The Slithering Dead quest, featured in Path of Exile 2, tasks players with assisting Servi, a guide from the Ziggurat Encampment, as she seeks to uncover the mysteries surrounding a rival tribe and her son, Apus. Despite its relatively straightforward nature, players often find themselves perplexed by the reward selection, as the quest’s outcome hinges on a single choice among three potential rewards, which is both final and unchangeable.
Step-by-Step Guide for The Slithering Dead Quest
To initiate The Slithering Dead quest, navigate to the Jungle Ruins located in Act 3 (including Act 3 Cruel). The entrance to the Venom Crypts is conveniently situated right next to the Jungle Ruins Waypoint.
Within the Jungle Ruins map, players will find two exits: the Venom Crypts and the Infested Barrens. While the Infested Barrens lead deeper into the main storyline of Legacy of the Vaal, the Venom Crypts can easily be overlooked since they are not essential for advancing the main quest. Fortunately, if players miss the Crypts during their journey, they can still return to this area even after progressing into the endgame content.
Upon entering the Venom Crypts, explore the surroundings until you locate a Corpse within the Den of the Serpent Priestess. The precise location is randomized, as is characteristic of all maps in Path of Exile 2, but this area tends to be positioned away from the entrance.
Interact with the Corpse to automatically collect the Corpse-Snake Venom. Once you have obtained it, teleport back to the Ziggurat Encampment and deliver the Venom to Servi to successfully complete The Slithering Dead quest.
Selecting the Best Venom Draught Reward in The Slithering Dead Quest
The Slithering Dead is available twice: once in Act 3 and again in Act 3 Cruel, offering different rewards on each occasion. When interacting with Servi, you will need to select one of the three rewards carefully, keeping in mind that this decision is permanent. Below are the options for the initial Act 3 quest:
Reward Options for Act 3
|
Venom Draught of Stone |
Provides a 25% increase to Stun Threshold |
|---|---|
|
Venom Draught of the Veil |
Delivers a 30% increase to Elemental Ailment Threshold |
|
Venom Draught of Clarity |
Grants a 25% enhancement to Mana Regeneration Rate |
Choosing a reward is a critical decision you cannot reverse. For most players, the safest and most beneficial choice would be the Venom Draught of Clarity, which enhances Mana Regeneration by 25%. This option is particularly advantageous for melee classes such as Monks and Warriors, who often face challenges with insufficient mana regeneration during crucial moments in combat.
The Venom Draught of the Veil is the next best recommendation, especially for spellcasting classes like Witch and Sorceress, who are typically less concerned about mana issues. This reward significantly decreases the likelihood of suffering from status ailments like Bleed, Poison, Chill, Freeze, Ignite, Electrocute, or Shock.
In contrast, the Venom Draught of Stone is generally the least favorable option since Stun Threshold only alleviates the Stunned status effect, which occurs less frequently compared to other ailments. Nevertheless, some Warrior builds might find this reward preferable due to their struggles with being incapacitated.
Reward Options for Act 3 Cruel (Act 6)
During Act 3 Cruel, players will encounter another round of three distinct Venom Draught rewards:
|
Venom Draught of the Lost |
Provides +10% to Chaos Resistance |
|---|---|
|
Venom Draught of the Sky |
Grants +5 to All Attributes |
|
Venom Draught of the Marshes |
Offers 15% Reduced Slowing Potency of Debuffs applied to you |
This time, the choice is significantly clearer. Opting for the Venom Draught of the Lost, which grants a +10% boost to Chaos Resistance, stands out as the best option. Unlike elemental resistances—such as Fire, Lightning, and Cold—Chaos Resistance is notoriously challenging to accumulate since it appears less frequently on gear. For most builds, adding +10% to Chaos Resistance is a highly valuable advantage.
However, an exception applies for builds utilizing the Chaos Inoculation (CI) Node in the Passive Tree, which grants immunity to Chaos damage while reducing the character’s health pool to just 1. Typically combined with Eternal Youth to enable Life Flasks to work with Energy Shield, in such instances, the Venom Draught of the Sky with +5 to All Attributes may offer a better gain.
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