When players die in Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2), they receive different death penalties depending on the type of game content they die in. See the death penalties when dying in trials, Atlas maps, and the campaign in this guide!

What Happens When You Die?

End-Game and Atlas Maps

Death Penalties for Atlas Maps
Lose 10% of Your Total XP Bar Destroys Waystone and Lose Map Properties Lose Item Drops on the Ground

Lose 10% of Your Total XP Bar

Arguably, the most detrimental death penalty players receive when dying in an end-game or Atlas map is a straight 10% reduction to their total experience bar. If, for example, players had 50% of their experience bar filled, then dying will set it back to 40%.

This death penalty could significantly set back players, especially those level 90 and above, as experience requirements to level up exponentially increase per level.

Leveling Guide: How to Get XP Fast

Destroy Used Waystone and Lose Map Properties

Dying on a map fails it and sends players back to their Ziggurat Refuge and hideout. All portals leading to the map get removed, and the Waystone used to enter the map gets destroyed.

Additionally, while players can re-attempt the map using a new Waystone, any map properties, like modifiers and end-game mechanics, present in the initial run will no longer be present in further re-attempts.

Mapping Guide and List of Atlas Maps

Lose Item Drops on the Ground

Players will also permanently lose access to item drops they did not pick up. Everything within the map gets reset even if they re-attempt it, including its layout and monster pool.

List of Items

Trial of Sekhemas or Chaos

Death Penalties for Trials
Ends the Trial Run Destroys Trial Tokens Used Lose 10% of Total XP When Dying

Ends the Trial Run

If players die while doing the Trial of Sekhemas or Trial of Chaos, they will prematurely complete the trial and get sent back to the lobby. From there, players cannot resume their progress and must restart the entire trial from the beginning.

All Ascendancy Trials

Destroys Djinn Barya and Inscribed Ultimatum Used

Dying in a Trial also destroys the used trial tokens, like Djinn Baryas or Inscribed Ultimatums. If players wish to re-attempt any trial, they must acquire and insert another trial token. However, if players fail the Trials under the pretense of doing the Ascent to Power and The Trials of Chaos quests in the regular campaign, they can easily reclaim or reuse their trial tokens.

For the Trial of Sekhemas, players can talk to Balbala and click the Attempt Trials Again option to receive another Djinn Barya. For the Trial of Chaos, the Inscribed Ultimatum initially inserted will still be present. Note that this feature disappears upon the completion of these quests.

Lose 10% of Total XP When Dying in Higher-Leveled Trials

Similarly to dying in end-game or Atlas maps, players will receive a straight 10% reduction to their total experience bar when dying in trial runs that use Djinn Baryas that provide at least three (3) trials and Inscribed Ultimatums that provide at least seven (7) trials.

Regular and Cruel Campaign

Death Penalties for Trials
Resurrect at the Nearest Checkpoint Lose Items on the Ground No Experience Loss

Resurrect at the Nearest Checkpoint and Partially Resets the Map

Players get prompted to resurrect at the nearest checkpoint or waypoint when they die on any map under the regular and cruel campaign acts. Doing so revives defeated monsters, requiring players to face them again to resume their progress.

Full Campaign Walkthrough

Lose Items on the Ground

Additionally, any items on the ground will disappear upon resurrecting at a checkpoint. However, core items that give permanent stats and buffs, like Books of Specialization, are the exception to avoid ruining a player's account.

No Experience Loss

Unlike dying in Atlas maps or during higher-leveled trials, players will not receive any experience deduction as a death penalty. This rule applies throughout the regular and cruel campaign.

Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2) Related Guides

Beginner's Guide

All Tips and Tricks Guides