PoE 2 Act 1 Walkthrough — Clearfell to Ogham (Patch 0.5.5)

Permanent Rewards

+4 Weapon Set Skill Points

+10% Cold Resistance

+30 Spirit

+20 Maximum Life

Salvage Bench (1st char)

Riverbank Lvl 1

Talk to Wounded Man, equip starter weapon

Loot Large Chests, equip items + skills

Kill The Bloated Miller

Enter Clearfell Encampment behind boss

Clearfell Encampment TOWN Lvl 2

Talk to Renly Skill Gem Lv1

Enter Clearfell

Clearfell Lvl 2–3

0.5.5 Verisium AnvilIn Forbidden Rites (and Standard), the Anvil is not unlocked here — you unlock it by completing The Runeseeker quest in Act 4. After that, Farrow can be placed in your Hideout in all leagues, and Farrow / Dannig / Expedition become core Atlas content. See the Act 4 guide.

Runes of Aldur onlyIn that league the unlock is an Act 1 chain instead: collect 3 Runestones → Lost Catacombs → return to Clearfell. Runeforging then spends Verisium to add Runic Ward, a regenerating layer that absorbs damage at 1 life. The per-act ladder (Armour Runeforging → Runic Inscriptions → Unique Runeforging → Ancient Runes) is league-only. Detail in the Crafting Codex.

Kill Beira of the Rotten Pack (north) +10% Cold Res

(Opt) Mud Burrow → The Devourer Skill Gem Lv2

A waypoint sits right next to Mud Burrow; the bridge onward leads to The Grelwood

After the kill, talk to Renly in town for a Support Gem Lv1

(Opt) Abandoned Stash (inside the Mysterious Campsite) Skill Gem Lv1

Enter The Grelwood

The Grelwood WAYPOINT Lvl 3–5

Visual CueGlowing roots. Magical roots with a subtle glow thread through the Grelwood and all lead the same way — toward the Tree of Souls. Separately, follow the river upstream and it always brings you to the Red Vale entrance.

Find/summon/talk Una

Take waypoint

Enter Grim Tangle → take WP → return

Enter The Red Vale → take WP → return

(Opt) Kill Gerung, the Brambleghast Skill Gem Lv2

(Opt) Hut with Cauldron (medium life + mana flasks) → Areagne Support Gem Lv1

Areagne is the hardest early fight — frost bomb chills her, makes it manageable

Enter The Red Vale

The Red Vale WAYPOINT Lvl 5–6

Find 3 Obelisks of Rust, loot Runed Girdle each

The Rust King spawns on last obelisk Skill Gem Lv3

Kite mobs under his feet for AoE damage uptime

TP back to town

Clearfell Encampment

Talk to Renly, get Runed Spikes

TP to Grelwood

The Grelwood (Return)

Activate 3 Runic Seals

Talk to Una

TP back to town

Clearfell Encampment

Talk to Una

TP to Grim Tangle

Grim Tangle WAYPOINT Lvl 6

Visual CueMushrooms and caskets. Clusters of mushrooms on the ground mean the Grim Tangle entrance is nearby — follow them toward the Druid. A separate trail of caskets runs toward the Cemetery of the Eternals. The two diverge, so pick the trail matching your objective.

(Opt) Kill Ervig, the Rotted Druid Support Gem

Enter Cemetery of the Eternals

Cemetery of the Eternals Lvl 6–9

Talk to Lachlann the Lost

(Opt) Ancient Ruins (sarcophagus near checkpoint) Iron or Lazuli Ring

Mausoleum of the Praetor → Draven → Draven's Memorial Key Piece, TP back

(Opt) Mausoleum of the Praetor — Forgotten Riches hidden cache Support Gem 1 Loot Gold

Visual CueLit pillar switch. The Forgotten Riches cache sits behind a large sarcophagus near a checkpoint. The hidden switch is on a nearby pillar and lights up as you approach it — that glow is the tell. Pure loot (gold + rare chests, no guaranteed item), and it is repeatable by resetting the zone from the waypoint.

Tomb of the Consort → Asinia → Asinia's Memorial Key Piece, TP back

(Opt) Haunted Treasure secret Support Gem Lv1

Open Memorial Gate next to Lachlann

Kill Lachlann, loot Ring Skill Gem Lv3

Exit to Hunting Grounds — take Waypoint WP

TP to town

Clearfell Encampment

Talk to Finn, Una, The Hooded One

Revival The Hooded One revives upon return — Identify is now available

Hunting Grounds WAYPOINT Lvl 10

Visual CueLocust trail. Completing this zone's small ritual encounter spawns a trail of locusts running straight to the Freythorn entrance. Ritual chains always point to the next-closest one — the same trick carries into endgame rituals.

Visual CueBlood trails + signpost. Crowbells peck at dead livestock and leave blood trails leading directly to the boss — a "farm-to-table" path straight to The Crowbell. A signpost on the road points the way onward to Ogham Farmlands — the Farmlands come first, the Village is the zone after.

(Opt) Talk to Delwyn — starts the wisp mechanic only

Kill The Crowbell +2 Skill Points

Watch slam attacks — can one-shot. Boss flees at low HP, kite carefully

Enter Freythorn → take WP → return

Enter Ogham Farmlands → take WP → return

Small ritual event (not near the start of the zone) — do this one, it spawns the locust trail Support Gem Lv1

TP to Freythorn

Freythorn WAYPOINT Lvl 11–12

Activate 3 small Ritual Altars

Visual CueSmoke tendrils. The big central altar trails smoke that reaches out toward each of the three small Ritual Altars — follow a tendril and it leads you straight to one. No need to sweep the zone.

Big Ritual Altar → kill The King in the Mists +30 Spirit Spirit Gem Lv4 (Persistent Buff)

Aoife spawns in this fight (Druid class only?) and drops a spirit gem

Phase 2: dodge totem summons + curses (stand still vs keep moving differ)

(Opt) Ominous Altars → cleanse, then claim a Charm from Finn in town Ruby/Sapphire/Topaz Charm

TP to Ogham Farmlands

Ogham Farmlands WAYPOINT Lvl 12

Una's Lute Box in house near checkpoint → Una's Lute +2 Skill Points

Deliver to Una in town for the reward

(Opt) Rare dogs in crop circle Skill Gem Lv4

Enter Ogham Village

Ogham Village Lvl 12–13

(1st char) Smithing Tools in house Salvage Bench

Visual CueCobble road. Follow the paved cobble road through the village — it runs straight to the smithing house. Stay on the stone rather than cutting between buildings and you land on the Smithing Tools and the Blacksmith's Chest without searching.

(Opt) Blacksmith's Chest same house Blank Rune + Artificer's Orb

Kill The Executioner Support Gem Lv1

Fight is mostly in the north of the village

Upstairs → Lever → talk to Leitis

Enter The Manor Ramparts

The Manor Ramparts Lvl 13

(Opt) Gallows secret (rope on hanging man, near checkpoint) Support Gem Lv1

Confirm Lvl 10 flask + Lvl 11 chest piece before entering Manor — much safer

Enter Ogham Manor

Ogham Manor Lvl 13–14

Kill Candlemass (1st floor) +20 Max Life

Usually after the first walkway (when you first see the Count), sometimes earlier — drops Essence + double-res belt

Downstairs → kill Geonor (Act Boss)

Manor descent: take each floor heading the opposite direction from the floor above — retrace how you crossed the walkway

Phase 2: dodge roll under his sword. Frost bomb at start of Phase 2 chills him

TP back to town

Clearfell Encampment (End of Act)

Talk to all NPCs

Talk to The Hooded One → "Follow the Beast's Trail"

Act I Complete — proceed to Act II