Act II — Vastiri to Dreadnought

Patch 0.5 · Lvl 14–29 · All classes · Optimal routing

Permanent Rewards

+4 Weapon Set Skill Points
+10% Lightning Resistance
+1 Charm Slot + Charm buff (choice)
⚡ First Ascendancy
⚡ Speedrun & Routing Tips (Community) ▸ click to expand
  • ◆ Run Mastodon Badlands BEFORE Keth → Kabala drops Lvl 7 gem (huge for all classes)
  • ◆ Delay ascension to Lvl 28. Skip the highly mobile Balbala fight in Traitor's Passage — instead farm a backup Djinn Barya from the Watchful Twins (2 vultures) in Deshar, then on trial entry manually pick the Lvl 28 Barya, not the Lvl 22 default. Better resistances at trial end — this is the speedrun meta.
  • ◆ Trial room preference: Ritual > Chalice > Hourglass > Gauntlet
  • ◆ Aim Lvl 29 for Jamanra; Lvl 30 entering Act III
  • ◆ Pick a leveling Ascendancy. Demon Form (Infernalist), Smith of Kitava, Sorcery Ward (Mercenary) etc. give flat damage/survivability without needing specific items. You can re-spec endgame.
  • ◆ Buy fewer times, more efficiently. Expect to complete an entire act without weapon upgrades — when you do find one early, ignore vendors until the next act starts.
  • ◆ Use a leveling item filter with aggressive base highlighting for your build. Hide junk; surface upgrades only.
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)
0.5 LeagueRunes of Aldur: Farrow was introduced back in Act 1 — there is no Runic Alloy quest here at the Caravan. Instead, every zone holds an Ezomyte Remnant (inscribe runes → fight waves → claim a reward), and certain zones hold a Runestone that summons Farrow and unlocks new recipes. The Act 2 Runic Vault chain is reached via Deshar (see below).
Runeforging ladderOne tier unlocks per act: Act 1 Armour Runeforging → Act 2 Runic Inscriptions → Act 3 Unique Runeforging → Act 4 Ancient Runes.
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
Navigation: follow the railroad tracks; at each intersection take the turnout that connects the tracks to stay on the critical path
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
0.5 PathingYou no longer need to visit the Halani Gates to access Traitor's Passage once Risu is freed — the routing below already reflects this shortcut.
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
0.5 PathingTo 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
0.5 LeagueRunestone here — interacting with it summons Farrow and unlocks new recipes
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
0.5 LeagueRunestone here — summons Farrow and unlocks new recipes
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
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
0.5 LeagueAct 2 Runic Vault chain: interact with the Runestone (summons Farrow), then ride the caravan to the Skull of the Titan (the Runeseeker). A new zone via a cave mouth leads to the Runic Vault → summon Farrow → Runic Inscriptions unlocked
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.
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)
0.5 PathingThe second dreadnought area was removed — Jamanra is now fought directly in The Dreadnought.
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
← Act I Index Act III →