Overall a good league

League Mechanic:

I am pleased with the league mechanic, it's finally something that doesn't reward speed

It has some usability issues that needs to be addressed, but i think you already got that feedback

I'd like to see some boss variety tho, i hope it won't end up like delve, i hope you'll constantly iterate on it, by adding new room types / encounters etc


I think requiring 6 maps for 1 run is too much, i don't rush my maps, so it always takes time to be able to have a temple run, it doesn't feel good

Specially since the temple opens up in the middle of a map.. it's a context switch that i don't really like

It's okay for abyss because it's shorter to do, a temple is lengthily so i end up forgetting what i was doing once i clear it


Combat:

I've played most archetypes except minions(kinda), and i think that's where you've failed most

The design has no nuance, it's either minion army or GTFO

PoE 1 has better minion archetype design imo, you could choose, either focus on a few, or go for an army, either you command, or you let them do


I leveled a character specifically for sand Djinn (the aetsthetics of that ascendency is insane btw, it's a 10/10), but quit once i tried the skills, it didn't feel like commanding a djinn, just delayed, boring, generic PoE 1 type skill, same for the fire ones, it didn't feel good to use, and worse, it just felt like delayed spells

Worse, innherits the issues (i personally have) with the ways you scale minion damage, ie: army


Shape-Shifting shows you can get it right: werewolf combos felt smooth and each felt natural to use

However.. it's overtuned to the point of boredom, game ended up so easy it at league start that it became boring to complete, i couldn't even finish the character, i rerolled mid campaign

this is the core problem with you: there's no middle ground, everything is either bad or absurdly smooth, skill design is the root issue, not only that, but your design ends up creating visual clutter that ruins combat clarity.. by the interludes, every time..

Endgame:


Endgame feels the same, reaching T15s was boring and meaningless, the only bright spot was bosses per map, that actually improved the experience


The Tower/Tablet changes helped too, but there's still too much emphasis on moving far from base, the forever expanding atlas just bloats into choice paralysis too many nodes on screen, it's hard to explain it just doesn't feel nice to interact with, nothing you do really matter


The endless atlas needs to go, i'd rather have a linear route with branches, fixed nodes leading to mysterious content, a fixed-per-league atlas with purposeful biomes, like early PoE's shaper/elder or conquerors, they had issues, sure, but they felt meaningful to progress, like a rogue-lite run every time

A live ticking board game that doesn't forever expand, but offers a concise replayable experience instead

Something that changes every time you complete the main objective, something that invites for exploration, something you want to plan for



Boss Burst Protection:


What a lame solution..

Stop designing passive bosses to begin with!!!! that's your issue right there!!!