POE2 Endgame — Step-by-Step Plan

by Lockhole · Complete endgame walkthrough

Core idea: Unlock your Atlas tree points first before diving into side content. Push straight to the Burning Monolith, open both gateways, beat the enigma chambers, and unlock the central Atlas star — then circle back to farm with full efficiency.

Atlas points multiply every drop. Without them, irradiated tablets, high-tier waystones, and valuable currency are scarce. Each step enables the next: gateway → Atlas points → master unlocks → farming strategy → pinnacle boss → full endgame.

Objective Boss Location Atlas Node Mechanic Item

Step 0 — The Wrong Temptation

When you enter Ziggurat Refuge and open the Atlas, you'll see Abyss, Ritual, Breach scattered around. Your instinct is to run them.

Don't. Side content before Atlas points is a trap — you get worse loot and slower progression.

▶Ziggurat Refuge

└─Drop Waystone → enter map

└─Beat Precursor Tower

└─Reach Ancient Gateway → open it

└─Fortress

└─Clear maps inside fortress (Atlas points)

Maps inside the fortress have a special icon — these award Atlas points. Big towers give 4 points each. Skip special maps like "Surprising Alliance" unless you need a specific drop.

Step 1 — Rush to Burning Monolith

▶Burning Monolith (center)

├─Requires: Eastern + Western Gateway clear

│ ├─Eastern Gateway → clear → E. Enigma Chamber

│ └─Western Gateway → clear → W. Enigma Chamber

└─Enigma Chambers = citadels

└─Count Geonor, Geminra, Doriani

└─~5M HP, harder than campaign

Why Rush?

Reason	Detail
Unlock Atlas star	Beat monolith → central star on Atlas tree
Irradiated tablets	Locked behind the star — without it, no irradiated precursor tablets
Waystone sustain	Quantity/rarity nodes are on the left side of the tree
Tablet upgrades	Beat arbiter → +1 modifier (later +2)

You don't need high-tier waystones to open gateways. But enigma chambers require tier 14+.

The Origin Tower

▶Burning Monolith (entered)

└─Origin Tower (broken)

├─Left → Patriarch Hole → Spark fragment

└─Right → Matriarch Hole → Cradle fragment

└─Both → Activate Origin Tower

└─Blast → clears ALL maps in quadrant

└─~50 Atlas points

Waystone Sustain

The single biggest bottleneck. Solution: left side of the Atlas tree.

Key Atlas Nodes

Node	Effect
Quantity of waystones from map bosses	Bottom-left cluster
Rogue exiles drop additional waystones	Left side
Quantity of tablets	Near the star
Rarity of waystones	Top of star

Progression Path

T1-4:Play naturally, starter gear (boots, body armor)

T5-7:Upgrade rings, gloves, helmet

T8-11:Upgrade weapon

T12+:Full sustain from Atlas points

Tools

Tool	How It Works
Reforging Bench	3x same-tier waystone → 1x next tier. Use around tier 9.
Doryani's Shop	Sells waystones 1 tier lower than last completed map (up to tier 14). Costs gold.
Overseer Tablet	Makes every map in radius have a powerful map boss — push tiers fast.

Step 2 — Unlock the Masters

Hilda (Campsite)

Located at Hilda's Campsite. Defeat 4 monsters → all points unlocked.

Save for late endgame. Her bonuses (rogue exiles, spirits) make maps harder without benefit until Atlas is fully set up.

Jiquani (JGO) — Sealed Vault

Near the gates. Clear sealed maps around it → interlude boss → unlocks JGO.

Location	Map
Near gates	Sealed Vault
Secret reservoir	Works same way
Near river	Jade Isles
Top-left forest	Derelict Mansion

What JGO Gives

Bonus	Effect
Lineage support gems	From bosses (Rakata Flow, etc.)
Random extra content	+chance from visium remnants
Double tablet mods	20% chance to double explicit modifiers (after 3 boss kills)

Double modifier example: Tablet giving 25% increased tribute → 50%. Three such tablets = 150% increased tribute. This is insane value.

Doryani (Corrupted Nexuses)

▶Corrupted Nexus

└─Enter → clear boss → extra boss spawns → kill

└─Area becomes Cleansed → valuable loot

└─Need Atlas node for fracturing corpses

Upgrade	Effect
Additional revival	+1 life
Irradiate area	+1 area level on maps

Key insight: Without the Atlas node, cleansed monsters have ~0% fracturing corpse drops. Tested: 25 tier-16 maps, zero drops before upgrading Atlas.

Step 3 — Initial Farming Strategy

Pick Your Content

Playstyle	Recommended	Why
Solo Self-Found	Breach or Abyss	Easy, provides gear upgrades
Trade League	Unlock masters first, then farm	More currency efficiency

Recommended: Abyss + Rogue Exiles

1.Enter map → rogue exile spawns

2.Kill → exile reborns as Abyssal Leech (100%)

3.Drops diamond + double belt + omens

4.Omen of Abyssal Echo ≈ 1 divine

In a single tier-16 map (from the video): 3 divine orbs from Omens + 2 divine orbs from refined river catalysts + high ilvl bases.

Atlas Tree Priority

Priority	Area	Benefit
1	Right side (easiest)	Rarity, shrines, rogue exiles
2	Effectiveness	Harder, but better rewards
3	Top	Extra content, double tablet effect

Run on high-tier maps. Low-tier farming is significantly less rewarding.

Build Assessment

Checkpoint	Decision
Can you beat Arbiter?	→ Go to Step 4
Build not strong enough?	→ Farm more with this strategy

Step 4 — Beat Arbiter & Full Atlas

Prerequisites

Burning Monolith unlocked
Both enigma chambers beaten
Tier 14+ waystones
Build capable of ~5M HP bosses

The Fight Path

▶Burning Monolith

└─Origin Tower (activated)

└─Clear zone

└─Arbiter fight

└─Win → unlock top Atlas star

└─+1 tablet modifier (4 total)

After Arbiter

Kill	Unlock	Impact
1st	Top star on Atlas	+1 tablet modifier → full 4-mod tablets
1st	200+ Atlas points	Full tree potential
2nd	+1 more modifier	5 tablet modifiers total
2nd	Top path nodes	Better lineage support gem chances

Step 5 — Open World & Final Grind

Open World Content

Once Atlas is fully specced, content nodes appear on the open world map without scarabs:

Breach Strongholds → Breach Lord → pinnacle boss (Mistress Dash)
Ritual Altars → continue ritual quest line
Delirium → if you've beaten it (hard content)
All master quests → finish remaining

Patriarch & Matriarch Holes

They spawn all over the open world, usually nearby. Defeat them → Spark + Cradle → back to Origin Tower → fight pinnacle boss more times.

Final Priority

1.Finish all master quests (Doryani, JGO, Hilda last)

2.Farm lineage support gems (Rakata Flow, etc.)

└─Use Atlas top nodes for better chances

└─Mark maps → notifications → farm when needed

3.Complete remaining special maps before closing zones

4.Push build to pinnacle version

5.Swap to Effectiveness for max rewards

Full Atlas Speccing Order

Order	Area	Why
1	Shrines	Extra content while starting out
2	Full star (center)	All extra content unlocked
3	Top	Improved drops everywhere
4	Effectiveness	Final min-max (harder maps, better loot)

Key Takeaways

Phase	Priority	Why
Entry	Rush to Burning Monolith	Unlock Atlas star → waystone sustain + irradiated tablets
Early	Sustain waystones	Without them, you bleed gold and stall
Mid	Unlock JGO	Double tablet modifiers = insane value
Mid-Late	Farming strategy (Breach/Abyss)	Print currency, fund upgrades
Late	Beat Arbiter	+modifier on tablets, full Atlas power
Endgame	Open world + Effectiveness	Max rewards, pinnacle build

Guide based on Lockhole's POE2 endgame step-by-step plan