Temple Basics - Complete Beginner's Guide
What is Atziri's Temple?
Atziri's Temple is an endgame area in Path of Exile 2 where you can plan and build a custom dungeon layout. The temple consists of various rooms that provide different bonuses and rewards. Each temple run can yield significant currency, experience, and unique items depending on your layout optimization.
How Does It Work?
You encounter Alva in maps, who offers Incursions into the past. During these Incursions, you can modify the temple by changing rooms, creating connections, and upgrading room tiers. After 11 Incursions, you can enter the present-day temple to claim your rewards.
Temple Grid System
The temple uses a 9x9 diamond-shaped grid rotated 45 degrees. You start at the bottom center and work your way up. Each room occupies one tile, and rooms must be connected by paths. Understanding the grid layout is crucial for planning efficient room placement and maximizing generator coverage.
Incursion Mechanics
Each Incursion lasts approximately 10-15 seconds. You can kill the architect to change the room type, or kill monsters to open doors and create connections. Killing the Stone of Passage creates a permanent connection between rooms. You have 11 total Incursions to shape your temple before it becomes accessible.
Complete Room Database - All 15 Room Types
1. Garrison (Guardhouse) - Monster Quantity
Tier 1: +10% Monster Packs | Tier 2: +15% Monster Packs | Tier 3: +20% Monster Packs. Upgrades with Commander or Armoury adjacent. Can further upgrade to Transcendent Barracks (T4-5: +30%/+60% Magic Monsters with Synthflesh Lab) or Legion Barracks (T6-7: +30%/+60% Rare Monsters with Spymaster).
2. Commander's Chamber - Rare Monster Scaling
Tier 1: +15% Rare Effectiveness | Tier 2: +30% | Tier 3: +60%. Requires 2 Garrisons for T2, 3 Garrisons for T3. Synergizes with Spymaster for multiplicative scaling. Essential for loot-focused builds.
3. Armoury - Humanoid Monster Scaling
Tier 1: +15% Humanoid Effectiveness | Tier 2: +30% | Tier 3: +60%. Upgrades with Smithy or Alchemy Lab adjacent. Works well with Commander for double-scaling rare humanoid monsters.
4. Smithy (Bronzeworks) - Chest Rarity
Tier 1: +15% Chest Rarity | Tier 2: +30% | Tier 3: +60%. Requires Workshop or Generator for upgrades. Boosted by Spymaster. One of the best economic rooms - T3 Smithy can add 20-50 chaos value per temple run.
5. Generator (Dynamo) - Energy Provider
Tier 1: 3-tile range, +15% Construct Effectiveness | Tier 2: 4-tile range, +30% | Tier 3: 5-tile range, +60%. CRITICAL ROOM - Required for Smithy, Synthflesh Lab, Workshop, and Transcendent Barracks upgrades. Range is calculated in Manhattan distance (diamond pattern).
6. Spymaster's Study - Meta Scaling
Tier 1: +8% effect of Garrisons, Commanders, Armouries, Smithies, Legion Barracks | Tier 2: +15% | Tier 3: +30%. Upgrades by assassinating other Spymasters (not through adjacency). MOST POWERFUL ROOM - multiplicatively scales 5 other room types. Always prioritize getting to T3.
7. Synthflesh Lab - Experience Boost
Tier 1: +10% XP | Tier 2: +20% XP | Tier 3: +40% XP. Requires Flesh Surgeon or Generator for upgrades. Essential for leveling builds. Boosted by Workshop.
8. Flesh Surgeon's Ward - Unique Monster Scaling
Tier 1: +10% Unique Effectiveness | Tier 2: +20% | Tier 3: +40%. Requires adjacent Synthflesh Lab (T2 needs any tier, T3 needs T2+ Synthflesh). Boosted by Workshop. Great for boss-focused strategies.
9. Golem Works (Workshop) - Meta Scaling #2
Tier 1: +8% effect of Generators, Synthflesh Labs, Flesh Surgeons, Transcendent Barracks, Alchemy Labs | Tier 2: +15% | Tier 3: +30%. Requires 1 Generator for T2, 2 Generators for T3. Second meta-scaling room - complements Spymaster perfectly.
10. Alchemy Lab (Chamber of Souls) - Item Rarity
Tier 1: +15% Item Rarity | Tier 2: +30% | Tier 3: +60%. Requires Thaumaturge for upgrades. Boosted by Workshop. Affects all monster drops - very valuable for magic find builds.
11. Thaumaturge's Laboratory - Meta Scaling #3
Tier 1: +8% effect of Corruption Chambers, Treasure Vaults, Sacrificial Chambers | Tier 2: +15% | Tier 3: +30%. Requires Sacrificial Chamber for upgrades. Third meta-scaling room - essential for loot-focused temples.
12. Corruption Chamber (Crimson Hall) - Additional Modifiers
Tier 1: 15% chance for Rare Monsters to have +1 Modifier | Tier 2: 30% | Tier 3: 60%. Requires Sacrificial Chamber or Thaumaturge for upgrades. More modifiers = more loot. Boosted by Thaumaturge.
13. Sacrificial Chamber (Altar of Sacrifice) - Rare Chests
Tier 1: +15% Rare Chests | Tier 2: +30% | Tier 3: +60%. Upgrades by SACRIFICING adjacent rooms (irreversible!). Boosted by Thaumaturge. Plan carefully - each sacrifice permanently removes a room.
14. Sealed Vault - Fixed Rarity Bonus
Tier 1 only: +25% Item Rarity. No upgrades available. Spawns randomly, cannot be planned. Boosted by Thaumaturge. Free bonus room - always worth connecting if it appears.
15. Reward Room (Joker) - Special Loot
Contains special reward chests with currency, maps, or unique items. No stat bonuses. Spawns randomly. Always connect these rooms - they're pure profit with no downside.
Advanced Optimization Strategies - Step-by-Step Builds
Strategy 1: Maximum Currency Farm (50-100 Chaos per Temple)
Core Rooms: Smithy T3, Alchemy Lab T3, Spymaster T3, Thaumaturge T3, Commander T3. Support: 2x Generator T2+, Sacrificial Chamber T2+. Playstyle: Focus on chest rooms and item rarity. Spymaster boosts Smithy and Commander by 30%, Thaumaturge boosts Alchemy Lab. Expected returns: 50-100 chaos per temple from pure currency drops and valuable rares. Best for: Players who want consistent economic returns.
Strategy 2: Experience Rush (40% Total XP Boost)
Core Rooms: Synthflesh Lab T3 (+40% XP), Garrison T3 (+20% packs), Workshop T3 (+30% boost to Synthflesh), Flesh Surgeon T3 (+40% unique effectiveness). Support: 2x Generator T3 (for Workshop), Commander T2+ (for rare scaling). Math: Base 40% XP + 30% Workshop boost = 52% effective XP gain. Add 20% more monsters = ~62% faster leveling. Best for: Leveling 95-100, gaining experience efficiently.
Strategy 3: Boss Killer Build (Unique Farming)
Core Rooms: Flesh Surgeon T3, Corruption Chamber T3, Thaumaturge T3, Sacrificial Chamber T3. Support: Garrison T3 (for rare monsters), Spymaster T2+. Focus: Maximize unique monster effectiveness and modifier count. Corruption Chamber at T3 gives 60% chance for +1 modifier on rares, boosted by Thaumaturge. More modifiers = better loot from bosses. Best for: Farming temple boss, unique item hunting.
Strategy 4: Balanced Progression (Recommended for New Players)
Core Rooms: Smithy T2, Garrison T2, Alchemy Lab T2, Spymaster T2, Generator T2. Philosophy: Don't over-specialize. Get multiple T2 rooms rather than forcing T3s. This build is forgiving and doesn't require perfect Incursion execution. Expected returns: 30-50 chaos per temple, decent XP, good learning experience. Upgrade path: Once comfortable, push Spymaster and Smithy to T3 first.
Strategy 5: Meta-Scaling Powerhouse (Advanced)
Core Rooms: Spymaster T3, Workshop T3, Thaumaturge T3 (all three meta rooms!). Support: Smithy T3, Garrison T3, Alchemy Lab T3, Synthflesh Lab T3, Corruption Chamber T3. Math: Spymaster boosts 5 rooms by 30%, Workshop boosts 4 rooms by 30%, Thaumaturge boosts 3 rooms by 30%. Multiplicative scaling creates exponential returns. Difficulty: Very hard to execute - requires perfect Incursion planning. Best for: Experienced players who can consistently hit upgrade requirements.
Pro Tips from Top Players
- Always place at least one Generator early to enable room upgrades
- Spymaster is one of the most powerful rooms - try to get it to Tier 3
- Plan your Sacrificial Chamber carefully - you can't undo sacrificed rooms
- Use the planner's URL export feature to save and share your best layouts
- In Manual Mode, you can experiment with layouts that might not be possible in-game
- Generator range is crucial - plan your layout around generator placement
- Legion Barracks and Transcendent Barracks are mutually exclusive paths
- Thaumaturge boosts Corruption Chamber, Treasure Vault, and Sacrificial Chamber
- Workshop boosts Generator, Synthflesh Lab, Flesh Surgeon, and Transcendent Barracks
- Place high-value rooms near the entrance - if you die, you still get those rewards
- T3 Spymaster is worth more than two T2 rooms combined due to multiplicative scaling
- Generator placement is the foundation - plan this first, then build around it
- Don't sacrifice rooms until you're sure - it's permanent and can brick your temple
- Rare monsters with more modifiers drop exponentially better loot - prioritize Corruption Chamber
- The temple boss (Atziri) scales with your temple mods - plan accordingly for difficulty
Advanced Mechanics & Calculations
Generator Range Calculation
Generator range uses Manhattan distance (diamond pattern, not circular). T1 Generator: 3 tiles = reaches 3 tiles in cardinal directions. T2: 4 tiles. T3: 5 tiles. Example: A T3 Generator at position (4,4) can power rooms at (4,9), (9,4), (4,0), (0,4) and everything in between. Use the planner's visual indicators to see exact coverage.
Multiplicative Scaling Math
Meta rooms multiply, not add. Example: Smithy T3 gives +60% chest rarity. Spymaster T3 increases this by 30%. Final bonus: 60% × 1.30 = 78% chest rarity. With both Spymaster T3 and Thaumaturge T3 on a Corruption Chamber: Base 60% × 1.30 (Spymaster) × 1.30 (Thaumaturge) = 101.4% chance for additional modifiers (effectively guaranteed).
Room Adjacency Rules
Not all rooms can be adjacent. Illegal combinations: More than 1 Armoury next to a Garrison, More than 1 Thaumaturge next to a Corruption Chamber, More than 1 Spymaster next to a Garrison. The planner enforces these rules in Ingame Mode. Breaking these rules will prevent room upgrades or cause placement failures.
Optimal Incursion Priority
Incursion 1-3: Establish Generator positions and create path network. Incursion 4-7: Focus on upgrading core rooms (Spymaster, Smithy, key scaling rooms). Incursion 8-10: Upgrade support rooms and create final connections. Incursion 11: Last chance adjustments - prioritize T2→T3 upgrades over new T1 rooms.
Expected Value Analysis
Average temple with no planning: 15-25 chaos value. Optimized T2 temple: 40-60 chaos value. Perfect T3 meta-scaling temple: 80-150 chaos value. Time investment: ~15 minutes for 11 Incursions + 10 minutes temple run = 25 minutes. Optimized temples yield 3-6 chaos per minute, making them one of the best farming strategies in PoE2.
Room Synergy Combinations
The Trinity: Spymaster + Workshop + Thaumaturge
These three meta rooms boost 12 different room types combined. Spymaster boosts: Garrison, Commander, Armoury, Smithy, Legion Barracks. Workshop boosts: Generator, Synthflesh Lab, Flesh Surgeon, Transcendent Barracks, Alchemy Lab. Thaumaturge boosts: Corruption Chamber, Sealed Vault, Sacrificial Chamber. Building all three creates exponential scaling across your entire temple.
The Loot Trio: Smithy + Alchemy Lab + Corruption Chamber
Smithy increases chest rarity, Alchemy Lab increases item rarity from monsters, Corruption Chamber adds modifiers to rares (more mods = better loot). All three are boosted by Spymaster and Thaumaturge. This combination maximizes both chest and monster loot quality.
The XP Engine: Synthflesh Lab + Garrison + Workshop
Synthflesh Lab gives +40% XP at T3. Workshop boosts this to +52% XP. Garrison adds +20% more monsters. Combined: 52% more XP per kill × 20% more monsters = 82.4% faster leveling. Add Commander for even more rare monsters with better XP.
The Generator Network: 2-3 Generators for Full Coverage
One T3 Generator covers ~40% of the temple. Two T3 Generators strategically placed can cover 70-80%. Three Generators = full coverage but uses valuable room slots. Optimal: 2 Generators at T2-T3, positioned to cover Smithy, Workshop, and Synthflesh Lab upgrade requirements.
Common Mistakes to Avoid (And How to Fix Them)
- Mistake: Placing rooms without considering generator range → Fix: Plan generator positions first, then place rooms within their coverage
- Mistake: Not planning for room upgrade requirements → Fix: Check adjacency requirements before placing rooms, use the planner's green indicators
- Mistake: Sacrificing important rooms too early → Fix: Only sacrifice low-value rooms (Path, T1 rooms you don't need), never sacrifice Generators or meta rooms
- Mistake: Ignoring meta-scaling rooms like Spymaster and Workshop → Fix: Always include at least one meta room, preferably Spymaster at T3
- Mistake: Not leaving space for path connections → Fix: Plan your path network early, ensure all valuable rooms are reachable
- Mistake: Forgetting that some room combinations are illegal in-game → Fix: Use Ingame Mode in the planner to test legality before executing in-game
- Mistake: Not using the two-mode system to test layouts → Fix: Design in Manual Mode, then switch to Ingame Mode to verify it's achievable
- Mistake: Spreading upgrades too thin → Fix: Focus on getting 3-4 rooms to T3 rather than 8 rooms to T2
- Mistake: Ignoring room positioning relative to entrance → Fix: Place high-value rooms near the entrance for guaranteed access
- Mistake: Not tracking Incursion count → Fix: Know which Incursion you're on (1-11) and adjust priorities accordingly
- Mistake: Trying to force T3 on every room → Fix: Accept that some rooms will stay T1-T2, focus on core rooms
- Mistake: Not considering build synergy → Fix: Magic find builds want Alchemy Lab, fast clearers want Garrison, boss killers want Flesh Surgeon
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many temples do I need to run to see profit?
A: Even a poorly optimized temple yields 15-25 chaos. With basic optimization (following Strategy 4), you'll profit from your first temple. Expect 40-60 chaos per temple with T2 rooms, 80-150 chaos with perfect T3 meta-scaling temples.
Q: What's the single most important room?
A: Spymaster at Tier 3. It provides +30% effectiveness to 5 different room types, creating multiplicative scaling. A T3 Spymaster can add 30-50 chaos value to your temple by itself through boosting other rooms.
Q: Can I change my temple layout after the 11 Incursions?
A: No. Once you've completed 11 Incursions, the temple is locked and you must run it as-is. This is why planning with our tool before starting Incursions is crucial.
Q: How do I know if my layout is good?
A: Check these criteria: (1) At least one meta room at T2+, (2) 2-3 core rooms at T3, (3) Generator coverage for upgrade requirements, (4) All valuable rooms connected to entrance, (5) No wasted room slots on low-value T1 rooms.
Q: What's the difference between Ingame Mode and Manual Mode?
A: Ingame Mode enforces all game rules (adjacency restrictions, upgrade requirements, placement legality). Manual Mode lets you freely place rooms to experiment. Always test your Manual Mode designs in Ingame Mode before executing in-game.
Q: Should I run temples in groups or solo?
A: Solo is more profitable per person. In groups, loot is split but temple mods don't scale with party size. However, groups can clear faster, so it depends on your clear speed vs. loot priority.
Q: How often can I run temples?
A: You get Alva encounters in maps randomly. On average, expect 1-2 Alva encounters per 10 maps. This means roughly 1 temple per 60-100 maps, or 1-2 temples per hour of mapping.
Q: What happens if I die in the temple?
A: You can re-enter, but in Hardcore you lose access. This is why placing valuable rooms near the entrance is important - you can grab those rewards even if you can't full-clear.
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