Path of Exile: Echoes of the Atlas, the upcoming expansion for the massive online ARPG from Grinding Gear Games, is just around the corner. Our recent interview should cover all the basics, but while we wait for release, the studio has been expanding on the information showcased during the content reveal stream. This guide covers one of the announced features, the Atlas Passive Skills, including an easily digestible presentation and our recommendations to prepare yourself beforehand.
How Atlas Passive Skills Work – Path of Exile
Whether you’ve been dropping in and out of Path of Exile since its release in 2013 or you’re just planning to dive in for the first time, Echoes of Atlas brings interesting changes to the core end game experience. The Atlas Passive Skills are bonuses that will become available per region in the Atlas of Worlds, which is where most of the endgame takes part in. This series of sprawling maps is perfect for farming, and now it may be less of a headache to do so.
The upcoming expansion also marks the beginning of a new League, which are quarterly events similar to Seasons in Diablo III. Each of them brings new maps, enemies, and of course items. The main highlight, however, is usually new mechanics that have the potential to be permanently added to the game. The Atlas of Worlds serves as a gathering place for all of these mechanics that have been added over time, but until now most of them were locked behind the use of special currencies.
Atlas Passive Skills presents itself as a long awaited alternative, allowing players to increase specific drop, enemies, and events’ chances in regions. There’s a total of eight passive skills’ trees for each available region, but it’s worth keeping in mind that there’s been eleven new maps added into the Atlas’ Passive Tree. You can check on the layout below, courtesy of Reddit:
In order to access this new feature, you’ll have to defeat bosses in The Proving Ground, a new battle arena that’s being added in the expansion where you’ll complete the Maven’s challenges, a new NPC that has also taken the place of a new daunting encounter in the Atlas of Worlds.
You’ll be able to allocate ten points per region, which means ten points for each Atlas Passive Skill Tree – each boss rush rank (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) will grant you two points. In case you were wondering, this new feature will be found in both Standard and Challenge League modes, and yes, there will be an orb that lets you refund Atlas’ passive points. In terms of rarity, the developers consider it to be “similar to the Exalted Orb in rarity,” adding that it has a decent chance to drop from the early Maven’s challenges, and it’s guaranteed from some later ones. Further details are still unknown for the time being, but we’ll update accordingly once we know more.
Atlas Passive Skills List – Path of Exile
We’re still awaiting confirmation about the small nodes in each skill tree, but we’ll be updating the list once they become available. For now, here’s all the skills that will be available in the expansion, as well as our recommendations, notes, and the League they’re attached to.
Keep in mind that as per confirmation from the developers Atlas passives do not apply to Blighted maps, although the skill Epidemiology in Lira Arthain’s skill tree is related to Blighted maps’ drops. These also don’t apply to Unique Maps, as per confirmed on Reddit.
Haewark Hamlet
There’s a total of four main branches that emerge from this tree. Focusing on the second branch (Controlled Corruption + Amplified) will greatly increase your chances of obtaining essence items, with an additional Essence per area and all of them being of a higher tier.
From there, it depends on your approach whether you’re pursuing Harvest or Beyond. If you have extra points to spare, we recommend investing in The Grove’s Call to have that extra 5% chance of encountering The Sacred Grove.
First Branch
- The Grove’s Call (Harvest): Areas have +5% chance to contain The Sacred Grove
- Nature’s Favour (Harvest): Plants Harvested in Areas give the rarest 2 chosen Crafting Options
- Wild Fruit (Harvest): Harvest Plots in Areas have 100% increased chance to grow a Tier 4 Plant
Second Branch
- Controlled Corruption (Essence): Corrupting Imprisoned Monsters in Areas cannot release them. Areas contain an additional Essence
- Amplified (Essence): Essences found in Areas are a tier higher
Third Branch
- Power Hungry (Beyond): Rare Monsters in Areas spawn an additional Beyond Portal when Slain. Unique Bosses in Areas spawn 5 additional Beyond Portals when Slain
- Per Diemon (Beyond): Rare Beyond Demons in Areas have 35% chance to drop an additional Basic Currency Item (Basic Currency is a new term introduced by the team that describes currency that drops randomly from normal content, as opposed to currency items that are specific to league content or things)
Fourth Branch
- Focused Investigation (Syndicate): Jun Missions in Areas grant 100% increased Favour. Areas have 10% chance to grant an additional Jun Mission on Completion
- Bribery (Syndicate): Immortal Syndicate Members in Areas are 200% more likely to offer to Bargain for Items. Immortal Syndicate Members in Areas drop 2 additional Items when Bargained with for Items
- Intelligence Gathering (Syndicate): Completing Maps grants 10 Intelligence for a random Immortal Syndicate Safehouse (safehouses which have already been Located can still be randomly selected)
Tirn’s End
There’s a total of four main branches that emerge from this tree. If you’re focusing on Delirium, the extra time of The Singular Eternity in the third branch is a must, especially if your build is either slow or doesn’t do enough damage to rush through it.
In the fourth branch, Great Migration might sound like a game changer, but there’s a condition to it. The developers clarified that “it’s not a 1:1 swap” – rather, the number of beasts spawned doesn’t depend on the number of mobs removed, it spawns within a fixed range.
First Branch
- Underground Kingdom (Abyss): Areas have 1% chance to contain an Abyss per 2% increased Pack Size. Abysses in Areas have 100% increased chance to lead to an Abyssal Depths. Abyssal Depths in Areas have 100% increased chance to contain a Lich
- Lightless Legion (Abyss): Abyssal Depths in Areas have +3 to Monster Level. Abyssal Depths in Areas have 100% more Magic Monsters. Abyssal Depths in Areas have 100% more Rare Monsters. Abyssal Depths in Areas have 50% increased Pack Size.
- Buried Riches (Abyss): Hoards in Abyssal Depths drop additional Basic Currency Items
Second Branch
- Trespassers (Invasion): Areas contain additional invasion bosses
- Exotic Goods (Invasion): Invasion Bosses in Areas drop 1 additional valuable item
Third Branch
- That Which You Seek (Delirium): Areas have 10% additional chance to contain a mirror of Delirium
- Greater Forces (Delirium): Delirium in Areas increases 50% faster with distance from the mirror
- The Singular Eternity (Delirium): Delirium Fog in Areas dissipates 25% slower. Delirium Fog in Areas lasts 10 additional seconds before dissipating
Fourth Branch
- Big Game (Bestiary): Red Beasts in Areas have 15% chance to appear in Pairs. Yellow Beasts in Areas have 30% chance to be replaced with Red Beasts
- Great Migration (Bestiary): Einhar Missions in Areas have 5% chance to replace all monsters with Beasts
Lex Proxima
There’s a total of six main branches that emerge from this tree. The main appeal clearly comes from the first and fifth branches, if you’re going for Harvest maps, with Bountiful Harvest and Heart of the Grove being a must. If not, there’s benefits for both Breach and Delve maps that will surely come in handy.
First Branch
- Bountiful Harvest (Harvest): Harvest Monsters in Areas grant 200% increased Experience. Harvested Plants in Areas have 50% chance to spawn an additional Monster
Second Branch
- Invading Force (Breach): Breaches in Areas have 30% increased Area of Effect. Breaches in Areas have 30% increased Monster density. Breach Monsters in Areas grant 50% increased Experience
Third Branch
- Gatekeepers (Breach): Breaches in Areas have 100% increased chance to contain a boss. Breach Bosses in Areas drop double Breach Splinters. Breach Bosses Defeated in Areas have 5% chance to drop a Breachstone
- Within Their Grasp (Breach): Breach Bosses Defeated in Areas have 5% chance to drop a Breachstone. Breachstones dropped by Breach Bosses in Areas have 9% chance to be Charged. Breachstones dropped by Breach Bosses in Areas have a 3% to be Enriched. Breachstones dropped by Breach Bosses in Areas have a 1% chance to be Pure
Fourth Branch
- Rich Veins (Delve): Voltaxic Sulphite Veins and Chests in Areas have 10% chance to contain double Sulphite. Voltaxic Sulphite Veins and Chests in Areas contain 20% increased Sulphite
- Sulphite Infusion (Delve): White Tier Maps grant 200 additional Voltaxic Sulphite on Completion. Yellow Tier Maps grant 350 additional Voltaxic Sulphite on Completion. Red Tier Maps grant 500 additional Voltaxic Sulphite on Completion
- Packed with Energy (Delve): 35% increased Damage for each Voltaxic Sulphite Vein or Chest found in Areas. 15% increased Movement Speed for each Voltaxic Sulphite Vein or Chest found in Areas.
Fifth Branch
- Bumper Crop (Harvest): Harvests in Areas have doubled bonuses to Item Quantity and Rarity. The Sacred Grove in Areas contains an additional Harvest
- Heart of the Grove (Harvest): The Sacred Grove in Areas has 100% increased chance to contain the Heart of the Grove. Harvests in Areas have 10% chance for the unchosen crop to not wilt
Sixth Branch
- Seance (Torment): Up to 20 Rare Monsters in Areas are possessed and their Minions are Touched
Lex Ejoris
There’s a total of six main branches that emerge from this tree. Lex Ejoris marks an interesting opportunity to focus on Delirium, all the way from Pathological to Persecutory Delusion, both on the second branch. As a complement, going for Prospero’s Promise to guarantee an additional Parandus Chest and Escaped Experiment to encounter a rogue Metamorph might be fruitful.
First Branch
- Vaal Oligarchs (Incursion): Incursions in Areas contain a Vaal Flesh Merchant
Second Branch
- Pathological (Delirium): Maps found in Areas have 10% chance to have layers of Delirium
- Compulsive Hoarder (Delirium): Delirium Encounters in Areas have 15% chance to generate three additional Reward types
- Persecutory Delusion (Delirium): Delirium Encounters in Areas are 100% more likely to spawn Unique Bosses. Delirium Bosses in Areas drop 100% increased Simulacrum Splinters. Delirium Bosses in Areas have 100% increased chance to drop Unique Cluster Jewels
Third Branch
- Prospero’s Promise (Perandus): Areas contain an additional Perandus Chest. Areas have 20% chance to contain Cadiro Perandus
- Friend of the Family (Perandus): Cadiro Perandus offers the rarest of 5 chosen Items. Cadiro Perandus’ Offers cost 20% less Perandus Coins
Fourth Branch
- Finest Samples (Metamorph): Metamorphs in Areas deal 50% more Damage. Metamorphs in Areas have 100% more Life
Fifth Branch
- Escaped Experiment (Metamorph): Areas contain a rogue Metamorph
Sixth Branch
- Time and Again (Incursion): Alva Missions in Areas grant 100% increased Favour. Areas have 10% chance to grant an additional Alva Mission on Completion
- Time Dilation (Incursion): Incursion Architects in Areas drop 1 additional Rare Incursion Item. Time gained from Killing is Doubled for Incursions in Areas
Glennach Cairns
There’s a total of five branches that emerge from this tree. A perfect region for farming Region thanks to skills like Monumental and Proacted Battle in the second branch, increasing their frequency and also their length. Beyond doesn’t get huge bonuses in the first branch, but definitely keep this skill tree in mind if you’re chasing Ambush’s Strongboxes.
First Branch
- Scent of Blood (Beyond): Slaying Enemies close together in Areas has a 3% chance to attract monsters from Beyond
- Torn Veil (Beyond): Powerful Beyond Demons require 1 fewer Portal to summon in Areas. Beyond Portals in Areas have 100% increased Merging Radius
Second Branch
- Monumental (Legion): Areas have 10% additional chance to contain a Legion Encounter
- Face to Face (Legion): Legion Encounters in Areas are 100% more likely to include a General. Legion Encounters with a General in Areas have both Generals. Legion Generals in Areas drop 100% more Timeless Splinters
- Proacted Battle (Legion): Legion Encounters in Areas have 50% increased Duration. Legion Monsters in Areas take 50% increased Damage while in Stasis
Third Branch
- Cultural Advancement (Incursion): Incursion Monsters in Areas are at least Magic
Fourth Branch
- Resource Reallocation (Incursion): Killing non-resident Architects in Areas has 50% chance to add an additional Upgrade Tier to the surviving Architect’s Room
- Contested Development (Incursion): Killing resident Architects in Areas adds their Upgrade Tier to the surviving Architect’s Room
Fifth Branch
- Twice Tempted (Ambush): Areas contain an extra Strongbox. Strongboxes in Areas have a 10% chance to be openable a second time
- Tamper-Proof (Ambush): Strongboxes in Areas are Corrupted. Strongboxes in Areas are at least Rare
New Vastir
There’s a total of five branches that emerge from this tree. New Vastir grants a cool opportunity to focus on Legion thanks to skills like High Value Targets and War Supplies from the third and fourth branches, respectively, leading to bulkier spawns to face several demons at once. The second branch is highly tailored to Delve, and both Mad Devotion and Sulphite Sentinels seem mandatory, but you also have two fairly standard yet welcoming options for Anarchy in the last branch.
First Branch
- Abyssal Army (Abyss): Abyss Monsters in Areas grant 50% increased Experience. Abysses in Areas spawn 100% more Monsters
- Votive Hoard (Abyss): Abyssal Troves in Areas have 10% chance to drop a Rare Item with an Abyssal Socket. +3 to Level of Abyssal Troves in Areas. Abyssal Troves in Areas have 200% increased Item Quantity
Second Branch
- Mad Devotion (Delve): Completing Niko Missions in Areas grants 100% increased Favour. Areas have 10% chance to grant an additional Niko Mission on Completion
- Out of the Blue (Delve): Sulphite Veins and Chests in Areas have 5% chance to also contain an equal amount of Azurite
- Sulphite Sentinels (Delve): Sulphite Veins and Chests in Areas are guarded by Sulphite-hoarding Monsters
Third Branch
- High Value Targets (Legion): Legions in Areas contain 3 additional Sergeants. Legion Sergeants in Areas always have rewards
Fourth Branch
- War Supplies (Legion): Each Legion in Areas contains an additional War Hoard
- Emblematic (Legion): Timeless Splinters dropped by Legion Monsters in Areas have 1% chance to drop as Timeless Emblems instead
Fifth Branch
- Total Anarchy (Anarchy): Areas contain an additional Rogue Exile for every 2 additional content types applied to Areas
- Rogue Trader (Anarchy): Wild Rogue Exiles in Areas have 15% chance to have Rewards (Wild Rogue Exiles are Rogue Exiles that are spawned randomly within the Area)
Valdo’s Rest
There’s a total of five branches that emerge from this tree. Valdo’s Rest leads to another opportunity to dive into Syndicate, with Test of Loyalty in the fourth branch being ideal for Safehouse rewards. This is also the only region’s skill tree dedicated to Harbinger, so we recommend spending points on its respective branch in addition to your main choices.
First Branch
- Outbreak (Blight): Areas have 10% additional chance to contain a Blight Encounter.
- Blight Titans (Blight): Blight Bosses in Areas drop an additional Anointed Jewellery Item. Blight Encounters in Areas contain up to 2 additional Blight Bosses
- Mass Mycelium (Blight): Blight Encounters in Areas are more likely to contain multiple Lanes. Lanes of Blight Encounters in Areas have 50% chance for an additional Reward Chest
Second Branch
- Gut Instinct (Syndicate): Defeated Immortal Syndicate Members in Areas grant 3 Intelligence for the current Encounter’s Safehouse if not Interrogated
Third Branch
- Intrinsic Darkness (Metamorph): Areas have 10% additional chance to contain a Metamorph Encounter
- Repeated Experiment (Metamorph): You can assemble an additional Metamorph in Areas after the first is Dead
- High Yield (Metamorph): Metamorph Bosses which drop an Itemised Sample drop an additional Itemised Sample. Metamorph Vat Meters in Areas require 50% less Power to fill
Fourth Branch
- Test of Loyalty (Syndicate): Immortal Syndicate Members Executed in Areas have 100% chance to gain an additional Rank
Fifth Branch
- Diplomatic Escort (Harbinger): Up to 1 Harbinger in Areas is joined by reinforcements
- Ominous Arrival (Harbinger): Areas contain an extra Harbinger
Lira Arthain
There’s a total of five branches that emerge from this tree. There’s a high focus on Bestiary and Beyond, the latter being useful in case you’re looking for both Blight encounters and Blighted Maps, with the addition of the maps being Anointed (in other words, enchanted).
But in all honesty, you shouldn’t ignore the fifth branch with not one but two skills for Heist, which compliment each other by increasing your chances to encounter a Smuggler’s Cache with 100% increased chance to drop Blueprints, which in turn have a 10% chance to be revealed right off the bat.
First Branch
- Spores on the Wind (Beyond): Maps found in Areas have 10% chance to contain an additional Blight encounter
- Epidemiology (Beyond): Blight Chests in Areas have 100% more chance to contain Blighted Maps. Blighted Maps found in Areas are Anointed.
Second Branch
- Probing for Weaknesses (Breach): Areas have +10% chance to contain Breaches
- Flash Breach (Breach): Breaches in Areas spawn 10 additional Rare Monsters. Breaches in Areas open and close 100% faster
Third Branch
- Animal Companion (Bestiary): Einhar Missions in Areas grant 100% increased Favour. Areas have 10% chance to grant an additional Einhar Mission on Completion
- Natural Selection (Bestiary): Beasts in Areas are more likely to be less common varieties
- Mighty Hunter (Bestiary): Einhar has 100% increased Cooldown Recovery Rate in Areas. Einhar deals 1000% more Damage to Unique Monsters in Areas. Einhar remains in Areas after his Mission is Complete
Fourth Branch
- Immune Response (Blight): Blight Encounters in Areas spawn 100% more non-Unique Monsters. Blight Monsters in Areas spawn 100% faster
Fifth Branch
- Secret Stash (Heist): Areas have 10% additional chance to contain a Smuggler’s Cache
- Inside Job (Heist): Blueprints that drop in Areas have 10% chance to be fully Revealed. Smuggler’s Caches in areas have 100% increased chance to drop Blueprints
And that’s all there is to know about Path of Exile’s Atlas Passive Skills for now! Make sure to keep an eye on this guide during the next couple days as we’ll be updating the missing information once the expansion is out.
[Disclaimer: Tencent, the parent company that owns Fanbyte, is also a majority holder of Grinding Gear Games, the developer of Path of Exile. That being said, there is no direct nor indirect involvement in coverage whatsoever. We do share the love for hack-n-slash games, but that’s about it, really.]
