Path of Exile 2: How to become an Abyssal Lich

Path of Exile 2 Rise of the Abyssal introduced a new crafting system with Abyssal modifiers, but that wasn’t all. It turns out that weapons aren’t the only things you can transform at the Well of Souls. As a Lich, you can unlock a secret Ascendency after defeating the new Pinnacle boss. After all, defeating the primeval as a summoner should make you their successor.

While similar to the base Lich, the Abyssal variant has new Notables that may be more useful on your build. Being a secret Ascendancy, the journey towards it will not be an easy one. Here’s how you can ascend into one.

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How to unlock Abyssal Lich Ascendancy in Path of Exile 2

Kulemak's Invitation (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Unlocking the Abyssal Lich is a lengthy process. You’ll need to defeat the Abyss Pinnacle boss, Vessel of Kulemak, not one, but four times, with stacking modifiers that get deadlier after each fight.

However, before you start stacking that Energy Shield for the fight, there are a few requirements to gain access to the boss arena.

To get started, you must acquire Kulemak's Invitation by defeating Abyssal bosses. The drop isn’t guaranteed, but once you have it, the Well of Souls will have a new option to jump inside. Similar to entering the Abyssal Depts, the well will take you to the Black Cathedral. Note that you need to be a Lich to unlock the alternate Ascendancy.

The Black Cathedral is more challenging than Abyssal Depths (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

If you defeat the boss, you’ll have two options: ‘Steal a Lich's Power’ or ‘Take the Finger’. Selecting the latter will end the encounter, but if you plan to steal the boss’s power, the encounter will continue, and you’ll need to choose one of three modifiers that will apply to the revived boss.

To ascend into Abyssal Lich, you must fight the boss four times, with the first three times adding one modifier. On the fourth revive, you’ll get the option to ‘Return the Finger’ and defeat the boss for the last time for your reward.

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Lich vs Abyssal Lich: What’s the difference?

Lich can convert herself into Abyssal Lich (Image via YouTube/@Lundburgerr // Grinding Gear Games)

A majority of the passives, including Notables, are the same across Lich and Abyssal Lich. However, the Ascendancy changes four Notables. Here are the differences:

Lich Notables	What they do	Abyssal Lich Notables	What they do
Necromantic Conduit	- You and Allies in your Presence have Unholy Might while you are not on Low Mana. - Lose 5% of Mana per Second.	Umbral Well	Skeletal Minions you would create instead grant you Umbral Souls for each Minion you would have created.
Blackened Heart	4% increased Magnitude of Unholy Might buffs you grant per 100 maximum Mana.	Unwilling Offering	- Your Offerings can target Enemies in Culling range - Your Offerings affect you instead of your Minions - Offerings created by Culling Enemies have 1% increased Effect per Power of Culled Enemy.
Rupture the Soul	Cursed Enemies Killed by you or Allies in your Presence have a 33% chance to Explode, dealing a quarter of their maximum Life as Chaos Damage.	Rupture the Flesh	Cursed Enemies Killed by you or Allies in your Presence have a 33% chance to Explode, dealing a quarter of their maximum Life as Physical Damage.
Price of Power	Spells consume a Power Charge if able to deal 40% more Damage.	Steward of Kulemak	- Grants Skill: Abyssal Apparition. - Damaging Spells consume a Power Charge if able to trigger Abyssal Apparition.

Apart from the Ascendancy swap, you can also acquire a guaranteed unique ring called Grip of Kulemak, which can have up to four custom desecrated modifiers. Additionally, the boss could drop either the The Unborn Lich (unique staff) or Undying Hate (unique timeless jewel).

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Check out our other Path of Exile 2 guides and features:

• Path of Exile 2: What to do with the Shark Fin (Tribal Medicine)
• Path of Exile 2: Diamora Song of the Deep boss guide
• Path of Exile 2: Great White One boss guide
• Path of Exile 2: Scourge of the Skies boss guide