Grinding Gear Games has long been known for pushing the boundaries of action RPG depth, and Path of Exile 2 (POE2 Currency) looks to carry that tradition into a new era. The campaign is just the beginning—an extended tutorial, if you will—that introduces mechanics, storylines, and progression systems. But as veterans of the franchise know, the real game begins after the campaign.

This article takes you step by step into the world of PoE2’s endgame, focusing on what happens as soon as you complete the main story and wake up in the mysterious Ziggurat Refuge. We’ll cover the essentials of setting up your character, navigating the Atlas, handling corrupted zones, and pushing into pinnacle encounters. Whether you’re a first-time exile or a returning fan, understanding these systems is the key to surviving—and thriving—in Wraeclast’s ever-deadly playground.

Waking Up in the Ziggurat Refuge

The moment you finish the campaign, your character will awaken in the Ziggurat Refuge, the staging ground for everything that comes next. This location functions as your home base for the endgame, where you’ll interact with NPCs, manage maps, and plot your journey into the Atlas.

Before charging forward, there are two critical checks every player must make:

Weapon Set Passive Points – Ensure you’ve unlocked 24 passive points tied to weapon sets. These bonuses are essential for diversifying your combat options and maximizing build flexibility.

Base Spirit – Confirm you have 100 base spirit (not including gear, buffs, or temporary boosts). Spirit serves as the backbone for skill usage and determines how comfortably you can sustain abilities in tough fights.

If you’ve missed any permanent bonuses scattered across the campaign, you’ll want to backtrack and collect them. Guides like those on Maxroll provide a roadmap to ensure you don’t miss out. Only after securing these milestones should you consider yourself truly ready to progress.

Returning to the Refuge

If you find yourself elsewhere—perhaps exploring Act 4’s King’s March—you can always make your way back to the Ziggurat Refuge by speaking to The Hooded One, the NPC who serves as your link between the campaign hub and the endgame sanctuary.

Once you’re back, two familiar faces await: Alva and Doriani. It’s Doriani who hands you your first “way stone,” which functions as a map. While the game refers to it with its in-universe terminology, the community has stuck with the classic label: maps. And maps are the lifeblood of PoE2’s endgame.

The Map Device and the Atlas

Place your Waystone into the map device and you’ll unlock the Atlas—the sprawling progression web that defines PoE2’s endgame. The Atlas isn’t just a menu; it’s a living, evolving representation of the zones you’ll explore and conquer.

Here’s what you’ll see at first:

The Ziggurat Refuge at the center acts as your anchor point.

A limited visible zone connected to your starting node. Everything beyond this is shrouded in fog, waiting for you to uncover it.

A Realm Gate, a teleporter-like structure that leads to pinnacle encounters later in the game.

A Corrupted Zone is one of the earliest challenges you’ll encounter on the Atlas.

Your first task is to branch out from the Refuge by completing connected map nodes. Each cleared map expands the visible zone and pushes back the fog, revealing new opportunities and threats.

Map Modifiers and Difficulty

Every map comes with modifiers—prefixes and suffixes that alter enemy difficulty and increase rewards. The general rule is simple:

Up to six modifiers (three prefixes, three suffixes).

Each modifier increases both challenge and loot potential.

For beginners in the endgame, it’s wise to stick with two modifiers on standard maps. Save your more challenging four-modifier maps for corrupted Nexus encounters, which require greater risk but yield significantly higher rewards.

This system, often referred to as “juicing” your maps, is a cornerstone of PoE’s philosophy: you decide how much danger you’re willing to take on, and the game responds with proportional rewards. Later on, juicing strategies become an art form, with players stacking modifiers, scarabs, sextants, and other mechanics to squeeze every drop of value from each run.

Corrupted Zones and the Nexus

Early on, you’ll be directed toward a corrupted zone. These areas always contain a corrupted Nexus at their center. Clearing this Nexus culminates in a fight against a mini-boss, who drops a quest item that grants you five Atlas skill points.

These points feed into the Atlas Skill Tree, which is accessed with Ctrl + U. The tree is the framework that lets you customize your endgame experience:

40 total points can be earned in this core section.

30 points from six corrupted Nexus completions (five points each).

10 points from completing five unique maps (two points each).

The skills available here generally fall into two categories:

Generic Enhancements – Broad improvements like increased item quantity, pack size, or general loot buffs.

Mechanic-Specific Boosts – Nodes tied to particular encounters such as essences, Asmary spirits, shrines, rogue exiles, strongboxes, and more.

Most players prioritize the generic improvements first for consistent progression, then branch into their favorite mechanics once their build can handle specialized farming.

The Outer Atlas and Pinnacle Content

While the middle of the Atlas focuses on standard mapping, the outer sections are tied to pinnacle mechanics and encounters. These nodes unlock entirely different dimensions of play, offering both supplemental map content and unique boss fights.

Each pinnacle mechanic operates on two levels:

As a map addition – Adds special encounters or monsters into your regular mapping sessions, offering bonus rewards and variety.

As a standalone challenge – Through the Realm Gate, you can access the pinnacle boss for that mechanic. These bosses typically come in escalating difficulty tiers and are some of the most demanding fights in PoE2.

Defeating these bosses is how you’ll unlock the final six Atlas points tied to each pinnacle branch. It’s also where the game tests the limits of your build, gear, and mechanical skill.

Building Toward the Endgame

At this stage, progression is no longer linear. Instead, you’ll carve your own path based on your interests and your build’s strengths. Here are some general strategies to keep in mind:

Farm Corrupted Nexuses Early – Secure your first 30 Atlas points quickly to stabilize your loot and experience gains.

Balance Modifiers with Safety – Don’t over-juice maps too early. Two-mod maps are efficient and safe until your build matures.

Specialize in Mechanics – Once you have a functional build, focus on the mechanics that synergize with your playstyle (e.g., essences for crafting, shrines for speed farming, or rogue exiles for loot variety).

Prepare for Pinnacles – Treat pinnacle encounters as milestones. Each victory not only rewards you with points but also grants prestige and practice for the highest-end content.

Why the Atlas Matters

The brilliance of PoE2’s Atlas system lies in its adaptability. New players can approach it step by step, focusing on simple progression and steady upgrades. Meanwhile, veterans can dive deep into optimization—strategizing map layouts, targeting high-value mechanics, and pushing builds to their absolute limits.

Unlike many ARPGs that stagnate after the campaign, PoE2 ensures the endgame feels both infinite and personal. Every choice you make on the Atlas shapes your adventure, giving the system nearly endless replay value.

Conclusion

Path of Exile 2 doesn’t just extend the formula of the first game; it refines it into something sharper and more accessible while keeping the same staggering depth that defines the franchise. From the moment you wake up in the Ziggurat Refuge, you’re handed the keys to a vast and evolving system where maps, cheap POE2 Currency, and pinnacle encounters intertwine into a uniquely customizable endgame experience.

Master the corrupted Nexus. Unlock your Atlas skill tree. Choose your mechanics wisely. And when you’re ready, step through the Realm Gate to face PoE2’s most formidable challenges.

The campaign may be over, but in Wraeclast, the true journey has only just begun.