With Path of Exile 2 reshaping the ARPG landscape, one of the most strategic systems carried over and expanded upon is the Atlas Passive Tree—a key progression mechanic in the endgame that allows players to customize how their Atlas of Worlds behaves. Just like in Path of Exile 1, these passive points are essential to boosting map drops, encounter frequency, league mechanics, boss rewards, and currency returns. However, with PoE 2, the process of acquiring Atlas Passive Points has evolved.

In this guide, we’ll break down:

What Atlas Passive Points are

How to unlock them

How many total Atlas Passive Points exist

Best strategies to unlock them efficiently

What you should prioritize with your points in early, mid, and late endgame

What Are Atlas Passive Points?

Atlas Passive Points are used to invest in the Atlas Skill Tree, a separate talent tree that affects your mapping and endgame experience rather than your character directly. These points let you specialize in content like:

Harbingers

Delirium

Blight

Strongboxes

Map boss encounters

Influence mechanics (like Searing Exarch or Eater of Worlds)

Currency or map sustain rewards

The flexibility of the Atlas Tree allows for deep customization—you could min-max for currency farming, boss rushing, map sustain, or niche league mechanics like Ritual or Expedition.

How Many Atlas Passive Points Are in Path of Exile 2?

As of the current testing and developer-revealed information, Path of Exile 2 includes 132 total Atlas Passive Points, similar to the final state of PoE 1’s Atlas. However, not all are required to be competitive; most builds and players function well with around 110 to 120 points during their progression.

The points are acquired from:

Completing Map Bonus Objectives

Killing Pinnacle Bosses (like Uber Elder equivalents)

Completing Atlas Questlines

Defeating Invitations or Guardians

Completing Voidstones objectives

How to Get Atlas Passive Points

Here’s a breakdown of how to obtain Atlas Passive Points efficiently in Path of Exile 2:

1. Complete Map Bonus Objectives (Up to 115 Points)

Each time you complete a map with a specific requirement, you earn a passive point.

White Maps (Tier 1–5): Complete with a magic-quality map.

Yellow Maps (Tier 6–10): Complete with a rare-quality map.

Red Maps (Tier 11–16): Complete with a rare and corrupted-quality map.

There are 115 maps across the Atlas. Completing each with its bonus objective gives you 115 points.

Tip: Use cartographer’s chisels, alchs, and vaals to hit the map requirements efficiently. Don’t waste corrupted maps if your build isn’t ready for red maps yet.

2. Kill Maven’s Witnessed Bosses (Up to 5 Points)

When Maven witnesses boss fights and you defeat the bosses, you get Maven’s progress toward Invitations. Upon completing her Invitations and questlines, she grants up to 5 additional Atlas Passive Points.

Some of these are tied to her progression milestones, such as killing 3, 5, 10, and eventually 10+ bosses in Maven Invitations.

Note: Failing the Invitation won't lock you out—just try again with a stronger setup.

3. Kill Pinnacle Bosses (Up to 4 Points)

You gain 1 Atlas Passive Point for defeating each of the four Pinnacle Bosses:

The Maven

The Searing Exarch

The Eater of Worlds

The Uber Elder (or Path of Exile 2 equivalent final boss)

You must defeat these bosses once to earn your point. You can respawn them via their influence mechanics.

4. Defeat Uber Versions of Pinnacle Bosses (Up to 4 Points)

Each Uber Pinnacle Boss (a more difficult version of the standard fight) grants an additional point, for a total of 4 more points.

These bosses require progression through Maven’s and Eldritch influence systems and much stronger builds, often endgame min-maxed.

5. Complete Unique Maps (Optional)

While not all unique maps grant passive points directly, some of them are part of bonus objective completion, especially if they appear on the Atlas and are tracked via bonus objective count.

Tip: Always check the map tab or Atlas completion status to see if a unique map contributes to your Atlas Points.

6. Atlas Quests and Story Progression (Few Early Points)

During your progression into the endgame in PoE 2, the game grants a handful of Atlas Passive Points automatically for story milestones or early map completions (roughly 1–2).

Fastest Way to Farm Atlas Passive Points

To optimize your passive point gains:

Phase 1: White Maps (Tier 1–5)

Focus on completing each map once with a magic-quality map.

Use Orbs of Transmutation or Alteration to meet the requirements.

Prioritize uncovering the Atlas—more maps revealed = more paths to progression.

Phase 2: Yellow Maps (Tier 6–10)

Invest in cartographer’s chisels and alchs to make rare maps.

Use sextants sparingly for map sustain.

Avoid skipping early Maven Invitations—start building her tree immediately.

Phase 3: Red Maps (Tier 11–16)

Corrupt rare maps using Vaal Orbs. Corrupted maps are required for bonus objectives.

Target Searing Exarch and Eater of Worlds influence to access their bosses.

Complete Maven’s higher-tier Invitations (10-boss + Feared).

Phase 4: Pinnacle Boss and Uber Progression

Only attempt these when your build is capable of endgame content.

Join trade league groups or use gear enhancements (flasks, jewels, Watcher's Eye) for bossing.

Build around mechanics like spell suppression, armor, or max resists to survive Uber mechanics.

What Should You Prioritize on the Atlas Tree?

Early Game: Map Sustain and Currency

Essence nodes, Harvest, and Map Drop Chance help with sustaining maps and crafting early gear.

Strongboxes, Shrines, and Harbingers offer good value for low investment.

Mid Game: League Mechanic Specialization

Focus on 2–3 mechanics like Delirium, Expedition, or Legion.

Nodes that improve Kirac missions, scarab drop rate, or boss drops are efficient here.

Late Game: Bossing or Currency Focus

Choose between full boss farming (Maven, Uber Elder, Exarch) or currency explosion farming (Delirium, Blight).

Respec points to optimize for specific invitations or league mechanics.

Tip: You can freely respec Atlas Passive Points using POE 2 Orbs of Unmaking, which are purchasable from Kirac or dropped in maps.

Conclusion

Atlas Passive Points in Path of Exile 2 are an essential part of optimizing your endgame experience. Whether you’re a casual mapper, a boss farmer, or a trade league tycoon, knowing how to acquire and invest these points can make or break your progression. By completing map bonus objectives, defeating bosses, and following Atlas questlines, you can unlock all 132 Atlas Passive Points over time.

Whether you specialize in Blight tower defense, Maven boss rushes, or raw currency farming via Delirium, the Atlas Tree is where your strategy comes to life. Prioritize your points based on your build’s strengths and goals, and don’t be afraid to experiment. In PoE 2, the Atlas is your playground—build it your way.