Speedrunning the PoE 2 Items (PoE2) 0.4.0 campaign is one of the freshest, most exhilarating challenges in modern ARPGs. The revamped combat rhythm, smoother enemy telegraphs, and redesigned progression systems reward skillful play—but they also punish hesitation. The best runners maintain a delicate balance between raw speed, survivability, and efficiency. And the fastest players know that shaving minutes off a campaign run isn’t about reckless rushing—it’s about smart rushing.

If you want to tear through acts without dying, without hitting brick walls, and without fumbling your momentum, these 14 speedrunning-focused tips will transform the way you approach the 0.4.0 storyline.

1. Choose a Build That Scales Early and Scales Smoothly

Speedrunners don’t gamble on builds that “come online later.” They choose:

• Skills with high early AoE

• Mobility scaling built in

• Minimal reliance on rare gear
  Lightning, bleed, ignite, and cold DoT builds are extremely stable campaign racers.

2. Lock In a Predictable Movement Loop

Speedrunning success is 70% movement, 20% routing, and 10% DPS.
Standardize a movement rhythm:

• Move skill → Cancel animation → Basic attack → Move skill
  This keeps mana costs controlled and stamina recovery flowing.

3. Follow Efficient Loot Filters

The stock filter is slow. A racer’s filter hides:

• Low-tier rares

• Crafting bases you won’t use until Act 6+

• All but the most impactful skill gems
  The goal: never stop to read the ground unless it’s valuable.

4. Kill Only What You Need

Most speedrunners follow a simple rule:

• Kill dense packs directly blocking the route

• Skip stragglers

• Skip tanky rare mobs unless they’re cluster-packed
  This keeps XP gain healthy while avoiding time sinks.

5. Know Every Act’s “Speed Snare Zones”

Each act has zones notorious for:

• Slower layouts

• Maze-like structure

• Excessive backtracking

Examples include:

• Act 2 jungle branches

• Act 4 multi-layered crypt structures

• Act 6 shoreline loops
  Plan routes to avoid optional wings.

6. Don’t Over-Level

Over-leveling is one of the biggest campaign time-wasters.
A good rule:

• Be 1–2 levels under zone level

• Correct only if you fall 4+ behind
  PoE2’s 0.4.0 enemy scaling is lenient enough that a slightly under-leveled character trades slower kills for drastically faster zone traversal.

7. Swap Weapons More Often Than You Think

Speedrunners replace weapons:

• Every 1–1.5 acts

• Or any time flat damage is doubled on a new base

Weapon upgrades are the most efficient way to improve kill speed. Don’t cling to an outdated weapon just because it rolled well early.

8. Practice “Diagonal Agility”

Movement in PoE2 has stronger directional acceleration.
Diagonal movement:

• Initiates momentum faster

• Shortens pathing curves

• Makes dodge timings easier
  Good runners weave diagonal micro-adjustments constantly.

9. Use Flasks Like Tempo Tools, Not Healing Tools

In 0.4.0, flask recharge is more fluid. Use them:

• Pre-pull

• Mid-pull

• While moving
  Treat them like sprint buttons, not “panic heal” buttons.

10. Maintain Two Skill Loadouts

This is an underrated speedrunning trick:

• Loadout A: high AoE, mid damage, maximum movement

• Loadout B: single-target DPS for bosses
  Swap instantly for boss arenas.
  Why? Overkill AoE supports slow boss kills. Dedicated single-target setups melt bosses and reset momentum faster.

11. Navigate Bosses Mechanically, Not Brutely

You can’t face-tank everything. Bosses reward:

• Staying mid-range

• Dodging before telegraphs appear

• Reading wind-up animations
  The less time you spend recovering from mistakes, the more momentum you retain.

12. Grab Only the High-Value Passives First

Speedrunners prioritize:

• Movement speed nodes

• Attack/cast speed clusters

• Early flat damage notables
  Defense nodes wait until after Act 5 unless mandatory. The tree should support mobility and kill speed first, survival later.

13. Use Town Time Efficiently

Your time in town should be under 10 seconds:

• Drop items

• Buy supports

• Swap weapons

• Leave
  Practice fast town routing—hotkeys, vendor habits, stash organization, and pre-planned gear buys make a massive difference.

14. Reset Bad Zones—Yes, Even in 0.4.0

If you get:

• A dead-end chain

• A multi-branch layout

• A zone with unusually low density

Exit and re-enter.
Speedrunners treat bad RNG layouts the same way they treat bad boss patterns: reset and go again.

Final Thoughts

Speedrunning cheap PoE 2 Items’s 0.4.0 campaign is an art. It’s not just about being fast—it’s about creating flow, a sustained rhythm where every action complements the next. With these 14 speed-centered tips, you’ll move through acts with purpose, make better routing decisions, and maintain consistent pressure on every encounter.