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The Atlas of Worlds comprises thePath of Exile 2endgame, and contains an essentially infinitely-generated set of maps that you may progress through. After interacting with the Map Device for the first time, you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choice in the Atlas screen, but fear not – once you get the hang of thePoE 2Atlas,understanding endgame progressionand endgame systems becomes second nature.
There is quite a lot to understand about the Atlas to maximize your time spent in the endgame. But by understanding how to traverse maps, which events and bosses you may expect to encounter, and other features of the Atlas of Worlds,players will quickly learnhow to interact with this endgame system correctly and get the most out of Mapping inPoE 2.
How To Unlock The Atlas of Worlds & PoE 2 Endgame
Tounlock the Atlas,Path of Exile 2players must first beat both the Normal and Cruel Campaigns. InPoE 2Early Access, only Act 1 to 3 of the total planned 6 are available. To bridge the gap between Act 3 and the endgame, players are sent back to the beginning of the game to repeat Acts 1 through 3 on a higher difficulty.
After beating the Act 3 boss (Doryani) on Cruel difficulty, a sequence of events will play out leading you to the Ziggurat Refuge, the hub area of the endgame. Doryani will introduce the Atlas of Worlds and provide your first Waystone, paving the way forward to explore thePoE 2Atlas and engage with endgame content.
Atlas Maps, Exploration, & Waystones
After unlocking the Ziggurat Refuge and getting your first Waystone, head to the left of the NPC hub area in the Refuge to find the Map Device. Click on the Map Device to open up the Atlas Map. The Atlas Map is randomized for every player, and your layout will not look like anyone else’s.
Look around the Ziggurat to see numerous Map Nodes dotting the landscape, connected with dashed lines. Any Map Node that is highlighted with ablue glow is availableto travel to, Nodeswithout a glow are not yet unlocked, and Maps with agreen glow have been completed. As you complete maps, more Map Nodes will become available and open new paths that extend outward from the Ziggurat.
Tostart mapping, you must have aWaystone. Click on the Map Device, then select any Map Node with a blue glow. A small box will pop up with a basic description of themap and Waystone slots.Place your Waystone into one of these slots, then click the “Travel” button to activate the map.
The Atlas Map screen will close andsix portals will appeararound the Map Device, each leading to the same zone. These six Map Portals stay open as long as you survive, and you cantravel back to the Ziggurat Refuge (or your Hideout) once for each remaining portal.
If you die in the middle of a map, you will be sent back to the Refuge or your Hideout and the Map Node will be marked as “Attempted”. Youcan travel back to townsix times, using one of the Map Portals each time, but if you die, you’ll have to slot a new Waystone and try the map again – if you still have attempts remaining, that is.
Atlas Bosses, Special Encounters, & Endgame Events
Throughout the endgame AtlasPoE 2players will encounter special endgame events, unique landmarks like Lost Towers and Citadels, and fight Pinnacle Bosses in addition to the regular randomly-generated mapping experience.
There are four special events that can appear inside Atlas Maps –Ritual,Breach,Expedition, andDelirium.
Anymap with a icon above itis guaranteed to contain at least one instance of the respective event. For example, if you see a purple icon with a grasping hand above a Map Node, that node is guaranteed to contain a Breach event. To find out what each Map Icon means to learn which event to expect, click on the Node (when it becomes available to Travel to) and hover over the icon.
Each event has its own unique Passive Skill Tree (on the same screen as the Atlas Passive Skill Tree screen) which improves their rewards or improves your experience. Points cannot be shared between events,
There are also features such as Lost Towers and Citadels that players can take on as they uncover more of the Atlas Map.
Players can also use theRealmgate, a giant portal near the starting Ziggurat, to challenge Pinnacle Bosses. Separate from Citadel and Burning Monolith bosses, Pinnacle Bosses can only be summoned with Currencies acquired in the Ritual, Breach, Expedition, and Delirium events. You will only get one chance to defeat the summoned boss, and must re-farm summoning materials if you die.
PoE 2 Atlas Passive Skill Tree
After finishing your first Map a new quest will appear in the quest tracker, requiring you tocomplete 10x maps with at least a Tier 1 Waystone. After completing this quest, you will get abook that grants two Atlas Passive Skill Tree points, and automatically pick up another quest for thenext Waystone tier.
Consume the bookto gain two Points, thenopen up the Atlas Map with the Map Device and select the Atlas Passive Skill Tree iconon the top-left of the map screen.
Here you will see a sprawling maze of Atlas Passives not unlike the regularPoE 2Passive Skill Tree. Nodes on this tree will grant a variety of upgrades to your endgame experience with Item find and Rarity chance, Waystone improvements and drop chance, improved chance to find rare Currencies like Essences, and generally increase the rewards for taking on endgame content.
If you decide you aren’t satisfied with your Atlas Passive Skill Tree points, respec them by talking to Doryani at the Ziggurat Refuge. After unlocking the Atlas he should have a new dialogue option to “Refund Atlas Passive Skill Points”, which will initiate the refund process that works just like the Passive Skill Tree.
