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From the moment you hit the beach at the start ofPath of Exile 2, you’ll begin to upgrade your character. Whether that’s through looting new gear or unlocking Skill Gems, your character will continually evolve as you play.
However, nothing allows you to transform your character in Path of Exile 2 more than unlocking your Ascension class.
The Ascension classes are different for every class and there are two to pick from in early access. The Ascendancy you choose will determine how your build plays out in the final stages of the main story and the endgame.
Unlocking an Ascension class gives you an entirely new set of passive abilities and skills to choose from.
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However, it will take quite a while before you can pick an Ascendancy and start majorly upgrading your character. In the guide below, we’ll tell you all about Ascension classes and how to unlock them in Path of Exile 2.
What are Ascension Classes in Path of Exile 2?
Ascension classes simply allow for your character to “ascend” in Path of Exile 2. They further specialize your build by offering abilities and skills that are unique to that Ascendancy.
For example, if you’re a Warrior in Path of Exile 2, the two Ascendancies you have access to areThe Titan and The Warbringer.The Titan offers skills that increase your damage and health, while The Warbringer is more about boosting your defense.
Selecting one Ascendancy means you can’t access the other class' skills. This differs from your class during the early game of Path of Exile 2, as you have access to other classes' skills and passive abilities if you want to choose from them.With Ascension classes, you can only select abilities from that class alone.
Once you ascend in Path of Exile 2, you’ll be able to unlock different abilities for your Ascension class. The abilities you pick will likely be the foundation for your endgame build, which determines what skills and gear you equip.
As such, picking an Ascension class is no small feat, since it can completely alter the direction of your character in Path of Exile 2.
Your Ascension abilities are unlocked using Ascendancy Points, which you get for completing Trials in Path of Exile 2. In early access, you can earn only a set amount of Ascendancy Points per character, but that could change in the future.
For a full look atevery class' Ascendancies, look at the table below:
Ascendancies
The Titan, The Warbringer
Infernalist, Bloodmage
Invoker, Acolyte of Chayula
Stormweaver, Chronomancer
Deadeye, Pathfinder
Witchhunter, Gemling Legionnaire
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How to Ascend in Path of Exile 2
The only way to unlock your Ascension class in Path of Exile 2 is by completing one of the game’s Trials. There are two Trials available in early access: the Trial of Sekhemas and the Trial of Chaos.
The Trial of Sekhemas unlocks your Ascension class, while theTrial of Chaosallows you to earn more Ascendancy Points.
The Trial of Sekhemas is available in the middle of Act 2 during the “Ascent to Power” quest. This unlocks after you defeat theBalbala, the Traitor boss fightbefore reaching the Halani Gates.
If you’re struggling to defeat Balbala, you can simply go on with the rest of Act 2. The boss doesn’t need to be defeated initially as part of the main story. If you continue on with Act 2 and get stronger, you can come back, defeat the boss, and then proceed with the Trial of Sekhemas.
How to Complete the Trial of Sekhemas
In the Ascent to Power quest, you’ll be tasked with completing the Trial of Sekhemas. This involves navigating a dungeon full of enemies and a challenging final boss that needs to be defeated.
The Trial of Sekhemas implements a new resource you need to track: Honor. You start out with full Honor but if it reaches zero, you immediately die and need to start the trial over again.
Speaking of which, the Trial of Sekhemas is a one-life dungeon, meaning once you die, there are no checkpoints to respawn at.
While fighting enemies could get you killed, the most likely way you’ll die in the trial is bylosing Honor. Honor is lost every time you take damage, but it goes down slowly.
You can also equip a Relic at the start of the trial to reduce Honor’s loss. There are other items you can equip to help with Honor loss as well.
Simply put, try to avoid getting hit as much as possible to keep your Honor high. This means you might want to avoid combat wherever possible. Of course, in the trial, you’ll be faced with hordes of enemies, so that’s certainly easier said than done.
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The Trial of Sekhemas is broken up into different floors, but to ascend, you just need to make it through the first floor.
The first floor of the dungeon is split into several rooms, and every time you reach a new room, you need to look at a map to decide which way to go next. You can move to a room on your left or right or diagonally to another room.
At the end of the trial’s first floor, there’s a final boss you need to defeat. Once defeated, you’ll be able to select your Ascension class from an altar. The Ascension class you choose is permanent, so you can’t change it once it’s been selected. It’s important to think deeply about what you’re choosing.
After the first floor has been cleared, you can proceed with the rest of the Trial of Sekhemas.
If you want a more in-depth rundown of the Trial of Sekhemas and how to clear it, then be sure tocheck out our dedicated guide on this tricky trial.
It’s important to finish it entirely so you can complete additional trials later in Path of Exile 2. You’ll also gain valuable rewards at the end of each floor and you can get some practice in with your new Ascension class.
The Trial of Chaos won’t be unlocked until Act 3, though, so you’ll have some time before you’re able to spend more Ascendancy Points.
