Path of Exile 3.27, Keepers of the Flame, brings a focused wave of balance updates and quality-of-life tweaks that reshape several pillars of gameplay. This patch continues Grinding Gear Games' steady effort to make combat feel fairer, smoother, and less prone to confusing edge cases. While none of the changes are radical on their own, together they tighten the game's rhythm and make core systems—especially defenses and minions—more consistent and transparent PoE 1 Currency.

One of the quieter but important adjustments affects how Drowning Orbs and debuff expiration interact. Previously, effects that made debuffs expire faster could unintentionally increase the rate at which players drowned, leading to chaotic bursts of self-inflicted damage. Now, those “expire faster” modifiers no longer speed up the drowning process. It's a small fix, but one that smooths out gameplay for trap or aura-based builds that constantly manage multiple overlapping effects. In practice, this should reduce the sense of being punished for using complex setups and make fast-paced fights less punishing when several debuffs are active at once.

Spell Suppression also sees a recalibration. Instead of preventing 50% of incoming damage from suppressed hits, it now blocks 40%. That 10% difference changes how much players can lean on suppression alone to stay alive, encouraging a broader mix of defenses. Players may now look toward stacking armor, evasion, or even alternate resist layers to fill the gap. It's a subtle but healthy nudge toward defensive diversity, reminding players that survivability in Path of Exile is rarely about one stat but rather a balance of multiple layers that work together.

Minion builds receive one of the most straightforward overhauls in this update. Minions now always hit by default, removing the accuracy stat from their calculations entirely. This means players no longer need to worry about accuracy modifiers or specific item rolls to make their minions reliable in combat. Items that once granted Minion Accuracy still exist but no longer affect gameplay. The overall effect is a cleaner system: minion performance becomes easier to predict, and players can focus on scaling damage, survivability, or utility instead of chasing a hidden reliability factor. It's a particularly welcome change for summoner archetypes, who already juggle multiple mechanics while trying to manage positioning and minion uptime.

Rings get a wording update that brings long-overdue clarity. Effects that once referred to “other” rings now specify “opposite” rings, aligning descriptions with how the system actually works. It's a small but appreciated touch that helps prevent confusion when crafting or combining ring effects.

For most players, these changes won't redefine how builds function but will make the moment-to-moment gameplay more stable and readable PoE Currency buy. Those who favor precision and control—whether in minion-heavy or suppression-based setups—will notice the difference most. The overall feel of the patch is one of refinement rather than reinvention, reinforcing Path of Exile's core identity: complex, demanding, and deeply rewarding when every piece of a build clicks together just right.