Path of Exile 2 Ascendancy Points Guide: How to Unlock All 8 Passives

Unlocking Your Path of Exile 2 Ascendancy

In Path of Exile 2, Ascendancy classes represent the pinnacle of your character's power, acting as specialized sub-classes that grant you a unique passive skill tree. You do not gain these by simply leveling up; instead, you must prove your worth by conquering the Trials of Ascendancy scattered throughout the campaign and endgame.

To unlock your Ascendancy class and your first 2 passive points, you must locate a quest item key, travel to a Trial entrance, and defeat the final boss. While there are three planned trials, currently, the Trial of the Sekhemas and the Trial of Chaos are the primary vehicles for progression. Players generally aim to unlock their class as early as Act 2 to maximize the utility of their new specialization.

The Efficient Ascendancy Progression Path

To reach the maximum potential of 8 Ascendancy points, you need to engage with both the Trial of the Sekhemas and the Trial of Chaos at increasing difficulty levels.

1. Points 1 & 2: Complete the Trial of the Sekhemas in Act 2 (using the item from the Balbala quest).
2. Points 3 & 4: Complete the Trial of Chaos in Act 3 (using the Chimeral Inscribed Ultimatum).
3. Points 5 & 6: Complete a Level 60+ Trial of the Sekhemas (3 floors) or a Level 65+ Trial of Chaos (10 rounds).
4. Points 7 & 8: Complete a Level 75+ Trial of the Sekhemas (4 floors and boss) or the Level 65+ Trial of Chaos (10 rounds with all three Fate fragments).

Mastering the Trial of the Sekhemas

The Trial of the Sekhemas functions as a Roguelike dungeon. Your primary survival metric here is "Honour," a separate health pool distinct from your Life and Energy Shield. Losing all your Honour results in failure.

Tip

Why Honour Resistance is Mandatory Honour cannot be recovered via standard flasks or leech. By capping your Honour Resistance at 75%, you effectively quadruple your survivability against trap damage and enemy hits, turning a frustrating encounter into a manageable challenge.

When building for the higher-level Sekhemas runs, prioritize Relics with "Honour Resistance" and "Maximum Honour" modifiers. Community feedback suggests that farming lower-level versions of the Trial specifically to accumulate these high-tier Relics is the most reliable way to conquer the 3rd and 4th floors (Points 5–8).

Strategies for the Trial of Chaos

Unlike the Sekhemas trial, the Trial of Chaos focuses on combat-heavy endurance rounds. In each chamber, you must select one of three "Tribulations"—negative modifiers that persist for the remainder of your run.

Warning

Avoid "obstacle-creating" modifiers like Volatile Fiends or Storm Caller Runes whenever possible. These force you to dodge environmental hazards while simultaneously fighting bosses, which often leads to unnecessary failures.

The Trial of Chaos is an excellent source of Vaal Orbs and unique "Soul Cores," which provide specialized passive-like bonuses when socketed into gear. If you are struggling with a specific boss, remember that you can portal out between rounds to refill your flasks and reorganize your inventory.

Boss Combat Tips

Both trials feature formidable bosses that can halt your progress if you aren't prepared.

Rattlecage (Sekhemas Floor 1)

A massive magma elemental. Use cold-based crowd control like Freeze to lock it down. Avoid the "Fire Rain" phase by playing defensively until the ability ends.

Xyclucian (Trial of Chaos)

This Chimeral boss has elemental breath attacks. When it lands on pillars, destroy them to bring the boss into the rubble, creating a valuable window for high-DPS execution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch between trials to get my points?

Yes. You can alternate between the Trial of the Sekhemas and the Trial of Chaos to earn your points as long as you meet the level and difficulty requirements for the specific point tier you are aiming for.

What happens if I fail a trial?

You fail the run and lose the key used to enter. However, the game allows you to retry the trial as many times as necessary, provided you have the required item.

Should I ignore loot to focus on points?

Yes. When you are specifically farming for Ascendancy points, your priority is completion speed and survival. Do not take unnecessary risks for loot that can be farmed elsewhere.

By focusing on your Honour Resistance and carefully selecting your Tribulations, you will find that obtaining all 8 Ascendancy points in Path of Exile 2 becomes a predictable, rewarding process rather than a source of frustration. Always remember to check your current gear and resistances before attempting the higher-level (Level 75+) trials, as the penalty for failure is a lost key and wasted time.