Gear system overview
The gear system “inherits the essence of multiple dark fantasy games”: gears of different rarities each serve a distinct purpose, enabling countless build possibilities. It sits at the center of the game — the developer positions Path of Idle as a rich gear-building experience without tedious controls.
Gear rarities
Player discussion confirms a tier structure that includes:
- Set items — equipped as matching sets (e.g. the Bone Chill Set for DPS Priests, the Totem Set for support Priests, the Blood Boil Set for tank Warriors)
- Legendary and Unique items
- Mythic items — the top tier, e.g. Surging Fist Mythic Gloves, Rebirth Mythic Boots
Below those sit the common and rare drops that feed crafting and the Item Filter.
Runewords and socketing
Runewords are socketed into gear slots — confirmed slots include rings, boots, helmets and armor. Each Runeword grants a skill or effect. Confirmed examples:
- Touch Runeword (ring/boots) — grants Frost Touch, the Mage skill that reduces frost resistance
- Defiance Runeword (helmet/armor) — grants the Banner skill
- Radiance Runeword (helmet/armor) — grants the Brilliance Aura skill
Players report checking rune rarity when socketing, since runes come in tiers such as common and rare.
Crafting and modifying
Beyond drops, the gear loop includes:
- Crafting — town buildings open crafting options (see town building)
- Equipment Corrupt — a modification system that, since patch 1.0.4, only applies positive effects
- Item Filter — filters out low-value loot so you only inspect what matters
Loot rates and progression
Update 1.0.3 removed the “Loot Progress” system entirely and set the drop rate to a flat 300% throughout (renaming Loot Progress to Exploration Progress). Combined with the Item Filter, the intended loop is: auto-battle for drops, filter out junk, keep the pieces that fit your builds, and let town upgrades raise what you can craft and equip.
Community advice
Experienced players advise: build the character, not the item — avoid over-investing in temporary gear early, and let Runeword combinations and set bonuses carry you into Outlands and Doom content, where different damage types become necessary.
Player questions
What gear rarities exist in Path of Idle: Old Gods Rising?
Player discussion confirms gear tiers including Set, Legendary, Unique and Mythic items, layered on top of lower-tier drops. The developer describes gears of different rarities as serving distinct purposes.
What are Runewords?
Runewords are special runes you socket into equipment slots such as rings, boots, helmets and armor. They grant skills or effects — for example the Frost Touch Runeword on ring or boots adds the Mage skill Frost Touch.
How does the Corrupt mechanic work?
The 1.0.4 update changed Equipment Corrupt effects so they only have positive outcomes (no negative ones). Corrupting gear is part of end-game item modification.
How do I manage the loot flood?
The game has an Item Filter to hide low-value drops. Drop rates were raised to a flat 300% in update 1.0.3, so filtering and crafting matter more than manual sorting.