Path of Exile 2
Breach Guide

Last Update: 05/04/2025

⏎ Return to the main article about PoE2 end-game mechanics

Breach is one of the major Endgame mechanics available for players who have reached Atlas of Worlds. It occurs naturally on some Maps, but you can also use special Tablets after completing one of the many Towers to apply it to nearby Maps, usually with extra modifiers that make them more dangerous and rewarding. The Breach exists in the form of interactable portals. Once activated, hordes of monsters will start to appear in an expanding circle. Slaying monsters prolongs the encounter, allowing you to reap more rewards. Slain enemies will drop tons of Currency and Items, as well as special Breach Splinters, Catalysts, and Breach Rings. 

Breach's Final Challenge - Xesht, the Breachlord Boss

During the encounter, a mysterious Clasped Hands will appear alongside the monsters. They are essentially a type of chest that you can open to get more loot, however, it can be opened just by standing close to it. Furthermore, thanks to the Atlas Passive Tree, you can alter them to drop more loot by spawning extra Monsters, which also prolongs the encounter. 

Upon collecting a full stack of Breach Splinters, it will transform into Breachstone. You can activate it at the Realmgate in your Atlas to access one of the Pinnacle Bosses: the Xesht, We Who Are One. There are 5 Tiers of difficulty, each making the Boss considerably harder to defeat, but also unlocking the possibility of dropping special Boss-only Unique Items, such as Controlled Metamorphosis Jewel, which requires the hardest Tier 4. Starting with the lowest, Tier 0 Difficulty, you can respawn 5 times after death. This number is reduced by 1 for each extra Difficulty Tier. 

How to increase the Difficulty Tier? Each time you defeat the Breachlord, you will be awarded 2 Breach Atlas Passive Points, which you can spend in a special Passive Tree specifically designed for this mechanic. Each travel node increases the Difficulty Tier by 1, affecting the future Boss encounter, while the big Notables affect the Breaches existing on your Maps, usually considerably increasing the rewards. As with most Edgame mechanics, unlocking all 4 upgrades will massively improve the profits and make it much more enjoyable. 

Breach - Tips for Total Beginners

We understand that not every Path of Exile 2 player is coming from the first game, and what may seem obvious to some might not be for others. That’s why we’ve put together a short list of essential tips aimed at total beginners - helping you successfully tackle your first Breach encounters, even on characters that aren’t fully optimized. Here it is:

1. Stay on the Edge - Don’t Chase the Center
   The center of the Breach is where enemies spawn the fastest and most densely — but it’s also the most dangerous. Instead of diving into the middle, walk along the outer edge of the breach ring, close enough to keep it open but far enough to avoid getting swarmed.

2. Clockwise or Counterclockwise - Pick a Direction
   Pick a consistent direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) and stick with it. Circling smoothly around the ring keeps enemies behind you and minimizes the chance of getting surrounded. Avoid erratic zig-zagging — that’s how you get caught.

3. Use Movement Skills Frequently
   Skills like Flame Dash, Dash, Frostblink, or Whirling Blades are essential. Use them to reposition quickly if things get too hot, or to hop over enemies blocking your path. Don’t let yourself get trapped — mobility is your lifeline.

4. Kite and Cull - Don't Force the Fight
   If you can’t kill fast, just focus on kiting enemies along the path. Only stop to fight when there’s a manageable pack behind you. Breaches expand based on how many enemies you kill and how fast, but staying alive is priority one - so drag the breach mobs forward, then turn and cull them in chunks.

5. Watch the Timer, Not the Enemies
   Breach is time-sensitive. Don’t get baited into long fights or backtracking for loot right away. Keep moving forward and pushing the breach expansion. You’ll have time to loot after it closes.

6. Avoid Corners or Cluttered Terrain
   Open areas are best. If the Breach opens near walls or objects, it can funnel enemies into tight spaces — which might seem good for AoE, but it’s also a trap for slower builds. Plan your positioning early.

Breach Rewards

Breaches on your Maps add tons of extra Rare and Magic Monsters to your Map, which will often drop valuable Currency such as Exalted Orbs or Divine Orbs. A single Breach Splinter is not very valuable, but you will obtain a lot of them from a single Breach, especially once you unlock all Atlas Passives or use Breach Tablets. Breach Ring is a special Base type that has a special Implicit that increases the maximum possible Quality bonus up to 50%. Those Rings can be extremely powerful, so even the clean Bases for Crafting can hold great value. 

List of Xesht's Loot
Icon	Name and modifiers	Required Tier
	Hand of Wisdom and Action +(15-25) to Dexterity +(15-25) to Intelligence 1% increased Attack Speed per 20 Dexterity Adds 1 to 10 Lightning Damage to Attacks per 20 Intelligence	1
	Choir of the Storm Grants Skill: Level (18-20) Lightning Bolt +(10-15) to Dexterity +(20-30)% to Lightning Resistance Critical Hits Ignore Enemy Monster Lightning Resistance Trigger Lightning Bolt Skill on Critical Hit	1
	The Pandemonius +(10-15) to Intelligence +(20-30)% to Cold Resistance Damage Penetrates 75% Cold Resistance Blind Chilled enemies on Hit	1
	Xoph's Blood +(10-15) to Strength (10-15)% incrased maximum Life +(20-30)% to Fire Resistance Enemies in your Presence have Fire Exposure	1
	Beyond Reach (20-30)% increased Critical Hit Chance for Attacks (10-15)% reduced Attack Speed Chaos Damage from Hits also Contributes to Freeze Buildup Chaos Damage from Hits also Contributes to Electrocute Buildup Attacks Gain (10-20)% of Physical Damage as extra Chaos Damage	1
	Skin of the Loyal +(5-40) to all Elemental Resistances Armour is increased by Overcapped Fire Resistance Evasion Rating is increased by Overcapped Cold Resistance Energy Shield is increased by Overcapped Lightning Resistance Elemental Ailment Threshold is increased by Overcapped Chaos Resistance	2
	Controlled Metamorphosis Only affects Passives in (Small-Massive) Ring Passives in Radius can be Allocated without being connected to your tree (-20--5)% to all Elemental Resistances (-23--3)% to Chaos Resistance	4

List of regular Breach Loot
Icon	Name and modifiers
	Breach Splinter Stack Size: 300 Combine 300 Splinters to create a Breachstone
	Breachstone Travel to the Breach Domain by using this item at The Realm Gate. Can only be used once.
	Breach Ring Maximum Quality is 40%
	Breach Precursor Tablet (12-18) Maps in Range contain Breaches

List of Catalysts
Icon	Name	Effect
	Adaptive Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Attribute modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Carapace Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Defence modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Chayula's Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Chaos modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Esh's Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Lightning modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Flesh Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Life modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Neural Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Mana modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Reaver Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Attack modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Sibilant Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Caster modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Skittering Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Speed modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Tul's Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Cold modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Uul-Netol's Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Physical modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types
	Xoph's Catalyst	Adds quality that enhances Fire modifiers on a ring or amulet Replaces other quality types

If you have any other Guide requests, please leave them in the comments below. We are always open to suggestions and constructive feedback.

Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Grinding Gear Games.