Path of Exile 2 Game Modes and Endgame guide

Choose between Standard, Hardcore, and Solo Self-Found Leagues in Path of Exile 2

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games

Curious about the Path of Exile 2 game modes and endgame? Before jumping into the campaign, you’ll have to choose a game mode, a.k.a. a Path of Exile League. Different Leagues come with different difficulty levels and social options, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into. Pick the best option to help you reach endgame, and when you do, you’ll be able to dive into various endgame modes such as the Breach and Delirium challenges.

The Path of Exile 2 game modes can be a bit overwhelming to new players. To help you find the best League and navigate the endgame content, this guide explains it all.

In this guide:

• Path of Exile 2 game modes
• How to choose a League
• League Migrations: Can you change your game mode?
• Path Of Exile 2 Endgame content

Path of Exile 2 game modes

Path of Exile 2 has four different game modes, also known as ‘Leagues’. This includes two difficulty options, each with their own variation for solo players. Here’s an overview:

• Standard League: This is the ‘default’ game mode. The social system is enabled and you will respawn upon death, at the nearest checkpoint, without any consequences.
• Solo Self-Found League: This is almost the same as the Standard League but some of the social system’s features are disabled, including trading with other players and party formations.
• Hardcore League: If you want to play Path of Exile 2 on hard mode, this is the League for you. In Hardcore Mode, you only get one life, which means you can’t respawn. If you die, you’ll have to continue the game in Standard League.
• Hardcore Solo Self-Found League: This brutal game mode combines the no-respawn mechanic from hardcore mode with the no-trading mechanic from SSF mode. You can’t rely on other players, and you can’t respawn.

Keep in mind that these are the Path of Exile 2 Leagues at the start of the early access period, whereas the full release may offer additional game modes. During early access, you’ll have to replay Act 1 to Act 3 of the campaign in order to unlock endgame content; this is called Cruel Mode . Cruel Mode will turn up the difficulty so you can keep leveling your character, ultimately reaching endgame around level 65. The reason behind this temporary League is that the second half of the campaign (Act 4-6) hasn’t been completed yet - replaying the first three acts will ensure a similar endgame starting point.

Upon creating a new character, you can choose between four game modes. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games

How to choose a League

So, which of these four Leagues is right for you? Upon creating a new character in Path of Exile 2, you must initially choose between two game modes: Standard and Hardcore . Standard League is the default difficulty and the one we recommend for new players, but Hardcore League can be an interesting alternative if you’re looking for a challenge.

Rather than making enemies tougher, Hardcore Mode has a ‘permadeath’ mechanic that disables respawns. If you choose Hardcore over Standard League, it’s important to play very carefully and prioritize your survival rather than making quick progress. Don’t enter areas or boss fights that are way above your level, and don’t experiment with your character build too much. With that in mind, Hardcore Mode can feel rather restrictive if you’re about to pick your first class in Path of Exile 2 .

First you must decide between the Standard and Hardcore game modes. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games

After you pick a difficulty, there’s another choice you must make: whether to play in Solo Self-Found (SSF) mode or not. You can select SSF mode after you’ve selected a class.

Of course, you could play Standard League and avoid interactions with other players to get a similar experience, but you’d always have the option to buy the best gear if you need to. In SSF mode, you truly are self-reliant. If you like the idea of adapting to circumstances and finding the best build based on what you’ve been given, SSF mode might be for you. If you’re strictly following a Path of Exile 2 class build guide, however, SSF mode may hinder you a lot.

League Migrations: Can you change your game mode?

Can you change your game mode in Path of Exile 2? Unfortunately, League Migrations are unavailable at the start of the early access period, but we expect them to become available soon. When that happens, you’ll likely be able to switch between Standard and Solo-Self Found or between Hardcore and Hardcore SSF modes - thus sticking to your chosen difficulty.

To find the League Migrations option (which is already there), open the game and go to the character selection screen. Above the list of characters, on the right side, there’s a double-arrow button that says ‘League Migrations’ if you hover over it.

If you’d like to switch game modes, use the League Migration option. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games

Although it’s impossible to migrate a character from Standard League to Hardcore League, you can switch in the opposite direction… if your Hardcore character dies. You can continue playing in Standard League, but permadeath really is permanent, so there’s no going back to Hardcore.

Path Of Exile 2 Endgame content

It’s often said that ARPG games don’t truly start before the endgame, and that might also be true for Path of Exile 2. Once you’ve reached a high character level and cleared the campaign, you can keep yourself busy with one of these endgame activities:

• Atlas of Worlds: This massive realm plagued by corruption is the most important endgame feature in Path of Exile 2. At the heart of this realm, you’ll find the Ziggurat temple, which is surrounded by an infinite network of waypoints (maps). Using Waystones, you’ll be able to enter new maps and clear them of all enemies, which will then allow you to access more maps. The enemies you’ll find are randomized, and since they’re drawn from a pool of at least 400 potential opponents, you’ll find many unexpected situations. An important side note about the Atlas system: if you die, the map node will turn red and you won’t be able to retry - find your way around this map by cleansing surrounding maps instead.
• Breach: This endgame mode opens a rift to a demonic realm. Defeat the incoming waves of demons as fast as possible to extend the timer and obtain more rewards.
• Rituals: Sacrifice enemies to the ritual altar by slaying them within the ritual circle. Slain enemies will be resurrected by the King of the Mists, after which you must slay them again to clear the challenge. Beware; upon starting a new ritual challenge, the enemies defeated in the previous trial will be resurrected as well!
• Delirium: In this endgame challenge, you must stay in the mist while defeating dangerous enemies. The further you walk into the mist, the more dangerous the enemies become, and the better your rewards will be.
• Expeditions: Join the local Kalguuran people as you go on an archaeological expedition. You must use explosives to dig up ancient relics, but be careful: the explosions will also awaken undead ancestors, who are none too friendly.
• Endgame trials: While not exclusive to endgame, trial challenges such as the Trial of Sekhema and the Trial of Chaos come with endgame-level floors. Clear them to obtain Jewels, Relics, Vaal Orbs, and more.
• Pinnacle bosses: These are the toughest enemies in the endgame content. Residing in dark towers on the Atlas map, you must obtain three keys from faction bosses on the surrounding maps, which will then grant access to the Pinnacle boss in the tower.

Path of Exile’s endgame modes are found on the Atlas map. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Grinding Gear Games

That’s quite a variety of challenges, isn’t it? One of the best things about the Path of Exile 2 endgame content is that each type of challenge has its own skill tree, so you’ll be able to adjust your build to match each endgame mode. In other words, there’s no need to respec if you want to try a different challenge.

And that’s how to navigate game modes and endgame content in Path of Exile 2. If you’re new to the game, you might want to look at our list of things to do first in Path of Exile 2 , and make sure you understand the character attributes . Don’t forget to use the Path of Exile 2 crafting system to get better gear, and use the gemcutting system to obtain new skills.

Path Of Exile 2

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

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