League mechanics

League Mechanics are a set of challenge league features which were reworked and permanently added to the game after their respective league finished. Each represent a powerful way to obtain crafting material, item drops, or augment items. They are named after the league in which they first appeared and are sometimes referenced by that name in game.

Most are considered Extra Content and their chance to be encountered in maps can be positively modified. Many can be eliminated entirely.

Abyss

Abysses are interactable objects which spawns cracks and pits that spawn monsters. The Abyss cracks trail randomly along the area, and on the final pit it spawns an Abyssal Trove, containing rewards. Occasionally, they may instead spawn a Stygian Spire or an entrance to the Abyssal Depths, which contains a boss. Abysses can close up if the player takes too long to kill the monsters. Abysses are marked on the minimap with a green icon .

Affliction (The Viridian Wildwood)

An area may spawn a portal that leads to the Viridian Wildwood, a forest covered in perpetual darkness. Sacred Wisps will uncover the darkness as you move, but you can only uncover a limited amount of darkness before you must return. You can collect three types of Wisps that are dispersed into the main zone once you leave the Wildwood, empowering random enemies by increasing their power and item drops. You may also find various random encounters inside the Wildwood.

In Affliction league, the Wildwood could contain an Azmeri Wanderer NPC that grants access to a Wildwood ascendancy class, granting access to unique abilities.

Ambush (Strongboxes)

Strongboxes are a special type of loot container. When opened, a strongbox will release groups of monsters to surround and attack the character. Strongboxes come with affixes that affect its drops and hazards and can be modified with currency items.

Anarchy (Rogue Exiles)

Rogue Exiles are unique monsters with player skins which use players skills. On death, exiles drop a large amount of items, including one for each equipment slot.

Bestiary (The Menagerie)

Beasts are marked on the minimap with a yellow icon or red icon and can be hunted with Einhar Frey. Captured beasts can be interacted with in The Menagerie for crafting effects.

In Bestiary league, the player would have to capture the beasts by themselves using nets.

Betrayal (Immortal Syndicate)

The Immortal Syndicate have three encounters on a map. Syndicate members are marked on the minimap and may be guarding a transport , fortification or research . They may also appear out of portals and attempt to assassinate the player.

Defeating the syndicate members will provide intelligence in the investigation which is coordinated with Jun Ortoi. Once intelligence in a faction reaches 100%, the player can raid their safehouse for significant rewards based on the leader and rank of the safehouse members. Sufficient safehouse encounters will result in a boss fight against the Syndicate Mastermind.

Beyond

When an area has a Beyond encounter enabled, enemies have a chance to spawn a small red orb on death. If there are enough other red orbs around each other, they will spawn a pack of hostile Beyond demons. Occasionally, a Beyond boss may spawn instead. Once a Beyond boss spawns, no more Beyond monsters can be spawned in that area.

Blight

Blights are tower defence-like encounters that can spawn from Fungal Growths in any map area, which will always be accompanied by Sister Cassia. The player must defend the pump while building towers until all monsters are slain.

Blight encounters are also found in Blighted maps and Blight-ravaged maps that have all the monsters removed, save for a single special Blight encounter.

Breach

Breaches are timed monster-spawning portals identified by a red hand-like construct within a purple circle . Walking into the hand will activate the breach, expending its area gradually then collapsing after a certain period of time. Breach monsters drop splinters used to form a Breachstone, which opens up an area containing one large Breach that leads to a boss.

Delirium

A Delirium mirror spawns on a map.

A Mirror of Delirium is a glittering black gateway which spawn within a close distance from the zone entrance. Once a player passes through it, it spawns a gray fogs that spreads outwards throughout the map, beginning the Delirium encounter. Delirium is a zone-wide effect that spawns new enemies and empowers existing ones. As the player kill enemies inside the mist, a reward bar on the bottom left will start filling up. The fog dissipates outwards over time, and the Delirium encounter ends if you're outside of the fog long enough or when ended early. Delirium orbs can be used to add a permanent Delirium effect to a map.

Delve (Azurite Mine)

Voltaxic Sulphite appears on the minimap as a golden yellow mineral and can be mined with Niko, Master of the Depths. It provides fuel to explore the Azurite Mine which is one of the Endgame activities.

Domination (Shrines)

Shrines can appear randomly in most areas, granting significant bonuses to nearby monsters or casts spells at nearby players, and are often guarded by monsters. Players can activate the shrine to temporarily gain its bonuses.

Essence

An essence can be obtained by killing monsters trapped in essence crystals. Activating the centre essence crystal three times will break the crystals, freeing the trapped monsters. Essences are used for crafting.

Expedition

The player will encounter one of the four Expedition NPCs. The player can place explosives in the area to unearth monsters and chests. An Expedition logbook can drop and be taken to Dannig, who can open portals to larger Expedition areas with more remnants, flags and placeable explosives.

Harbinger

A Harbinger

A Harbinger is a blue glowing monster named with strange runes. They can only be harmed by killing their minions and mainly drop currency shards.

Harvest

A portal leading to the The Sacred Grove may spawn in areas. There, you can find multiple patches of plants connected to each other in pairs. You can activate one of these patches to begin harvesting it by defeating the monsters that spawn from it. These monsters drop Lifeforce, which are used for various Harvest crafting options via the Horticrafting Station.

Heist (The Rogue Harbour)

A Smuggler's Cache is a type of loot container that contain contracts, Rogue's MarkersRogue's MarkerStack Size: 50000Creates a portal to the Rogue Harbour from a Town or Hideout
Used as Currency for services in the Rogue HarbourRight click on this item while in a Town or Hideout to use it., and a quest contract. These can be used in The Rogue Harbour which is one of the endgame activities.

Incursion (Temple of Atzoatl)

A Temporal incursion is a short-duration visit to a temple room. Defeating one of two Vaal Architect in the incursion or using a Stone of PassageStone of PassageThis item can be placed into an Altar of Passage to create a connection between two adjacent rooms in the Temple of Atzoatl. This item will drop on the ground when leaving an Incursion. will customize and upgrade The Temple of Atzoatl. After all incursions are finished, a map of the Temple may be opened.

Legion

Legions are ancient armies frozen in the midst of battle. They can be encountered by touching a Timeless Monolith , which spawns the Legions and gives the player a window of time in which they can be "killed". Once the timer ends, "killed" mobs are broken out and can fought for rewards.

Rampage

Rampage is a "kill-streak" mechanic that grants bonuses as you continue killing enemies within a short period of time.

Rampage can only be accessed via modifiers found on certain unique items.

Ritual

Multiple Ritual altars can spawn in areas. Once the enemies around the altar are slain, interacting with a Ritual altar begins a Ritual encounter. During the encounter, the altar traps the player within its area and spawns enemies killed near the altar until all enemies are slain. Each subsequent Ritual encounter in the same area will spawn all the monsters that were spawned by previous altars.

Each enemy slain during a Ritual encounter grants Favour. Favour is used to purchase items offered by the Ritual altars and does not carry over outside the zone. Items can also be deferred instead, paying a part of its cost to have it reappear in future Ritual encounters.

Sanctum

Forbidden TomesForbidden TomeArea Level: (68-83)Mundus noster cecidit. Daemones ubique sunt. Librum
hunc in sacrarium conicio, ut forte alius viam inveniat...Take this item to the Relic Altar in the Forbidden Sanctum to enter. have a chance to drop randomly in areas. You can use them to enter the Forbidden Sanctum, a roguelike-inspired dungeon where you must travel deep into the Sanctum while avoiding enemies and traps that damage your Resolve. The players can acquire boons and afflictions along the way that make the run easier or harder, as well as collect Relics that can be used to give yourself a bonus for future Sanctum runs. It is one of Path of Exile's endgame activities.

In the Forbidden Sanctum, you can acquire currency items immediately, at the end of the floor, or at the end of the dungeon. Certain unique Relics allow you to gain exclusive unique items by completing a Sanctum run with it.

Sentinel

Sentinels are constructs that when deployed empower enemies in exchange for increasing their item drops.

In Sentinel league, Sentinels could be equipped and deployed by the player and enhanced using the Sentinel Controller skill tree, but each Sentinel could only be used a limited number of times. New Sentinels could be crafted using the Power Core by combining two Sentinels.

Settlers (Kingsmarch)

GoldGoldStack Size: 50000Used as Currency in Kingsmarch drops from enemies and loot containers throughout the game. They can be used to improve Kingsmarch by paying for new buildings and workers. Workers can be assigned to passively farm crops, mine or smelt ores, disenchant items, or send out shipments of crops, ores, bars, and Thaumaturgic Dust to various ports to receive rewards. The speed of each task and the chance of a shipment returning with reduced rewards depends on worker levels. The workers will perform their jobs in real time as long as you can afford their wages.

Ore deposits spawn in zones. Clicking an ore deposit will begin an encounter, and once the encounter is complete, the ores will be sent to Kingsmarch for processing.

Gold is also used to pay for various services from Faustus, the Financier, Recombinator usage, and hiring Atlas Runners to run your maps.

Tempest

Areas containing Tempests will randomly spawn coloured circles of winds that empower or hinder both allies and enemies inside its radius after a delay. Enemies empowered by a Tempest often drop more items.

Currently, Tempests cannot be encountered normally, but can be made to spawn through various means, such as Scarab of Radiant StormsScarab of Radiant StormsStack Size: 20
Limit: 1Area contains a Resplendent TempestThe great cacophony of life roars to a crescendo.Can be used in a personal Map Device to add modifiers to a Map. or in The Temple of Atzoatl when the temple has the room Tempest Generator or its upgraded variants.

In Tempest league, zones would contain a random Tempest. Act zones would cycle between Tempests in real time.

Torment (Tormented Spirits)

Tormented Spirit

A Tormented Spirit is a green spirit which flee when encountered and imbue any normal or magic monsters with dangerous powers or possess a rare or unique monsters to empower it. Monsters touched or possessed by a Tormented Spirit have improved item drops.

Ultimatum

The Trialmaster can appear to offer an Ultimatum encounter. To begin, you must choose a difficulty modifier to add to the encounter. You must them complete up to 10 waves (by default) of the objective without leaving the zone or dying. For each wave you complete, you earn a reward. You may either end the encounter and take all your earned rewards, or continue to the next wave by adding another modifier. If you fail the encounter, all earned rewards will be lost.

Ultimatum encounters may reward an Inscribed UltimatumInscribed UltimatumCan be used in a personal map device to open portals to the Trialmaster's Domain and attempt his challenge. Portals will close once the challenge begins. that opens up an arena where you wager its requisite item to gain a reward if you can complete one extra-long Ultimatum encounter.

Warbands

Warbands are four factions of special monsters. Warbands can drop exclusive unique items or magic items with an exclusive modifier.

Currently, Warbands can only be found in certain maps as map bosses, or in specific nodes in the Azurite Mine. There are no Atlas passive skill directly associated with Warbands.

In Warbands league, a random Warband could occupy various zones. Act zones would cycle between Warbands in real time.

Removed

Archnemesis

In Archnemesis league, players can customize a Rare monster's mods by applying Archnemesis modifiers to petrified monsters, found throughout every area. Each Archnemesis modifier applied to a monster carries over to subsequent petrified monsters in the area.

The mechanic was not added to the core game after Archnemesis league, but the new monster modifiers replaced old systems and were reworked several times after.

Bloodlines

Bloodlines is a special type of monster modifier that can appear on Magic monsters.

In Version 3.18.0, many Bloodlines modifiers have been removed or merged into Archnemesis modifiers. Archnemesis modifiers were replaced with a simpler modifier system in Version 3.20.0.

Crucible

The Crucible Forge allows players to unlock and level up Crucible passive trees on weapon and shields. Experience towards the Crucible passive tree is gained by killing Crucible monsters. The Forge of the Titans contains a forge that lets you sacrifice an item to combine its Crucible tree with another.

The mechanic was not added to the core game after Crucible league.

Invasion

Invasion Bosses are unique monsters that can appear in zones and "invade" it.

Invasion bosses were phased out of the game over time. It was last offered as a map device crafting option in Version 3.3.0. Additionally, many Vaal side area bosses are based on Invasion bosses.

Kalandra (Lake of Kalandra)

Interacting with a Mirrored Tablet displays a map represented by grids. The player is given a choice to modify or add a tile to the tablet. Once all empty grids on the tablet have been filled, you can enter the Lake of Kalandra to loot it for rewards, with loot scaling as you move further away from the entrance.

The Lake of Kalandra can contain a Reflecting Mist. The Reflection gives you a choice between two Mirrored rings or amulets to take, which have multiplied positive or negative values. The modifier values inverted on their counterparts. Rarely, you can be given the option to reflect your own ring/amulet to create two items with the same effect.

The Lake of Kalandra was not added to the core game, but in Version 3.25.0, tier 16+ monster packs can occasionally spawn a Reflecting Mist, with a chance to drop an itemized version of itself.

Legacy (Leaguestones)

Leaguestones can be slotted to add one of 17 previous league mechanic to the next zone you enter a limited number of times, up to three at a time.

Leaguestones were only available during Legacy league.

Necropolis

The Lantern of Arimor allows players to preview monsters that are present in an upcoming zone, as well as random modifiers attached to them. Players can choose what monsters will be affected by the modifiers by swapping them around or use an Ember of the Allflame to transform them into a different monster. Monsters can drop corpses that are used for crafting in the Necropolis.

The mechanic was not added to the core game after Necropolis league.

Nemesis

Nemesis is a special type of monster modifier that can appear on Rare monsters.

In Version 3.18.0, many Nemesis modifiers have been removed or merged into Archnemesis modifiers. Archnemesis modifiers were replaced with a simpler modifier system in Version 3.20.0.

Metamorph

Monster organ sample may drop from monsters marked on the mini-map with a circular green icon . These can be combined to create a powerful Metamorph boss monster. A sufficiently powered Metamorph can drop itemised organ samples that can be taken to Tane's Laboratory to create an even more powerful Metamorph.

Metamorph was removed from the game in Version 3.23.0.

Perandus

Perandus chests are guarded by monsters and magical effects that can only opened after enough of its guardians have been slain. They contain Perandus CoinsPerandus CoinStack Size: 5000Trade coins to Cadiro Perandus. that can be traded to Cadiro Perandus, who will offer a random unique items for coins.

Perandus chests did not spawn normally, but could be made to spawn with a map device craft or Perandus Scarabs.

Perandus mechanics were removed from the game in Version 3.16.0.

Prophecy

A Silver CoinSilver CoinStack Size: 30Cross Navali's palm with silver to receive a prophecy.
Shift click to unstack. can be used to receive a Prophecy from Navali. Each Prophecy will triggers its effect when you fulfill the condition it meets. Some Prophecies let you upgrade a unique items into a Fated item.

Prophecies were removed from the game in Version 3.17.0.

Scourge

In Scourge league, players receive the Blood Crucible, which is filled with the blood of slain monsters. The device can be activated to transports the character into a parallel reality. This version of Wraeclast is inhabited by demons known as The Scourge. When the Blood Crucible's blood runs out, or if the player chooses to go back, the character is instantly shifted back to normal reality.

Equipment can be placed into the Blood Crucible. After killing enough Scourge Demons, the item can be transformed (Scourged). It becomes corrupted and gains two Scourge modifiers, which are in addition to the regular implicit and explicit mods. The Blood Crucible could be upgraded to improve Scourge outcomes.

Blood Crucible mechanics were not added to the core game after Scourge league, but Scourge monsters replaced old Beyond demons later.

Synthesis

Synthesis league mechanics included the Memory Nexus and Fragmented Memories. The player must stabilize Memories found in zones as the area slowly fades away to capture it. Captured memories are used to create paths in the Memory Nexus that you can enter and loot for rewards, increasing as you chain more memories together. The Synthesiser can be used to combine three fractured items into a synthesised item with implicits based on the components' modifiers.

The mechanic was not added to the core game after Synthesis league, but synthesised and fractured items can be found or crafted from other various mechanics, and unique Synthesis maps containing bosses from Synthesis league can be found in the endgame.

Talisman

In Talisman league, a monster can be claimed a Talisman, causing it to be empowered with various abilities. The monster will drop the Talisman on death, but other monsters can claim it before you can. The Stone Circle can be used to sacrifice five of the same tier talismans to summon a monster holding a talisman of a higher tier. If five tier 3 talismans were sacrificed, it opens a portal to a boss fight against Rigwald, the Wolven King.

These mechanics were not added to the core game (though the Delve node Ritual Grounds contains monsters empowered by Talismans), but Talismans could be acquired from various mechanics. Unique talismans are part of the core drop pool.

Trial of the Ancestors

Trial of the Ancestors is a tournament against fallen Karui chieftains and their tribes in the afterlife. Assemble your warriors and destroy enemy totems to win rounds and gain rewards.

The mechanic was not added to the core game after Ancestor league.