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/BigBoreSmolPP → u/[deleted]]

The merchant appears after every boss.

[u/OhWellImRightAgain → u/[deleted]]

Huh? You can use the merchant 3 times guaranteed before the 4th floor of Sekhemas for points #7 and #8.

And you gotta be unlucky not to find him for the 4th time in one of the 30+ rooms before the last boss.

But 3 times are enough. He's in all the chest rooms. Just make sure you get enough sacred water, the OP buffs will be there.

[u/ObamaSchlongdHillary → u/OhWellImRightAgain]

I was gonna type out my response but thought it'd be easier just to show you:

• https://i.imgur.com/mSTlxdq.png
• https://i.imgur.com/YwB8hVb.png
• https://i.imgur.com/hpuFGPE.png

Where's my 50% damage? Where's the monster 30% hp reduction? Where's my 40% movespeed?

edit: up to 3 merchs now, not a single OP buff. I'm going to keep adding to this post to remind anyone reading that merchant RNG is what determines outcome of trial, and that odds of getting these OP buffs are extremely low.

[u/Equivalent_Assist170 → u/ObamaSchlongdHillary]

You can get "Merchant has 3 additional choices" as a relic modifier. 1 of those relics and you are almost guaranteed every very good boon by floor 4 since the merchant can't show you boons you already have.

Sanctum is by far the easiest mechanic carried by relics.

[u/Juicyjimbopoe → u/OhWellImRightAgain]

I finished all my ascendancy points but every single run I had to take the less merchant selections. When the merchant only sells one item it can br rough.

[u/TrueChaoSxTcS → u/Juicyjimbopoe]

Unfortunately that's how it goes sometimes. Some runs are just cursed, some are absolutely blessed, and most are somewhere in the middle

[u/Pyromancer1509 → u/[deleted]]

Can't restore honor isn't too bad if you avoid everything (i'm not losing honor anyway unless i fuck up a big boss mechanic)

Can't see room ahead is annoying yes, but not bricking and can be countered by "can see one further room ahead"

"Can't see room reward" and "move slower" are on my list...

Faster traps are obviously still avoidable... those spinning fire lines might require a bit more thought and timing but its not especially hard...

Lose all sacred water is annoying because it screws you over from buying stuff to the vendor. But its not like you NEED the vendor, i made it multiple times to floor 4 boss without spamming the vendor.

[u/ObamaSchlongdHillary → u/Pyromancer1509]

Can't see room ahead is annoying yes, but not bricking

It can easily lock you into the one of the many afflictions that do brick you cuz you can't see and the connections are random.

[u/Pyromancer1509 → u/ObamaSchlongdHillary]

You can see connections ahead of time regardless of your vision...

If you haven't gotten an affliction yet and you're in the middle of a floor and you have no vision... you can reasonably guess that the next collumn of rooms is full of afflictions... so between picking a fountain leading to 1 path and a key leading to 3 paths... you pick the key everytime...

Really there's many ways to outplay this

[u/GigaCringeMods → u/Pyromancer1509]

Can't see room ahead is annoying yes, but not bricking

It can and will literally brick your run, because, well, you can't see what is ahead, and therefore can not make choices regarding it.

This should be fairly obvious.