PoE 2 Act 2 Walkthrough — Vastiri to Dreadnought (Patch 0.5.5)

Permanent Rewards

+4 Weapon Set Skill Points

+10% Lightning Resistance

+1 Charm Slot + Charm buff (choice)

⚡ First Ascendancy

Vastiri Outskirts Lvl 14–15

Talk to The Hooded One

Kill Rathbreaker

TP back to start of zone

Talk to Zarka Uncut Skill Gem Lv5

Enter The Ardura Caravan

The Ardura Caravan TOWN

Talk to Hooded One + Sekhema Asala (×2)

Runes of Aldur onlyThat league adds an Ezomyte Remnant in every zone (inscribe runes → fight waves → claim a reward), plus Runestones in the Bone Pits, Keth and Deshar that summon Farrow. Its Deshar chain (Runestone → caravan to the Skull of the Titan → cave mouth → Runic Vault) unlocks Runic Inscriptions. None of this appears in Forbidden Rites — there the Verisium Anvil is unlocked in Act 4 instead.

Use Desert Map → travel to Halani Gates

Enter Halani Gates → talk to Sekhema Asala

Back to Caravan → talk to Sekhema Asala

Travel to Mawdun Quarry

Mawdun Quarry Lvl 15

(Opt) Faridun War Cache near checkpoint Artificer's Orb

Enter Mawdun Mine (follow checkpoints)

Mawdun Mine Lvl 16

Visual CueRailroad tracks. Follow the railroad tracks through the mine. At each intersection take the turnout that connects the tracks — staying on connected rail keeps you on the critical path and skips the dead ends.

Kill Rudja Uncut Skill Gem Lv6

Talk to Risu in cage

TP back to town

The Ardura Caravan

Talk to Risu + Sekhema Asala

Travel to Traitor's Passage

Traitor's Passage Lvl 17

Visual CueMaraketh parchment. The passage now always generates with one guaranteed intersection. The branch strung with parchment — the paper the Maraketh use to bind djinns — leads to Balbala. The other branch is the exit. You cannot miss the split.

Interact with Ancient Seal door + Runic Seals

(Opt) Kill Balbala, the Traitor Djinn Barya Uncut Skill Gem Lv6

Most builds skip — get backup Barya from Deshar vultures (less mobile fight, better XP at Lvl 28)

(Opt) Bell Chest in dead end Random loot

Enter The Halani Gates (stairs up)

The Halani Gates Lvl 18

Summon Asala to open gates

If Asala lags behind on terra-cotta soldiers, reset checkpoint — she'll snap to you

Push forward to the command tents for loot before opening the gates

Kill Jamanra (first encounter)

Stairs down, search checkpoint

TP back to town

The Ardura Caravan

Talk to Shambrin, Zarka, Sekhema Asala

Travel to Trial of Sekhemas → take WP Run later at Lvl 28

TP back → travel to Mastodon Badlands

Mastodon Badlands Lvl 19–20

Visual CueCracks in the ground. To find the Lightless Passage and track down the abyssal here, look for cracks in the ground — follow them and they lead straight to the lair, letting you find and unlock the Well of Souls.

Run this BEFORE Keth — pushes Keth's level up so Kabala drops Lvl 7 gem

(Opt) Shrine of Bones (Effigy) near checkpoint Support Gem Lv2

Enter The Bone Pits

The Bone Pits Lvl 20–21

Loot the Effigy at the checkpoint on your way through

Kill hyenas until Sun Clan Relic drops

Tall hyenas (Goliaths) have higher drop chance. Save for Valley of the Titans altar

Kill Iktab & Ekbab → loot Mastodon Tusks

Preserved Witness (Abyss objective): a target you survive/escort through a gauntlet for high-tier loot. Tends to spawn in the Lightless Passage / Well of Souls alongside mini-bosses like the Desiccated Lich — optional, build-dependent

TP back to town

The Ardura Caravan

Talk to Zarka

Travel to Keth

Keth Lvl 22

Kill snakes until Kabala Clan Relic drops

(Opt) Abandoned Prayer (down the stairs) Magic Amulet

Kill Kabala, Constrictor Queen (the Venom Pit) +2 Skill Points

Drops Lvl 7 skill gem because Mastodon was done first — useful for all classes

Enter The Lost City

The Lost City Lvl 23

(Opt) Kill Ninth Treasure of Keth (the Galleria) Jewel

(Opt) Golden Tomb Spirit Gem Lv7

Enter Buried Shrines

Buried Shrines Lvl 23

(Opt) Guarded sarcophagus Support Gem (Lesser Jeweller's Orb)

(Opt) Choose Offering (fire/water/lightning) Resist Ring

Enter The Heart of Keth

The Heart of Keth Lvl 24

Descend through the Vestibule (crumbling floors, acid-bursting hydrozoids) to the Halani Shrine at the bottom — that is where Azarian waits

Kill Azarian

Talk Water Goddess (Halani) → Everburning Cinders → ignite Goddess Essence of Water

TP back to town

The Ardura Caravan

Talk to Zarka

Travel to Valley of the Titans

Valley of the Titans WAYPOINT Lvl 25

Visual CueTitan heads. The giant buried titan heads are visible from the moment you enter. Each has an entrance nearby leading to a short linear canyon with a seal at the end and a portal back — so the whole zone's layout reads at a glance instead of being explored blind.

Find 3 Ancient Seals (perimeter)

Find Medallion (Relic Altar), place both relics +1 Charm Slot + choose buff

The Relic Altar sits on a side path off one of the routes to the Ancient Seals

Grants +1 Charm Slot plus your choice of 30% increased Charm Charges gained OR 30% increased Charm Effect Duration (changeable later)

Enter The Titan Grotto

The Titan Grotto Lvl 25–26

Kill Zalmarath, the Colossus → loot Flame Ruby

TP back to town

The Ardura Caravan

Talk to Zarka + Sekhema Asala

Travel to Traitor's Passage (don't enter)

Sound Horn at top of caravan

Talk to Sekhema Asala

Travel to Deshar

Deshar Lvl 26–27

Find/loot Fallen Dekhara near tower +2 Skill Points

Letter from Lihl Lima → deliver to Shambrin in town

Kill 2 Vultures on side area Backup Djinn Barya (Lvl 28)

This is the easy ascend path — much simpler than Balbala for all classes

(Opt) The Unremembered (skeleton) near checkpoint Artificer's Orb

Enter Path of Mourning

Path of Mourning Lvl 27

Trust the overworld map for direction — exit is straightforward

(Opt) Shifting Vases / Hushed Urn encounter 4 rares + Support Gem Lv2

Enter The Spires of Deshar

The Spires of Deshar Lvl 27

Interact with Sisters of Garukhan shrine +10% Lightning Res

Kill Tor Gul

One of the hardest fights in Act II — cap lightning res, watch defiler attacks

TP back to town → speak with Sekhema Asala (×2)

Ascend at Lvl 28

Trial of the Sekhemas WAYPOINT Lvl 28

0.5 QoLReforging Bench now sits at the Trial entrance, and your max Runic Ward is added to your starting Honour. In Forbidden Rites the Verisium Anvil is an Act 4 unlock, so you will usually have no Runic Ward yet at this point.

On entry, manually pick the Lvl 28 Djinn Barya (Deshar vultures) — not the default Lvl 22 Balbala one

Set relic affinity to keep your inventory clean

Room priority: Ritual > Chalice > Hourglass > Gauntlet

Hourglass: kill rares to chunk the timer · Chalice: points to rare locations

Complete the trial → 1st Ascendancy

Smith of Kitava (Warrior): stash a white chest piece first — ascending locks you out of magic/rare chests

The Dreadnought Lvl 28–29

Travel to The Dreadnought

Kill Jamanra, the Abomination (Act Boss)

Already starts armor-broken. ~55k phys damage = stuns him before lightning fence phase

TP back to town

The Ardura Caravan (End of Act)

Exit caravan (top left) → talk Hooded One → wait animation

Back → talk Sekhema Asala → "Travel to the Sandswept Marsh"

Act II Complete — proceed to Act III