TL;DR
- Sanctum runs test your resolve through four floors of tactical decisions
- Aureus coins enable strategic purchases while Accursed Pacts offer high-risk power
- Relics provide persistent upgrades and Sanctified Relics transform your build
- Boss encounters yield exclusive rewards including new unique items and currency
- Atlas improvements reduce respec needs while new gems expand combat options
“Many have met their fate here, in the shade of Fellshrine. So step lightly. But here, you are bound by new rules. My rules! Each step with gold to tempt you. A foe to wound you. A curse to spite you. But do not give up! For vast riches await the bold. Pillage this Sanctum if you must. And one day you may uncover its secrets…”
Exiles, prepare for an unprecedented challenge! Path of Exile 3.20: The Forbidden Sanctum arrives December 9th (PST) on PC, with console deployment following on December 14th. This expansion introduces a revolutionary roguelike experience that will test your strategic thinking like never before.
The December expansion delivers the Sanctum challenge league alongside substantial endgame refinements. You’ll discover two new Skill Gems, seven Vaal Skill Gems, and over 15 new Unique Items. Significant balance adjustments impact jewels, hexes, monster modifiers, and unique weapons. Additionally, Ruthless mode offers an optional hardcore experience with extreme item scarcity for those seeking ultimate challenge.

Enter the Forbidden Sanctum
Beneath Fellshrine’s ruins lies the Forbidden Sanctum, an ancient Templar enclave abandoned for centuries. Now dominated by a malevolent presence, this mysterious domain demands thorough investigation and confrontation with its dark inhabitants.
Test Your Resolve
Upon entering, you’ll access a partial map revealing only immediate chambers ahead. Limited intelligence about room contents and potential rewards necessitates careful planning, as every misstep depletes your resolve. Once resolve reaches zero, your expedition concludes abruptly. Each attempt pushes you to advance further through four progressively difficult floors than previous runs.

Adapt or Die
Sanctum chambers conceal numerous secrets. Ancient fountains provide sanctuary spots where you can recover partial resolve. Malevolent forces will curse you with accumulating afflictions that progressively hinder advancement. Conversely, you may receive beneficial boons and blessings that assist in overcoming sanctum dangers. Every expedition features unique room configurations requiring constant tactical reassessment.
The Gold Aureus
Within the sanctum, you’ll discover Aureus coins, the ancient Templar commercial currency. These gold pieces appear in treasure containers and drop from defeated enemies. While Aureus remains confined to the sanctum, you can exchange them with occasional merchants. Strategic Aureus expenditure becomes crucial for acquiring pivotal boons at critical moments.
The Accursed Pact
The malevolent forces governing the sanctum periodically present Accursed Pacts. These agreements deliver substantial advantages at perilous prices. Despite the powerful temptation, exercise extreme caution in selection. Your chosen outcome could either terminate your sanctum expedition or dramatically shift success trajectory.

The Currency Offer
Numerous sanctum chambers present choices between immediate PoE currency acquisition or deferred larger rewards. Postponing gains until completing the current floor or entire sanctum introduces substantial risk. Losing resolve before reaching objectives nullifies all accumulated deferred rewards. This risk-reward dynamic challenges whether you’ll embrace potential great returns or secure existing acquisitions.
Uncover Templar Relics
During exploration, you’ll encounter special altars for placing Templar relics. These artifacts provide persistent power boosts across multiple sanctum attempts. Their sustained enhancement proves essential for progressively deeper vault penetration. As your relic collection grows, strategic selection and altar arrangement become critical progression factors.
You may also find Sanctified Relics, exceptionally rare variants that directly influence character builds. While limited to one equipped Sanctified Relic, their benefits extend beyond sanctum boundaries, granting Templar power throughout Wraeclast.
Defeat The Sanctum’s Guardians
The Forbidden Sanctum hosts numerous boss encounters, including random mini-boss fights, floor-specific guardians, and a climactic confrontation with the entity controlling the domain. These challenging battles produce valuable loot including relics, Aureus coin caches, substantial experience, new unique items, and additional rewards.
The Atlas Endgame
The Atlas passive tree received significant enhancements, eliminating respec requirements between mapping and boss elimination phases. Players can now specialize deeper into preferred content styles. New Atlas Memories introduce Domination and Bestiary themes with 9 additional Beast-crafting formulas. GGG also rebalanced Eldritch Altars and established Maven-witnessed map bosses as reliable Awakened Gem sources.
New Powerful Gems
The Forbidden Sanctum expansion introduces two new skill gems alongside seven Vaal variants. Volcanic Fissure represents a fiery Slam ability striking the ground to create snaking fissures toward targets. These eventually erupt into flaming projectiles that detonate upon impact. Frozen Legion creates a circular formation of frozen statues attacking with your weapon damage. Their sweeping ice slashes can overlap for concentrated damage.
New Unique Items
Players can discover over 15 new unique items throughout the league across Wraeclast and Atlas regions. GGG substantially enhanced power and rarity for 10 existing endgame unique weapons, elevating them to iconic Path of Exile item status.
Final Thoughts
Path of Exile 3.20’s Forbidden Sanctum delivers exceptional content worthy of anticipation and extensive playtime. We eagerly await reuniting with fellow exiles in Wraeclast come December 9th.
Action Checklist
- Master resolve management by prioritizing fountain rooms and avoiding unnecessary combat
- Develop Aureus spending strategy focusing on critical boons rather than immediate purchases
- Optimize relic altar configuration based on your build requirements and sanctum progression goals
- Practice boss mechanics in earlier floors to prepare for final guardian encounters
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