Navigating the Atlas in Path of Exile 2 Dawn of the Hunt

Waystone sustain has been significantly improved, making it easier to progress through the Atlas. Clearing a map and defeating all rare monsters grants a high chance of a Waystone drop. At tier one, it's 100%, decreasing as you progress to tier 15. Map suffixes increase this chance. A major change is the elimination of lower-level map drops, making boss maps valuable for progression.

If you run out of high-tier maps, Doriani sells 10 maps of one tier lower than your highest completed tier for 18,000 gold each. You can use the reforging bench to 3-to-1 these maps into higher tiers. This allows you to progress even if you can't sustain your current tier.

  • Key Strategy: Focus on clearing maps efficiently to maximize Waystone drops.
  • Gold Farming: Running maps efficiently can generate millions of gold, making it easy to buy maps from Doriani.

Map Rolling Strategies and Modifier Analysis

Map rolling is crucial for maximizing rewards. Prefixes exclusively provide beneficial effects like increased quantity, rarity, and more rare monsters. Suffixes, however, make monsters stronger or weaken your character. Increased monster damage, speed, and elemental penetration are particularly dangerous.

Temporal Chains received a significant buff, drastically reducing action speed. Avoid running maps with Temporal Chains unless you have a countermeasure.

Unlike in PoE 1, map prefixes are all exclusively helpful. Here's a breakdown of desirable prefixes:

  • Quantity
  • Rarity
  • More Rare Monsters

Suffixes make monsters harder, but also increase waystone drop chance. Once you reach tier 15, you don't need multiple suffixes to juice maps. Use Omens of Sinestral Coronation to roll maps with multiple prefixes. Sinestral Alchemy ensures three prefixes and one suffix when alchemizing.

Corruption outcomes can significantly enhance map juicing. Key outcomes include:

  • Converting half the mods to a different type (prefixes to suffixes or vice versa).
  • Adding four mods.
  • Rolling the map up or down a level.

The number of modifiers on your map affects the number of revives available. Maps with more modifiers offer fewer revives. Aim for three prefixes and one or two suffixes for a balance between reward and survivability.

Modifier Count Revives Available
White Map 5
1 Mod Map 5
2 Mod Map 4
3 Mod Map 3
6 Mod Map 0

Tablet Mechanics and Tower Optimization

Tablets are a primary juicing mechanic. They share the same prefixes: quantity, rarity, and rare monsters. Towers have been reworked to provide more value for high-level Waystones. Completing a tower with a three-mod map grants two tablet slots, while a six-mod map grants three.

The number of maps affected by tablets depends on the map tier. Tier 15 maps with six mods have a doubled effect. Precursor tablets increase the monster level of maps. Other tablets add league mechanics like Breach, Delirium, and Expedition.

Tablet suffixes vary depending on the type. Precursor tablets offer quantity of Waystones and a chance for rare monsters to have additional modifiers. Overseer tablets affect map bosses. League-specific tablets enhance those mechanics.

Unique tablets offer unique benefits. The Expedition unique tablet guarantees duplicated runic monsters. Aim to run six-mod tier 15 maps in all towers to maximize quantity and rarity.

Corruption and Purification Dynamics

Coalesced Corruption is a key mechanic. Killing enemies in corrupted areas spawns more monsters. The Corruption Nexus contains a corrupted boss. Killing the nexus boss grants Atlas passive points (two per boss). The minimum map tier increases with each boss kill.

Telltale signs of a nexus include:

  • Towers enrobed by red spaghetti
  • Red patches on the ground at the edges of the fog

After clearing a nexus, maps in the area turn into purified maps. Purified maps can drop Fractured Orbs and have special modifiers. One modifier guarantees a Fractured Orb drop from a special boss, Armured Fury. Other modifiers can significantly increase rarity or modify Waystone effectiveness.

Special maps, such as Fractured Lake (Lake of Calandra), Castaway, Feral Megalith, and Vidian Wildwood, can be found throughout the Atlas. Citadels, corresponding to Act bosses, drop keys for the Arbiter of Ash. The drop rate depends on your Waystone drop chance. Use maps with multiple suffixes for Citadels.

Map Running and League Mechanics

In maps with a boss, the objective is to kill the boss. In maps without a boss, the objective is to kill the rares. After killing the boss and rares, you can leave. If there's a league mechanic, complete it. 90% of your currency comes from rare mobs and bosses.

Brief Overview of League Mechanics:

  • Breach: Simple, blast through the breach.
  • Delirium: Zone in and blast. Delirium mirrors last longer.
  • Expedition: More complex, but the reward isn't always worth the time.
  • Ritual: Better now that every ritual page guarantees an omen.
  • Bossing: Main purpose is to drop Waystones.

Bonus Content:

  • Essences: Easy and more rewarding than normal rare monsters.
  • Rogue Exiles: New, but not very rewarding.
  • Strongboxes: Better, but still not great.
  • Shrines: Good, but dangerous to approach.
  • Wisps: (Negative) Slow and not rewarding.

Atlas Passive Tree Progression

For tier 1 to 15 map progression, you don't need many points. Focus on:

  • Nexus of Corruption
  • Constant Crossroads (more waystones)
  • Rising Danger (more rare monsters)

Once in tier 15, build towards a tree that maximizes map mod effect. Take Rising Danger, quant, and rarity whenever possible. Spec into essences or shrines for additional benefits.

Three recommended Atlas passive trees:

  1. Map Mod Effect
  2. Shrine Tree
  3. Rogue Exiles

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For league mechanics, prioritize points that increase splinter drop rates or logbook drops. Then, customize your tree based on your preferred playstyle.

Path of Exile 2's mapping experience has been significantly improved. This guide provides a solid foundation for navigating the Atlas and maximizing your rewards. Good luck, and have fun mapping!

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