Path of Exile 2 replaces the old Cruel difficulty rewards with permanent buffs that you unlock as you progress through the campaign. By Act 4 and the three Interlude chapters, you’ll have access to some of the most impactful upgrades that carry into the endgame. These buffs range from skill points and attribute bonuses to flask recovery options and permanent stat increases.
This guide breaks down every permanent buff in Act 4 and Interludes, including their locations, how to unlock them, and whether they are reversible.
Act 4 Permanent Buffs
Act 4 is set in the islands of Ngamakanui, where you face multiple trials and dangerous bosses. Along the way, you can secure several permanent bonuses:
Isle of Kin – The Blind Beast
- Reward: +2 Weapon Set Skill Points
- How to Get: Defeat the Blind Beast.
- Reversible: No.
Silent Hall – Eye of Hinekora
- Reward: +5% Maximum Mana
- How to Get: Activate the jade coffin.
- Reversible: No.
Halls of the Dead – Ancestral Tattoos
- Reward: Three choices, one per trial:
- +5 Dexterity or +5% Lightning Resistance
- +5 Intelligence or +5% Cold Resistance
- +5 Strength or +5% Fire Resistance
- How to Get: Complete all three trials.
- Reversible: No.
Trial of the Ancestors – Yama the White
- Reward: +2 Weapon Set Skill Points
- How to Get: Defeat Yama the White.
- Reversible: No.
Abandoned Prison – Goddess of Justice
- Reward (Toggleable):
- +30% Increased Mana Recovery from Flasks
- +30% Increased Life Recovery from Flasks
- How to Get: Activate the statue of the Goddess of Justice.
- Reversible: Yes, you can swap between the two.
See also: Path of Exile 2 Act 4 Walkthrough – Complete Guide to Bosses & Rewards
Interlude Permanent Buffs
Between major acts, Path of Exile 2 introduces Interludes that feature optional bosses and puzzles with powerful rewards. Here’s what you can earn.
Interlude 1 – Wolvenhold
- Reward: +2 Weapon Set Skill Points
- How to Get: Defeat Oswin, the Dread Warden.
- Reversible: No.
Interlude 2 – The Stolen Barya
- Seven Pillars (Qimah):
Choose one effect (can be changed later):- +5 to All Attributes
- +5 to All Elemental Resistances
- 12% Cooldown Recovery Rate
- 3% Movement Speed
- 20% Presence Area of Effect
- 15% Global Defences
- 5% Experience Gain (with a debuff penalty)
- Reversible: Yes
- Molten One’s Gift (Skullmaw Stairway, Khari Crossing):
- +5% Maximum Life
- Reversible: No
- Clearing the Way (Risu’s Quest):
- +2 Weapon Set Skill Points
- Reversible: No
Interlude 3 – Mount Kriar
- Lythara, the Wayward Spear (Kriar Village):
- +40 Maximum Spirit
- Reversible: No
- The Abominable Yeti (Howling Caves):
- +2 Weapon Set Skill Points
- Reversible: No
- Elder Madox (Kriar Peaks):
- Choose one Unique Item
- Reversible: No
- Final Completion Reward:
- +2 Weapon Set Skill Points after finishing all Interludes (speak to the Hooded One).
Best Choices for Permanent Buffs and Stat Bonuses in Path of Exile 2
By the time you finish Act 4 and the Interludes, your character will have locked in several permanent buffs that make a huge difference for both survivability and damage scaling. These are the most important rewards you’ll secure:
- Weapon Set Skill Points – Crucial for expanding your specialization sets and unlocking more weapon options.
- Permanent Stat Increases – Small but impactful bonuses to attributes, elemental resistances, maximum spirit, and more.
- Flask Recovery Options – The Goddess of Justice lets you toggle between life recovery and mana recovery, depending on your build needs.
- Unique and Flexible Bonuses – The Seven Pillars in Qimah give you versatile choices like resistances, attributes, or even experience gain (though with a drawback).
These Path of Exile 2 permanent buffs form the backbone of your character’s progression. Missing any of them will leave you weaker heading into Act 5 and the endgame, so it’s always worth completing the optional challenges to collect every buff. Play Now!
