The Reliquarian is the brand-new Ascendancy class exclusive to the Scion in Path of Exile 3.28 Mirage League, bringing an unprecedented level of build flexibility by integrating the unique effects of iconic Unique items from Wraeclast into its passive skill tree. This guide breaks down PoE 3.28 Reliquarian mechanics and passive skills to unique nodes and leveling tips.
PoE 3.28 Reliquarian Ascendancy
The Reliquarian is a Scion-exclusive Ascendancy introduced in PoE 3.28.0, designed around the theme of harvesting the power of Wraeclast’s Unique items. Its lore ties it to a secret Orathan society that studies and wields the mystical properties of ancient Unique gear, and this theme translates directly into its gameplay: every notable passive skill of the Reliquarian is derived from the effects of well-known Unique items in Path of Exile.
It grants up to 5 additional passive skill pointsby default (6 if you forgo a jewellery notable node), allowing further customization of the Scion’s already versatile passive tree.
It is divided into three core categories—Armour Display, Weapon Display (Caster/Martial), and Jewellery Display—each offering 5-6 unique item-inspired passives to choose from. Players can select one passive per category, unlocking up to three distinct Unique item effects on their character (one from armour, one from weapons, one from jewellery).
The passive options for the Reliquarian change with each League(per GGG’s official design), meaning its playstyle and meta potential will shift over time, keeping the class fresh.
It is a "jack-of-all-trades" Ascendancy by nature, suiting melee, caster, minion, aura, and even bow builds—all depending on the passive nodes you select.
Notably, the Reliquarian is intended to be a core Scion Ascendancyand is not tied to any single League mechanic, though it has strong synergies with the 3.28 Mirage League’s new holy skills, transfigured gems, and Atlas changes.
PoE 3.28 Reliquarian Passive Skills (Minor & Notable)
The Reliquarian’s passive skill tree is structured into two tiers: Minor Passive Skills(basic utility) and Notable Passive Skills(the core Unique item-inspired bonuses). All passives follow a linear progression, with Minor skills acting as prerequisites for Notable skills, and Notable skills split into the three core categories (Armour, Weapon, Jewellery).
1. Minor Passive Skills
The Reliquarian’s minor passives are simple and serve only one purpose: granting additional passive skill pointsand acting as a bridge to the Notable skills. There are no stat bonuses (e.g., strength, mana, resistances) from these minor passives—their sole value is utility and progression.
Effect: Each Minor Passive Skill node grants 1 additional Passive Skill Pointto the Scion.
Prerequisite: No prior passives are needed to unlock the first Minor skill; subsequent Minor skills are unlocked by investing in the previous one.
Total: The Reliquarian has a set of Minor skills that lead to each of the three Notable skill categories (Armour → Caster/Martial Weapon → Jewellery).
2. Notable Passive Skills
The Notable Passive Skills are the heart of the Reliquarian. Each is tied to a Unique item from Wraeclast, with identical or near-identical effects to the original gear. They are split into four subcategories (Armour Display, Caster Weapon Display, Martial Weapon Display, Jewellery Display) with strict prerequisites:
Armour Display: The first Notable category; unlocked after investing in the initial Minor skills (no other Notable prerequisites).
Caster/Martial Weapon Display: Two separate Weapon categories (for casters/melee/bows); both require investing in the Armour Display Notable first.
Jewellery Display: The final Notable category; requires investing in either the Caster or Martial Weapon Display Notable first.
Each category offers multiple Notable options (5-6), and players select one Notable per category(Armour → Weapon → Jewellery) to build their unique Reliquarian effect combination.
PoE 3.28 Reliquarian Unique Nodes
All Reliquarian Notable Passive Skills are referred to as Unique Nodes because they replicate the effects of Unique items. The nodes are split into four official subcategories, with confirmed effects(tested and verified by GGG) and unconfirmed effects(visible via in-game icons but not yet detailed). Below is a complete breakdown of all confirmed and unconfirmed Unique Nodes, including their effects, prerequisites, and best use cases.
1. Armor:
| Node Name | Modifiers | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Kiloava's Bluster | 40% chance for Elemental Resistances to count as being 90% against Enemy Hits | All builds (especially elemental damage builds or low-resistance builds) – massive elemental survivability |
| Victario's Influence | 40% increased Area of Effect of Aura Skills; +2 to Level of Socketed Aura Gems | Aura stackers, support builds, holy aura builds (3.28 new holy skills) – the best aura node for Scion |
| Howlcrack | Non-Instant Warcries ignore their Cooldowns when Used; Warcries Cost +15% of Life | Melee warcry builds, berserker-style Scion – infinite warcry uptime with a small life cost |
| Veruso's Ambition | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Defensive builds (armour/evasion) |
| Maw of Conquest | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Melee damage builds |
2. Caster Weapons:
| Node Name | Modifiers | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Maata's Teachings | Minions' Base Attack Critical Strike Chance is equal to the Critical Strike Chance of your Main Hand Weapon | Minion builds (skeletons, golems, holy armaments – 3.28 new minion skill) – minion crit scaling with your weapon |
| The Burden of Shadows | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Shadow/cold/curse casters |
| Cybil's Paw | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Spell projectile builds |
| Cadigan's Authority | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Spell damage/caster survivability |
| Heartbreaker | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Bleed/curse caster builds |
| Mystic Refractor | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Elemental caster builds |
3. Martial Weapons:
| Node Name | Modifiers | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Widowhail | 100% increased bonuses gained from Equipped Quiver | Bow builds (raider, deadeye Scion) – 3.28 meta node (350% quiver effect with bow passives) |
| Jack, the Axe | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Two-handed melee builds |
| Cerberus Limb | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Dual-wield melee builds |
| Grace of the Goddess | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Melee evasion/defensive builds |
| Kitava's Feast | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Physical damage/leech melee builds |
| Terminus Est | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Spear/polearm melee builds |
4. Jewels:
| Node Name | Modifiers | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Astramentis | +60 to all Attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence) | All Scion builds – solves attribute requirements for gear/gems (Scion’s biggest pain point) |
| Astral Projector | Nova Spells Cast at the targeted location instead of around you; Spell Skills have 25% increased Area of Effect | Nova spell builds (holy nova, elemental nova – 3.28 new transfigured gems) – massive nova AoE and target control |
| Prospero's Protection | Armour from Equipped Shield is doubled; +10% Chance to Block Attack Damage; Gain no Armour from Equipped Body Armour | Shield caster/melee builds – shield armour scaling (trade body armour armour for block/defense) |
| The Burden of Truth | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Support/holy builds |
| Warped Timepiece | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Cooldown-based spell/attack builds |
| Tear of Purity | TBA (icon-based Unique item effect) | Holy/chaos resistance builds (3.28 new holy skills) |
PoE 3.28 Reliquarian Mechanics & Restrictions
While the Reliquarian is incredibly flexible, it has critical mechanics and restrictionsthat all players must understand to avoid build mistakes. These rules are set by GGG and are non-negotiable for the class:
Core Mechanics
One Node Per Category: You can only select one Notable Unique Node per category(Armour → Weapon → Jewellery). No overlapping selections (e.g., two Armour Display nodes) are allowed.
6 Passive Points Option: By forgoing the Jewellery Display Notable Node, you gain an additional 6th passive skill point(up from 5). This is a niche choice for builds that do not need a Jewellery node and prioritize more passive tree investment.
Dynamic League Passives: The Reliquarian’s Unique Nodes change with each League(GGG’s official design). Nodes available in 3.28 (Mirage League) may be replaced in future Leagues with new Unique item-inspired effects.
Unique Item Effect Replication: All confirmed Reliquarian Nodes have exact or near-exact effectsto their original Unique item counterparts. No nerfs or buffs are applied—what you see on the Unique item is what you get on the passive node.
Hard Restrictions
No Forbidden Flesh/Flame Rolls: Reliquarian Notable Passives cannot be rolledon the Forbidden Flesh and Forbidden Flame Unique Jewels. This is the biggest restriction—you cannot combine Reliquarian nodes with other Ascendancy passives via these jewels.
Scion-Exclusive: The Reliquarian is only available to the Scion—no other class (Marauder, Ranger, Witch, etc.) can unlock or use this Ascendancy.
Linear Progression: The Reliquarian’s passive tree is strictly linear—you must unlock Armour Display first, then a Weapon Display, then Jewellery Display. No skipping categories or investing in later nodes first.
No Unique Item Synergy: The Reliquarian’s nodes replicate Unique item effects, but equipping the original Unique item does not stack the effect(e.g., Victario's Influence node + Victario's Influence Unique Body Armour = no stacked aura bonuses).
PoE 3.28 Reliquarian Leveling Guide & Endgame Tips
The Reliquarian is a beginner-friendly Ascendancyfor the Scion, but its flexibility can be overwhelming for new players. Below are objective leveling and endgame tipsto maximize the class’s potential, with no unnecessary gear investment and clear progression steps:
Leveling Tips
Prioritize Victario's Influence or Kiloava's Bluster: Unlock the Armour Display first and choose either Victario's Influence (aura support) or Kiloava's Bluster (elemental survivability)—these are the best leveling nodesfor all build types.
Skip Jewellery Node for Extra Passive Points: For leveling, forgo the Jewellery Display node to gain a 6th passive skill point—invest these points in the Scion’s core passive tree (e.g., attribute nodes, damage nodes) for faster leveling.
Use Starter Unique Gear: Since the Reliquarian replicates Unique item effects, you do not need to equip the original Unique gear for leveling. Use cheap starter rares or classic leveling uniques (e.g., Tabula Rasa, Wanderlust) to save currency.
Leverage 3.28 Holy Skills: Use 3.28’s new holy skills (Holy Hammers, Holy Sweep) for leveling—they are free, high-damage, and synergize with most Reliquarian nodes (e.g., Victario's Influence for aura buffs).
Endgame Tips (90+, Uber Bosses, Atlas)
Lock in Your Node Combination: Once you reach the endgame, select your final Jewellery Display node (e.g., Astramentis for attributes, Astral Projector for nova spells) and stick with it—no respecs are neededif you plan your build early.
Invest in Rare Gear, Not Unique Gear: The Reliquarian replicates Unique item effects, so rare gear is better for endgame (e.g., a rare quiver for Widowhail bow builds, a rare shield for Prospero's Protection shield builds).
Avoid Forbidden Flesh/Flame: Do not waste currency on Forbidden Flesh/Flame jewels—they cannot roll Reliquarian nodes. Instead, invest in cluster jewels or rare jewels with build-specific stats (e.g., aura reservation, spell damage).
Adapt to Mirage League Mechanics: Use Mirage League’s new currency (Coins of Restoration) to transform corrupted Unique items into their original Maraketh forms (e.g., Flesh Render → Sky Sunder) for endgame gear upgrades—these reworked Uniques pair perfectly with Reliquarian nodes.
Use Exceptional Supports: 3.28 introduces Exceptional Support Gems(replacing Awakened Supports) from Atlas bosses. These transformative supports (e.g., Hex Toad, Void Storm) are perfect for Reliquarian builds—prioritize farming them for endgame damage.