The endgame grind in Path of Exile 2 is split into two major facets: farming currency and hunting uniques. And while there are a lot of ways to earn currency in the game, obtaining build-defining Unique items is not easy at all. These items are either locked behind pinnacle bosses or astronomically low drop rates, making them almost impossible to get for a vast majority of the player base.
Rogue Exiles are chance encounters players can stumble upon in the atlas maps, allowing them to get some of the most powerful uniques in the game without having to go through the normal routes. Here is how they work.
Related
Path of Exile 2: How to Get Greater Runes
Greater Runes can be socketed into gear to vastly increase their effectiveness with preset effects in Path of Exile 2. Here’s how to get them.
What Are Rogue Exiles in PoE 2
Rogue Exiles are special NPC enemies who mimic the player character with access to skills, levels, and even items. Each Rogue Exile has a distinct build, usually centered around a Unique, which makes them comparable to the player character in terms of raw stats and abilities. Fighting them simulates a PvP experience, one controlled by a smart combat AI. When they die, they drop all of their equipped gear, including any Uniques they have, making it incredibly lucrative to kill them.
It is very easy to tell which Unique items a Rogue Exile has equipped by looking at the description below their health bar. If you see a valuable Unique, make sure to slay the Rogue Exile to claim it. Be warned, however, as the stronger the items a Rogue Exile has equipped, the more difficult they will be to defeat. Their combat AI is smarter than regular enemies, allowing them to dodge, use skills, and take advantage of terrain to give the player a unique challenge.
All Rogue Exiles are hostile when spawned and will immediately attack the player. There are only two outcomes: defeat the Rogue Exile or be defeated.
- If the Rogue Exile defeats the player: The player will be resurrected in the hideout, and one of the portals for the map will be consumed. No items will be lost.
- If the player defeats the Rogue Exile: The Rogue Exile will drop all equipped items, including uniques.
Where to Find Rogue Exiles in PoE 2
Rogue Exiles only start appearing in endgame Atlas map nodes in Path of Exile 2. You cannot encounter them during the campaign. Their appearance is random, and the level of the map does not matter. This means that their spawn rate is the same when using lower-tier Waystones as it is when using higher-tier Waystones.
Are Rogue Exile Drops Fixed in PoE 2?
Yes, they are. Every Rogue Exile comes with a predetermined set of gear ranging from simple Magic items to ultra-rare Uniques. There are 12 Rogue Exiles in PoE 2, which means there are 12 sets of gear that can potentially be obtained through this method.
Rogue Exiles change from league to league and are often updated with new builds.
Historically, what Rogue Exiles wear and the skills they use are based on popular builds in the current meta, decided upon by GGG and sometimes voted on by the community.
