Does Path of Exile 2 have WASD movement?

Path of Exile 2’s control types include Keyboard and Mouse, controller, and even WASD. That’s right, fans of all types of PC action RPGs are supported here when it comes to movement and combat. However, while you do have access to these three control types, you can only change them in the main menu or character select menu. Strangely enough, you cannot change these on the fly. This is something that could — and hopefully does — change once the game launches.

If you play Path of Exile 2 co-op with a friend, one could easily use WASD while the other uses a controller. This makes local co-op far easier if you’re sharing a PC to work together and thrash the forces of evil. But which one should you use?

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Should you use WASD or Mouse Controls in Path of Exile 2?

There are certainly benefits to both WASD and mouse controls in Path of Exile 2, and ultimately, it’s up to you to determine which works best for you. However, after playing hours upon hours of the newest iteration of Grinding Gear Games’ Action RPG/MMO, we feel that WASD controls are better than Keyboard and Mouse controls.

WASD feels much better than the typical keyboard+mouse to us (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Your combat actions are never far away from your movement, making response times quick. However, there’s another thing that is worth mentioning when it comes to Path of Exile 2’s WASD movement system. Combat has changed in PoE2, with one feature standing out: The dodge system.

Unlike Diablo 4, there are no “charges” or wait times between dodges other than maybe a second. Click-to-move with a dodge system felt incredibly awkward on a keyboard/mouse setup, much like it did in D4. There are so many times when your mouse might be pointed in the wrong direction and you dodge right into an enemy.

Combat and regular movement alike feel sharp and enjoyable (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Instead, you can press W+Space Bar to dodge north, S+Space Bar to dodge south, et cetera. You can even dodge diagonally, but that may take a little bit of practice. If you’re an active MMO player, like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy 14, you’re likely used to WASD and pressing other buttons. This will make the game feel more familiar, and thus, more enjoyable.

This isn’t to say that keyboard and mouse controls are bad — they’re far from it. It just takes a bit more adjusting to the dodge controls. You aren’t bound to these forever, but you will have to log back to the character select and head to the "Input" tab of the Settings if you change your mind.

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Check out our other Path of Exile 2 guides and features:

• You can dual wield two-handed weapons in Path of Exile 2
• All Path of Exile 2 Keystone Passives (known so far)
• Path of Exile 2: All Classes and Ascensions available in Early Access