Path of Exile 2 introduced many new mechanics to enhance the player experience, but not all of them have been well received. One of the most controversial additions is the Pushy Mechanic, which allows entities—including player characters and monsters—to push each other and change their positions dynamically.

While it sounded promising during ExileCon 2023, in practice, the implementation has been frustrating, particularly for melee players. The mechanic has numerous issues, ranging from game-breaking bugs to the way it negatively impacts combat flow. In this article, we will explore why the Pushy Mechanic is problematic, how it affects different playstyles, and the changes Grinding Gear Games (GGG) could implement to improve it.

Understanding the Pushy Mechanic

At its core, the Pushy Mechanic is designed to make combat feel more dynamic by allowing larger entities to push smaller ones out of the way. The concept makes sense in theory—bigger monsters should have more influence in battle positioning than smaller ones. However, the implementation in Path of Exile 2 is flawed in multiple ways.

Initially, GGG described this system as being based on "push values," meaning different entities would have varying degrees of resistance to being moved. For example, a large boss could push a player aside, while a player could push smaller creatures. However, after the Early Access release, it became clear that the mechanic was not working as intended. It introduced severe issues that disrupted gameplay rather than enhancing it.

Major Issues with the Pushy Mechanic

1. Severe Screen Desync

One of the most glaring issues with the Pushy Mechanic is the way it causes desynchronization. When a character is pushed, the screen often fails to track them correctly, making it feel like the game is lagging or bugging out. Players have reported instances where they completely lose control of their character for a second or more, only to snap back into place moments later. This results in frustrating gameplay moments where:

Players lose track of their position mid-fight.

They experience rubberbanding effects, making combat feel unresponsive.

Movement skills fail due to sudden repositioning.

2. Negative Impact on Melee Combat

Melee combat has long been a contentious issue in Path of Exile, with many players feeling that it has been underwhelming compared to ranged and spellcasting options. Path of Exile 2 was meant to address these concerns with better combat fluidity, but the Pushy Mechanic has made melee even worse.

Mace users struggle the most: Maces have slower attack speeds, requiring players to commit to their animations. However, being pushed mid-attack often cancels the swing, wasting time and leaving players vulnerable.

Close-range positioning is unreliable: Many melee builds rely on precise positioning to land hits or maintain area-of-effect (AoE) damage. Constantly being pushed around makes it difficult to stay in an effective combat stance.

Boss fights become frustrating: Since larger enemies can push players, melee characters are constantly knocked out of range, disrupting their ability to deal consistent damage.

3. Lack of Visual and Gameplay Feedback

A major flaw in the Pushy Mechanic is the absence of clear visual or gameplay feedback. When a character is pushed, there is no animation, directional indicator, or meaningful cue to inform the player of what is happening. Instead, they are suddenly displaced with no way to anticipate or react.

If a mechanic like this must exist, it should have animations and effects that indicate when a push is happening.

Right now, it feels less like an intended game feature and more like a glitch.

4. Poor Object and Terrain Pathing

The game's terrain and object collision systems also contribute to the problems with the Pushy Mechanic. Players often get pushed into obstacles, causing movement skills to fail or resulting in being trapped in tight spaces. This is particularly problematic in:

Narrow corridors: Players can be pushed into walls or tight spaces where movement options become limited.

Crowded battlefields: In intense fights, getting pushed into environmental obstacles makes dodging and repositioning significantly harder.

How to Fix the Pushy Mechanic

To salvage the Pushy Mechanic and make it a meaningful part of Path of Exile 2, GGG needs to make significant changes. Here are five ways they can improve it:

1. Remove or Significantly Reduce the Mechanic

While removing the mechanic entirely might be difficult due to how deeply it is integrated into the game, reducing its impact would be a reasonable compromise. GGG should consider:

Limiting push interactions to specific situations, such as scripted boss fights.

Reducing the effect of push mechanics on melee players to make combat more fluid.

2. Fix Desync Issues and Improve Feedback

GGG must address the screen desync problems by ensuring that character positioning updates in real-time. Additionally, they should introduce visual and audio feedback to help players understand when they are being pushed and from what direction.

3. Introduce a "Push Resistance" Stat

Adding a push resistance stat to the Strength area of the skill tree would allow players to counteract unwanted push effects. This stat could work similarly to Stun Threshold, where higher values make characters more resistant to being pushed.

This would be especially useful for melee builds, giving them a way to maintain their ground in fights.

Equipment modifiers could also feature push resistance, adding another layer of customization.

4. Improve Character Pushing Mechanics

The current implementation of the mechanic makes it so that even small monsters can physically block and push players. Instead, GGG should make it so that:

Small monsters are easily pushed aside by players.

Large monsters only push players when performing specific attacks.

5. Improve Object and Terrain Pathing

GGG should optimize movement interactions so that players are not pushed into objects or stuck in terrain. This could be done by:

Adjusting collision mechanics to prevent players from getting trapped.

Ensuring movement skills function properly even after being pushed.

Widening certain map layouts to prevent players from getting caught in narrow spaces.

Conclusion

The Pushy Mechanic in Path of Exile 2 is an ambitious idea that ultimately falls short due to its frustrating execution. From severe desync issues to making melee combat even worse, the current state of this mechanic is detrimental to the overall gameplay experience.

By addressing key issues—such as improving feedback, reducing push effects, and fixing bugs—GGG can transform this problematic feature into something that genuinely enhances combat. Until then, melee players and anyone dealing with excessive screen desync will continue to struggle with what is currently one of the worst mechanics in the game.

Hopefully, GGG listens to player feedback and makes the necessary changes in future updates!