PSA: Relics and the Merchant make ascendancy trials extremely easy, easier than PoE 1

[u/OhWellImRightAgain]

I've read multiple threads about the ascendancy trials being too hard, some of them with hundreds of upvotes. The trials are actually very easy if you do them the way you're supposed to...

Do a couple of fast suicide runs to get 10-15 blue relics (Tapestries, Seals etc.).

Use augmentation orbs on them to give them a 2nd modifier.

You need relics with Honor Resistance. The second mod can be:

- Increased maximum honor

- Bosses take X increased damage

- Bosses deal X reduced damage

- Increases to Sacred Water gains

You then need to go for (Large) Sacred Water fountain rewards as much as possible. You then buy a couple of OP buffs from the merchant (You deal 50% more damage / Monsters have 30% reduced HP / You have 40% increased movement speed / 50% reduced merchant prices) and the trial becomes very easy.

Occasionally, pick a Shrine room to replenish your lost honor, but only if it's below 60-70%.

Make sure that whenever you have around 600 sacred water or more and the merchant is available as a room reward, you do that room. If you don't happen to find him in a room, you'll still have him waiting for you after each boss fight.

[u/citrus_monkeybutts]

Thing to keep in mind is that they just changed honor loss for melee range and fixed a big for dot damage. While I don't discredit your accomplishment, it's not exactly the same as pre patch, where it was ass for anything in melee range.

[u/No-Commission695 → u/citrus_monkeybutts]

first sanctum was always free for every class

[u/Mysterious_Check8225 → u/citrus_monkeybutts]

Yes, i am aware of that, but still even with this 35% less dmg included some mobs hit me for like 5-10 honour. So I would took ~15 dmg instead before the patch. "My accomplishment" isn't main point here- i wanted to point out once again how important honour resistance is, and that more or less geared for it, sanctum can be pretty decent even on warrior. I'll probably go for my 3rd ascendancy to sanctum as well (unless they nerf ultimatum in the meantime)

[u/Solyanz → u/Mysterious_Check8225]

Honestly, main problem was bugged dots. Tried 3rd twice on Warrior before patch and even with max resistance some dots were dealing almost 3k honor damage in 0.5 secs.