Thought I would take you today through a full 11 Incursions and a run at the temple. This is this league's main feature in Path of Exile. The layout is just a random one I got after finishing my last one. I have no clue prior to going into this if it will even be a good run. As such, I thought such a raw and unexpected outcome on my end would best highlight just how amazing or even devastating this league has been.

There are so many different rooms and many I’ve yet to see that trying write a guide about this place for at least now is not something I’m equipped to do very well. I forget if It was mention to be 50, 80 or maybe, even more. It a massive amount of different rooms.

The goal here is to go back in time by finding Alva Valai and you have 11 chances to try and shape the temple. You want both upgrade good rooms you land in, roll bad ones hoping for better, connect the rooms together, and finally have a path leading up to the Apex of the temple itself. All within a time limit.

I’ll be running a bunch of tier 3 maps for my 11 incursions runs for finding Alva. My necromancer is still a little squishy even though he was level 77 at the time of working on this.

First Look

The rooms that are most exciting to me just looking at the start of this is Jeweler’s Workshop, Guardhouse, and Corruption Chamber.

The Jeweler’s Workshop can be upgraded to level 3 if luck has it to land me randomly in that room to get chests full of rare amulets and rings. I’m more interested in getting the amulets as I have enough of the rings along with rest of a set to get 2 Chaos Orbs per amulet that I’m missing to complete the set.

The Guardhouse increases the pack size also known as the monster density of the temple. Beyond that, I don’t recall at the time of writing this what other levels do. Maybe I’ll get them and see what upgrading brings me. Maybe I won’t.

Finally, the Corruption Chamber is one of those that starts off not so great having reduced resistance. If I can, however, get it to level 3 then I can corrupt an item for a random chance at another. While people have been claiming to be pulling HeadHunters out of the temple I'm not quite sure if its this one or another. More likely than not I won’t get this to level 3.

The remaining rooms I want to connect, flip and reroll if they get a good alternative option. At the very least upgrade them to see how that impacts things. Most of these I’ve not made it to level 3 on so it will be a learning experience for me. Level 3 rooms also yield the most loot.

Each time you start off with just 10 seconds but if you kill fast enough this timer can increase. The Architects in each of these rooms take a little bit of time to kill and you are also looking for a key to unlock pathways. So you have to find a balance between clearing, killing the Architect you want, and unlocking the door if you can. Most times you loot the key and the door you want to unlock is across the temple with just a few seconds left.

First Incursion

Right in the middle of the map, I got my first room. I get the option to kill one boss and upgrade this room for more lighting damage which I’m not a fan of. The other option is to kill the other boss and roll the room as an Armorer’s workshop. This will change the room to have chests full of armor. Level 1 is not that great but if I can get it to level 2 or 3 you get more chests and you can get more stuff overall.

I managed to get the kill to change this room into an Armorer’s workshop. That is at least something that could add some value and decent drops if I can further get it upgraded later on. While I don’t view this one as an amazing opportunity as I’ve never made much out of them it is still better than a number of other possible rooms I could have ended up with.

With just seconds left on the timer, I also use the key I found to open the door to Corruption Chamber. This now makes the room accessible and will make it easier to connect other rooms to the starting branch as well. If they don’t have a path back to the entrance then you can’t access them unless you have a room with explosives as a reward.

Second Incursion

The next one is a room in the second row on the far left of the temple. I get the opportunity to kill an Architect to upgrade it into a barracks that increase pack size further. My other options are to kill one that rerolls this room into a storage room. Storage rooms get chests filled with random stuff from best I can tell. As such, I won't go for this option.

This room is not connected to any others so Indeed to find the key in the time limit and get to a door that would help me. The only room that is connected at this point of time to the entrance that I can reach is corruption chamber. If I can’t make it to that door in time I’ll try for another to give me at least a chance if I land in another room next to this one (its random) that I could connect that instead to link this one up.

With the amount of time I had left while almost getting killed. I not only failed to kill the Architect I wanted I also did not get to the door I wanted in time. So ended up connecting it to the Trap Workshop. So far this route is not connected to the entrance and could be worthless if I don’t get another room to connect them to.

Third Incursion

I got a middle room again Armorer’s Workshop. The plan here is to upgrade it to level 2 making it armory. While I also want to connect this room going up the temple right next to it is the Jeweler’s Workshop and that could be a big payout for me. To the goal here is to get the room on the left or one above connected. There could also be more than one key drop so I could get more than just one connection.

I was able to kill the correct Architect in time upgrading this to a level 2 making it an Armory. I, however, could not get to the Jeweler’s Workshop door in time so I connected further up the temple to the Sacrificial chamber.

I now have 8 remaining attempts to connect to the apex and get to jeweler’s workshop while also hoping I can get some upgrade on it.

Fourth Incursion

As we can see from the layout I just need connect that one room at the top to the apex to have access to it during my run. They also tempted me very heavily in wanting to reroll this room as Surveyor’s Study where maps drop out of chests in the room. However, Sacrificial Chamber lets you risk a unique for another random one and I prefer to go for that instead. I don’t quite recall what the rewards are for upgrading this room so we will have to see if I’m able to get it done in time.

This one went decently while I was not able to clear out all the trash in this incursion. I did manage to upgrade this to a level two and it is now a Hall of Offering. On top of that, I connected to the Apex of Atzoatl. So now my final run could have me killing the temple's boss.

Fifth Incursion

This one I have the chance to connect the one I missed on getting on Second Incursion so that is going be my primary goal this time around. I can connect either to the Barracks or Trap Workshop so having two possible points is even better. While I really want to connect to the Jeweler’s Workshop I’ll leave that as a reserve option if I don’t think I’ll have enough time to get to the other doors.

I’m also just going upgrade this to a level 2 room as I would like the opportunity if it happens to find out what the level 3 is. This, however, is not my main goal here. If I can kill the Architect with a fair amount of time on the clock around 20 or so seconds when I engage him then I’ll go for it. If not I’ll skip and see if I can go back around.

Right away the stone key dropped while in the fifth incursion so I made a mad dash towards to bottom of the room to unlock it. I then cleared my way back up building time on the clock and took out the correct Architect upgrading the room to level 2 and making it a Catalyst of Corruption.

Every time you run an incursion you get showered in loot at the end of it as it spews out in the zone you enter from in my case a map. The higher the zone and the more you killed increase how drops. You can get currency, unique(s) and a bunch of other items. I love getting rare amulets or rings as a reward.

Sixth Incursion

Landing on the Tomb room does not sound so fun. It increases the speed of the monsters and upgrading it would just be a Royal Meeting room whatever that is. Rerolling this room opens up an amazing one – Vault. While a level 1 vault is not very rewarding you never know what the RNG gods have in store for you. That is going be the main goal here. Trying to connect the room to the workshop is not a big deal if I don’t make it.

If you thought I would let anything get in my way of making that a Vault room you don’t know me very well. I was like a goblin making a mad dash for a gold coin. I did not find the stone key in time but I was more than fine with that.

I have 5 incursions remaining. Now if I can only get that Vault room again so I can upgrade it. I also still want to get my hands on that Jeweler’s Workshop. That is just the fun of the temple you never know what the next incursion will get you to unlock or not.

Seventh Incursion

We get the opportunity this run to try and make this a level 3 room upgrading the barracks into a Hall of War. Sound wonderful packed filled with rays of sunshine if you ask me. It looks like this just further increase the pack size inside of the temple. I was hoping it would provide an extra bonus for its final upgrade. Will have to see how that affects my run if I’m able to get the kill in time

This run also gives me the opportunity to connect the jeweler's workshop. If you could not tell already I want this badly as it could provide some decent returns if I have luck. This room only has this as its last door to unlock. It’s only a shame the Architect I need to kill is also next to the door I need to open. As I'll have to avoid killing the wrong one which with my damage output could be an issue since my summing army has a mind of its own and I can’t just tell them “don’t kill that one!” Wish me luck.

I got into the room and went south hoping to pick up some kills to increase time on the clock. Sadly there where not any creatures but one pack to clear before the one we did not want kill was right there charging at me wanting to fight. I made a mad dash back up north in the room and the timer was counting down. 5 seconds left and I was not in range of anything at all. I went even further north into the room and with just 2 seconds to spare I took out a massive pack of mobsters. In my rush, I forget to get a screenshot. Along in that pack was the stone key to unlock the door I needed and the guy I needed to take out for making it a level 3 room.

After this, I had enough time on the clock to go into the smaller rooms and do a full clear. As you can see from the screenshot of when it as done. The game spewed out loads of loot. Sadly there was nothing in it that I wanted. I took the scroll of wisdom and portal scrolls as my consolation prize. I know how some players hate collecting those two items so I thought why not.

Eight Incursion

Get to run the Gemcutter’s Workshop and since I don’t mind getting more gems I’ll take it up on its offer and try to make it a level 2 room. An interesting mechanic one of the rooms we got an option of rolling this one as a Explosives room. It lets you loot an item and blow a passageway while you are doing the final run on the temple if you get it. That can be used to connect a room or even I think to get to the apex. Most times I use it to get into the vault or another high-value room if need be. This time around the two rooms that are not connected workshop and sparing room I don’t care much for. So I’ll just go with upgrading this room to level 2 if I can while instead.

I had a double stone key drop in this one. Shame I had no need for it! The room now has been upgraded to level 2 and I got the door to unlock into the workshop. That room does increase item yield so if I can get an upgrade on it before we are done with my final remaining 3 Incursion that be great. I would prefer to land on Vault again or make it an of level 2 along with a few other rooms into level 3.

Ninth Incursion

Landed in the Jeweler’s Workshop this is getting exiting! I can either try and go for the upgrade to level 2 or turn it into a hatchery. Personally, I don’t fully understand the hatchery as I think it just adds minions. Either way that not really something I want from this. I also have all rooms around this already connected to the main path. While there are 3 doors to unlock I don’t need them and I’m not even going think about getting those. I kind of like having dead ends in my temple run so I don’t get too lost or skip over a room because it was a circle route.

Its upgrades to level 2 and even Alva Valai was so happy she told me she can’t wait to see what I get. I don’t know about you but I got a good feeling about hitting that room in my final descent of the temple.

Tenth Incursion

Has anyone ever said lucky number 10? I don’t think so but I’m now making it a thing. Next room I get to run again is Jeweler and I hope to make it level 3. That would allow me to rain down rings and amulets where I’m hoping it’s mostly amulets.

Naturally, I got the right kill with lots of time to spare. This room is now a level 3 and called a Glittering Halls. Oh, it's going glitter and shine and make me stinking rich if the RNG gods let me have my way! This room looks to be where my biggest rewards without a lot of luck elsewhere would come from. With a bunch of amulets, I’ll be able to use a vendor to turn all other parts of rare sets I I’m just missing the amulet for into 2 Chaos Orbs per complete set!

Eleventh Incursion

The last one is not going be anything special. Landed on Trap Workshop and the roll option Flame Workshop is not that great either. The first one adds a trap to the temple and the other adds fire damage to the monsters. I might as well upgrade the trap one to see how that affects the inside since I've only ever had trap level 1.

It was so dense with the monster I ended up getting killed. How bazaar and an odd twist of fate in the end! Well, I guess that works as well I really was not looking to get anything done in that room anyways.

Temple Run

Finally after 11 incursions into the past to make changes to the temple in upgrading rooms, connecting them and trying to get better rooms. It is now time to clear it and hope for some goodies to drop. As we can see from the final map before I open the portal to it that I got two level 3 rooms, some level 2’s and I have a pathway up into the Apex!

There are four areas I won't to get to and clear if I’m able to. You only get six entry’s into the temple so deaths or having to leave for unloading loot will increase the risk of missing out on something else if you run out of portals to get back in. The ones I want are Vault (shame only level 1), Glittering Halls, Hall of Offerings, and Apex of Atzoatl

Since I was able to bring Alva Valai into my hideout I’ve only been doing the final runs from inside there. That way there no issues with maps or anything else putting further restrictors on how many times I can leave a map to portal back in just to use another portal. It just makes it faster to unload loot as well.

There are a couple of rooms I won’t go too much into detail as I just clear them of trash and moved on. Most of the time they don’t really drop anything of high value. Still, some random junk to pick up and vendor but that is about it.

As I clear out any trash and the unique monsters that come along with these rooms I keep an eye out for the Stone Coffers. They are holding what I truly want out of this place. I first do a full clear of the room so I don’t get distracted and killed by anything awing at anything that dropped.

Vault Level 1

Since this is connected to the main entrance after I clear the first room and left a portal in case I died I went straight for it. As you can tell the room designs are shown to be just littered with gold and other treasure lining the floors, and walls.

While I got quite a few chests with some drops in them. Since this was only a level one room there were not that many chests to find and open. Not to mention they did not carry anything very existing or worth a lot. Still, it was nice to get some currency drops.

Hall of Offerings Level 2

As I do for all the rooms I did a full clear first. Just to get anything out of the way that wants to take me out.

This one was a total let down but unless you hit it big more times than not this room will be. I went up to the Table of Sacrifice and gave it whatever junk unique I had with me at the time. In return, I got an Aurumvorax Basket Rapier—worthless! I’ll hold onto it for next time I get one of these kinds of rooms.

There are a couple of different kinds of rooms like this one. Some have claimed to get the Headhunter belt or other amazing and hard to get unique. If I ever get that belt it will be the most expensive item I’ve ever acquired and it is one of my goals to find or buy one during a league. The belt itself gives you the mods of rare packs you have killed for a short time. Makes you very powerful as you pick up the random things they had like increased speed, damage, life, resistance, and other things.

Traps Workshop Level 1

Since I have this room it adds between the doorways a bunch of traps among other places as well. You just need to pay attention to. They are not very strong and won’t kill you the first hit since they are just simple spikes that raise and then go back down. Being silly around them could take you out. So that is just something I have to keep in mind.

They are more or less just a slight annoyance. I did go down into that room as well to clear it but nothing good. For the most part rooms like that can really be skipped. There not much expected out of them. As far as I’m aware there no benefit from clearing it out either. With the expectation that something could drop but anything can drop items.

Glittering Halls Level 3

I know the one I’ve been waiting for the most since it’s an upgraded room! I saved sharing about this one for second to last since the other rooms did not yield much and this just leaves us with the final room. While the room is on a dead end and requires a fair amount of backtracking I don’t mind for this one!

All in all this room was not too bad of a haul. My biggest room for this run so far. I looted one unique amulet that was worthless. Another was corrupted that I’ll hang on for myself and maybe use it on an alt when I get around to playing other classes. This leaves me with three rare amulets and along with other stuff I had sitting in my bank I’ll get 6 Chaos Orbs out of it. I really was hoping for more but I’ll take it.

Since my inventory was getting near full I shortly after made my third or so trip out of the temple back to my stash to just dump everything into an empty space. I also died once up to this point. So I was starting to get low on portals back into the temple.

Apex of Atzoatl

The end of my temple run but for who? Many have struggled to get this far. Often on many of my runs, I don’t get the chance to even see The Vaal Omnitect. He can drop some powerful items. Overall not a very hard boss fight to learn. He is a rather ugly looking mechanical thing and the faster it meets it’s Vaal creators the better.

I summon up my skeleton army and I go in for the charge. I burn The Vaal Omnitect down to around 50% life. After that point, he stops hovering around the ground and goes into a shielded phase. During that time a bunch of minions spawns and you need to kill them before they reach to him. He will absorb them and use them for healing back up some life.

While that was going on I used my Vaal Skeleton skill to amass a massive army. I wanted to make sure to take out any remaining minions he spawned and to ensure a quick death once he gets out of this phase. After that, he starts to have beams of energy like strings coming out and connecting to him that harm you if you touch them. He also does damage that comes in waves that you try and dodge as they come and go.

At the end, not a very long fight. My army did a fast job at taking him out. The unique have noticed that drop showing in the screenshot with that colored brownish called Paua Amulet ended up being a league specific drop. It’s called a Sacrificial Heart and while it’s a great leveling item as it provides lots of flat damage it also drops like candy and holds little selling value.

Results

Other than an amazing time the loot was ok. Nothing crazy like some people seems to be getting. I had a couple of ok rooms but nothing to jump up and down over. Perhaps in a future update on my progress, I’ll have something better to show.

The loot I took out myself filled almost an entire stash slot. I think I ended up getting between 12 to 15 Chaos Orbs from all that between sales and sending it to the vendor. Nothing too crazy in fact some might not even want spend time to run the temple if that was all they were getting. Since I’m not specialized into trying to make lots of currency per hour I find this was a decent amount to walk away with. Not quite sure how long it took as I’ve never timed it.

Information

Screenshots were taken and content written by @enjar. Screenshots are from a game called Path of Exile.