Ascendancy is one of the largest power upgrades available to a Path of Exile 2 character, but the game does not award all of its points at once. A character can earn four pairs for a maximum of eight Ascendancy Points. Each pair comes from a trial tier that is harder than the previous one.
The two available routes are the Trial of the Sekhemas and the Trial of Chaos. You may mix them instead of committing to one trial for the entire character. The practical route is usually Sekhemas in Act 2, Chaos in Act 3, a three-floor Sekhemas run for six points, and whichever final trial suits the build. Because entry-item requirements can change, check the item description before starting and follow the current Path of Exile 2 patch notes when a major update arrives.
All PoE 2 Ascendancy Points at a Glance
Each progression milestone raises the normal total by two points, and a qualifying higher-tier completion can also award points skipped at earlier milestones. The first six can be obtained before Maps, while the final pair is designed as an endgame objective. The safest eligibility check is the gold text on a Djinn Barya or Inscribed Ultimatum. If it says that completing the trial will grant additional Ascendancy Skill Points, that item can advance the character. A lower-tier key without that line may still provide loot, but it will not add points.
| Points after completion | Trial of the Sekhemas route | Trial of Chaos route | Usual stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Balbala's Barya with one floor | A qualifying Chaos trial if the Act 2 trial was skipped | Act 2 |
| 4 | Qualifying Djinn Barya with two floors | Chimeral Inscribed Ultimatum with four chambers | Act 3 |
| 6 | Qualifying level 60 Djinn Barya with three floors | Qualifying ten-chamber or longer Inscribed Ultimatum | Later campaign |
| 8 | Qualifying endgame Djinn Barya with four floors and Zarokh defeated | Defeat the Trialmaster after using all three Fates | Endgame |
The floor or chamber count matters more than the character level. Being overleveled makes the run easier, but it does not turn an ineligible key into an Ascendancy reward. Conversely, a qualifying higher-tier completion can award points skipped earlier. Following the natural order is still better for a first character because each pair improves the build before the next difficulty spike.
How to Unlock the First Four Ascendancy Points
The campaign provides a direct path to the first two pairs. These quest entries remove the need to wait for random endgame drops, introduce both trial systems, and let the player decide which format feels more comfortable before pursuing the last four points.
For the first pair, progress through Act 2 until reaching Traitor's Passage. Defeat Balbala, the Traitor and collect Balbala's Barya. Take the coin to the Trial of the Sekhemas Sekhemas, place it in the Relic Altar, and complete the single-floor run. After defeating Rattlecage, the Earthbreaker, enter the reward room and interact with the Altar of Ascendancies. Choose an Ascendancy class carefully, then allocate the first two points. If the quest trial is failed, it can be attempted again.
The second pair has two routes. The campaign route begins in the Chimeral Wetlands during Act 3. Defeat Xyclucian, the Chimera, pick up the Chimeral Inscribed Ultimatum, and take it to the Temple of Chaos. Complete all four chambers and the boss encounter, then use the Altar of Ascendancies for points three and four. This trial asks the player to select a drawback before each new challenge, and the selected modifiers remain active for the rest of the run.
A two-floor Djinn Barya that explicitly grants points is the alternative. This option is useful when a build performs well under the Honour rules but struggles with stacked Chaos modifiers. Either completion advances the character to four points; completing both at the same reward tier does not produce a second pair.
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How to Get the Third Ascendancy for Six Points
The third pair used to be easy to miss because players depended on the correct random key. The campaign now offers a dependable Sekhemas route. In Sel Khari Sanctuary, defeat Elzarah, the Cobra Lord. If the character has not already earned its third set, Elzarah drops a one-time Djinn Barya that can grant it. Grinding Gear Games added this guaranteed drop in the official 0.3.1 patch notes, and it applies to characters that had killed Elzarah before the change as well.
Place the Barya in the Relic Altar and verify that it contains three floors and promises additional Ascendancy Points. A complete run ends after the third-floor boss; use the Altar of Ascendancies afterward to reach six points. Do not leave immediately after collecting the ordinary room rewards, because killing the boss alone does not allocate the points.
The Chaos alternative is an eligible Inscribed Ultimatum with enough chambers for the third reward tier, normally a ten-chamber or longer item. Read its point-granting line rather than buying solely by area level. This route can be quicker for a durable build that can tolerate several modifiers, but one bad combination can make the late chambers much harder than their base monster level suggests.
How to Unlock the Final Two Ascendancy Points
The fourth Ascendancy raises the total from six to eight points and requires a pinnacle completion. It is not another campaign quest. Prepare the character as if entering difficult endgame content: fix elemental resistances, add reliable recovery, solve damaging ailments, and learn the final boss before spending valuable entry items.
The Sekhemas route requires an eligible four-floor Djinn Barya. Complete all four floors and defeat Zarokh, the Temporal. This run is much longer than the campaign trial, so Honour management matters across many rooms rather than only during the boss. Relics with Honour Resistance, Maximum Honour, and useful recovery effects are generally more valuable than reward-focused relics until the clear is consistent.
The Chaos route requires Cowardly Fate, Deadly Fate, and Victorious Fate. These pieces come from the bosses encountered at the end of qualifying ten-chamber Trial of Chaos runs and can also be traded in trade leagues. Complete another eligible ten-chamber run, place all three Fates in the sealed door at the end, and defeat the Trialmaster. Interact with the Altar of Ascendancies after the fight to receive points seven and eight.
Repeated failures can cost several entry items and a large amount of practice time. Players who want assistance with the Honour-based route can review the available PoE 2 Trial of the Sekhemas service. For a self-completed run, practice the lower floors, build a defensive Relic set, and attempt the four-floor Barya only when ordinary rooms no longer consume large portions of Honour.
Trial of the Sekhemas or Trial of Chaos
Neither trial is universally easier. Sekhemas punishes frequent hits through Honour, while Chaos tests whether the build can survive an accumulating set of modifiers. Choose according to the character's weaknesses, the entry items available, and personal familiarity with the bosses.
| Factor | Trial of the Sekhemas | Trial of Chaos |
|---|---|---|
| Primary failure pressure | Honour loss from enemy hits and hazards | Increasing difficulty from selected modifiers |
| Best fit | Mobile builds with strong avoidance and controlled damage | Durable builds with recovery and answers to many mechanics |
| Preparation | Relics, Honour Resistance, Maximum Honour, boss practice | Resistance caps, ailment protection, recovery, careful modifier choices |
| Final objective | Four floors and Zarokh | Three Fates and the Trialmaster |
In Sekhemas, Honour is a separate failure resource. Reaching zero ends the attempt even when the character still has Life or Energy Shield. Avoid optional room paths that force dangerous afflictions, keep enough damage to shorten boss fights, and value clean positioning over rushing. Runic Ward users receive an extra benefit because maximum Runic Ward is added to starting Honour under the current Path of Exile 2 player rules.
In Chaos, inspect every offered modifier in relation to the build. A drawback that seems mild alone may become lethal when combined with faster enemies, restricted recovery, dangerous ground effects, or added projectiles. Preserve at least one manageable option whenever possible and do not choose only by the immediate room objective. The final chambers must be completed with the entire accumulated set.
Why a Completed Trial Did Not Grant Points
Most missing-point cases are caused by an entry item from a reward tier the character has already completed. Trial completion and Ascendancy progression are related but not identical: a key may open a valid loot run without qualifying for another pair of points.
- Check the Djinn Barya or Inscribed Ultimatum before entering. It must state that the run grants additional Ascendancy Skill Points.
- Verify the number of Sekhemas floors or Chaos chambers. Area level alone is not enough.
- After the final boss, interact with the Altar of Ascendancies. Opening reward chests does not replace this step.
- Remember that the maximum is eight points. Repeating either pinnacle trial cannot raise that cap.
- Do not expect both trial types at the same tier to award separate pairs. They are alternative routes to the same progression milestone.
If the correct key was used and the Altar still offers nothing, check the passive screen to confirm the current total and consult the latest official patch notes for a known issue. Keeping a screenshot of the entry item's description also makes it easier to distinguish an eligibility problem from a bug.
Changing an Ascendancy Class
An early guide may claim that the chosen Ascendancy can never be changed, but that information is obsolete. A character can redo a trial that would grant the same number of points it currently owns, remove every allocated Ascendancy passive, and select a different class at the Ascension device. The respec window can be opened through Balbala or the Trialmaster beside that device. Grinding Gear Games explains the requirements in its Ascendancy respec announcement.
Refund the allocated nodes before attempting the class change and bring enough gold for the passive refunds. The trial must match the character's present point total: a two-point trial cannot be used to change a character that already owns six points. If the goal is only to rearrange nodes inside the same Ascendancy, refunding those passives is enough and a class change is unnecessary.
Final Thoughts
Use the campaign quest items for the first four points, take Elzarah's guaranteed three-floor Barya for the third pair, and delay the pinnacle attempt until the build has reliable defenses. For most first characters, Sekhemas is the clearer six-point route because the campaign supplies its key. The final choice should be based on the mechanic the build handles better: Honour preservation for Zarokh or accumulated modifiers for the Trialmaster. Above all, read the point-granting line on every entry item before committing it; that single check prevents the most common wasted run.
