How To Become an Abyssal Lich in Path of Exile 2

By Ambar Jimenez | 2025-09-04 08:21:31
Path of Exile 2 is a massive action RPG that prides itself on deep character customization, and its new "Rise of the Abyssal" league has introduced one of the most exciting and transformative additions to the Witch class: the Abyssal Lich. This hidden ascendancy offers a fresh take on the classic Lich, replacing some of its core passive skills with new, powerful abilities that dramatically alter your playstyle. Unlocking this secret specialization is a multi-step process that involves delving into the deepest parts of the new league mechanics, culminating in a challenging boss fight. Our guide will walk you through every step, from acquiring the necessary key item to mastering the final encounter.

Path of Exile 2: Unlocking the Abyssal Lich Ascendancy

The Rise of the Abyssal League and the Well of Souls

To begin your journey toward becoming an Abyssal Lich, you must first engage with the "Rise of the Abyssal" league, which is the core mechanic of Path of Exile 2's latest update. As you progress through the campaign, you'll encounter glowing green fissures that erupt from the ground, spawning corrupted Abyssal monsters. Defeating these monsters is the key to earning Abyssal currency items, which are central to the league's crafting and progression systems.Crucially, this league introduces a new hub area known as the Well of Souls. Found in Act 2, this location is initially used for revealing and applying "Desecrated Modifiers" to your gear. However, the Well of Souls holds a darker secret, a path to a hidden area that can only be unlocked with a specific, rare item.

The Quest to Become an Abyssal Lich

The process of unlocking the Abyssal Lich ascendancy is a rite ofpassage for any ambitious Witch player. You must first have alreadyascended to the base Lich class. Once you have done so, you'll need tofollow these steps:

  • 1. Acquire Kulemak's Invitation:The gateway to the Abyssal Lich is an item called "Kulemak'sInvitation." This rare key item drops exclusively from AbyssalCommanders, powerful bosses found at the end of Abyssal events,particularly within the endgame "Abyssal Depths" zones. These commanders are formidable foes, so be prepared for a difficult fight. Once youhave the invitation, make sure to secure it—losing it will mean starting the hunt all over again.
  • 2. Enter the Well of Souls:With Kulemak's Invitation in your inventory, travel to the Well ofSouls. The invitation will give you a new option, allowing you to "JumpInside the Well." This action consumes the invitation and opens a portal to the next part of your quest.
  • 3. Journey to the Black Cathedral: The Well of Souls portal leads you to the ominous Black Cathedral, adark and foreboding area. Navigate your way through this zone until youreach the Vessel of Kulemak, the final boss guarding the Abyssal Lich'spower.
  • 4. The Vessel of Kulemak Encounter: This is amulti-phase boss fight that will test your build and skills. Upondefeating the Vessel of Kulemak for the first time, you will bepresented with a critical choice: "Steal a Lich's Power" or "Take theFinger." To proceed with the Abyssal Lich unlock, you must choose "Steal a Lich's Power."
  • 5. The Three Trials: After making your choice, three statues will appear in the arena.Interacting with each statue will revive the boss with a uniquemodifier, making each subsequent encounter progressively harder. Youmust defeat the Vessel of Kulemak three additional times, once for eachstatue, bringing the total number of encounters to four.
  • 6. The Final Ascent: On the fourth and final encounter, after defeating the fully-poweredVessel of Kulemak, you will once again be given a choice. This time,select "Return the Finger." Upon doing so, you will complete theritual and unlock the Abyssal Lich ascendancy, gaining access to itsunique and powerful passive nodes.

Abyssal Lich Skills and Passives: A New Path for the Witch

The Abyssal Lich ascendancy modifies three of the base Lich's passivenodes, fundamentally changing your character's playstyle. Instead of atraditional minion master, the Abyssal Lich transforms into a hybridcaster who uses minion mechanics to fuel personal power.

  • Rupture the Flesh: Cursed Enemies killed by you or your allies have a 33% chance toExplode, dealing a quarter of their maximum life as Physical Damage.

    • Strategic Implication: This notable passive is a powerful new tool for clearing packs ofenemies. It creates a chain reaction of explosions, synergizingperfectly with curse-based or damage-over-time builds.
  • Umbral Well: Skeletal Minions you would create instead grant you Umbral Souls for each minion.

    • Strategic Implication: This is the most significant change. Instead of summoning minions tofight for you, you now consume their souls for a personal buff. Thispushes the Lich from a summoner archetype into a self-sufficientpowerhouse, encouraging builds that can rapidly summon and thensacrifice minions for power.
  • Unwilling Offering: Your offerings can target enemies in Culling Range. Your offeringsaffect you instead of your Minions. Offerings created by Culling enemies have 1% increased effect per power of culled enemy.

    • Strategic Implication: This passive turns a defensive-support skill (Offerings) into a potentoffensive one. You can now use your offerings on enemies at low life toget the buffs for yourself, with the effects being amplified based onthe power of the culled enemy.
  • Steward of Kulemak: Grants Skill: Abyssal Apparition. Damaging Spells consume a Power Charge if able to trigger Abyssal Apparition.

    • Strategic Implication: This gives you a new, explosive spellcasting mechanic. By consuming aPower Charge, you can trigger an Abyssal Apparition that mimics yourdamaging spells, essentially doubling your damage output in shortbursts. This encourages builds that can generate and sustain PowerCharges.

The Abyssal Lich represents a freshand exciting direction for the Witch in Path of Exile 2. By masteringthe "Rise of the Abyssal" league and completing the challenging ritual,you can unlock a new realm of build possibilities and dominate theendgame.

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