POE 1 Currency introduces a pinnacle challenge that stands apart from its mapping endgame and story campaign: the Lord's Labyrinth. This is not a random dungeon but a meticulously crafted, trap-filled puzzle palace that must be conquered to achieve a character's true potential. Successfully navigating the Labyrinth and defeating its divine guardian, Izaro, allows a player to "Ascend," granting access to one of three specialized subclasses tied to their base class. This system, known as the Ascendancy, represents the most significant power spike and definitional choice in a character's journey, transforming a generic archetype into a refined engine of destruction or defense.
The Labyrinth itself is a unique test of skill and preparation. It is a static layout for a given day, filled with deadly mechanical traps—spinning blades, popping spikes, and flaming floors—that demand careful timing and movement to bypass. While combat prowess is essential for defeating Izaro and his lieutenants, survival often hinges on mastering this environmental gauntlet. The labyrinth is divided into four difficulties: Normal, Cruel, Merciless, and the endgame Eternal Labyrinth, each offering two Ascendancy points upon completion. This multi-stage progression weaves the challenge throughout the leveling experience, providing major power milestones at key intervals. The final, most difficult version offers not only the last two points but also access to the Labyrinth's treasure rooms, which contain unique enchantments for helmets and valuable unique items.
The true reward, however, lies in the Ascendancy class selection. After completing the first Labyrinth, a player chooses from one of three subclasses specific to their base class. These are not minor tweaks; they are profound specializations that redefine a character's capabilities. For example, the Duelist can become a Slayer, specializing in overleech and culling strike; a Gladiator, focusing on block and bleed explosions; or a Champion, an aura-focused tank. Each Ascendancy offers a small, exclusive passive tree filled with powerful notables that are often build-enabling. Choosing the Juggernaut Ascendancy for the Marauder grants immense physical damage reduction and immunity to slow effects, enabling strategies otherwise impossible. Picking the Necromancer for the Witch supercharges minion armies with aggressive new mechanics.
This system adds a crucial layer of strategic depth to build planning. A player's entire skill tree, gear choices, and gem links are often designed in service of maximizing the power of their chosen Ascendancy. It allows for incredible focus, letting players double down on a specific playstyle—be it totems, traps, mines, curses, or elemental conversion. The Ascendancy classes are the final, defining brushstrokes on a character's canvas, offering both raw power and unique mechanical identities.
The Labyrinth and Ascendancy system is a masterful piece of game design. It provides a challenging, skill-based activity distinct from mapping, breaking up the gameplay loop with a focused test of reflexes and strategy. More importantly, it gives players an immensely satisfying and impactful series of choices that cement their character's identity. Ascending is not just an upgrade; it is a narrative and mechanical transformation, marking the moment an exile truly becomes a legendary force within the unforgiving world of Wraeclast.
