View source for Essence league

{{Event
|name            = Essence league
|image           = Essence league banner.png
|type            = challenge
|release_version = 2.4.0
|release_date    = 2016-09-02
|end_date        = 2016-11-28
|standard        = True
|hardcore        = True
| links          = [https://www.pathofexile.com/atlasofworlds Official page]
}}

'''Essence league''' was a [[challenge league]]. It launched on September 2, 2016 as part of ''[[Path of Exile: Atlas of Worlds]]'' in [[version 2.4.0]].<ref name="AtlasOfWorlds"/><ref name="The Essence League Challenges and Rewards" />

In this league, zones contained a pack of frozen monsters which held an [[Essence]], where taking it freed the monsters imbued with its power. Essences can be used to modify items with a specified guaranteed affix, some of which are exclusive to Essences. Essences can be traded to vendors for higher tiers and can even be [[corrupted]] for a chance to gain an even stronger Essence or destroy it.

At the end of the leagues, all characters and [[stash]]es were moved to [[Standard league]] and [[Hardcore league]]. Characters that died in the Hardcore Essence league were immediately moved to the permanent [[Standard league]].

==Ladders==
In Essence league, players could choose to enable the optional [[Hardcore]] (HC) game mode.

This means that there were two distinct ladders for Essence league:
* [https://www.pathofexile.com/ladders/league/Essence Essence league]
* [https://www.pathofexile.com/ladders/league/Hardcore%20Essence HC Essence league]

==Modifiers==
All [[area]]s had:
* {{c|mod|Areas can contain Essences}}

==Essence mechanic==
{{main|Essence}}
Players encounter groups of monsters with a rare monster in the middle possessed by one or more essences, each granting it a special ability. These monsters are trapped and don't perform any actions until the player clicks a few times on the possessed rare monster to release the whole group. When the possessed monster is killed the essences will drop as [[item]]s.

==Essence League Uniques==
Essence league had no league-specific uniques.

==Challenges and rewards==
{{main|List of Essence League challenges}}
Players could earn exclusive [[microtransaction]]s by completing [https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1715825 Essence league challenges]:
{{#lsth:List of Essence league challenges|Rewards}}

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="AtlasOfWorlds">{{cite web|author=|date=August 12, 2016|title=Atlas of Worlds promo page|url=https://www.pathofexile.com/atlasofworlds|publisher=Official Path of Exile Website|accessdate=August 12, 2016}}</ref>
<ref name="The Essence League Challenges and Rewards">{{cite web|author=Bex_GGG|date=August 29, 2016|title=The Essence League Challenges and Rewards|url=https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1715825|publisher=Official Path of Exile Forums|accessdate=August 31, 2016}}</ref>
}}

{{Navbox Challenge Leagues}}