The Atlas of Worlds is the endgame map system of Path of Exile. You gain access to the Atlas of Worlds once you get access to your own Map Device after completing some tasks for Commander Kirac during the Epilogue of the Campaign. The Atlas of Worlds is a series of maps linked together that players can progress through up to the highest tiers. You explore and discover the Atlas by running maps using the Map Device in a hideout. It is composed of 115 different Maps connected to each other, but it is often updated and shuffled around.
There are a few mechanics tied to the Atlas that you will discover as you progress, namely Favoured Map Slots, Voidstones and Atlas Passive Loadouts. To learn more about the basics of the Atlas and how to progress through it, check out our dedicated Atlas Progression Guide!
The Atlas of Worlds
To access your Atlas of Worlds, use the hotkey "G". Here is what it looks like:
- 1 – Maps
- 2 – Searchbar
- 3 – Favoured Map Slots
- 4 – Master Missions
- 5 – Pinnacle Bosses Beacons
- 6 – Voidstones
- 7 – Atlas Passive Tree
Click on any point of this list to find an explanation about it!
Atlas Maps
Maps (1) are items that open portals to endgame layouts filled with monsters to kill and collect loot from. Maps start at Tier 1 and end at Tier 16. They are coloured depending on Tier:
- White Maps are Tier 1-5
- Yellow Maps are Tier 6-10
- Red Maps are Tier 11-16
Maps start from the bottom of the Atlas and go all the way up, increasing in Tier along the way. Once you complete a Map’s Bonus Objective, it will gain a white outline on the atlas to indicate that you have completed it. Each Bonus Objective completed grants you an Atlas Passive Point. To learn more about Maps and how to roll them, consult our Atlas Progression Guide!
At the upper centre of the Atlas (2), there is a searchbar. This searchbar can be used to search for any Map on the Atlas. You can also search Maps by their Boss name which is useful if you want to know which Map you need to complete with a Divine Vessel to upgrade your Pantheon.
Atlas Favoured Map Slots
On the left side of your Atlas (3), you can see 12 slots to unlock called Favoured Map Slots. You can slot any Map of the Atlas into any of these slots to increase their drop rate of the Map by 10 times the base drop rate. It is interesting to note you can choose the same Map in all 12 slots in order to increase its drop rate weight by a colossal factor of 120! Here is the list of the slots you can unlock:
- Complete a Tier 16 Map
- Defeat an Elder Guardian
- Defeat a Shaper Guardian
- Defeat a Conqueror of the Atlas
- Defeat Sirus, Awakener of Worlds
- Defeat Venarius in the Cortex
- Defeat The Shaper
- Defeat The Elder in The Shaper's Realm
- Defeat The Maven
- Defeat The Eater of Worlds
- Defeat The Searing Exarch
- Complete Maven's Invitation: The Feared
Also note that “The Elder in the Shaper's Realm” means the Uber Elder. These Favoured Map Slots require you to take down most Endgame Bosses in Path of Exile. However, you only need to be in the area when the Boss is defeated, meaning you can get help/carries to unlock them!
Kirac Master Missions
On the right side of the Atlas (4) as well as on your Map Device, there is an icon you can activate to complete one of Kirac's Missions. There is no limit to how many Kirac Missions you can store.
This is also where you access your Atlas Passive Loadouts on the left. Use these to quickly and easily switch between farming strategies.
Pinnacle Boss Beacons
In the lower centre of your Atlas (5), you can see Pinnacle Bosses' Beacons; The Maven, The Searing Exarch and The Eater of Worlds. They are unlocked by following the corresponding questlines, which start when you reach Yellow Maps and require you to complete Maps of constantly rising Tiers up to Tier 14+.
The Maven's Beacon allows The Maven to witness you defeat Map Bosses, in turn allowing you to complete her invitations. The Searing Exarch and The Eater of Worlds Beacons allow the Exile to encounter their influence in Maps, causing influenced monster packs to spawn in every Map.
Atlas Voidstones
At the lower centre of your Atlas (6) you'll see 4 socketable slots which are used to contain Voidstones. These Voidstones have 3 main perks:
- Voidstones increase the Tier of all Maps, up to having every Map at Tier 16 when all 4 Voidstones are socketed.
- They each grant the "Maps dropped in Areas have 25% chance to be 1 Tier higher" modifier.
- Additionally, they give a chance 0.4% chance per Voidstone for Tier 16 Maps to be converted into Tier 17 Maps.
Voidstones are the only way to farm every Map at Tier 16. To unlock them, you need to defeat most of the Pinnacle Bosses of Path of Exile:
- Decayed Voidstone - Defeat Uber Elder
- Ceremonial Voidstone - Defeat The Maven
- Grasping Voidstone - Defeat The Eater of Worlds
- Omniscient Voidstone - Defeat The Searing Exarch
The Voidstone drops when you defeat the Boss. If you forget to pick it up, Kirac can give it back to you. Each of these Voidstones are also tied to a quest rewarding you with an Atlas Book of Skill giving you 1 Atlas Passive Skill Tree Point and 2 Atlas Refund Passive Points.
Atlas Passive Tree
In the upper left corner, the star icon (7) lets you access the Atlas Passive Tree. you can also use the Hotkey "Control + G" to access it instantly. This is where you spend your Atlas Passive Points and build your farming strategies. For more information, consult our Atlas Passive Tree Guide as well as our Currency Farming Section! The other icon right to the Atlas Passive Tree button is for the Kirac's Battle Pass, allowing you to earn exclusive unique item skins with a twist for completing Atlas Objectives!
Map Device
The Map Device is a cornerstone tool of Path of Exile's endgame used to launch Maps and various endgame content. The player's first experience with it is during Act 7 in the Chamber of Sins Level 1 for the Essence of the Artist quest, which acts as a backdoor tutorial for the Map Device. After defeating Kitava in Act 10, you meet Commander Kirac on the Karui Shores who grants you access to a Map Device in your personal hideout.
The first thing you need to know about the Map Device is that it requires... Maps. They start dropping in Act 8 during the Campaign, but they are fairly rare at this point of the game.
The Map Device has 4 receptacle slots which are used to insert the Maps and Fragments you want to engage with. Maps open 6 portals to an area with a specific Layout and Map Boss. Fragments can be standalone items like Breachstones or The Maven's Writ. However, they can also be part of a set of 4 fragments, for instance Al-Hezmin's Crest, Baran's Crest, Drox's Crest & Veritania's Crest form the Crest of the Elderslayers Set which is used to open portals to Sirus, Awakener of Worlds.
When used in conjunction with a Map, Atziri Fragments (Sacrifice Set) grant 5% Increased Quantity of Items found while other Fragments grant 10% Increased Quantity of Items Found. You can also use Scarabs with your Maps to add specific League Mechanics to them, which is one of the main ways to juice up Maps. Finally, you can use a Divine Vessel in conjunction with specific Maps in order to capture certain Bosses' Souls to upgrade Pantheon Powers.
Map Device Modifiers
One of the main perks Kirac grants to Exiles is access to various Map Device modifiers. By default, he gives you up to 8% Increased Quantity of Items found for free. For a specific Chaos Orb amount, he can add special league mechanic modifiers to your Maps.
Completing Atlas Objectives in the Atlas of Worlds unlocks the league modifiers and increases the base quantity modifier. The modifiers available rotate every league.
Fortune Favours the Brave is always available and applies a random league modifier available during the patch to your Map, including those you have not yet unlocked. Kirac’s inventory is also reset every time you reach a new Atlas Objective threshold.
Map Device Fifth Slot
It is possible to upgrade your Map Device to get a fifth slot. In order to do so, you need to complete a Non-Valdo's Tier 17 Map. It also allows you to use one more Fragment or Scarab to buff your Maps which is important for endgame farming to add even more juice to your Maps.
Summary
While the Atlas of Worlds and the Map Device can look like very intimidating game systems, they are fairly intuitive once you know what they are meant for. Now that you know everything about them, go check our Atlas Progression Guide to understand how to progress through the Path of Exile endgame!
Credits
Written by Chewingnom.
Reviewed by Palsteron & Raxxanterax.