Supporter Packs. Currently, this only applies to the Lord of Ogham and King of the Faridun packs. The standard Early Access Supporter Pack does not include any pet rewards. Here are the pets included in these packs:
Transfer From Path Of Exile 1: If you invested time and effort into earning pets in the original Path of Exile, the good news is that all the pets you acquired in PoE 1 can be transferred and used in Path of Exile 2. However, it's important to note that most of these transferred pets will not be available for equipping until the full release of Path of Exile 2.
In-Game Shop: Players can also purchase several Path of Exile 2 pets directly from the in-game Shop using Points (the game's premium currency). The prices for these pets can vary considerably. The specific pets available in the Shop during Early Access are not detailed in the provided text.
Twitch Drop Rewards: Finally, keeping an eye on Twitch Drops can be a worthwhile endeavor. Occasionally, Grinding Gear Games (GGG) will run promotions where watching specific streamers playing Path of Exile 2 for a certain duration will reward viewers with in-game items. For example, in December 2024, players could earn valuable rewards through Twitch Drops. While such events are time-limited, they can sometimes include unique pets as part of the reward pool, making it worthwhile to pay attention to any upcoming Twitch Drop announcements for Path of Exile 2.
In summary, while pets in Path of Exile 2 offer no gameplay advantages, they provide a fun way to customize your character's appearance. Obtaining them during Early Access is primarily limited to purchasing specific Supporter Packs, transferring them from the original Path of Exile (with limited early availability), purchasing them from the in-game Shop, or claiming them during limited-time Twitch Drop events. As the game progresses towards its full release, more avenues for acquiring pets are likely to be introduced.