Path of Exile guide: How to refund your skill points and respec your character

The Path of Exile Passive Skill Tree is daunting. There are over 1200 nodes to choose from, and you will need to use all the skill points you earn while leveling up to reach the distant, powerful nodes. And if you’ve made a mistake in your build, there are only a few ways to repair it.

Can I reset my skill tree completely?

Path of Exile doesn’t allow you to fully reset your Passive Skill Tree. If you’re over level 20 and unhappy with your build, most players recommend you just start over again.

If you’re early on and you don’t want to make the mistake of ruining your Passive Skill Tree, we recommend you pick a build for whatever character class you’re playing. For example, a Marauder build from PoE Vault comes with a complete breakdown of the skills you need. You can follow another player’s build guide to guarantee you don’t mess up your Passive Skill Tree.

There is only one instance where you can completely reset your Passive Skill Tree. If Grinding Gear Games drastically alters the skill tree between seasons, the studio may offer a complete, free reset for players.

This isn’t exactly a reliable occurrence. If you’re desperate for a more powerful build, the best advice is to simply start over.

Can I change individual skills on my tree?

Image: Grinding Gear Games via Polygon

In Path of Exile, you can unlock refund points for your character. By completing the game’s main story, you will earn around 20 refund points. You can also use a rare consumable called the Orb of Regret to earn more refund points.

If you have refund points, you can activate them at the top of your Passive Skill Tree, and deselect a skill you’ve already unlocked. But you can only refund nodes at the end of your unlock branches — you can’t refund a skill that is connecting two other skills together. If you want to take your character in a very different direction, it’s almost impossible with the limited supply of refund points you earn in the campaign.

The Passive Skill Tree can be very punishing in Path of Exile. If you don’t like starting over, your best bet is to find a guide and stick to it — until you’ve learned how to make your own.