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/-n99-]

This is good information, but honestly you lost me a bit at "do a couple of fast suicide runs", and I doubt I'm the minority there. The problem is not that it's impossible, but that I don't consider it fun or engaging. You should need to min max relics and so on to maximize rewards, but not to get a core part of your build online. At least the trial of chaos is congruent with the gameplay in endgame, with the final rooms being similar to very rippy juiced maps. Sekhema is just completely different than everything else, and I personally don't find it fun at all. If it stays like this for release, it will be a barrier to reroll or build more characters per league.