Path of Exile 2 patch 0.5.5 starts the Forbidden Rites event league on September 4, 2026 at 1:00 PM PDT with a fresh and separate economy. It does not wipe Runes of Aldur characters, currency, items or stash contents. Players who enter Forbidden Rites must create a new event character and rebuild campaign, Atlas and trade progress inside that league, while existing Runes of Aldur characters remain available in their current league.
The event length has also been clarified after the reveal. Forbidden Rites is not a one-month event. A GGG staff reply states that it will run until the Path of Exile 2 version 1.0 release on December 11 and will end alongside Runes of Aldur. When Early Access ends, GGG's standing policy says Early Access characters are not wiped and instead continue to exist in a separate Early Access league rather than entering Standard. GGG has not yet published a Forbidden Rites-specific migration notice.
Path of Exile 2 0.5.5 Economy Reset Start Date
GGG confirmed in the official patch 0.5.5 announcement that Forbidden Rites begins on Friday, September 4 at 1:00 PM PDT. The event opens at the same moment as patch 0.5.5, but the economy reset applies only to characters created in the new Forbidden Rites league.
| Region | Forbidden Rites start time |
|---|---|
| US Pacific | September 4 at 1:00 PM PDT |
| US Eastern | September 4 at 4:00 PM EDT |
| United Kingdom | September 4 at 9:00 PM BST |
| Central Europe | September 4 at 10:00 PM CEST |
| Ukraine | September 4 at 11:00 PM EEST |
| Universal time | September 4 at 8:00 PM UTC |
GGG has not published a separate migration window or an exact 1.0 launch hour. The confirmed event endpoint is the version 1.0 release announced for December 11 PST, but the precise moment when Forbidden Rites becomes unavailable should be checked in the final 1.0 launch schedule. Depending on the eventual launch hour, the local calendar date may differ in some regions. There is no reason to move or delete a Runes of Aldur character before September 4.
Is There a Wipe in Patch 0.5.5?
No global wipe happens when patch 0.5.5 launches. The phrase economy reset describes a new event league where everyone starts from zero. It does not mean GGG removes wealth from the existing Runes of Aldur economy or forces current characters into Forbidden Rites.
| Progress or item | Available in Forbidden Rites at launch | What happens in Runes of Aldur |
|---|---|---|
| Existing characters | No transfer into the event | Remain playable in Runes of Aldur |
| Character level and build | New character starts from the beginning | Current level, gems and passive setup remain |
| Equipped gear and inventory | Do not carry over | Remain on the original character |
| Currency and stash contents | Fresh event stash starts empty | Existing stash and currency remain untouched |
| Campaign progression | Must be completed again on the event character | Existing quest progress remains available |
| Atlas and endgame progress | Must be rebuilt inside Forbidden Rites | Current Runes of Aldur Atlas progress remains |
| League challenges | Eight new Forbidden Rites challenges | Runes of Aldur challenge progress can still be completed there |
| Purchased stash tabs and cosmetics | Account ownership remains available where supported | Purchases are not removed by the event reset |
The key distinction is ownership versus contents. A purchased stash tab belongs to the account, but the currency stored inside the Runes of Aldur version of that tab does not appear in the Forbidden Rites version. Cosmetics can remain available without transferring an item, character or unit of currency between the two economies.
Get any Path of Exile 2 service from ExpCarry: raids, dungeons, PvP, leveling, gold, farming, coaching, and custom orders.
How the Forbidden Rites Fresh Economy Works
Forbidden Rites operates as an opt-in league with its own characters, stash and trade market. Every participant begins without accumulated event currency or imported equipment, creating the fresh price discovery and early upgrade demand that players associate with a normal league start. Runes of Aldur continues beside it rather than becoming the same economy under a new name.
What starts from zero
A Forbidden Rites character must complete the campaign, collect permanent character rewards, unlock Ascendancy progress and build an Atlas path again. Existing Runes of Aldur currency cannot fund the new character, and an expensive item from the old league cannot be equipped or listed in the event trade market.
- Character progression: level, passive points, gems, equipment and quest state begin again.
- Shared event stash: the Forbidden Rites stash starts without Runes of Aldur items or currency.
- Trade market: prices develop from event supply and demand rather than the older league economy.
- Atlas progression: Waystones, map access, bosses and Atlas investment must be rebuilt.
- Event challenges: the eight Forbidden Rites objectives track separately from Runes of Aldur challenges.
A starter that functions on campaign rares and basic crafting is safer than a build that requires a costly Unique immediately. Players who want a prepared event character rather than an improvised setup can use a PoE 2 starter build route, but all equipment for that character must still be obtained inside the Forbidden Rites economy.
What remains tied to the account
The event reset does not delete account ownership. Applicable purchased stash tabs and cosmetics remain account features, while social and client settings are not part of the trade economy. The important limit is that access to a tab does not copy its old contents, and ownership of a cosmetic does not carry character power.
Players should also separate account-wide purchases from league-specific progression. Campaign completion, character levels, Atlas state, league challenges and accumulated wealth are exactly the things a fresh event economy is designed to restart. Do not assume an unlock carries over merely because it appears elsewhere on the same account.
What Happens to Runes of Aldur Characters and Stash
Runes of Aldur continues after Forbidden Rites begins. GGG specifically says players can remain there to finish endgame progression and challenges. The September 4 update does not delete characters, empty their stashes or convert them into event characters.
Current characters remain playable
Existing builds keep their characters, items, currency and progression in Runes of Aldur. This makes staying in the league a valid choice for anyone close to a difficult boss, a high-cost upgrade or the final challenge rewards. Starting Forbidden Rites is optional and does not require sacrificing established progress.
Runes challenge progress also stays in its original league. Players who still need cosmetic objectives can follow the Runes of Aldur challenges guide and finish those goals while Forbidden Rites operates in parallel. Completing a similarly worded event objective does not automatically complete the Runes version unless the in-game panel explicitly credits it.
Trade activity can change without a wipe
Although stored wealth remains, its practical market value can change when active buyers and sellers move to a fresh economy. Forum discussions already show concern that the high-end Runes of Aldur market may lose liquidity. This is a player concern and likely economic effect, not an announced GGG price change or item deletion.
A rare item can become harder to sell even when its modifiers remain identical. Players staying in Runes should therefore avoid panic-selling everything before September 4, but they should also recognize that low-volume luxury items may take longer to move. Currency and useful gear still retain gameplay value for finishing current bosses and challenges even if trade activity falls.
Forbidden Rites Runs Until Path of Exile 2 Version 1.0
Earlier GGG communication described the planned 0.5.5 economy event as a one-month event, which led players to assume characters would move out of Forbidden Rites in October. That information is now outdated. In a GGG staff clarification posted on Reddit, Natalia_GGG states that Forbidden Rites is not a one-month event, will run until version 1.0 and will end alongside Runes of Aldur.
GGG has separately confirmed that Path of Exile 2 version 1.0 releases on December 11 PST. This gives Forbidden Rites more than three months rather than approximately four weeks. The event has enough time for campaign progression, level 90 and all eight challenges, but the exact 1.0 unlock hour and final event shutdown procedure remain unannounced.
This correction also changes the migration question. Forbidden Rites will not end while Runes of Aldur continues for another two months, so there is no confirmed October transfer into the current league. Both Early Access leagues reach their endpoint when 1.0 begins.
Character Migration When Early Access Ends
GGG has a standing no-wipe policy for Early Access characters. The official Early Access FAQ says those characters do not move into Standard when the game launches; instead, they continue to exist in a separate Early Access league. GGG has not announced a separate exception for Forbidden Rites, but it has also not yet published a Forbidden Rites-specific migration guide.
Early Access realm versus 1.0 Standard
The official Path of Exile 2 Early Access FAQ says characters created during Early Access are not wiped. Instead, they go to a league called Early Access, never Standard, and continue to exist after launch. This is the current official policy that applies to Early Access leagues generally, but GGG has not yet issued a separate migration notice explaining the exact handling of Forbidden Rites and Runes of Aldur at the 1.0 transition.
- Forbidden Rites characters are covered by the standing no-wipe policy: GGG has not announced that event characters will be deleted when the event ends.
- Runes of Aldur characters are covered by the same policy: Early Access characters are not wiped at launch.
- Early Access items stay separated: the FAQ says Early Access characters never enter Standard, so their league inventories do not become part of the new Standard economy through those characters.
- Version 1.0 uses a separate launch environment: Early Access characters cannot enter Standard, and any new 1.0 league has its own character and economy rules.
This is different from the usual expectation that a temporary league feeds directly into current Standard. GGG's Early Access FAQ specifically says these characters go to a separate Early Access league and never enter Standard. The FAQ does not yet explain every long-term feature, economy or stash-handling detail of that separate realm after 1.0.
Migration details GGG has not published
The general no-wipe destination for Early Access characters is stated in the FAQ, but GGG has not posted a Forbidden Rites-specific migration guide. The studio has not explained the exact time required for migration, how Forbidden Rites and Runes of Aldur stash tabs will be presented inside the Early Access realm or whether temporary access restrictions will apply while the transition runs.
Do not promise that event stash tabs will immediately merge into a particular visible tab structure. Earlier PoE migrations often used remove-only tabs, but that historical behavior is not a published 0.5.5 rule. The safe statement is that GGG's standing Early Access policy says characters are not wiped and do not enter Standard; the exact Forbidden Rites stash interface and migration timing still need a later GGG announcement.
Which Patch 0.5.5 Changes Reach Existing Leagues?
The economy separation does not mean every patch feature is confined to Forbidden Rites. Patch 0.5.5 contains broader game changes, while the event has its own Ritual rules, fresh trade market and challenge set. Players remaining in Runes of Aldur can receive applicable core update changes without receiving the event economy or event challenge progression.
- Forbidden Rites features: campaign Rituals, unique Ritual clusters, the fresh economy and eight event challenges belong to the event league.
- Trial of Chaos rework: pausing between rooms, streamlined objectives, Wager Modifiers and longer endgame trials are wider patch changes.
- Atlas progression: the harder Arbiter route and Abyssal Ravines expand the general endgame structure.
- Runes of Aldur content: Farrow, Dannig and Expedition remain available beyond the original league, including in Standard leagues.
- Existing Runes league: current characters can continue progression and challenges while using applicable 0.5.5 systems.
The safest check after launch is the character selection screen and live patch notes. Confirm which league the character belongs to before trading, spending currency or completing a challenge. Similar content can exist in two leagues without sharing progress, stash contents or a trade market.
Should You Start Forbidden Rites or Stay in Runes of Aldur?
The better choice depends on the value of a fresh economy versus the value of established progress. Forbidden Rites offers new challenge cosmetics, campaign Rituals and a new market where early gear and ordinary currency can matter again. Runes of Aldur preserves current power, expensive equipment, completed Atlas work and unfinished original challenges.
Choose based on the goal, not fear of a wipe
Start Forbidden Rites if the main goals are a fresh trade market, the eight event challenges, level 90, Ritual-heavy progression or a new character. Stay in Runes of Aldur if the main goals are finishing an expensive build, completing existing challenges, defeating current endgame bosses or using stored resources. Playing one does not delete or lock the other.
Players can also divide their time. Use the opening weeks for the active Forbidden Rites economy, then return to Runes for unfinished challenges or bosses. A PoE 2 leveling route can shorten the event restart, but a second league still means a separate character, campaign and equipment pool.
Do not move because someone claims Runes characters will disappear on September 4. They will not. Move because the event rules, rewards and market match the way you want to play between patch 0.5.5 and the December 11 PST full release.
Best Patch 0.5.5 Economy Reset Preparation Plan
The best preparation protects current progress while making the new character ready for a clean start. Nothing in Runes must be destroyed or liquidated to enter Forbidden Rites. Prepare separate goals for each league and treat the 1.0 migration as a later step rather than a September emergency.
| Priority | Recommended action | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Before September 4 | Choose a starter that works without imported Uniques | Runes gear and currency cannot enter the event economy |
| Account preparation | Update the client, item filter and character plan | Account tools can be prepared without moving economy items |
| Runes of Aldur | Keep useful gear and record unfinished challenge goals | The league remains playable until version 1.0 |
| Forbidden Rites launch | Create the character in the correct event league | A character created in the wrong league cannot participate in the fresh economy |
| Campaign | Prioritize permanent rewards and valuable Ritual stops | Full-clearing every weak encounter can delay endgame access |
| Early trade | Price items using Forbidden Rites listings only | Runes of Aldur prices belong to a separate and older market |
| Event challenges | Track the eight event objectives before returning to Runes | Challenge progress does not merge between the two leagues |
| Before the 1.0 launch | Wait for GGG's migration instructions | The general no-wipe policy is confirmed, but exact Forbidden Rites stash handling is not |
The broader PoE 2 league start checklist can organize campaign and Atlas priorities after character creation. Once the event reaches endgame, a defined PoE 2 farming session should use only Forbidden Rites prices and goals, because profit measured in Runes of Aldur does not describe the new market.
Path of Exile 2 0.5.5 Economy Reset FAQ
These answers cover the most common wipe, carryover and character migration questions after GGG corrected the old one-month event assumption.
Does Path of Exile 2 patch 0.5.5 wipe my characters?
No. Existing Runes of Aldur characters remain playable. Forbidden Rites is a separate league that requires a new character.
Does my Runes of Aldur currency carry into Forbidden Rites?
No. The event has a fresh stash and separate economy. Currency and items stay in the league where they were obtained.
When does the Forbidden Rites economy reset start?
Forbidden Rites starts on September 4, 2026 at 1:00 PM PDT, which is 8:00 PM UTC.
Is Forbidden Rites a one-month event?
No. GGG staff clarified that it runs until version 1.0 and ends alongside Runes of Aldur.
When does Forbidden Rites end?
The event ends when Path of Exile 2 version 1.0 launches. GGG has announced December 11 PST for the 1.0 release but has not announced the exact launch or event-shutdown hour.
Can I keep playing Runes of Aldur after September 4?
Yes. GGG says the existing league continues for players finishing endgame progression and challenges.
Where do Forbidden Rites characters go after the event?
GGG has not published a Forbidden Rites-specific migration notice. Its standing Early Access FAQ says Early Access characters are not wiped, go to a separate Early Access league and never enter Standard. Exact Forbidden Rites stash presentation and migration timing have not been detailed.
Will my Forbidden Rites character enter the 1.0 launch league?
No existing Forbidden Rites character is expected to become a character in a new 1.0 league. GGG's Early Access policy keeps Early Access characters separate from Standard, while any 1.0 league follows its own character and economy rules.
Do purchased stash tabs and cosmetics reset?
Account ownership is not deleted, but stash contents do not move between Runes of Aldur and Forbidden Rites.
Conclusion
Path of Exile 2 patch 0.5.5 creates a fresh Forbidden Rites economy on September 4 at 1:00 PM PDT without wiping Runes of Aldur. Existing characters, gear, currency, stash contents, Atlas progress and challenge progress remain in their current league. Forbidden Rites requires a new character and a separate campaign, stash, Atlas and trade market, while account purchases such as supported stash tabs and cosmetics are not deleted.
The old one-month timeline is no longer accurate. Forbidden Rites and Runes of Aldur both continue until the version 1.0 release announced for December 11 PST. GGG's standing Early Access policy says Early Access characters are not wiped, move to a separate Early Access league and never enter Standard, but a Forbidden Rites-specific migration guide has not yet been published. Prepare a low-dependency starter, keep current Runes gear intact, track each league's challenges separately and wait for GGG's final migration instructions before making assumptions about stash tab presentation or transfer timing.
