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The Balance of Terror is one of the most versatile and sought-after unique Cobalt Jewels in Path of Exile, especially for players running curse-heavy builds. While it's guaranteed (10-15)% to all Elemental Resistances is a small bonus, the jewel's real power comes from its two random curse-related modifiers.

This guide breaks down how to get Balance of Terror, its full drop mechanics, all known affix types, and the best ways to use it across different builds.

What Is the Balance of Terror?

Balance of Terror is a unique Cobalt Jewel that grants benefits when applying certain curses. Unlike most jewels, it always drops with:

·(10-15)% to all Elemental Resistances

·Two random curse-based modifiers from a pool of 18

These modifiers are extremely build-defining. As a result, high-end versions of Balance of Terror often sell for multiple Divines, making it a premium item in the world of Path of Exile Items.

How to Get Balance of Terror in Path of Exile

Since The Balance of Terror is not a global drop and cannot be chanced, knowing exactly how to farm it is essential.

1. Defeat Lycia, Herald of the Scourge (Forbidden Sanctum)

The Balance of Terror only drops from Lycia in the Forbidden Sanctum. However, there are several important rules:

You must fight Lycia on the 4th floor.r

Only Lycia at the end of a full four-floor Sanctum run can drop the jewel.

You must use her unique Relic: "The Blood of Innocence."

This is the key requirement. If you start your Sanctum using The Blood of Innocence unique Relic, Lycia will drop:

·The Balance of Terror (guaranteed)

·Additional unique Relics (chance)

Every run started with this specific Relic gives you a guaranteed jewel.

You can run any level of Forbidden Tome

Balance of Terror does not require high-tier Tomes. In fact, many players recommend using low-level Tomes because:

·The monsters are weaker

·The floors are safer

·You reach Lycia faster

This makes farming significantly more efficient.

2. Don't Confuse With Nightmare of Lycia (T17 Map)

There is another version of Lycia encountered in the Sanctuary T17 map, called Nightmare of Lycia. While she drops her own loot pool, she cannot drop The Balance of Terror.

3. Buy Balance of Terror on the Trade Market

If you prefer skipping Sanctum entirely, the in-game trade market is the fastest way to obtain the jewel.

Prices vary heavily depending on the modifiers:

·Weak combinations may cost a few Chaos Orbs

·Strong DPS-oriented mods (especially with Determination, Temporal Chains, Despair, or Punishment interactions) can cost 1-10 Divine Orbs

·Rare "perfect combo" jewels can exceed 50+ Divines

Players with excess Path of Exile Currency often choose to buy POE Currency or trade for multiple copies while searching for ideal modifiers.

Balance of Terror Modifiers - All Possible Affixes

The full affix pool contains 18 possible curse interaction modifiers, but each jewel only rolls two of them. Examples include:

·Bonuses when you hit or kill cursed enemies

·Defensive bonuses when a curse affects you

·Offensive boosts after applying particular curses

·Trigger effects when an enemy is affected by X curse

Some common categories:

Offensive Mods

·Increased damage against enemies affected by Despair

·Attack Speed or Cast Speed after applying Punishment

·Critical bonuses vs enemies under Enfeeble

Defensive Mods

·Reduced elemental damage taken after being affected by Elemental Weakness

·Damage reduction when enemies are hit with Temporal Chains

Utility/Status Mods

·Immunity to Ignite, Chill, or Shock when using specific curses

·Movement bonuses when cursing enemies with Frostbite or Enfeeble

Because rolls are random, many players farm (or buy) multiple copies to hunt for ideal combinations.

How to Use Balance of Terror in Your Build

To use the jewel, simply place it into any Jewel Socket in your passive skill tree. It does not require special positioning or keystones.

Here's how it affects your gameplay:

1. Matching Mods to Your Curse Setup

Balance of Terror's strength comes from tailoring mods to your build's curse strategy. Some examples:

Curse-on-Hit Builds

Such as Occultist, cold DoT builds, and Lightning Arrow setups.

Great mods include:

·Bonuses to damage vs cursed enemies

·Cast/Attack speed boosts after applying a curse

·Shock/Ignite immunity modifiers

Self-curse or Hexblast builds

Mods that activate when applying or receiving curses are extremely valuable.

Curse-support Guardian/Aura Bots

Can benefit from defensive or party-wide bonuses tied to curses cast on enemies.

2. Stacking Multiple Balance of Terror Jewels

You can use multiple copies as long as they don't share the same mod name, as duplicates do not stack. Many late-game min-maxers run:

·2-4 Balance of Terror jewels

·Each with different complementary effects

This is exceptionally strong in curse-heavy builds like:

·Occultist self-curse builds

·Hexblast Ignite

·Despair/Temporal Chains DoT builds

·Forbidden Rite totems

·Lightning Arrow curse-on-hit setups

3. Overcapping Resistances

While its guaranteed Elemental Resistance bonus is minor, it helps:

·Survive map modifiers that strip resistances

·Offset negative penalties from certain unique items

·Smooth gearing during early mapping

It's not the primary reason to use the jewel, but it's a welcome bonus.

Final Thoughts

The Balance of Terror is one of Path of Exile's most interesting and build-enabling jewels. Its strong synergy with curses, huge variety of affixes, and guaranteed drop method make it a rewarding chase item-especially for players who master Forbidden Sanctum.