The Fate of the Vault mechanic in Path of Exile 2 has seen a major turnaround after GGG officially reverted the medallion lock nerf—one of the most controversial mid-league changes so far. In this PoE 2 Temple guide, we break down the top 2 best temple layouts after patch.

Path of Exile 2 Best Vaal Temple Farm 

Previously, Lock Medallions could only be used on Tier 3 rooms, which made it nearly impossible for new players to finish a full, optimized Vaal Temple. This created so-called “legacy temples”—players who had already built strong temples were safe, while everyone else was locked out. With the revert:

• Lock Medallions can once again be used freely

• Legacy temples no longer exist

• Anyone can now build a full, optimized temple from scratch

While some Path of Exile 2 items and effectiveness nerfs remain (notably Spy Masters swapping to Golems and reduced global effectiveness), temples are still extremely profitable, with fully optimized setups estimated at 40–50 Divines per run. Without further ado, let's check how to build Path of Exile 2 Vaal Temple.

PoE 2 Best Temple Layouts After the Buff

1. Russian Tech Temple Setup (High-End, Min-Max)

This is currently the most optimized PoE2 temple strategy available.

Pros

• Highest profit ceiling

• Extremely efficient room synergy

• Best for players pushing max returns late league

Cons

• Very hard to build

• Requires “Russian Tech” (advanced room routing, sacrifices, and timing)

• High time investment and planning

• Easy to mess up if you don’t know the order

There are multiple Russian Tech variants. One ultra-optimized version that sacrifices specific rooms (like Golem Works and Smoothies). One slightly easier variant that’s still very strong.

This Path of Exile 2 Temple setup is best for experienced temple builders, players with limited remaining league time who want maximum profit fast or people comfortable following complex planners step by step.

See POE2 temple planner

2. Simple Temple Setup (MilkyBK’s Layout – No Russian Tech)

This is the best recommendation for most players.

Pros

• No Russian Tech required

• Extremely easy to follow

• Much faster to build

• Very consistent profit

Cons

• Slightly less profit than fully min-maxed Russian Tech temples

• Not absolute peak efficiency, but still very strong

How it works? Build one full chain first. Then start the second chain. Place rooms one by one in order. No sacrifices or advanced manipulation. This PoE2 Vaal Temple setup is ideal if you have limited time, don’t want complicated planning or want reliable, stress-free temple farming.

See PoE 2 temple planner

Russian Tech Temple Setup vs MilkyBK Temple Setup 

Russian Tech Temple Setup

• Profit: Very high (best possible returns)

• Difficulty: Extremely complex

• Build Time: Long

• Requirements: Advanced room routing, sacrifices, strict build order

• Best For: Experienced players, late-league min-maxers, high-risk/high-reward play

Simple Temple Setup (MilkyBK)

• Profit: High and consistent

• Difficulty: Easy

• Build Time: Fast

• Requirements: No Russian Tech, straightforward room placement

• Best For: Most players, limited time, stress-free farming

Russian Tech temples offer the highest ceiling but require deep knowledge and precision, while MilkyBK’s simple layout delivers reliable profits with minimal effort—making it the better choice for the majority of players.