Path of Exile: Heist had a rather long run, spanning up to four months with no follow-up because of the CoViD-19 pandemic, the release of Cyberpunk 2077 pushing the next expansion’s release date back, and other factors related to the developers’ plan for the games. Now, with all those things out of the way, it’s time for the Atlas to change again through new PoE Currency and PoE items in Patch 3.13: Echoes of the Atlas.
Revisiting the Atlas…Again
Ever since the Atlas of Worlds was added to Path of Exile many years ago, this particular endgame content has not only become a mainstay, but also an often-revisited and much-hyped theme. This means that Atlas-themed leagues are connected lore-wise, giving the part of the player base that is into the roleplaying aspect of the game an incentive to not only engage in endgame content, but also keep coming back for more.
At the same time, the ever-changing nature of leagues and expansions related to the Atlas benefits both veterans and newcomers. For the former, they get not only the chance to further improve their builds through the new gears and progressions that the patch will add into the game, but also the chance to take on new content and put their hack-and-slash and character customization skills to the test.
As for the latter, they get to stand on equal footing as the old-timers, as they will be going through the same content. While seasoned players will still have quite the advantage because they have better gear and thorough knowledge of the game, the newbies won’t completely be underdogs, as even those that have experience with the Atlas have no idea how these new additions to the Atlas will turn out.
Taking On The Maven
With Echoes of the Atlas, the namesake endgame content will have new areas to explore as well as a new boss: The Maven. While power creep can be considered as a bad thing because it highlights the developers’ lack of creativity on how to make challenging new content without increasing the power scale of enemies, bosses, gear, and skills, it’s completely merited in Path of Exile’s lore. It is unknown whether the power creep came first and the lore was added as a hollow excuse for it or it’s the lore that serves as the reason for the power creep.
It is known, however, that The Maven will be the most powerful boss not just for the league or expansion, but also for the game as a whole once the patch is released. If you’ve been following Path of Exile’s lore for quite some time now, you’ll know that there are lots of otherworldly entities with ungodly powers that watch the dimensions adjacent to Wraeclast and Oriath. The Maven is one of those entities, and she’s the first to notice the power vacuum that has occurred in the Atlas, so it’s up to you to stop her!
It should go without saying that doing this is not an easy task. This is because The Maven thinks that you are not worthy. To prove her otherwise, you have to first fight three map bosses in her presence, which you’ll find in the 11 new maps such as the Dry Sea, Forking River, Frozen Cabins, and Grave Through. Should you succeed, you will have to fight them again–this time all at once. If you succeed, then you’ll finally be able to take on her. Good luck–you’re going to need it along with good planning as well as razor-sharp skills!
Those who succeed in taking down The Maven and her lackeys will be handsomely rewarded. Aside from the usual new POE Uniques and new takes on certain skill gems is the Maven’s Orb, a new POE Currency that can only be used on gear that has two influence modifiers, as it amplifies one and removes the other. If the modifier that was chosen is already in the highest tier, then it will be brought to a new and even higher tier.
The Stones and the Trees
Aside from The Maven and new areas being added, there are also other changes to the Atlas: new watchstones and passive skill trees. The former, like the old watchstones, are used to upgrade your Atlas. Unlike your regular watchstones, they are craftable, don’t get used up, can go through POE Trade, and their effects stack. The latter, on the other hand, are skill trees related to your Atlas, and affect the types of enemies you will encounter and the rewards you will find.
Echoes, being a part of the expansion’s new title, implies a certain sense of repetition of past events and experiences. However, while Patch 3.13 evokes a recall to past Atlas-related endgame content. It’s by no means a rehash. Rather, it’s a much-needed fresh take.