Path of Exile 2 doesn’t pull punches to test your skills, and Act 3 plays a big role in that. One such optional challenge you will face is the Trial of Chaos: a whirlwind of mayhem that’s equal parts exhilarating and brutal. It is a way to get Ascendancy points, a great source of loot, and prove your skills. This trial isn’t a walk in the park; even prepared gamers with top-tier gear find themselves humbled by its relentless enemies and punishing modifiers.
The Trial of Chaos in PoE 2 asks you to survive hordes of enemies, getting through tribulations like the Trial of Sekhemas, and defeating one of three powerful bosses. You also get to ascend to an even more powerful version of your character after surviving the ordeal. To help you with that, this guide will tell you how to access the Trial of Chaos, explain how it works, and share a few good tips to complete this trial.
How to Access the Trial of Chaos
To access the Trial of Chaos in Path of Exile 2, you’ll first need to visit the Temple of Chaos in Chimeral Wetlands in Act 3. You’ll encounter Xyclucian, the Chimera who has heavy AoE attacks and a few elemental tricks up its sleeve. Defeating it will reward you with the Chimeral Imbued Ultimatum that you need to enter and leave the Temple of Chaos to face the Trial of Chaos whenever you want.
Once you have the Ultimatum, use it at the entrance to the Temple of Chaos to unlock the trial. It is a one-time-use item meaning you’ll need to farm another to repeat the trial. Though it’s not as rare as some of the other items in the game, there’s always the option to join another player’s party if you’re out of luck (or patience). Playing with others only demands one team member to have the Chimeral Imbued Ultimatum, so consider partying up with your buddy for better.
Path of Exile 2 Trial of Chaos Guide
Other than clowns and mirrors in the Trial of Chaos, you get greeted by waves of bloodthirsty monsters, soul-shredding hazards, and challenges that only get harder with each room. It’s a gauntlet of three brutal encounters and a boss fight in the end.
At the start of each room, you’ll have three Tribulations to pick from. These are modifiers that crank up the difficulty of the room in exchange for better loot. For example, Blood Globules make blood globes appear in periods wherever you’re standing, while Time Paradox makes your buffs disappear faster and your debuffs remain longer. There are also nastier ones like Deadly Monsters guarantees critical hits from monsters, and Petrification Statues turns you to stone if you get too close to statues on the spot. Be strategic with top gear equipped because the Tribulations from each room carry over to the next one; you’re stacking chaos on top of chaos.
Once you choose your Tribulation, enter the room’s challenge and face what hardness is waiting inside. These encounters range from surviving enemy groups to destroying pylons or collecting Soul Cores. A big bunch of enemies come at you, and it’s up to you to stay alive while completing the objective. Each passing room makes the situation hard, so you should balance selected Tribulations with your build’s strengths. Don’t think to take on encounters with restricted movement with Mobility build while tanky characters might be able to handle Chaotic Monsters.
Finally, after you survive the three rooms by ending the gauntlet(assuming you make it that far), you’ll face one of these bosses:
- Xyclucian, the Chimera, loves AoE and elemental attacks, so keep your distance when possible.
- Scourge of the Skies, a giant bird that dishes out Earth-based attacks—can be a real pain if you don’t watch the ground.
- Bahlak the Sky Seer, a ranged spellcaster considered the most difficult due to its rapid attacks and tricky positioning.
Rewards for Completing the Trial of Chaos
The only reason why players want to complete it again and again is thanks to a lot of valuable rewards this challenge gives. For the first time completing the trial, you’ll unlock your Ascendancy class and earn two Ascendancy skill points to power up your character. Further, every successful run earns you a lot of loot from all enemies and encounters including items like Vaal Orbs and Soul Cores.
Vaal Orbs are powerful yet unpredictable crafting items that let you corrupt gear. They can turn a decent item into a powerful beast—or ruin it. So, think twice before using them. Soul Cores are rare items with modifiers that are only available to farm through this trail, scale in power with the gear you slot them into.
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Tips to Complete the Trial of Chaos
- The Trial of Chaos isn’t meant for under-leveled or poorly geared characters. If enemies are shredding you a lot, go farm in better equipment and come back stronger.
- Many creatures deal Chaos damage, so stack up on Chaos resistance or you’ll have to taste the dirt more often than you’d like.
- If you’re new to the trial, avoid punishing modifiers like “Deadly Monsters” (always crits) or “Toxic Monsters” (poison and bleed on every hit). Stick to manageable ones like Blood Globules, Time Paradox, and Vaal Omnitect.
- You can finish the trail solo, but having friends to share the burden makes the challenge much more manageable and definitely fun.
- This trial is as much about strategy as it demands raw power. Keep looking at your surroundings to not let the chaos overwhelm you.
Some players report that even after completing the Path of Exile 2’s Trial of Chaos, the map still shows the quest as incomplete. If this happens to you, don’t worry—you’ve still earned your rewards.
