In Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2), the game's narrative offers an expansive journey through dark and dangerous lands, filled with challenging foes, ancient mysteries, and terrifying quests. Among these quests is The Slithering Dead, a particularly eerie adventure that takes players deep into the heart of Wraeclast's darkest corners. This guide will walk you through the intricacies of The Slithering Dead quest, covering everything from the narrative context to the enemies you'll encounter and the loot you can expect in Poe 2 trade.

Quest Overview: The Slithering Dead

The Slithering Dead is a story-driven questline in Path of Exile 2, which revolves around a group of necromantic forces rising from the dead and threatening to spread across Wraeclast. These undead creatures—whether resurrected or raised from the earth by dark forces—seek to reclaim their once-dominant hold over the world.

The quest is part of the overarching plot in Act 2 and follows closely on the heels of some of the more intense battles that take place as you venture deeper into corrupted lands. During this quest, you will have to confront both reanimated horrors and powerful necromancers who have broken the natural order to bring the dead back to life for nefarious purposes. It's a journey full of tension, dread, and powerful rewards.

Quest Start: Entering the Ruins

The Slithering Dead quest begins in the Ruins of the Forgotten area. As you move through the early levels of Act 2, you'll eventually come across a series of clues that lead you to these ruined, haunted locations. The areas are littered with broken stone structures, long-forgotten altars, and ancient symbols that hint at the dark ritualistic forces at play.

Key Locations in the Ruins:

The Broken Crypt: This location is where you'll first encounter remnants of necromantic rituals. The floor is littered with bones, and spirits of the long-dead haunt the area. You'll need to navigate through this narrow, eerie space to find your first clues.

The Necromancer's Alter: This is the heart of the area where the resurrection of the undead began. It's surrounded by traps, eerie symbols, and guarded by the first set of undead enemies. The altar itself holds cryptic messages about necromantic forces and their intent.

Encounter 1: The Rising Dead

As you continue, you'll face off against the first group of enemies related to the quest: Necromancer's Servants. These foes are not your typical zombies or skeletons. They are part of a new breed of reanimated creatures that possess some form of intelligence and agility, making them a significant challenge.

Key Enemy Types:

Grave Terrors: These are reanimated corpses, their flesh rotting off, leaving behind a grotesque form. Their attacks are heavy and deal poison damage over time.

Vengeful Shades: Spirits that manifest from the ancient rituals in the ruins. They appear as shadowy figures and are capable of casting powerful curses that weaken the player's defenses.

Flesh Maggots: Small, swarming creatures that inflict significant poison and bleed damage. They often appear in groups, making them difficult to handle if not properly cleared.

These enemies drop various items, including crafting materials, rare gear, and occasionally, unique items related to necromantic powers, which are important for later stages of the quest.

Objective 1: Investigate the Necromancer's Ritual Site

Upon defeating the enemies, your first major objective in The Slithering Dead quest is to investigate the Necromancer's Ritual Site, which is deep inside the ruins. This area will require you to solve environmental puzzles, avoid deadly traps, and confront a few mini-bosses that guard the site.

Environmental Hazards:

Traps: The necromancers have set up traps that protect their rituals. These can range from spike pits to fire-breathing statues. Make sure to watch your step and use your agility to avoid unnecessary damage.

Cursed Ground: Some areas of the site are cursed, dealing continual damage to your character. You'll need to move carefully or use defensive abilities to avoid being overwhelmed.

Boss Fight 1: Necromancer of the Void

At the ritual site, you'll come across the first necromantic boss, Necromancer of the Void. This formidable foe is a master of both physical and magical attacks, summoning waves of undead creatures while casting dark spells.

Necromancer of the Void's Abilities:

Summon Undead Minions: Throughout the fight, the Necromancer will periodically summon waves of skeletons, zombies, and more powerful maggot-like creatures to harass you.

Void Siphon: The Necromancer channels a dark beam of void energy that drains both your life and your Spirit, forcing you to time your attacks and defense carefully.

The key to defeating this boss is dealing with the minions while keeping a close watch on the Necromancer's energy bar, as this is when they are most vulnerable to damage. Make sure to clear the minions and interrupt his Void Siphon to avoid taking massive damage.

Objective 2: Seek the Ancient Tomb

After defeating the Necromancer of the Void, you will learn more about the source of the undead's resurrection—a powerful artifact sealed within the Ancient Tomb. The tomb is located to the south, beyond the cursed fields. As you make your way toward it, you'll have to navigate dangerous terrain filled with hostile creatures.

Key Challenges on the Path:

Graveyard Ambushes: As you travel, expect ambushes from newly risen dead and other necromantic horrors. These encounters are intense and will test your survivability.

The Tomb's Defenses: The tomb itself is surrounded by powerful, lingering magic that keeps the undead at bay. You'll have to solve puzzles that test both your intellect and dexterity to proceed deeper into the tomb.

Boss Fight 2: The Tomb Guardian

Before entering the Ancient Tomb, you'll face the Tomb Guardian, a massive stone creature animated by necromantic energy. It is one of the largest and most difficult enemies you'll encounter in the The Slithering Dead quest.

Tomb Guardian's Abilities:

Stone Slam: A massive AoE attack that can crush players if they are caught in the blast radius.

Summon Spirit Knights: Periodically summons armored undead knights to fight by its side. These knights possess a variety of deadly abilities, such as charging attacks and spirit-based debuffs.

The fight requires swift movement, as the Tomb Guardian's heavy attacks are punishing. You'll want to keep an eye on the position of the summoned Spirit Knights and use area-of-effect (AoE) skills to deal with them quickly.

Objective 3: The Heart of the Curse

After defeating the Tomb Guardian, you will enter the Ancient Tomb and find the heart of the necromantic curse—The Relic of the Eternal Curse. This artifact is responsible for raising the dead and must be destroyed before the necromantic magic spreads further.

To destroy the relic, you'll need to perform a ritual that involves multiple steps:

Gathering Essences: Throughout the tomb, you'll find Essence of the Fallen, which are scattered across the floors. You'll need to collect these in order to complete the ritual.

Breaking the Ritual Circle: The relic is bound to an ancient ritual circle, and breaking it will require deactivating several seals found in the surrounding area.

Once you've gathered all the necessary items and broken the seals, you'll face your final challenge: the Resurrected Overlord, the ancient necromancer whose spirit is bound to the artifact. This boss fight is intense, with the Resurrected Overlord unleashing devastating spells, raising dead minions, and draining your Spirit.

Final Boss Fight: Resurrected Overlord

The Resurrected Overlord is an incredibly challenging fight. His abilities include:

Reanimation: Continuously raising the dead to fight at his side, including reanimating powerful versions of previous bosses from the quest.

Soul Rend: A deadly soul-draining attack that siphons life from all players in the area. Players must actively dodge or interrupt this ability.

The key to victory in this final phase is managing the constant minion spawns while focusing on dealing as much damage as possible to the Resurrected Overlord. The longer the fight lasts, the more dangerous the summoned minions become.

Conclusion: Rewards and Aftermath

Once you've defeated the Resurrected Overlord and destroyed the Relic of the Eternal Curse, the undead forces will begin to dissipate, and peace will be restored to the region. The rewards for completing The Slithering Dead quest are substantial and include:

Necromantic Gear: Unique items and armor that enhance your ability to summon and control the dead, including items that increase your Spirit regeneration and reduce Spirit costs.

Powerful Passive Skills: Depending on your class, you can unlock passive skills that improve your ability to manipulate the undead or reduce the negative effects of necromantic magic.

Lore and Items: The quest also reveals key information about the history of necromancy and its role in Wraeclast, and players will receive special items that are important for crafting endgame gear.

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Completing this quest is a significant milestone in Path of Exile 2, offering both narrative depth and challenging combat that rewards players with powerful abilities and gear. The mystery of the undead is far from over, but with The Slithering Dead behind you, you've taken a major step toward restoring balance in Wraeclast.