Once you’ve completed your first playthrough of Path of Exile 2 and find yourself waking up on the beach once again, it’s time to tackle Cruel difficulty—an escalated challenge that reintroduces Acts 1, 2, and 3 with tougher enemies, reduced resistances, and the pathway to the endgame. In this guide, we’ll explore the key changes, strategic tips, and how to efficiently progress through Cruel difficulty.

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Key Changes in Cruel Difficulty

1. Resistance Penalties:
   • Upon entering Cruel difficulty, your elemental resistances are reduced by 10% across the board.
   • Chaos resistance remains unaffected initially but becomes crucial towards the endgame.
2. Permanent Buffs and Repeats:
   • All permanent buffs from Normal difficulty return in Cruel, but some have altered options.
   • Reacquire buffs like +10% cold resistance by completing key side quests again.
3. Act 2 Changes:
   • In the Valley of the Giants, you now choose between:
     • 30% increased charm charges.
     • 15% increased life recovery from flasks (recommended).
   • In the Venom Crips:
     • New buff choices:
       • +10% Chaos Resistance.
       • +5 to all attributes.
       • 15% reduced slowing potency of debuffs.
     • Recommended: Chaos Resistance for long-term survival.

Making the right choices early on can greatly influence your survivability in the endgame.

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Tips for Efficient Progression in Cruel

1. Maintain Higher Levels:

• Ensure you’re at or above the area’s level to prevent falling behind.
• Full clearing one zone per act can help keep your level on track.

2. Focus on Movement Speed:

• Look for boots with +15% or more movement speed from vendors.
• Faster movement allows easier dodge mechanics and smoother map clears.

3. Gear Upgrades from Vendors:

• Every level up refreshes vendor stock.
• Prioritize gear with:
  • Elemental resistances.
  • Movement speed.
  • Rarity of items found (for better drops in endgame).

Pro Tip: Visit merchants in earlier acts even in Cruel for varied stock.

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Optimizing Gear and Currency

1. Gold Jewelry:

• Prioritize increased rarity affixes on jewelry.
• Gold-based accessories can significantly boost item drops in endgame maps.

2. Currency Exchange Tips:

• Use Exalted Orbs for trading instead of crafting post-Cruel.
• Purchase lesser Jeweler orbs for additional support gem slots.

3. Valorbs for Early Power Boost:

• Use Valorbs on low-level skill gems for a chance at extra support slots.
• Warning: Corrupted gems cannot be altered further.

These strategies ensure a steady gear upgrade path without wasting crucial resources.

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Dealing with Cruel Difficulty Bosses

1. Increased Damage:
   • Bosses in Cruel hit significantly harder.
   • Prioritize stun and elemental penetration for smoother fights.
2. Boss Strategy:
   • Circle and bait: Move strategically to exploit long animations.
   • Stack element penetration to bypass resistances.
3. Resistances and Armor:
   • Ensure 75% or higher elemental resistances.
   • Invest in armor nodes on the passive skill tree to mitigate burst damage.

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Ascendancy Trials in Cruel

1. New Requirements:

• Ascendancy trials now require higher area levels and more trials.
• Example:
  • Seus Trial: Area level 65+, 3+ trials.
  • Chaos Trial: Area level 75+, 7+ trials.

2. How to Check:
   • Ascendancy coins now clearly state if they provide points.
   • Focus on trials with higher area levels to ensure ascendancy point rewards.

Completing these trials unlocks powerful ascendancy perks, making them a top priority.

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Preparing for the Endgame

1. Stockpile Exalted Orbs:
   • Save exalted orbs for trading high-value items in the endgame.
   • Avoid spending them on minor upgrades or crafting.
2. Waystones and Map Device:
   • Start collecting Waystones in Act 3 of Cruel.
   • Use these to access endgame maps efficiently.
3. Identifying the Burning Monolith:
   • Key quest to unlock Iron, Copper, and Stone Citadels.
   • Complete these to progress deeper into the endgame.

Efficient management of resources and proper preparation can make your transition to the endgame much smoother.

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Conclusion

Cruel difficulty in Path of Exile 2 is a significant step up from Normal, demanding better gear, more strategic play, and careful management of resources. By focusing on movement speed, optimizing gear through vendors, and preparing for the endgame with efficient currency management, you’ll ensure a smoother transition into the Atlas and beyond. Stay vigilant, Exile, and may your path be paved with powerful drops!