Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 Forbidden Rites Event: This Infernalist Minion Army Build Is Absolutely Broken

Forbidden Rites event for Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 is now live, and Ritual has become a key part of the event's gameplay. Players can find a fixed Ritual altar in each zone, and during the campaign phase, these Rituals often offer powerful rare items.

By design, Ritual was intended to be a rewarding activity for long-term farming within Forbidden Rites event; however, the mechanic is currently plagued by a series of serious issues.

After several days of testing, we found that these problems not only impact POE 2 gameplay experience but also directly increase Tribute costs, making high-value Rituals in Patch 0.5.5 increasingly less worthwhile to farm.

Ritual Interface QoL

First, let's look at POE 2 QoL changes to Ritual interface. Previously, after completing the first Ritual in a map, you could immediately open Ritual menu to view current rewards and defer items that had already appeared. Patch 0.5.5 has altered this QoL mechanic.

Now, you must complete all six Rituals on the map before you can view the full list of Ritual rewards. Furthermore, even after completing every Ritual, you cannot simply open the menu from the interface at any time; instead, you must physically walk up to a Ritual altar to view them.

This has a significant impact on standard farming in Path of Exile 2. For instance, if you encountered a Mageblood or another high-value item during the first few Rituals, you used to be able to open Ritual interface immediately, defer the item, and then continue clearing the map.

In POE2 Forbidden Rites event, however, you are forced to complete the remaining Rituals before you can address the rewards. This change has left many players confused: why was Ritual interface, which previously worked so well, modified? The design was praised for its convenience in the last league, yet now it imposes unnecessary operational friction. 

Tribute Information

Another issue arising from UI changes in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 is that viewing tribute and Favor has become more cumbersome. Previously, you could open Ritual interface at any time to check your current tribute and favor totals and estimate the final tribute yield based on the remaining number of Rituals.

In POE 2 Forbidden Rites event, tribute is displayed only during Ritual combat itself and disappears once the battle ends. If you want to check your tribute count again, you must walk back to Ritual altar. For players farming Rituals - a process requiring frequent calculations of tribute expenditure - this clearly adds unnecessary friction to the gameplay.

Furthermore, there is currently a visual bug regarding POE2 Ritual tribute display. When interacting with items, you cannot see the correct tribute amount directly; instead, you must navigate to a different interface to check your current balance and then manually calculate the cost to defer the item.

If multiple high-value PoE2 currency appear simultaneously, the need to constantly cross-reference tribute totals and defer costs can impair your judgment and make the entire defer process tedious. I hope developers address this issue quickly via a hotfix.

Defer Mechanism

A more significant issue in Path of Exile 2 lies in defer mechanism. In Forbidden Rites, if an item appears and you choose to re-roll immediately instead of deferring it, defer cost may increase if the item reappears later.

For instance, an item in POE2 might initially cost 2,000 tribute to defer; after one defer, the cost might drop to 1,800. However, if you choose to re-roll during that round, the price could rise again when the item reappears.

Previously, you could re-roll first and decide whether to defer when the item showed up again. Now, however, failing to defer immediately might result in a higher tribute cost later.

This mechanism is particularly troublesome when multiple high-value Omens or rare POE 2 items appear in a single Ritual; if you want to keep the items you truly need, you are often forced to defer as many as possible.

This places further strain on your tribute resources. Deferring everything rapidly depletes your tribute, while choosing to re-roll risks increasing the cost of non-deferred items - or even wasting a re-roll opportunity.

When multiple high-value items appear in the same Ritual, these costs are further compounded. For instance, a Head of the King encounter in Path of Exile 2 offers 14 re-rolls and can feature two Purple Omen items simultaneously. 

Assuming each deferral for an Omen costs roughly 1,500 tribute, preserving both Omens while exhausting all re-rolls could require a total expenditure of around 56,000 tribute.

While Head of the King should ideally be a high-value farming option because of its superior POE 2 currency and rewards, those better rewards come with a steep tribute cost. The situation becomes particularly problematic after losing 6 to 8 re-rolls during the process; what should be a highly efficient, high-tier Ritual encounter instead becomes unreliable.

An even more frustrating scenario arises when you are holding out for a Headhunter to appear, only to be forced to abandon a high-value item that has already shown up because you lack the necessary tribute.

Until these issues are fixed or adjusted, the farming value of Rituals in Path of Exile 2 is clearly declining. While high-value rewards still exist, the exorbitant tribute costs and the loss of re-rolls make dedicated Ritual farming in Patch 0.5.5 increasingly inefficient.

What Rituals truly needs now is a comprehensive mechanical overhaul; elements that are clearly bugs should be addressed immediately via hotfixes. For mechanics that POE 2 developers intentionally adjusted, the actual costs involved need to be re-evaluated.

If the deferral mechanism in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 is indeed working as intended, the tribute costs should at least be lowered, or the system should be modified to avoid imposing additional deferral penalties when an item reappears after a re-roll.

At the start of the fresh economy in Path of Exile 2 0.5.5 Forbidden Rites, many players face immediate pressure regarding gear and funds after completing the campaign. Upon entering the endgame, character resistances and gear strength often lag behind, and players typically have only a few Exalted Orbs on hand.

The priority at this stage is establishing cash flow. Compared to high-investment endgame farming, low-cost Abyss farming is better suited for characters that have just finished the campaign.

A more practical strategy is to accumulate your initial currency through Abyss content, then use a small amount of Exalted Orbs to craft budget gloves and helmets, profiting from the fresh economy's demand for Life and Resistances.

Start With Abyss After the Campaign

In PoE 2 Forbidden Rites, once the campaign ends, you can prioritize progressing toward Abyss content and unlocking Abyssal Points.

The biggest advantage of Abyss content at the league start is its low barrier to entry. Characters that have just finished the campaign don't need complex farming setups to gradually accumulate wealth through Abyssal Coffers, Rare Monsters, and special drops.

Profit sources extend beyond just PoE 2 Divine Orb; items like Omens, Desecrated currency, and Preserved Ribs also hold significant trade value during the early stages of a fresh economy.

Which Abyss Atlas Nodes Should You Take First?

For players just entering PoE 2 0.5.5 endgame, your Abyss Atlas strategy doesn't need to be overly complex; your primary goal is simply to increase the number of Abyss encounters.

Prioritize More Pits

Prioritize nodes that add extra pits - such as Abysses contain an additional pit and Dark Depths - followed by Abysses have a 25% chance to contain an additional Abyss.

More Abysses and pits mean more Rare Monsters, Coffers, and sellable loot.

Add Omen and Currency Nodes Next

Next, invest in nodes for Ancient Desecrated currency, Omen drop chances, and Balance of Power: Amanamu.

In Forbidden Rites fresh economy, Omens and Abyss-specific currency are often easier to liquidate quickly.

Don't Waste Early Currency on Expensive Tablets

It is not recommended to spend your hard-earned early currency on expensive Tablets right after finishing the campaign. Abyss content can be run at a low cost during the early game; your initial capital is better spent shoring up resistances, upgrading gear, or saving as seed money for future crafting projects.

If you specifically want to increase the number of Abysses, look for Tablets with  "Map has chance to contain four additional Abysses" modifier, prioritizing Tablets with 10 uses remaining.

Efficient use of early-game capital is more important than simply dumping currency into high-investment map setups.

Turn Abyss Currency Into Cheap Gear Crafts

Once Abyss content has helped you accumulate your first batch of Exalted Orbs in the fresh PoE 2 economy, you can pivot to a second strategy: low-cost Rare gear crafting.

At the start of a league, players lack Maximum Life and resistances (Fire, Cold, Lightning, and Chaos).

You don't need a perfect endgame item at this stage; a Rare piece offering Life and two or three useful resistances can already be a significant upgrade.

Consequently, practical gear costing only a few Exalted Orbs to craft can potentially sell for tens of Exalted Orbs, provided the stat combination is solid.

Gloves Are the Safest Starting Point

In the fresh economy of Patch 0.5.5, Life and resistances remain among the most immediate gear needs for players entering the endgame. For PoE 2 newcomers, gloves offer a reliable entry point.

When searching for base items, avoid Energy Shield bases; instead, look for cheap Magic bases that already possess one or two useful modifiers, focusing on:

• Maximum Life
• Elemental Resistances
• Chaos Resistance
• Attack Speed
• Melee-related Mods

Don't chase high-value bases; prioritize low-cost, semi-finished bases that already feature useful stats.

Use Cheap Essences to Finish the Core Mods

If your gloves already have Life and one resistance, you can use a Greater Essence of Insulation, Grounding, or Thawing to add another useful resistance.

Chaos Resistance is also highly valuable if the price is right.

Once you reach this stage, the item will typically possess several genuinely useful modifiers.

Higher Budget: Use Preserved Rib

When you have a bit more capital, you can use Preserved Ribs (via Desecrate) to try and roll Attributes, Damage to Attacks, or other utility modifiers.

Lower Budget: Just Use Exalted Orbs

If your budget is limited to just a few Path of Exile 2 Exalted Orbs, you can simply use an Exalted Orb to slam an extra modifier onto the item.

The core principle remains the same: avoid driving up costs in pursuit of a perfect craft; instead, aim for low-investment crafting to produce gear that the market actually wants to get.

Repeat the Method With Helmets

Helmets are also well-suited to this low-cost crafting strategy during the early stages of Forbidden Rites league.

Early in the league, helmets need the same stats - Life, Resistances, Attributes, and Rarity - and the base items are usually inexpensive.

Vaal Cheap Items for One Last Upside

If a finished item is only worth around 10 - 20 Exalted Orbs, consider using a PoE Vaal Orb for a final gamble to boost its potential value.

Useful Corruptions, extra sockets, or other practical modifiers can significantly increase the selling price.

Don't Hold Your Items Forever

Once the budget craft is complete, the most important step is to sell it quickly.

Prices for gear fluctuate rapidly in a fresh economy. A piece of resistance gear worth 50 Exalted Orbs today might face competition from a flood of similar items just a few days later.

If it doesn't sell on the first day, lower the price slightly the next day; once sold, immediately recoup your capital and move on to crafting the next batch of gear.

For this type of low-investment flip, turnover is more important than maximizing the profit margin. Making a slightly smaller profit is usually healthier than having your capital tied up in your stash for a long time.

For players who have just finished the campaign and have almost no starting capital in Forbidden Rites fresh economy, there is no need to rush into the most expensive farming setup right away.

Start by using Abyss mechanics to build up your initial capital, then craft affordable, practical gear focused on Life and Resistances. By controlling costs, selling quickly, and continuously reinvesting, you will find it much easier to secure your first Divine Orb and establish a stable flow of currency.

Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 didn't bring any balance changes that would drastically alter the meta, so for players preparing to start playing, this update actually provides an opportunity to try out different builds.

If you've already played the popular starters, or don't want to repeat the same play through strategy with every new patch, then some relatively niche but actually very strong builds might be more worth paying attention to.

The builds recommended here aren't strictly ranked in terms of strength, and their gameplay philosophies are completely different in Forbidden Rites. If you're looking for a less common starter for Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5, these five builds are all worth considering.

Poisonburst Arrow Acolyte of Chayula

The most satisfying aspect of Poisonburst Arrow Acolyte of Chayula is its chain explosion effect when clearing maps. When combined with Poison and Bleed, it can cause entire groups of monsters in Path of Exile 2 to explode in succession. Herald of Blood, Herald of Plague, and Repulsion work well together, allowing enemy deaths to trigger subsequent effects.

Poisonburst Arrow itself also has good clearing capabilities and a long attack range, allowing it to preemptively eliminate enemies off-screen. In POE2, Chaos Tornadoes summoned by Archon of Chayula not only have a cool visual effect but also inflict Wither effect on enemies, further increasing the build's overall damage.

Chaos Tornadoes synergize well with the main single-target skill Toxic Growth, helping to quickly detonate Pustules after Toxic Growth spawns them. Choice of Power and Purple Flames further enhance poison gameplay.

Poisonburst Arrow Acolyte of Chayula uses a Hybrid Evasion Energy Shield configuration, making it very easy to maximize Chaos Resistance. This significantly improves the early game experience in POE 2 Forbidden Rites, freeing up several affix slots on your gear.

Flame Blast Gemling

Flame Blast Gemling has recently gained popularity because of its ability to achieve incredibly high damage output with a relatively small POE 2 Currency budget. Gemling increases Flame Blast's Quality by over 500% Magnitude of Ailments.

The standard Flame Blast Gemling build relies on Oil Grenade to create an Oil Ground, then uses related mechanics to continuously spread the effect. However, for players who dislike Path of Exile 2 Grenade gameplay, there's a more interesting alternative: using Wyvern.

In PoE 2, Wyvern's Oil Barrage can also create Oil Ground, and unlike Grenades, it doesn't require frequent cooldown considerations. Therefore, you can continuously use Oil Barrage to spread oil while riding Wyvern, while continuing to move and jump.

In comparison, Oil Grenade has a more significant advantage because it's faster to cast and deals more damage per quality. Oil Barrage requires a brief pause, resulting in a slightly slower overall clear speed, but the feeling of riding a dragon and spewing oil is undeniably more fun and worth trying in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5.

Cluster Grenade Gemling

Cluster Grenade Gemling performs well from the early game to the late game. Grenade itself is a very strong mechanic in PoE 2, and the quality of Cluster Grenades further amplifies their damage.

Its most interesting feature is its ability to reduce Detonation Time, making it easier for Grenades generated by Cluster Grenade in Path of Exile 2 to hit the same target in a short time, creating a shotgun effect.

When using Siege Crossbow, you can fire 4 Cluster Grenades at once, and each Cluster Grenade generates 18 Mini Grenades, meaning a maximum of 72 Mini Grenades can be fired in one use.

At Gem Level 24, each Mini Grenade deals 385% Attack Damage, enough to instantly kill a boss. Meanwhile, Gem Quality of Explosive Grenade provides Additional Projectiles, making the entire PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5 progression process smoother.

Once the character is fully developed, you can further switch to Cast on Dodge Scaling, utilizing higher Dodge Speed ​​to improve movement and map clearing efficiency.

Hollow Form Sunder Shield Wall Martial Artist

This build isn't the typical Hollow Form Lightning Assault. Instead, it utilizes the combination of Sunder and Shield Wall to automate combos that would otherwise require manual execution.

The advantage of this is that it allows for multiple hits in a single combo without the need to manually unleash the entire combo repeatedly in Path of Exile 2. Since the combo is automated, it's also easier to incorporate Wyvern buffs into the rotation, providing additional damage.

While its map clearing speed isn't the fastest among these starters in Forbidden Rites, its advantage is significant if survivability is prioritized. Martial Artist, combined with Chaos Inoculation and Evasion, provides considerable tankiness, and it also effectively utilizes the buffs provided by Patch 0.5.5 against Stance.

If you're not too concerned about maximizing clear speed ​​and prioritize a more stable character during your early PoE2 progression, Hollow Form build is worth trying.

Volcano Blood Mage

The biggest advantage of Volcano Blood Mage is its smoother leveling process. You can use ED Contagion and Bonestorm for early leveling, and then easily transition to a Volcano build once your character is stronger. The only core uniqueness required for this transition is Sire of Shards.

This uniqueness is very common in PoE 2, so you can even complete the transition on Day One. In Forbidden Rites, it rarely requires much investment, around 1 Path of Exile 2 Exalted Orb, as not many builds currently use it.

Sire of Shards allows Ball Lightning to generate numerous ring-shaped projectiles, resulting in very smooth clears, while Volcano handles single-target attacks.

Volcanoes can unleash numerous projectiles at once. Against bosses, these projectiles can concentrate on the same target, generating up to approximately 40 projectiles simultaneously, resulting in considerable single-target damage.

Furthermore, the fire-infused Ball Lightning leaves a Burning Trail and creates a large detonation after Projectiles finish their flight, making it effective during Clear.

Of course, Volcano Blood Mage isn't without its drawbacks. It's a fairly obvious multiple-button build; if you prefer simpler, more direct single-skill gameplay, you might find it somewhat cumbersome. Additionally, the simultaneous appearance of numerous projectiles and their effects can potentially cause FPS issues in PoE 2.

Path of Exile 2 builds are quite different from common mainstream progression builds, making you feel you're not just repeating the same patterns. Since Patch 0.5.5 largely retains the original balance, this might be the perfect time to try some new playstyles.

If you're looking for a build that delivers a unique experience without sacrificing mob clearing ability or leveling speed, then these builds are worth considering.

Grinding Gear Games is paying more attention to Path of Exile 2 with the upcoming Patch 0.5.5 and Forbidden Rites Event, launching at 1 p.m. Pacific Time on September 4th. However, the full patch notes and event details have disappointed some players because Forbidden Rites will run alongside the existing Runes of Aldur league until 1.0.

With two leagues operating at the same time, players will need to manage separate economies, with item and currency values differing between them. This raises an important question: should you stock up currency continuously, perhaps by buying Orbs from the marketplace, to prepare for your character?

EZG.com's answer here is that you definitely need it, and the more the better. If you want to know why, then read on, where we'll explain in detail and tell you the best place to buy it.

Why Do We Need Currency?

Although character progress and loot are reset with each league update, that doesn't necessarily mean currency earned near the end of a league is worthless. If anything, having enough currency can give you a significant advantage when you're trying to push through new content.

And with Forbidden Rites running alongside Runes of Aldur, the value of being prepared becomes even more obvious. You are dealing with separate economies, changing item prices, and an entirely new event environment. According to EZG.com's analysis of Grinding Gear Games' league patterns in Path of Exile 1 and Path of Exile 2, there are three reasons why keeping a healthy currency reserve can still be worthwhile.

Improve Your Efficiency in Clearing Stages of the Event League

This is probably the most obvious reason, but also the players tend to underestimate.

When a new event begins, everyone wants to push ahead. The problem is that your character doesn't suddenly become stronger just because the league changed. If your gear is outdated, you'll still have to farm, trade, craft, and upgrade before you can comfortably handle tougher content.

That's where having extra currency can save a lot of time. Instead of spending hours waiting for the right drop, you can invest in upgrades when your character hits a wall and get back to clearing content.

Of course, currency won't turn a bad build into a great one. But when you're already using a solid build, having the resources to keep your gear competitive can make the difference between slowly crawling through the league and actually keeping up with its progression.

Master More Farming Skills

Here's a less obvious benefit: being rich enough to experiment can actually make you better at farming.

Players often talk about farming as if there's one perfect strategy everyone should follow. In reality, the best method can change quickly after a new league starts. Prices move, demand changes, and players discover new ways to make currency.

If you're constantly broke, experimenting becomes risky. You tend to stick with whatever feels safe because you can't afford to waste resources on a strategy that might fail.

Having a decent currency reserve changes that. You can test different builds, maps, mechanics, crafting methods, and farming routes without worrying that one bad decision will wipe out your entire budget.

Ironically, having currency to spare may help you learn how to make even more currency.

Familiarize Yourself with the Next League Mechanism

And this may be the biggest reason to keep some currency available: you don't know exactly what the new league economy is going to look like.

Forbidden Rites will introduce its own mechanics and progression, such as Ritual changes and Trial of Chaos rework, while players figure out which items, builds, and strategies actually matter. Early assumptions can become outdated very quickly once thousands of players start testing the content.

So having currency gives you room to adapt. You can try the new mechanics instead of immediately falling back on the safest farming method. When the meta changes, you can adjust your build. You can invest in an item that suddenly becomes valuable or test a strategy that looked questionable at launch.

So even if your character will eventually be reset or moved on, the currency you have during the league can buy something that is arguably more valuable than another piece of gear: the freedom to experiment.

Is It Still Worth Buying POE2 Currency Now?

EZG.com can say this with confidence: yes, having enough POE2 Currency is still worth it, especially if you're treating Forbidden Rites Event and the balance changes in Patch 0.5.5 as a preview of what Path of Exile 2 could eventually look like at 1.0.

That said, nobody can predict this league's economy perfectly. The markets in both Forbidden Rites and Runes of Aldur are still extremely unstable. An item or gem that looks incredibly valuable today could suddenly lose most of its value tomorrow because players discover a new farming trick, an unexpected build interaction, or even a bug, which means you need to be prepared for the moments when you actually need it.

In fact, market volatility can create opportunities as well as risks. Once players discover the strongest builds and most profitable farming methods, demand for certain currencies, gear, and gems can change almost overnight. If you happen to hold something that other players desperately need, you may be able to trade it for a significant profit while the market is hot.

That extra capital can then be reinvested into better gear, build experiments, or more difficult content. So the real question isn't whether every Orb you buy today will retain its value tomorrow. It probably won't. The better question is whether having enough currency gives you the flexibility to react when the market, meta, or Forbidden Rites itself changes.

And in leagues this unpredictable, that flexibility may be worth far more than simply watching your currency sit in your stash. Okay, now that the biggest problem in front of us is solved, the next thing to consider is where to buy currency.

EZG.com is Your Choice to Buy Currency Now! - Cheap, Full Stock, Safe and Fast Delivery

Here, EZG.com would like to recommend itself to you and hopes to be your only choice because the shopping advantages it offers are unparalleled.

Cheap

We understand that all players want to enjoy the best gaming experience with the least amount of money, so what we offer here is the cheapest Path of Exile 2 Currency for sale. You don't need to compare prices from other vendors at all.

Moreover, we will offer all registered players very generous discount benefits, such as an 8% discount coupon for your first order, an FR8 code with 8% off applicable to Forbidden Rites event league, and points for daily check-in, which will further reduce the cost of buying currency.

Also, at EZG.com, you can enjoy buy-more-get-more deals. In Runes of Aldur Softcore, buying 100 Divine Orbs rewards 5 extra Divine; buying 20 Divine Orbs rewards you 1 extra Divine; buying 100 Exalted Orbs rewards you 10 extra Exalted; and buying 1 Mirror of Kalandra rewards you 100 Divine.

Full Stock

Of course, as we've emphasized for so long, players should stockpile currency as early as possible. EZG.com, as a popular POE 2 store, also has a very rich inventory. Whether you only need a small amount to craft gear or need a large number to maximize builds, it can provide it.

In addition, to meet players' currency needs in Forbidden Rites Event, EZG.com has opened a separate Forbidden Rites SC/HC server sections for you to buy. Here, all tradable currencies, such as Divine Orb, Chaos Orb, and Mirror of Kalandra are available, and the inventory remains plentiful.

Safe

While acquiring virtual game currency from third-party trading websites is risky, trust EZG.com; we take concrete steps to minimize it, such as using robust SSL encryption, over ten secure payment methods, and verified face-to-face delivery.

• SSL Encryption: It ensures that all the private information you fill in during registration and order placement will not be leaked.
• Payment Methods: PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Cash App Pay, among others, will ensure your payment process remains secure.
• F2F Delivery: Only your character name is required to complete the transaction, which meets the requirements of player trading.

It's worth noting that EZG.com staff will not ask you to provide any private information, such as your home address, game account, password, or payment information, without a valid reason after you leave Live Chat. Please be aware of such requests.

Fast Delivery

The final advantage that makes buying PoE 2 currency on EZG.com worthwhile is the fast delivery. After you click Pay Now and place your order, we will deliver the required orbs to your character within 0-30 minutes, completing the delivery process - you just need to wait patiently.

However, if you unfortunately encounter a server crash or a surge in orders, the delivery time may be slightly delayed. But don't worry too much, we will continue to ship orders in order, and maybe you will be next.

Of course, if you can't wait, you can submit a refund request to us before all orders begin shipping. Provided you meet the requirements, EZG.com will prioritize your request and refund the full amount you paid for your Path of Exile 2 currency order to ensure the safety of your funds.

The new league may be unpredictable, but your Currency supply doesn't have to be. EZG.com can help you prepare early, keep enough capital available, and you'll have much more freedom to decide how you want to play Path of Exile 2.

With Forbidden Rites now running alongside Runes of Aldur, Path of Exile 2 is entering another period of uncertainty. Nobody knows exactly how quickly the new league economy will change, which builds will dominate, or which items and farming methods will suddenly become valuable. That's precisely why having enough currency on hand can be so useful.

Path of Exile 2 Patch 1.0, released on December 11, 2026, will introduce the brand-new Duelist class. Based on currently released information, the core gameplay revolves around stance switching, skill combos, and different weapon combinations, allowing for completely different melee builds.

Duelist is expected to be one of the most anticipated melee classes in Patch 1.0, with both Bringer of Blades Build and Scourge Walker Build showcasing relatively complete strategies.

Below, EZG will introduce the core skills, gear strategies, and actual combat rotations of these two Path of Exile 2 Duelist builds.

Skill and Passive Skill Tree

A key feature of Path of Exile 2 Duelist is the seamless linking of skills, enabling flashy maneuvers. For example, Bloodied Blade can perform two slashes, triggering an explosion when attacking parried enemies, or it can be charged into a Ready Stance to enhance subsequent skills.

Perforate unleashes a series of attacks, culminating in a powerful finishing blow. Depending on the current stance, it can also trigger Blood Nova or additional Sand Disks. Blade Conduit can summon Lightning Strike, shocking nearby POE 2 enemies while charging Buried Blades.

Cyclone damage is higher under Blood Stance, while Sand Stance allows for the release of Sand Disks and a larger Area of ​​Effect, making it more suitable for clearing dense groups of monsters in POE 2.

Duelist is the second Strength and Dexterity hybrid class in Path of Exile 2, starting at the bottom center of Passive Skill Tree, the same location as Mercenary. This position allows Duelist relatively free expansion into Armor, Evasion, Melee, Projectile, and other areas, and also provides sufficient room for adjustment for different builds.

Bringer of Blades Build

The core idea of ​​POE 2 Bringer of Blades Build is to mass-produce Buried Blades and then use these Blades for area-of-effect attacks. Earth Rend is the primary damage-dealing ability in this build, and its spawn rate can be increased using Lineage Support Gems and Kaom's Madness.

Once enough Buried Blades have been created, use Blade Conduit to infuse them with Lightning, allowing Blades to continuously damage enemies on POE2 maps. For combat requiring distance, Astral Projector Support can be added, allowing the ability to be cast directly at the target location and create Shock Ground at the enemy's feet.

Duelist can also equip Earth Rend with Electrocute Supported Gems for further enemy control. Combat Frenzy helps generate Frenzy Charges, followed by Sand Scour to enter Sand Stance, and then Blade Plunge to allow many Buried Blades to simultaneously generate Sand Disks.

While numerous Sand Disks are continuously attacking enemies, Eroding Sands can reduce enemy armor, further increasing damage. Since Bringer of Blades build heavily utilizes Lightning Damage, Sandstorm Support can also be added to give Sand Disks Lightning effect. 

The new Passive Skill Notables added in POE 2 Patch 1.0 further enhance the damage of Buried Blades and help generate Rage when the character is near a Blade. If Earth Rend's board presence isn't fast enough, Rain of Steel can summon numerous Swords to quickly create more Buried Blades on the battlefield.

The advantage of Bringer of Blades is its low reliance on specific unique items. Players who enjoy area-of-effect clearing can consider it the top choice for their PoE2 1.0 Duelist build.

Scurge Walker Build

Scourge Walker build revolves around the new unique sword Oro's Sacrifice, which provides significant fire damage and introduces the new Infernal Step skill. Infernal Step allows Duelist to move quickly and attack burning enemies, perfectly suited for the fast-paced melee combat of POE 2.

The cost of Infernal Step is also obvious. Continuous use accumulates Sacrificial Flame. Using Infernal Step at this point will cause Duelist to take fire damage, with higher Sacrificial Flame stacks resulting in greater damage.

Therefore, the core gear of this PoE 2 Scourge Walker build needs to handle both damage output and fire damage taken, utilizing unique items like Molten Tenet and Staff's Blood to maximize defensive stats.

Blistering Bond allows Fire Damage to be used for Bleed Scaling. Cyclones can also interact with Elemental Ground Surfaces, allowing Duelist to continuously move, burn enemies, and deal sustained damage through Bleed.

Meanwhile, when Sacrificial Flame reaches its maximum stack, Oro's Sacrifice provides Frenzy Charges. Duelist can use Bloody Blade to enter Blood Stance, then activate Cyclone to gain Blood Enhancement, resulting in higher damage.

Cyclone can be further enhanced with the new Support Gems in Path of Exile 2 Patch 1.0. When enemies enter Bleeding mode, Duelist can generate Flesh Chunks with attacks, which explode after a short time.

Fan the Flames further enhances Fire effects, while Echoing Strikes consumes Frenzy Charges, allowing the next Cyclone to generate more Cyclones. This rotation already provides strong area-of-effect damage when clearing regular monsters, helping you farm POE2 currency faster.

When facing POE2 single targets, you can first use Bloody Blade to enter Blood Stance, then switch to One-Hand Sword and Targe, using Parry or Dashing Parry to approach the target.

Since Rune Forge Targe allows Parry to maintain her current Stance, the character remains in Blood Stance even when close to enemies, allowing her to continue dealing damage simply by using Cyclone.

If you prefer wide-area coverage and quick monster clearing, Bringer of Blades is a worthwhile option for Duelists; if you prefer high-speed movement, stance switching, and a playstyle centered on Cyclone, Scourge Walker is more worth trying.

With Path of Exile 2 Patch 1.0 approaching, Duelists' complete Passive Skill Tree, Support Gems, and gear combinations may further alter the final form of these builds. However, based on the currently revealed skill designs, both builds are worth trying.

Path of Exile 2 Forbidden Rites is a brand new Event League introduced in Patch 0.5.5. You'll need to create a new character and progress from Campaign all the way to Endgame.

The most unique aspect of this Event League is its duration. Forbidden Rites will continue until Path of Exile 2 1.0 Full Release, meaning you'll have ample time to experience the new content.

PoE 2 has answered many player questions. Below, EZG has compiled these questions and, combined with currently available information, analyzed 8 Forbidden Rites Challenges that are not yet fully confirmed.

Launch Time

Forbidden Rites will officially launch on September 4th at 1 PM PDT. Before the event begins, PoE 2 servers will be shut down for Patch 0.5.5 deployment. The official team will announce separately the specific maintenance time.

Once the servers reopen, you can create new event characters by selecting Standard, SSF, or Forbidden Rites in the character creation interface. Joining is largely the same as with the previous leagues. With Forbidden Rites open, Runes of Aldur will not close; the two leagues will run in parallel until Path of Exile 2 1.0 full release.

Therefore, players still playing in Runes of Aldur can continue completing existing challenges without worrying about their progress being immediately wiped. However, both leagues have completely independent economies; characters cannot interact across leagues or trade.

Fresh Economy

For many veteran PoE2 players, the appeal of the new Event League lies in the process of starting from scratch. One of the biggest features of Forbidden Rites is its fresh economy.

Since all players will start from zero, old characters, gear, and economy cannot be transferred to the new league. New gear and Path of Exile 2 currency will re-enter the market. You will need to level up your character, accumulate gear, and determine which items are worth keeping and trading.

As players progress to endgame, market prices and demand will constantly change. The earlier you discover high-value base items or gear, the easier it will be to gain an advantage during the early stages of the game.

The official announcement also confirms that new Item Filter information will be released before Forbidden Rites launch. Players planning to rush to Endgame at launch can adjust their filters in advance to reduce interference from useless drops and find worthwhile gear and PoE2 currency more quickly.

Trial of Chaos

The content brought by Forbidden Rites needs to be distinguished from the changes in Patch 0.5.5 itself. PoE 2 official team has confirmed that the changes and other improvements in Trial of Chaos are not limited to Forbidden Rites but will apply to the entire Path of Exile 2.

Therefore, even if you continue using existing characters from Runes of Aldur or Standard, you will still be able to experience Trial of Chaos adjustments. Additionally, Runes of Aldur will be integrated into Core Game after Patch 0.5.5, and related content will later be accessible in Standard.

Private League

Forbidden Rites also supports Private League, which is convenient for fixed teams or players who prefer unique rules and gameplay. However, POE 2 Private League content is not available in advance. You can create a private league now, but you still need to wait until the event starts on September 4th to join.

Challenges

Forbidden Rites introduces new Challenges, which reward exclusive Cosmetic Rewards upon completion. Currently, the official POE2 rewards include Locust Footprints Effect, Locust Swarm Finisher Effect, Wildwood Guardian Pet, Wildwood Affliction Level-up Effect, and Hideout Statue.

These rewards are related to the progress of Forbidden Rites challenges. Currently, it's confirmed that the officially mentioned challenge directions for the eight challenges include completing Campaign Ritual, defeating specific Rare Monsters, and reaching Level 90.

While the exact names and completion conditions haven't been fully confirmed by the official POE 2 team, we can speculate based on currently available preview information and community materials.

The Riteseeker

The Riteseeker may require completing 11 Rituals within a Campaign. During Forbidden Rites event, Rituals will appear in PoE 2 Campaign area. The easiest way to complete them is to complete them whenever you see a ritual while leveling up, rather than waiting until endgame to finish them all.

The Hunter

The Hunter will probably require you to kill specific Campaign Bosses in Path of Exile 2. These may include The Crowbell, Constrictor Queen Kabala, Blackjaw the Remnant, The Great White One, Akthi the Final Sting and Anundr the Sandworm.

Not all of these are mandatory bosses in PoE2 main storyline. Don't skip optional bosses during progression to speed up the main quest; otherwise, you'll need to rerun Campaign map after Endgame.

The Ascendant

The goal of The Ascendant is to obtain all 8 Ascendancy Points, requiring completion of the character's corresponding Ascendancy Trial. This challenge does not require a specific Path of Exile 2 class or Ascendancy; simply unlocking all of your character's Ascendancy progress is sufficient.

The Master

The goal of The Master is to reach Level 90 for your character, and this may be the most time-consuming part of the challenge. After completing Campaign, leveling up is primarily done through Atlas maps. When entering higher-level PoE2 maps, be extra careful not to die to avoid significant experience loss. It's best to choose relatively easy maps that you can reliably complete.

The Reliquarian

The Reliquarian may require identifying 50 unique items. This is calculated based on the number of identified items. Unique items are continuously gained during Campaign and Endgame, so normal gameplay should be sufficient to complete it.

The Nameless

The Nameless refers to a mysterious entity related to Ritual within Forbidden Rites and is a key element of this Event League content. As you progress through Ritual content, you'll gradually encounter events and endgame content related to The Nameless.

Currently leaked information suggests that The Nameless requires completing 18 related objectives. Specific requirements will be available on the in-game Challenge panel after the official release of Path of Exile 2 Forbidden Rites.

The Cartographer

The Cartographer requires fully allocating the main Atlas Passive Tree. After entering POE2 Endgame, you need to continuously advance Atlas, unlocking more maps and Atlas Passive Points, and then allocate all the points you acquire.

You need to continuously explore new map areas and advance Atlas, earning Atlas Passive Points, and finally fully allocate the main Atlas Passive Tree to complete the challenge.

The Vanquisher

The Vanquisher is the final challenge, requiring you to defeat a specific Path of Exile 2 Endgame Pinnacle Boss, which may include the fully-powered Vessel of Kulemak, The Bodach, and Tangmazu.

These three bosses demand higher levels of gear, damage output, and survivability from your character. Therefore, it's best to wait until you've completed Atlas progression and leveled your characters significantly before focusing on this challenge.

Path of Exile 2 Forbidden Rites has confirmed the new league's launch date and answered our questions. Regarding the eight Challenges, some names and specific requirements still need to be confirmed upon official release, but based on current information, most objectives can be achieved gradually as you progress through the game.