The arrival of Path of Exile 2 patch 0.5, known as Return of the Ancients, brings something the sequel has never offered before, a dedicated league challenge system. The Runes of Aldur league invites players to test themselves across eight different objectives, ranging from approachable early-game tasks to some of the toughest fights the endgame has to offer. Completing pairs of these challenges unlocks pieces of the Knight of Aldur Armour Set or Totem Decoration, giving players cosmetic rewards that reflect their progression. Completion is also visible to others in global chat and the forums, giving bragging rights to those who push through the entire list.

Below, you'll find a full look at the rewards on offer, followed by a detailed guide covering every challenge and how to complete it.

PoE 2 0.5 Runes of Aldur Challenge Rewards

For the first time ever in a Path of Exile 2 league, Return of the Ancients introduces a full set of league Challenges for players to complete. By taking on difficult encounters, working through endgame systems, and pushing through all eight league challenges, you can earn exclusive cosmetic rewards along the way.

Full List of PoE 2 0.5 Challenge Rewards

• Knight of Aldur Armour Set — A multi-piece cosmetic armour set that builds up tier by tier as challenges are completed.

• Knight of Aldur Helmet piece

• Knight of Aldur Body Armour piece

• Knight of Aldur Gloves piece

• Knight of Aldur Boots piece

• Hideout Totem Decoration — A permanent display item visible to anyone who trades with you, marking that you defeated the league.

• Public Challenge Count — Your completed challenge total appears in global chat and forum posts.

How To Get Each Reward

The reward system follows a simple pattern. Every two challenges you finish grants you a new piece of the Knight of Aldur Armour Set or the Totem Decoration. With eight total challenges available, that gives you up to four reward tiers to claim.

• Complete 2 Challenges → Earn your first armour piece

• Complete 4 Challenges → Earn your second armour piece

• Complete 6 Challenges → Earn your third armour piece

• Complete 8 Challenges → Earn the final piece plus the Totem Decoration for your hideout

The good news is you don't have to finish every single objective to walk away with something — even partial progress nets you cosmetic gear. However, finishing all eight is the only way to get the full set and the hideout totem.

How To Track Your Challenge Progress

Tracking your progression is simple. Just hit H in-game to open the Challenges screen, where you can view each objective, your current numbers toward completion, and what's left to finish. The screen lays out every challenge clearly, so you'll always know which task to chase next.

With the rewards covered, let's now go through all eight challenges and how to handle each one.

PoE 2 0.5 Runes of Aldur Challenge Complete Guide

There are eight challenges total, and they scale from fairly easy starter goals to some of the hardest content available in Path of Exile 2. Here's a full walkthrough of every objective.

1. The Runeseeker /6

For this challenge, you'll need to find Runic Remnants with growing slot counts and use them to inscribe Runes from your Tome. The required lengths are:

• 2 Runes

• 3 Runes

• 4 Runes

• 5 Runes

• 6 Runes

• 7 or more Runes

The seven-slot crafts can be quite tough since they involve six waves of enemies, so attempting one of these fights may demand solid skill and a well-prepared build.

2. The Hunter /6

This challenge sends you across the campaign to take down six optional bosses:

• The Crowbell

• Great White One

• Kabala, Constrictor Queen

• Akthi, the Final Sting

• Blackjaw, the Remnant

• Anundr, the Sandworm

The last two — Akthi, the Final Sting and Anundr, the Sandworm — can be tricky to locate, as they're hidden inside the Khari Crossing. To find them, follow the dry river bed and their arena will appear at the end.

3. The Ascendant /4

This challenge asks you to earn all 8 Ascendancy Points by working through the Trials of Ascendancy:

• First Trial

• Second Trial

• Third Trial

• Final Trial

The final set of points is the toughest part. You'll either need to defeat Zarokh on the 4th level of the Trial of the Sekhemas, or take down the Trialmaster in the Trial of Chaos by collecting all three keys. The Trial of Chaos route takes longer due to repeat runs, while the Trial of the Sekhemas is mechanically harder — so pick the path that suits your build.

4. The Reliquarian /50

A more relaxed task, this one simply asks you to identify 50 Unique Items. If Uniques are dropping slowly for you, look into Jado, The Atlas Master, who has many abilities specialising in finding them.

5. The Artisan /14

This crafting-focused objective requires you to craft an item using each of the following Verisium Ingredients, all of which come from Remnant encounters:

• Verisium

• Runic Alloy

• Adaptive Alloy

• Protective Alloy

• Swift Alloy

• Any Kalgurran Crest

• Exceptional Verisium

• Cyclonic Alloy

• Prismatic Alloy

• Mystic Alloy

• Sovereign Alloy

• Celestial Alloy

• Any Flux

Save the rarer alloys when they drop, since some are far less common than others and chasing them late might slow your league pace.

6. The Cartographer /301

For this challenge, you must fully allocate the main Atlas Passive Tree — all 300+ nodes. There are two ways to handle it:

• The slow route: Complete every map inside the fortress one by one.

• The faster route: Defeat the Arbiter of Divinity, who grants the ability to auto-complete a large section of the fortress each time he's beaten.

To find Arbiter fights, hunt for Citadels in the Atlas — each one features a glowing beam visible through the fog. After defeating him four times, the entire fortress is completed automatically.

7. The Vanquisher /3

The toughest of all the challenges, this one tasks you with killing three Pinnacle Bosses — the hardest fights in the game:

• Vessel of Kulemak at full strength

• The Bodach

• Tangmazu

These three are the pinnacles of the Abyss, Ritual, and Delirium leagues, so you'll need to push through all three quest lines to attempt them. One key note for Vessel of Kulemak: he must b

The Runes of Aldur league marks a turning point for Path of Exile 2, bringing a structured challenge system that gives players measurable goals alongside cosmetic payoffs. Whether you are pursuing the full Knight of Aldur set or simply looking for direction during your league journey, working through these eight challenges offers a clear and rewarding path. Pace yourself, target the easier objectives early, and save the pinnacle bosses for when your build is ready, and the entire armour set can be yours by league's end.