The Runes of Aldur league is live in Path of Exile 2, and the challenge system is back with 8 objectives standing between you and a full cosmetic armor set. These challenges range from straightforward campaign boss kills to endgame Atlas completion, so knowing which ones to prioritize early saves a lot of backtracking.
What are the Runes of Aldur challenges?
Each league in Path of Exile 2 ships with a set of optional challenges tied to that league's mechanics and general progression milestones. Completing them earns cosmetic rewards, specifically the Knight of Aldur armor set pieces, unlocked progressively as you hit each challenge threshold. None of these rewards affect gameplay, but the full set is a solid flex for anyone who grinds through all 8.
For players newer to the game's systems, the early game tips and tricks guide covers the core mechanics you'll need before tackling the harder challenges here.
Runes of Aldur challenge list
All 8 Runes of Aldur challenges
Here's every challenge, what it requires, and the fastest path through each one.
The Runeseeker
This challenge is tied directly to the Runes of Aldur league mechanic. You need to inscribe runes from your Tome at Runic Remnants, completing inscriptions at the following lengths: 2 runes, 3 runes, 4 runes, 5 runes, 6 runes, and 7 or more runes. Start short and work up. Longer inscriptions require more preparation but you'll naturally progress through the tiers as you engage with the league mechanic across the campaign and early maps.
Don't skip Runic Remnants while leveling. Each encounter counts toward multiple tiers of this challenge, so engaging consistently is faster than farming them later.
The Hunter
You need to kill six specific campaign bosses:
- The Crowbell (Act 1, Hunting Grounds)
- Kabala, the Constrictor Queen (Act 2, Keth)
- Blackjaw, the Remnant (Act 3, Jiquani's Machinarium)
- Great White One (Act 4, Whakapanu Island)
- Akthi, the Final Sting (Interlude 2, The Khari Crossing)
- Andur, the Sandworm (Interlude 2, The Khari Crossing)
All of these are standard campaign bosses encountered during normal progression. Play through the story without skipping optional areas and this one completes itself.
The Ascendant
You need all 8 Ascendancy Points from the Trials of Ascendancy. The four trials unlock at specific points:
- First Trial: Unlocks in Act 2 after defeating Balbal the Traitor in Traitor's Passage
- Second Trial: Unlocks in Act 3 after entering the Temple of Chaos in Chimeral Wetlands
- Third Trial: Requires a Level 60+ Djinn Barya with three floors
- Fourth Trial: Requires a Level 75+ Djinn Barya with four floors, then defeat Zarok, the Temporal
The third and fourth trials require specific Djinn Barya items at minimum level thresholds. Don't burn a high-level Barya on a low-floor attempt, since you need the correct floor count to unlock the trial.
Ascendancy trial unlock screen
The Master
Reach Level 90 with any class. This is the longest grind of the eight challenges and the one most players will finish last. Playing on higher difficulty settings speeds up experience gain, so push into harder content as soon as your build can handle it. Check the best builds guide for the Runes of Aldur league if your current character is struggling to push past the mid-80s.
The Reliquarian
Identify 50 Unique Items. The tutorial grants 3 free identifications, leaving 47 to go. Stock up on Scrolls of Wisdom throughout the campaign and identify every Unique you find rather than vendoring them unidentified. Unique drops become more frequent in endgame maps, so this challenge pairs well with Atlas progression.
Never vendor unidentified Uniques. Even low-value ones count toward the 50 total, and the Scroll of Wisdom cost is negligible compared to the challenge progress.
The Artisan
You need to socket an item with each Veresium ingredient from this list:
- Adaptive Alloy
- Any Flux
- Cyclonic Alloy
- Expansive Alloy
- Celestial Alloy
- Runic Alloy
- Protective Alloy
- Swift Alloy
- Any Kalguurian Crest
- Exceptional Verisium
- Prismatic Alloy
- Mystic Alloy
- Sovereign Alloy
This is a crafting-focused challenge. If you're not already deep into the crafting system, the guide on crafting godlike weapons explains how Veresium ingredients work and where to source the rarer ones.
The Cartographer
Fully allocate the main Atlas Passive Tree by exploring the Atlas and defeating map bosses. This is a natural endgame goal that most dedicated players will hit while farming anyway. Prioritize clearing new map regions over replaying familiar ones to allocate nodes faster.
The Vanquisher
Kill the three Pinnacle Bosses:
- Vessel of Kulemak
- The Bodach
- Tangmazu
These are the hardest fights in the challenge list. Make sure your build is properly geared before attempting them. Pinnacle encounters punish under-prepared characters hard, and dying doesn't count as a kill.
The Vanquisher challenge is the one most likely to require a build change or significant gear investment. Clear the other seven challenges first and use the Atlas progression from The Cartographer to prepare your character before going for Pinnacle kills.
What rewards do you get for completing challenges?
Rewards unlock at each challenge milestone:
- 1 challenge: Runes of Aldur Challenger Statue
- 2 challenges: Second Challenger Statue and Knight of Aldur Boots
- 3 challenges: Third Challenger Statue
- 4 challenges: Fourth Challenger Statue and Knight of Aldur Gloves
- 5 challenges: Fifth Challenger Statue
- 6 challenges:Knight of Aldur Body Armor and Sixth Challenger Statue
- 7 challenges: Seventh Challenger Statue
- 8 challenges: Final Challenger Statue and Knight of Aldur Helmet
The armor pieces drop at milestones 2, 4, 6, and 8, so you can grab the boots and gloves relatively early without needing to complete everything. The helmet requires all 8, making it the true prestige reward.
Where should you start?
The Hunter and Reliquarian are free completions during a normal campaign playthrough. Knock those out first, grab the boots at 2 challenges, then focus on The Runeseeker and Ascendant as you move into early maps. Save The Vanquisher and The Master for last since both require serious endgame investment.
For a broader view of what changed in the patch that introduced this league, the PoE 2 patch 0.5 Return of the Ancients rundown covers the Atlas rework and new Ascendancies that directly affect how you approach several of these challenges. More guides covering every aspect of the game are available in the full Path of Exile 2 guides collection.