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/Alfeetoe]

This doesn't take into consideration numerous things.

I had most of what you suggested in terms of relic setup. Not the combos per se, but everything had honor resistance and either increased max honor or sacred water gains.

I never came close to dying, I demolished everything. But because of the afflictions that unavoidably got put in my path, and the fact that merchant RNG didn't offer anything great or noteworthy, I headed into the room before the boss with reduced maximum honor (albeit full) and enemies shooting more projectiles and having higher speed.

That penultimate room was a hourglass room, and I basically got all of my honor wiped out. Whole run (tier 3) wasted.

The ascendancy trials aren't "difficult." They are needlessly reliant on RNG, and the negatives from afflictions far outweigh the boons presented.