What are ascendancy trials in Path of Exile 2?
Every class in Path of Exile 2 has ascendancy classes: specialisations that add a small, powerful passive tree on top of your normal one. To unlock one, and to earn the points you spend on it, you complete ascension trials.
There are two kinds, and you can choose which to run:
- The Trial of the Sekhemas, a run through a series of rooms where your resource is Honour rather than life alone.
- The Trial of Chaos, a set of escalating rounds where you choose the modifiers that make each round harder.
Each completion gives you 2 ascendancy points. The first completion also lets you choose your ascendancy class.
How does the Trial of the Sekhemas work?
You start the Trial of the Sekhemas with a Djinn Barya, a key-like item. The first one, Balbala's Barya, comes from defeating Balbala the Traitor in Act 2, and the Barya's level decides the trial's difficulty.
Inside, you move through rooms toward a final boss. The key mechanic is Honour: it works like a second health bar that flasks, regeneration and leech can't refill. Only certain boons, relics and shrine rewards restore it. Taking hits costs Honour, and if it runs out, the trial ends. Along the way you pick up boons that help and afflictions that hurt, and you choose routes through the rooms.
Tips:
- Protect your Honour, not just your life. Avoiding damage matters more here than anywhere else in the game.
- Choose boons that cover your weaknesses, especially defensive ones.
- Take routes that suit your build. Some rooms suit some builds better than others, so read the room before you commit.
How does the Trial of Chaos work?
You start the Trial of Chaos with an Inscribed Ultimatum. The first, the Chimeral Inscribed Ultimatum, drops from Xyclucian, the Chimera, in Act 3. The trial is a series of rounds, and before each one you pick a modifier from a short list. Modifiers stack, so the last rounds are the hardest. Since patch 0.5.5 you can leave a Trial of Chaos and resume from the same room later, and every room ends in a reward chest, so a failed run no longer loses everything.
Tips:
- Pick modifiers your build can ignore. If your build doesn't care about a particular type of damage, a modifier that buffs it is a safe choice.
- Avoid modifiers that stack badly with each other later on.
- Clear quickly. Some round types reward speed, and slow builds feel the pressure.
How many ascendancy points can you get?
Up to 8, from four completions of 2 points each. The first 4 come from the campaign: the Trial of the Sekhemas with Balbala's Barya in Act 2, then the Trial of Chaos with the Chimeral Inscribed Ultimatum in Act 3. Points 5 and 6 need either a level 60+ Djinn Barya or a level 75+ Inscribed Ultimatum. Points 7 and 8 need a level 75+ Barya or Ultimatum and a full clear, including the final boss. These are the patch 0.5 requirements, so check the item tooltip after a major patch.
The exact level each later trial needs has changed between patches, so check the item's level and your quest log for what the current version requires.
Which trial should you choose?
Whichever suits your build. Some general guidance:
- Sekhemas suits careful, defensive builds that can avoid being hit, because Honour punishes damage taken.
- Chaos suits strong, fast builds that can handle stacked modifiers, because you control the difficulty you add.
Most players do both campaign trials, Sekhemas in Act 2 and Chaos in Act 3, for 4 points. For the later points, choose based on how your build has developed. Sekhemas is reachable earlier for points 5 and 6 (a level 60+ Barya against a level 75+ Ultimatum).
How do you prepare for a trial?
- Level up first. Running a trial at a comfortable level is far easier than at the minimum.
- Upgrade your defences. Life, energy shield and resistances matter more than extra damage here.
- Know the boss. Each trial ends in a boss fight. Watching it once or reading its key attacks saves a failed run.
- Bring the right flasks, and know their limits. Flasks keep you alive in the Trial of Chaos, but in the Sekhemas they don't restore Honour, so avoiding hits matters more than recovering from them.
Our Path of Exile 2 leveling guide covers how to keep your gear and skills on pace through the campaign.
Which mistakes fail trials most often?
- Running at the minimum level with campaign gear.
- Taking avoidable hits in the Sekhemas, which drain Honour.
- Picking modifiers that stack into an impossible final round in the Trial of Chaos.
- Ignoring defences in favour of damage.
When does help make sense?
The later trials can be a wall, especially for builds that are strong in maps but fragile in a trial. An ascension trials boost completes the trial for your character, played by hand by an experienced player, with progress you can follow in your BoostingXP dashboard.
FAQ
How many ascendancy points are there in PoE 2?
Eight in total, from four trial completions of 2 points each.
What do you need to start the Trial of the Sekhemas?
A Djinn Barya. The first, Balbala's Barya, drops from Balbala the Traitor in Act 2.
What do you need to start the Trial of Chaos?
An Inscribed Ultimatum. The first comes from Xyclucian, the Chimera, in Act 3.
Can I choose which trial to do?
Partly. You'll normally do both in the campaign. For the later points either trial works, but Sekhemas has the lower level requirement for points 5 and 6, so pick the one that suits your build and level.
What is Honour in the Trial of the Sekhemas?
A resource that goes down when you take hits and doesn't regenerate like life. If it runs out, the trial ends.
