Path of Exile 2 is a next generation Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Set years after the original Path of Exile, you will return to the dark world of Wraeclast and seek to end the corruption that is spreading. Path of Exile 2 is a free-to-play online multiplayer game with co-op for up to six players.
PSA: Relics and the Merchant make ascendancy trials extremely easy, easier than PoE 1
I've read multiple threads about the ascendancy trials being too hard, some of them with hundreds of upvotes. The trials are actually very easy if you do them the way you're supposed to...
Do a couple of fast suicide runs to get 10-15 blue relics (Tapestries, Seals etc.).
Use augmentation orbs on them to give them a 2nd modifier.
You need relics with Honor Resistance. The second mod can be:
- Increased maximum honor
- Bosses take X increased damage
- Bosses deal X reduced damage
- Increases to Sacred Water gains
You then need to go for (Large) Sacred Water fountain rewards as much as possible. You then buy a couple of OP buffs from the merchant (You deal 50% more damage / Monsters have 30% reduced HP / You have 40% increased movement speed / 50% reduced merchant prices) and the trial becomes very easy.
Occasionally, pick a Shrine room to replenish your lost honor, but only if it's below 60-70%.
Make sure that whenever you have around 600 sacred water or more and the merchant is available as a room reward, you do that room. If you don't happen to find him in a room, you'll still have him waiting for you after each boss fight.
I saw someone get a 'enemies deal no damage in the next room' reward from a merchant... and his next room just happened to be the boss in his final ascendency points lol. That's some insane luck though.
I got a 'revive @ 50% honor after death' and it's what allowed me to finish the trial. I literally prepared by running 3 lower level ones to gather relics. Stacked all honor relics either giving me more or me taking less honor damage. I got it first try without even knowing anything about the scorpion boss. I was very overleveled @ 77, but it really isn't bad if you prepare and make sure to buy the boons from the merchant/avoid negative debuffs.
I'm trying to get my 4th ascendancy and the hardest part is just getting through the ~1 hour slog of 4 floors before being able to attempt the final boss. Everything before the final boss is trivial
There's maximum honor resistance allowing you to go over 75% cap, too.
My last run I got 50% more damage, 30% less monster damage, 20% less boss Damage, 20% slower monsters and a ton of restore honour boons.
Merchant is POG
I just did my third ascendancy yesterday with almost only boons, had some resistance/max honour relics and ended up taking like 300 honour damage total. Didn't really have to dodge the boss either
Did that, wasn't fun in the slightest.
Did that, didn't roll anything useful and if I did it's on a 1x4 relic I can't slot into my grid.
It's poorly designed, it's not fun, it's a waste of time, it's not engaging, it's annoying, it's a terrible mechanic for a game. I do not care about how easy it is by the end of a 40 hour dedicated grind. It's not fun during the process.
I do not care if it's easy, I don't care if it is hard. It is not fun. Delete Trials of the Sekhema.
While these ascensions are not as hard as people are saying, to say that they are easier then Poe 1 is a joke. In Poe 1 the first lab couldn’t be easier.
In Poe 2, to make it easy you need to spend time doing multiple runs and farming relics as you said. That makes the entire process longer.
All in all, ascending in both games is easy (sub 4th ascension in Poe 2 maybe) but the assertion Poe 2 is easier than Poe 1 lab is funny.
You can cheese the 3rd Izario fight in 1 too just slapping culling support on a skill. Since he starts at half health it cuts that last fight almost in half.
in poe 1 labs became easier because GGG didn't scale them as other content. they even reduced challenge, though simplifying first and second lab was good choice (because before there was no difference between first 3 labs except location level.)