Poe Ruthless Mode is a unique take on the popular ARPG Path of Exile. The game mode has a drastically different feel to it than the regular game, with extreme item scarcity and reduced character power. This makes it a challenge to those who choose to take it on, and learning how to play and succeed can be daunting. In this article, LOLTANK will take a look at the changes made to the game mode and explain how you can best equip yourself for success in ruthless.

• Item scarcity
• The experience penalty is also very real is ruthless
• Atlas system
• Upgrades and power-ups in the campaign
• Making mules
• Understand the Map Creation System
• Focus on Master Missions
• Increase Map Tier Chance
• Build-to-Tank Mechanics

Item scarcity

One of the most immediately noticeable changes is item scarcity. You will find far fewer items and Poe currency in ruthless than you would in the base game. Jewelry is especially rare, and you will likely go through most of the campaign without having any equipment. Crafting is also drastically different, as you get much less currency, and deterministic crafting materials like essences and fossils can only be used on normal items, meaning that no fractured item crafting is available. There is also no crafting bench, so you cannot craft any kind of modifiers on to gear.

The experience penalty is also very real is ruthless

It becomes progressively harder to gain experience, especially as you approach level 90. It is much more difficult to reach level 90 in ruthless, so it's a good idea to cap out at levels 80-90. As a result of the experience penalty, you only get two Ascendancy points, which makes certain Ascendancies much more appealing.

Atlas system

The Atlas system is also restructured in a few meaningful ways, with maps having completely different stats than in the base game. The Atlas passive tree is also redesigned, offering you fewer rewards for each point. There is no plus to all maps from Void Stones, and each Void Stone does not increase the level of maps. League content rewards are also much less powerful than in the base game.

Upgrades and power-ups in the campaign

To get through the campaign with the reduced character power, you will have to be much slower and more careful. You'll need to focus on finding upgrades and power-ups in the campaign. This could include farming the Dried Lake for squishy monsters and bosses, as they have higher rarity than monsters and offer a better chance of finding rare items. You should also spend time in the Reliquary in Acts 5 and 10, as the chests have interactives that offer you a chance to get more items.

Making mules

Making mules get more skill gem purchases from Siosa is also a very valuable idea. This could be especially helpful for builds that use multiple minions or Righteous Fire. You can also get support gems and active skill gems from these mules, helping to improve your character's damage output.

Understand the Map Creation System

When it comes to progressing through maps, you'll need to focus on maps with more monsters. You won't get the same benefit from rolling maps with Plus modifiers, as you would in the base game, so you should focus on Transmuting and Augmenting your maps or leaving them as they are. You should also look out for the additional chance for a map to drop as a higher tier, as this is a much more meaningful stat than Map Drop Chance.

Focus on Master Missions

Master missions are mostly unchanged in Ruthless and are the most powerful thing that you can be doing. Alva is a great way to farm a large zone with a lot of monsters and can also be used as a gateway between tiers of maps. Speccing into the increased chance of getting master missions is a good idea, but be warned that the monsters in Alva can be deadly. 

Increase Map Tier Chance

There are nodes in the atlas passive tree that have a chance for maps found to be one tier higher. You can also get a 25% chance for a map to be one tier higher from Void Stones which can be dropped from the Eater of Worlds and Searing Exarch bosses, or the Maven and Uber Elder bosses. 

Build-to-Tank Mechanics

When bossing with no movement skill, it's important to Poe build to tank the mechanics. Movement speed is also very important as it will help you move through maps quickly. Finally, it is important to be able to deal with damage while moving as you won’t be able to rely on mechanical skills to avoid attacks.

Final Thought

Ruthless Poe can be a daunting challenge to those who take it on, but understanding the changes and how to best equip yourself for success can make it much more manageable. With the right strategy and a bit of luck, you can take on one of the most challenging game modes Path of Exile has to offer.