The 0.3.0 Third Edict update for Path of Exile 2 introduces a new League: Rise of the Abyssal. This expansion brings back the fan-favorite Abyss mechanic with fresh twists, new loot systems, and endgame bosses. Whether you’re farming fissures in the campaign or pushing into Abyssal Cities at endgame, this guide explains everything you need to know.
In every zone during this League, you’ll encounter Abyss fissures. Defeating nearby monsters causes the fissures to collapse, summoning Abyssal creatures from beneath Wraeclast. Clear all fissures, and the main Abyssal Pit opens, unleashing waves of enemies.
- Each monster type you kill near fissures influences what emerges from the Pit.
- Magic packs create magic Abyssal monsters.
- Rare monsters spawn rare Abyssals that inherit their mods.
- Rogue Exiles return as Lich Born versions with extra modifiers.
- Bosses or Essence monsters can spawn unique Abyssal forms or drop special items.
Once you defeat all spawned enemies, the Pit seals and leaves behind an Abyssal Trove—a loot chest containing rare rewards and special crafting currency.
Abyssal Troves and New Crafting Currency
Clearing Pits rewards you with Abyssal Troves, which can drop a variety of items including Gnawed Bones (also referred to as Ancient Bones). These are key to the new Well of Souls crafting system.
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The Well of Souls
Unlocked in Act 2’s Lightless Passage, the Well of Souls lets you enhance items in a deterministic way:
- Use a Gnawed Bone on an item to infuse it with a hidden modifier.
- Place the infused item into the Well of Souls.
- Choose from three possible modifiers to reveal and permanently add to the item.
This system gives more control over finishing strong items. Some modifiers are exclusive to the Well of Souls, such as:
- Crossbows: Attack Skills gain +1 Maximum Summoned Ballista.
- Staves: Bonus Spirit values.
- Quarterstaves: Extra chance to build a Combo on Hit.
The Well also works on Waystones using Preserved Vertebrae, granting powerful map modifiers like:
- “Abysses have 7–9 additional Pits.”
- “Abysses lead to an Abyssal Boss.”
- “Players steal the Souls of slain Rare Monsters.”
This makes the Well a central part of endgame farming and crafting strategy.
Abyssal Depths and Cities
Sometimes, instead of a Trove, the Pit collapses into the Abyssal Depths. These mini-zones are filled with rare monsters guaranteed to carry Abyssal modifiers. At the end, a Lich Born rare serves as the zone’s boss. Rewards include multiple Troves and exclusive items.
Even deeper lies the Abyssal City, accessible through the Dark Domain. Here, every rare enemy has Abyssal modifiers, and the final foe carries a unique Lichborn Modifier. These cities drop highly coveted loot like:
- Lineage Support Gems (e.g., Kurgal’s Leash).
- Omens such as Omen of Abyssal Echoes, which reroll Well of Souls options.
- Socketable items like Ulaman’s Gaze.
Abyssal Commanders and Kulemak
The pinnacle fights of this League are against the Abyssal Commanders. Each Commander rules over its own domain and drops powerful Uniques. They also have a chance to drop Kulemak’s Invitation, an item that unlocks a new boss fight by letting you jump directly into the Well of Souls. This fight, called the Vessel of Kulemak, is set to be one of the hardest challenges in the League.
Exclusive Rewards
The Abyssal system introduces several unique rewards:
- Abyssal Eyes – powerful socketables found in Depths.
- Lineage Supports – new Support Gems exclusive to Abyss farming.
- Abyssal Omens – consumables that interact with the Well of Souls.
- Undying Hate Timeless Jewel – transforms passive tree nodes into Abyssal-themed bonuses.
- Abyssal Unique Items – including Darkness Enthroned, which changes socket behavior in unusual ways.
What Makes the Rise of the Abyssal League Worth Playing
- Deterministic Crafting – The Well of Souls ensures more control compared to RNG-heavy crafting.
- Reward Density – Abyssal Depths and Cities are packed with rares and loot.
- Endgame Bosses – From Lichborn rares to Commanders and Kulemak, the Abyss content brings variety to late-game challenges.
- League Character Incentive – All Abyssal content is only available to characters made in the Rise of the Abyssal League, not Standard characters.
The Abyssal League in Path of Exile 2 isn’t just a return of a fan-favorite mechanic—it’s a full expansion of it. With layers of new crafting, socketables, boss fights, and progression paths, it pushes players to engage both with the campaign and the endgame. For anyone jumping into PoE2 0.3 update, the Abyss offers some of the richest farming opportunities yet.
