Path of Exile 2’s first official league, Rise of the Abyssal, launches on August 29, 2025, alongside The Third Edict update.
This expansion revives the Abyssal threat with a darker twist, introducing a new endgame challenge, Ancient Bones crafting system, and exclusive rewards.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything:
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How Abyssal fissures work
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The core gameplay loop from Act 1 to endgame
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Ancient Bones crafting at the Well of Souls
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New Abyssal bosses and the terrifying Vessel of Kulemak
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Rewards, unique items, and league variations
The Story: An Ancient Evil Returns
Born from forbidden necromancy during the Precursor era, the Abyssal have been lurking underground for millennia. Now, under the command of a mysterious General, they are breaking through fissures across Wraeclast.
Your mission: seal the fissures, defeat their commanders, and stop the rise of darkness before the world is consumed by the void.
The Core Gameplay Loop: From Fissures to Depths
The league begins as early as Act 1 and scales into the endgame. Here’s how the mechanic works:
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Find Abyssal Fissures
Dark fissures corrupt nearby monsters, empowering them with dangerous modifiers. -
Kill Monsters & Close Fissures
Defeat the corrupted monsters to drain energy from the fissure. Once enough are slain, the fissure temporarily seals. -
Loot Abyssal Troves
Sealed fissures spawn Abyssal Troves containing rare loot and magic items. -
Descend into Abyssal Depths
Sometimes, closing fissures opens a path to Abyssal Depths or Pits—larger, more dangerous dungeons with bosses and better loot.
Advanced Mechanics & Interactions
The Rise of the Abyssal League introduces deeper mechanics:
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Monster Absorption: Abyssals inherit modifiers from enemies slain near fissures, making fights scale in difficulty.
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Environmental Interactions: Defeating exiles or bosses near fissures can spawn Abyssal versions with unique modifiers.
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Scaling Difficulty: Encounters grow more intense through the campaign and endgame, keeping rewards and challenges balanced.
Abyssal Crafting: Ancient Bones & the Well of Souls
A key feature of this league is the new Ancient Bones crafting system, available mid-campaign and into the endgame.
How to Earn Bones
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Drops from Abyssal monsters and fissure encounters.
The Well of Souls (Act 2, Lightless Passage – Mastodon Badlands)
The crafting ritual works as follows:
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Throw an item into the pit. (Works on rare gear or Waystones)
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Spend Bones.
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Choose from 3 Abyssal modifiers.
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Unveil & transform the chosen modifier for new effects.
Power Scaling:
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Campaign: Smooths progression by letting players add extra modifiers to gear.
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Endgame: Unlocks exclusive, build-defining mods unavailable outside this league, extending to Waystones for map enhancements.
New Bosses & Pinnacle Encounter
The league adds formidable bosses, including:
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Abyssal Commanders – Elite leaders scattered through Depths and Pits.
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Ancient Spire – A climactic stronghold guarding the path to the final boss.
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Pinnacle Boss: Vessel of Kulemak – A towering necromantic entity. Defeating it rewards the Finger of the Lich, unlocking greater power and potential endgame loot.
Rewards & Loot in Rise of the Abyssal
Players can chase exclusive league rewards, including:
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New Unique Items – Karui-inspired gear tied to The Third Edict and Abyss themes.
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Lineage Support Gems – Ultra-rare drops from Abyss Depths and bosses, enabling powerful new builds.
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Abyss-Themed Cosmetics – Expected microtransaction rewards matching the league’s theme.
How to Start the Abyssal League
Rise of the Abyssal is available in Standard, Hardcore, and SSF modes.
Grinding Gear Games recommends starting fresh characters for a fair economy and full experience.
Quick Summary: Abyssal League Loop & Rewards
| Step | Action | Reward | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Find Abyssal Fissure | – | Corrupts nearby monsters |
| 2 | Slay corrupted monsters | – | Modifiers scale difficulty |
| 3 | Close fissure | Abyssal Trove | Rare/magic loot |
| 4 | Enter Depths/Pits | Bones, loot, bosses | Harder encounters |
| 5 | Collect Ancient Bones | Currency | Used at Well of Souls |
| 6 | Visit Well of Souls | – | Located in Act 2 |
| 7 | Craft with Bones | Veiled Mods | Exclusive modifiers |
| 8 | Challenge Ancient Spire | Access | Leads to pinnacle boss |
| 9 | Defeat Vessel of Kulemak | Finger of the Lich | Endgame power/loot |
Conclusion: Prepare for the Descent
Rise of the Abyssal is more than a league—it’s a dark, rewarding expansion that ties directly into Path of Exile 2’s campaign and endgame. With its fissure encounters, Ancient Bones crafting, and terrifying pinnacle boss, it offers something for every type of exile.
The league launches August 29, 2025. Whether you’re a casual adventurer enhancing your gear or a hardcore player chasing the first Vessel of Kulemak kill, this is your moment to descend into the Abyss.
👉 What build will you play in Rise of the Abyssal League? Share your plans in the comments!
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