PoE 2 Third Ascendancy & How To Get the 3rd/4th Ascendancy?

Path of Exile 2 introduces new systems for ascendancy progression, and unlocking the third ascendancy is an important step in building a stronger character. Ascendancy points allow you to unlock powerful bonuses in your ascendancy tree, helping you improve your playstyle and tackle harder content. In this guide, we'll cover what the third ascendancy is and provide a detailed breakdown of how to unlock it so you can dominate the game.

What is the Third Ascendancy in Path of Exile 2?

The third ascendancy in Path of Exile 2 gives your character two additional ascendancy points, increasing your total to six. These points unlock key nodes on your ascendancy tree, letting you adapt your build to specific playstyles. To reach this step, you must complete challenging trials that test your character’s strength, mobility, and planning.

The third ascendancy requires completing either the Trial of Sekhemas (Floor 3) or the Trial of Chaos (10 Trials). Both options demand careful preparation and strong character builds.

How to Unlock the 3rd/4th Ascendancy in PoE 2?

Step 1: Understanding the Trial of Simus

The Trial of Simus is the pathway to unlocking your third ascendancy. It is a multi-floor challenge that tests your combat prowess, trap-dodging skills, and strategic planning. To access the trial, you need to acquire a map with at least three trials. Maps with fewer trials will not allow you to complete the process, so ensure you're properly equipped before attempting this content.

The trial consists of multiple floors, each with unique rooms, traps, and bosses. The ultimate goal is to clear all the floors, defeat the final boss, and earn your two ascendancy points.

Step 2: Preparing for the Trial of Simus

Preparation is the key to success in the Trial of Simus. Here's what you need to do:

1. Overlevel the Content

The Trial of Simus is notoriously overtuned, with difficult traps and tanky monsters. Overleveling the content ensures you have a damage and survivability advantage. Aim for gear and levels that exceed the trial's requirements.

2. Build Strong Defenses

Your defenses are critical for surviving both traps and monster attacks. Key defensive layers include:

• Maxing out resistances (except Chaos, which is less critical).

• Evasion or armor to mitigate incoming damage.

• High Honor Resistance and Honor Restoration (explained below).

3. Optimize Your Relics

Relics play a significant role in determining your success in the trial. Focus on relics that provide:

• Honor Resistance: Reduces the amount of Honor lost when hit by traps or monsters.

• Honor Restoration: Restores Honor when completing rooms or certain actions.

Without enough Honor, your run will end prematurely. Ensure your relics are optimized for these stats, even if they’re not top-tier.

Step 3: Navigating the Trial of Simus

The Trial of Simus is divided into three floors, each with increasingly difficult mechanics and enemies. Here's a breakdown of what to expect:

Room Types and Strategies

1. Find the Exit Rooms

   Filled with traps like columns, spiraling fireballs, and flamethrowers. Take your time and memorize trap patterns. For example, spiraling fireballs move in clockwise or counterclockwise directions—follow their movement to avoid damage.

2. Blood Chalice Rooms

   Hunt down three rare monsters to complete the room. Use the blood blobs from the chalice to track down monsters. Burst them down quickly to minimize damage to your Honor.

3. Time Trial Rooms

   Survive waves of enemies within a time limit. Focus on rare monsters first, as they can have dangerous mods.

4. Pledge of Kai Kai Rooms

   Offers a trade-off between Boons and Afflictions. Select options carefully. Avoid gaining minor Afflictions unless absolutely necessary, as some can break your run (e.g., Fiendish Wings, which increases monster speed).

5. Mini-Boss and Portal Rooms

   Defeat portals or mini-bosses to progress. These rooms are generally straightforward if you have high single-target damage.

6. Shrine Rooms

   These rooms provide significant rewards, such as restoring Honor, cleansing Afflictions, and granting powerful Boons.Prioritize these rooms when mapping your path.

Step 4: Boss Encounters

Each floor culminates in a challenging boss fight. Here’s what to expect:

Floor 1 Boss

• Relatively simple mechanics, but stay at range to avoid its area-of-effect (AoE) attacks.

• Watch for on-death effects and avoid standing too close after killing it.

Floor 2 Boss (The Twin Statues)

• Focus on killing one statue at a time. Once one dies, the other will enrage and restore to full health.

• Dodge their slams, which deal significant damage to Honor.

Floor 3 Boss (The Scorpion)

• This boss is extremely challenging, with mechanics borrowed from the Scorpion boss in PoE 1.

• Key mechanics: It burrows underground, becoming untargetable while dashing across the arena. Its burrow attack deals massive Honor damage if you’re caught in its path. Watch for rubble on the ground to anticipate where it will emerge. The fight debuffs your movement speed, making it harder to dodge attacks.

• Tips for Success: Overlevel and overgear for this fight. Burst it down whenever it’s vulnerable. Use the platforms in the arena to cleanse debuffs (if applicable).

Step 5: Merchant and Boons

Between floors, you’ll encounter a merchant who offers valuable Boons in exchange for Holy Water. Some tips for managing your purchases:

• Prioritize Boons:

  Traps Deal 50% Less Damage: Essential for mitigating trap damage. Silver Chalice: Converts your next minor Boon into a random major Boon. Major Boons can be game-changing, such as restoring large amounts of Honor after every room.

• Plan Ahead:

  Buy the most impactful Boons first. If you’re uncertain, focus on defensive Boons to ensure you survive the trial.

Step 6: Completing the Trial

After defeating the floor 3 boss and clearing the final portal, you’ll earn your third ascendancy. This grants two additional ascendancy skill points, bringing your total to six. These skill points are critical for unlocking powerful nodes in your ascendancy tree, improving damage, survivability, and utility.

More Tips for Getting Third Ascendancy Points in PoE 2

1. Take It Slow - Rushing through traps or rooms is a surefire way to fail. Patience is key.

2. Avoid High-Risk Afflictions - Some Afflictions, like Deceptive Mirror (which prevents you from choosing rooms), can ruin your run. Choose Afflictions carefully to minimize risk.

3. Focus on Honor Management - The trial ends if your Honor reaches zero. Prioritize relics, Boons, and strategies that help preserve or restore Honor.

4. Learn Trap Patterns - Practice dodging traps to minimize Honor loss.

5. Overlevel and Overgear - The trial is overtuned, so being overprepared is essential.

Why the Third Ascendancy Matters in PoE 2?

Unlocking the third ascendancy provides a total of six ascendancy points, allowing you to unlock powerful nodes in your ascendancy tree. These nodes provide unparalleled bonuses to damage, survivability, and utility, greatly enhancing your build’s potential.

The third ascendancy is a major turning point in PoE 2, as it prepares your character for more challenging content and ensures you can optimize your build for endgame encounters.