# Endgame This is the Atlas and it serves as the core of the endgame for Path of Exile 2. <a href="https://imgur.com/d20vl8G.jpg" data-lightbox="panel"></a> Well, one thing that Path of Exile is known for is having a lot of distinct endgame content to choose between. Each endgame mechanic needs to have its own progression system, areas, bosses, rewards, and player power that can only be gained from that content. * [[Waystone]] * Additional Content * [[Shrine]] * [[Strongbox]] * [[Essence]] * [[Azmeri Spirit]] * [[Rogue Exiles]] * Special Maps * [[Untainted Paradise]] * [[Nameless Seer]] * [[Hideout]] * [[Precursor Towers]] * [[The Realmgate]] * Map Status * [[Corruption]] * [[Map Boss]] * [[Anomaly Map]] * [Abyss](Abyss) * Special Systems * [[Breach]]: [[Breach Ring]], [[Catalysts]], [[Breach Splinter]], [[Breach Precursor Tablet]] * [[Ritual]]: [[Omens]], [[Ritual Precursor Tablet]] * [[Delirium]]: [[Liquid Emotions]], [[Simulacrum Splinter]], [[Delirium Precursor Tablet]] * [[Expedition]]: [[Expedition Precursor Tablet]], [[Expedition Logbook]], [[Runic Splinter]] * [[Trial of the Sekhemas]]: [[Jewels]], [[Djinn Barya]], [[Relics]] * [[The Trial of Chaos]]: [[Inscribed Ultimatum]], [[Vaal Orb]], [[Socketable]] * [[The Burning Monolith]] ##### Waystone It's infinite and expands in all directions. Now, we're not going to spoil the plot too much here, but corruption from The Beast has blighted the land, and your objective is to help fight it. In the center of the Atlas you will find the Ziggurat, a temple in which the Vaal research the fundamentals of space and time. Here we can open portals to nearby locations and begin cleansing corruption and finding resources. In order to power the portal device, we will need waystones. Each waystone has a tier which will determine the level of the monsters that you will face. To go to an area, simply click one that is adjacent to an area you've already completed, insert the waystone and click traverse. Portals will open, allowing you and your party to travel to the area you have selected. All the areas in endgame feel distinct from locations in the campaign, and we've dialed the randomization up to 11. The monster packs you will face in each map are totally random and the combination of them can lead to some very interesting combat situations. There are over 400 monster types in Early Access, and they have a lot of varied and interesting abilities. Depending on which combination you face, you might find some serious challenges. In order to cleanse the corruption from an area, you will need to defeat all the powerful, rare, and unique enemies in it. Once you've done that, the area will be marked as completed and you'll be able to travel past it to progress deeper into the world. If you die, then the map can no longer be run and you have to find another way around to get to the areas behind it. The more dangerous a map is, the more waystones will drop. Adding mods to your waystones is key to progressing to the higher tiers and for sustaining them, but it will require you to take on larger challenges. There are a variety of factors you’ll have to consider when crafting your waystones. Some maps will have higher density, some lower. Some have more magic and rare chests, or monsters. Some are more linear, others are more open. Make sure you explore and think about what makes certain maps good if you want to maximize your returns. * T1 is Level 65 ## Additional Content ##### [[Shrine]] There are also all kinds of other random encounters you might run into as you play maps. One such encounter are Precursor Artifacts. These are ancient, corrupting monuments that irradiate the monsters around them. The monsters that feed off corruption are drawn to their power. If you defeat the monsters and cleanse the artifacts, you will get a powerful temporary buff. Some of the buffs make you faster, others rain lightning or fire around you, and some even give you increased experience or help you find better items. ##### [[Strongbox]] You can also find strongboxes. These enigmatic chests guard piles of treasure, but are always a trap. Monsters lie in wait to attack you the moment that you open it, and the boxes often have mechanisms to unleash powerful spells or dangerous debuffs. There are different types of strongboxes containing different items, and you can even use your currency items to craft them on the fly so you can optimize the contents. But be careful of opening one that you can't handle. ##### [[Essence]] Sometimes you'll discover monsters frozen in essences: solidified, crystalline corruption. These dangerous monsters can be broken free. If you defeat them, the essence they drop can be used to upgrade normal items to magic items with a guaranteed mod from a category. For example, we use this one on some boots to ensure a movement speed mod. Rarely, essences will also drop that allow you to upgrade magics to rares, adding the guaranteed mod. This is incredibly powerful since it allows you to get a second deterministic mod in your crafting projects. Combining these with the currencies that are commonly found in Wraeclast for modifying items, and we can get a very nice pair of boots indeed. ## Special Maps ##### Untainted Paradise You might find unique maps like Untainted Paradise, an undisturbed island full of beasts that give extreme amounts of experience (600%+). ##### Nameless Seer You may even find a lonely man just enjoying his retirement. He'll give you a unique item for free. ##### Hideout In addition, you can find special areas that would make a good spot to set up camp. Clear these areas of their hostile inhabitants and you'll be able to claim them as your own hideout. You can decorate your hideout as you see fit and invite various NPCs to join you there, to create your own personal base of operations. ##### Precursor Towers A great tool for exploration are towers. These mysterious precursor constructs are dotted around the Atlas. Completing the tower will reveal a large area around it, allowing you to scout out your next challenge. There are a lot of things to find, so keep looking. Some sections of the Atlas are influenced by corruption. This adds extra modifiers to the maps in the region, increasing the difficulty and rewards. Here, slaying monsters in close proximity to each other will cause vestiges of corruption within them to merge together, forming powerful and grotesque abominations. * [[Breach Precursor Tablet]] * [[Ritual Precursor Tablet]] * [[Delirium Precursor Tablet]] * [[Expedition Precursor Tablet]] ##### Atlas Tree: Boss Now, you may have noticed while looking at the Atlas that some areas have these icons above them. The icon indicates the area contains some kind of special encounter. This icon indicates the area has a powerful boss. Because only one in four maps contain a map boss, we're able to make them much more powerful and much more rewarding than they were, in Path of Exile 1. These bosses come from the campaign, but have had the difficulty increased with changes to AI and some of their abilities. It's worth noting that because you can see where the bosses are, you can choose to take them on or avoid them. If you do choose to hunt bosses, though, then you'll be rewarded with special points for the boss hunting section of the Atlas skill tree. The points here will allow you to specialize in boss killing, giving you much greater rewards for defeating them. For each different type of content in the endgame, we're adding specialized trees in order to make it so you don't feel the need to respec your points when you change between different types of content. We'll be showing you seven of these by the end of this presentation, so there's still a lot more to come. Now, bosses are not the only icon you will see on the Atlas. Let's take a look at one of the endgame systems.