Ascension trials

The Altar of Ascendancy at the Trial of Chaos.

The Ascension Trials are sets of major challenges designed to test players at key levels of character progression allowing them to unlock an ascendancy class that advances their power through powerful abilities. These trials are encountered scattered throughout the campaign and each are associated with a major culture from Wraeclast. Every trial offers uniquely different challenges, providing players with alternative choices to achieve ascension.

The Trial of the Sekhemas and the Trial of Chaos are currently the only two Ascension Trials available in early access.

Ascension requirements

Players can begin their quest to ascend as early as Act 2 for their first out of four required trials, each unlocked at certain points of progression during the campaign and endgame. At the end of any trial, players will gain access to the Altar of Ascendancy to select their Ascendancy class and gain ascendancy points to allocate.

In order to fully ascend a character, a player must complete 4 levels of Ascension Trials, receiving 2 ascendancy points for each for a total of 8. It is possible to repeat the same type of trial for all 8 points. It is also possible to earn multiple sets of points in a single run as long as each condition is satisfied.

Trial Type	Ascension 1	Ascension 2	Ascension 3	Ascension 4
Trial of the Sekhemas	Balbala's BaryaArea Level: 22 Number of Trials: 1"Why are you standing there gawking at me? We must go to the Trial of the Sekhemas!"Take this item to the Trial of the Sekhemas. Right-click to listen to Balbala._-or-Djinn BaryaArea Level: # Number of Trials: #"Take me to the Trial of the Sekhemas. I will serve."Take this item to the Relic Altar at the Trial of the Sekhemas. _{Act 2 Quest -or- Djinn Barya} _{Area Level 20+} _{1 Floor}	Djinn BaryaArea Level: # Number of Trials: #"Take me to the Trial of the Sekhemas. I will serve."Take this item to the Relic Altar at the Trial of the Sekhemas. _{Djinn Barya} _{Area Level 45+} _{2 Floors}	Djinn BaryaArea Level: # Number of Trials: #"Take me to the Trial of the Sekhemas. I will serve."Take this item to the Relic Altar at the Trial of the Sekhemas. _{Djinn Barya} _{Area Level 60+} _{3 Floors}	Djinn BaryaArea Level: # Number of Trials: #"Take me to the Trial of the Sekhemas. I will serve."Take this item to the Relic Altar at the Trial of the Sekhemas. _{Djinn Barya} _{Area Level 75+} _{4 Floors} - _{Defeat Zarokh, the Temporal}
Trial of Chaos	Chimeral Inscribed UltimatumArea Level: 40 Number of Trials: 4Mortals spend their lives wondering which fate shall be theirs. Chaos takes amusement in knowing the answer: all of them.Take this item to The Temple of Chaos to participate in a Trial of Chaos. _-or- Inscribed UltimatumArea Level: # Number of Trials: #Mortals spend their lives wondering which fate shall be theirs. Chaos takes amusement in knowing the answer: all of them.Take this item to The Temple of Chaos to participate in a Trial of Chaos. _{Act 3 Quest -or- Inscribed Ultimatum} _{Area Level 40+} _{4 Trials}	Inscribed UltimatumArea Level: # Number of Trials: #Mortals spend their lives wondering which fate shall be theirs. Chaos takes amusement in knowing the answer: all of them.Take this item to The Temple of Chaos to participate in a Trial of Chaos. _{Inscribed Ultimatum} _{Area Level 55+} _{7 Trials}	Inscribed UltimatumArea Level: # Number of Trials: #Mortals spend their lives wondering which fate shall be theirs. Chaos takes amusement in knowing the answer: all of them.Take this item to The Temple of Chaos to participate in a Trial of Chaos. _{Inscribed Ultimatum} _{Area Level 75+} _{10 Trials}	Inscribed UltimatumArea Level: # Number of Trials: #Mortals spend their lives wondering which fate shall be theirs. Chaos takes amusement in knowing the answer: all of them.Take this item to The Temple of Chaos to participate in a Trial of Chaos. _{Inscribed Ultimatum} _{Area Level 75+} _{10 Trials} - _{Defeat The Trialmaster} _{Requires Keys:} Deadly FateFight enough battles, and it becomes all but inevitable.Can be placed in the door at the end of the Trial of Chaos to challenge the Trialmaster.Cowardly FateThe ignoblest of choices.Can be placed in the door at the end of the Trial of Chaos to challenge the Trialmaster.Victorious FateThere is always a chance, however small, that you might actually succeed.Can be placed in the door at the end of the Trial of Chaos to challenge the Trialmaster.

To change your ascendancy class, you must complete an Ascension Trial of at least the highest difficulty you've already completed (Ex. if you have 4 Ascendancy points, you need to complete a Trial of Sekhemas with 2 floors or a Trial of Chaos with 7 trials), then use the Altar of Ascendancy with all your Ascendancy passives unallocated. Passives can be unallocated during the trial by speaking with Balbala, the Advisor or The Trialmaster.

Trial of the Sekhemas

The Sekhema is the highest position in Maraketh culture, and all who want to attain it must pass the trial. The Trial of the Sekhemas is extremely similar mechanically speaking to a combination of the Path of Exile 1 Forbidden Sanctum and Labyrinth.

First, the exile must defeat Balbala, the Traitor and trap their soul in a coinBalbala's BaryaArea Level: 22
Number of Trials: 1"Why are you standing there gawking at me?
We must go to the Trial of the Sekhemas!"Take this item to the Trial of the Sekhemas. Right-click to listen to Balbala.. Then, the coin may be placed within the Relic Altar to begin the trial.

The trial is composed of several progressive rooms within a floor. Each room will have an objective to accomplish before the room is passed, and the floor is ended by a boss. Every room will have a reward - for example, they may reward a Bronze Key, Silver Key, or Golden Key, which may be used to open their respective caches at the end of the trial.

Damage taken during the Trial of the Sekhemas will also damage your Honour, which cannot be recovered by normal means. Running out of honour will fail the trial.

The exile may be supported or impeded by Boons and Afflictions, special buffs and debuffs that persist throughout the trial. Sacred Water may be traded with Balbala, the Advisor for boons and relics.

Trial of Chaos

The Temple of Chaos was once used by the Vaal civilization to test their high priests, when they worshipped the entity Chaos. Entrance to the trial requires an Inscribed UltimatumInscribed UltimatumArea Level: #
Number of Trials: #Mortals spend their lives wondering which
fate shall be theirs. Chaos takes amusement
in knowing the answer: all of them.Take this item to The Temple of Chaos to participate in a Trial of Chaos., given by the Trialmaster. The Temple of Chaos is extremely similar to mechanically speaking to the Path of Exile 1 Ultimatum mechanic.

Before each chamber of the trial, the Trialmaster will offer a reward, as well as three tribulations. The exile must choose one to affect them for the rest of the trial. Each room will have an objective to complete to progress through the trial. After each room, the exile will be given an ultimatum - take the rewards earned so far, and leave, or continue with items on the line and take more risk. If the exile dies at any time, the trial is failed and rewards lost.

The first boss will be encountered after the first three chambers. There are multiple possible bosses and the order of the bosses is random. The Altar of Ascendancy will be accessible after defeating the boss. For exiles who reach it for the first time, The Altar of Ascendancy grants two ascendancy points and allows them to choose an ascendancy class.

Future trials

Although not officially announced, it was said in development interviews that the third Ascension Trial will be themed around the Karui. No information about the trial's mechanics has been revealed yet, but some speculate it may be similar to The Trial of the Ancestors, a former Path of Exile 1 League.

Version history

Version	Changes
0.2.0f	Redoing an Ascendancy Trial now allows you to respec which Ascendancy Class you have chosen at the Ascension device, but only if the Trial would grant you the number of points you already have. In order to respec your Ascendancy class, you must have zero points allocated in it, but you can now talk to Balbala or The Trialmaster to Refund Passive Points. Trials of Chaos that have 7 chambers and thus grant up to 4 Ascendancy Passive Skill Points now can be attempted from level 55, down from 60. Trials of Chaos that have 10 chambers and thus grant up to 6 Ascendancy Passive Skill Points can now be attempted from level 65, down from 75.
0.1.0d	Inscribed Ultimatums and Djinn Baryas now display whether you will obtain Ascendancy Skill Points upon completing the Trial of Chaos or Trial of the Sekhemas respectively. Added "Ascendancy Skill Points" as a keyword, which details how sets of Ascendancy Points are obtained.
0.1.0	Introduced to the game.