Let's dive in and break down the essential systems you'll need to understand to make your journey through Path of Exile 2's endgame smooth and successful.
Path of Exile 2 (POE 2) is a game of depth, where intricate systems intertwine with the complex nature of loot and progression. It's a game that challenges both new players and seasoned veterans, especially as you transition from the campaign into the expansive and often confusing endgame. Many players, myself included, have faced frustration, confusion, and even some serious setbacks early on in the endgame due to simple mistakes that could cost us time, resources, and progress. But don't worry! I'm here to help guide you through these systems, equip you with important tips, and save you the frustration of getting stuck POE 2 Currency Orbs. Let's dive in and break down the essential systems you'll need to understand to make your journey through Path of Exile 2's endgame smooth and successful.
- The Mapping System
Once you've completed the third Cruel Act and finished the main campaign, you'll be introduced to the Mapping System—this is the core of POE 2's endgame. The key to progress here is the Waystone, which you'll use to enter different maps. Maps come in different tiers (Tier 1 to Tier 15), with higher tiers offering more challenging monsters and better rewards.
Each Waystone you use to enter a map corresponds to a certain difficulty level based on its tier. For example, a Tier 1 Waystone will have lower-level enemies, while a Tier 7 Waystone will feature higher-level enemies. But be warned: with more powerful enemies come greater rewards! These can range from better gear, materials, and higher-tier Waystones to more crafting materials.
However, there's a catch. Dying in the map means you lose one of your portals, and once all portals are used up, you'll need another Waystone to start over. Early on, this can be especially costly if you're dying repeatedly. Take your time! Speeding through a map might seem tempting, but rushing will more often than not lead to unnecessary deaths and wasted Waystones.
Pro Tip: Regular enemies can drop Waystones, and bosses often drop them at a higher rate. If you're struggling to keep up your Waystone supply, make sure to clear as many enemies as possible, especially in full maps or larger zones.
- Different Map Modifiers and Events
The world of maps in POE 2 isn't as simple as just running them and collecting loot. Maps feature modifiers that can alter the gameplay experience dramatically. Here's a quick breakdown of some common ones:
Starter Nodes: These are the simplest maps, where your job is simply to kill the bosses scattered around the map. Once you kill all the bosses, the map is completed. If you can't find all the bosses, defeating more enemies will reveal their locations.
Map Bosses: These are tougher bosses than the ones found in the campaign. They'll appear with a specific icon on the map, and defeating them will grant more substantial rewards.
Radiated Maps: When you come across a map marked with an iradiated icon, know that it increases the monster level by one, making enemies harder but offering better loot in return.
Breach Maps: These maps feature a glowing purple hand. Stepping on it will open a portal, unleashing hordes of monsters for you to kill. These maps often offer large quantities of loot and good XP.
Delirium Maps: When a Delirium mirror is present on the map, stepping into it envelops the area in a fog. The longer you stay in the fog and fight monsters, the more difficult they become, but you'll earn additional rewards, including Distilled Items, which are essential for upgrading your Waystones and amulets.
- Useful Events to Look Out For
POE 2 also has special events within maps, which can give you unique rewards:
Expeditions: This event involves blowing up different containers and fighting off enemies to collect artifacts. These artifacts can be exchanged for items and upgrades. The goal is to maximize the number of containers you blow up for the best rewards.
Rituals: Marked by a red icon with horns, Rituals offer a challenge to defeat enemies that spawn in a designated area. Each ritual completed rewards you with Waystones, valuable gear, and other resources. Rituals are a great source of Waystones, so make sure to prioritize these.
Corruption Areas: These special zones enhance enemy difficulty and reward drops. By increasing the monster level in a region, corrupted maps give you a higher chance of better loot and increased difficulty.
Hideouts: While not strictly a map modifier, Hideouts are incredibly useful for making your gameplay smoother. Once you clear a Hideout of enemies, you gain access to a personal base where you can set up vendors, customize your space, and manage your stash. They make organizing and crafting much easier.
- The Atlas Skill Tree
One of the more complex systems in POE 2 is the Atlas Skill Tree. Once you enter the endgame, you'll gain access to the Atlas Skill Tree, which allows you to customize your playstyle and increase the rewards you gain from your maps.
Where to Start:
Initially, you want to focus on Waystone Quantity. When you get your first two Atlas points, allocate them to Waystones found (with a chance for higher-tier Waystones).
After this, you'll want to spec into Item Rarity and Constant Crossroads. The latter increases the quantity of Waystones you find by 20%, which is crucial early on.
Once you unlock higher-level Waystones, you can focus on more advanced nodes that increase rarity, XP gain, and the chance to find rarer items.
Pro Tip: Keep an eye on your Atlas Completion. You'll need to complete various challenges to gain more Atlas points, and using higher-tier maps can help you unlock new parts of the Atlas skill tree faster.
- Surviving Endgame: Defensive Tips
By the time you hit the endgame, you'll want to make sure your defenses are solid. Depending on your build, this might involve stacking armor, energy shield, or evasion. But even if you've been focusing on offense, don't neglect your defensive stats.
Armor, Energy Shield, or Evasion?
Armor is great for tanking physical damage.
Energy Shield is effective for magical defense.
Evasion helps avoid attacks altogether.
You'll want to spec into defensive nodes on your Atlas skill tree to boost these stats, particularly block chance, extra armor, and extra life. At this point, it's better to sacrifice a little DPS to ensure your build can survive harder maps.
Resistances Are Key: Many players make the mistake of neglecting resistances early on in the game, but once you hit the endgame, resistances become critical. Make sure you buy or craft gear that boosts your resistances to elemental damage (fire, cold, lightning). Having a high all-resistance gear set is crucial for surviving higher-tier maps. Consider using Exalted Orbs to target and buy specific gear with double resistances for more survivability.
- Avoiding Early Map Deaths: Strategic Tips
Dying in a map early on can be costly, as it wastes valuable Waystones and delays your progress. Here's how to avoid it:
Take your time: Don't rush through a map. Clear it at your own pace, especially early on when you're still getting used to the difficulty.
Play defensively: Consider speccing into more defense early on. Block chance, armor, and life are important stats to survive higher-tier maps.
Manage your portals carefully: You have a limited number of portals per map. Don't waste them by dying unnecessarily—use them wisely if you need to exit for healing or inventory management.
Conclusion: Preparing for Path of Exile 2's Endgame
The transition from the campaign to the endgame in Path of Exile 2 can be overwhelming, but understanding the core mechanics—especially the Mapping System, Waystones, and Atlas Skill Tree—can give you the edge you need. The endgame isn't just about killing monsters; it's about managing resources (Waystones), optimizing your gear, and finding ways to increase the rarity of items and XP.
By taking your time, carefully choosing which maps and modifiers to tackle, and focusing on defensive strategies, you'll avoid the common mistakes many players make early on. Whether you're grinding out Waystones, farming special events like Rituals or Breach Maps, or tweaking your Atlas Skill Tree for better loot and XP, the endgame is a complex yet rewarding experience. Keep experimenting, keep improving, and soon enough POE 2 Orbs, you'll be conquering the toughest maps with ease.
