PoE 3.26: Why the Abyss Strategy is Dominating the Meta
The Abyss strategy has become one of the hottest endgame farming methods in Path of Exile 3.26, with players from all over diving into its lucrative mechanics. This article breaks down why Abyss farming is so popular, what makes it efficient, and insights from a popular build inspired by Imperion's version of the strategy.
What is the Abyss Strategy?
At its core, the Abyss strategy revolves around maps heavily modified to spawn Abyssal monsters-these creatures leave behind hordes of chests as they travel through the map, creating massive loot explosions. The goal is to maximize the number of Abysses, increase map quantity and rarity, and run the maps as fast and efficiently as possible for huge returns in Path of Exile currency and items.
Following Imperion's Build and Setup
This particular iteration of the Abyss strategy closely follows Imperion's build, which has gained a lot of traction in the community. Here's how it's typically set up:
· Passive Skill Tree: The tree heavily invests in Abyss-related nodes and scarab modifiers, with some adjustments made to avoid blocking Abyss nodes (a common mistake that can hurt efficiency).
·Maps & Scarabs: Maps are rolled with a focus on maximizing currency quantity (around 350% more currency) or scarab quantity (around 256% more scarabs). Exalted orbs and high-tier currency are used to achieve these rolls.
· Map Splitting: Using the Venom Plagued Arachnid and Black Morgan scarabs to split maps into three, reducing the cost of chisels significantly-from 12 chisels per 3 maps down to 4 chisels.
· Wrist Scarabs: Three wrist scarabs are used to boost map modifiers further, including Abyss Scarabs and Abyss Scarabs of Edifice, which increase the number of Abyss hordes.
Why Lighthouse Maps?
Lighthouse maps are favored because of their unique layout-a large building in the center causes Abyss hordes to take longer paths, increasing the number of chests dropped as Abysses roam up and down stairs and around obstacles. This natural tier 16 map is also easy to obtain through Horizon Orbs, making it an ideal choice for Abyss farming.
Cost Breakdown
· Maps and Splitting: The total cost for running 36 maps, including map splitting with scarabs and chisels, black margin scarabs, and phenoar-plagued arachnids, comes to roughly 75.5 divine orbs (around 2.1 divine orbs per map).
· Currency Efficiency: Despite the upfront cost, the Abyss hordes drop hundreds of chests and currency, making the investment worthwhile.
Automation to Open Chests
Clicking on hundreds of chests manually would be tedious. The build uses the Cast When Damage Taken (CWDT) mechanic or automation tools, such as linking Automation to Blood Rage or Detonate Mines, and binding these to a numpad key. This setup creates a 25% chance to automatically open nearby chests whenever the linked skill triggers, making the farming process much smoother.
Loot and Rewards
· The Abyss hordes consistently drop significant currency, including Divine Orbs, Exalted Orbs, Vaal Orbs, and Chaos Orbs.
· Unique items and scarabs, such as Containment, Horn, and Awakening scarabs, are frequent drops.
· The high rarity (around 270%) and quantity lead to consistent drops of high-value loot.
Testing Currency Quality Impact
To understand the impact of map currency quality on loot, a test was conducted running 36 maps split evenly between those with high currency rolls and those with high scarab rolls. The result showed:
· Currency Quality Maps: Yielded 21 divine orbs.
· Scarabs Quality Maps: Yielded 11 divine orbs.
This confirms that currency quality on maps significantly affects loot drops, although RNG still plays a big role.
Real Results and Profitability
After liquidating all the currency and selling maps, the total profit was about 115 divine orbs, equating to roughly 3.2 divine orbs profit per map.
The run took approximately 5.5 hours, averaging about 21 divine orbs profit per hour, which is exceptional for endgame farming.
Final Thoughts
· The Abyss strategy, especially Imperion's iteration, is a solid, highly profitable endgame farming method in PoE 3.26.
· While currency quality boosts drop rates, the effort and investment are well worth the returns.
· Automation tools significantly reduce the tediousness of chest opening, making the farming process smoother.
· Map splitting with scarabs cuts costs and improves efficiency.
· Playing on maps like Lighthouse increases the effectiveness of Abyss hordes due to the map's design.
For anyone looking to dive into Abyss farming this league, this method offers a powerful mix of high reward and fun gameplay. Just remember to balance on buy POE currency costs, keep an eye on your build's survivability, and enjoy the endless loot explosions!
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