Path of Exile: How to Unlock and Sustain Searing Exarch Influence in High-Tier Maps
Step 1: Unlocking the Searing Exarch Mechanic
Before you can begin farming the Searing Exarch, you must progress through the Atlas and complete several key objectives:
1.1. Defeat the Map Bosses
After completing your first few Tier 6+ maps, you will be introduced to the new Atlas tree with influence choices. Kirac will guide you toward a quest that introduces both the Searing Exarch and Eater of Worlds.
1.2. Choose Your Eldritch Influence
At this stage, you’ll be given a choice between progressing toward the Searing Exarch or the Eater of Worlds. To unlock the Exarch, choose the Searing Exarch path. This sets your maps to become influenced by his flames.
You can change this choice later using the Atlas Device, but sticking to one path at a time is more efficient early on.
Step 2: Building Influence – Progressing Toward the Searing Exarch
Once you’ve chosen the Searing Exarch, your maps will start to drop Incandescent Invitations and become flame-touched, indicating Exarch influence.
2.1. Flame Touched Maps
As you complete influenced maps, you’ll see a progress meter on the Atlas. After enough maps, you’ll receive a quest item—an Incandescent Invitation—to fight a sub-boss, The Black Star.
2.2. Defeating the Black Star
Upon defeating the Black Star, you continue farming until you get another invitation—this time to challenge the Searing Exarch himself. These invitation bosses scale with map tier, so aim for Tier 14-16 maps for better rewards and endgame loot.
Step 3: Sustaining Influence in High-Tier Maps
Once you unlock the Searing Exarch, maintaining influence becomes your priority. Here’s how to do it efficiently:
3.1. Use the Atlas Device to Add Influence
After you’ve unlocked both Exarch and Eater influences, you can toggle between them freely by using the Atlas Device at your map table. To sustain Exarch influence:
Place your map in the device.
Select “Searing Exarch Influence” from the list.
Run the map and complete it.
Once selected, every map you complete will continue progressing toward another boss invitation and keep the Exarch’s influence flowing.
3.2. Prioritize Map Completion
To keep the influence chain going, always:
Kill the map boss.
Complete the influence altar events inside each map (flame-shaped icons appear).
Finish maps quickly to speed up your influence cycles.
Completing maps efficiently ensures you receive another Incandescent Invitation every 3–5 maps, keeping your Exarch farming loop tight.
Step 4: Optimizing Altar Farming – Maximize Influence Rewards
As you run influenced maps, you’ll encounter Eldritch Altars, which offer modifiers that boost rewards (e.g., increased currency, scarabs, maps, etc.). Picking the right modifiers is crucial for profitability.
4.1. Choose Currency Rewards
Always prioritize altars with divine or exalted orbs, chaos orbs, or scarabs over basic buffs. The more maps you run, the better you’ll become at quickly evaluating the best reward option.
4.2. Avoid Risky Player Debuffs
Many altars offer tempting loot at the cost of making monsters tougher or players weaker. Avoid stacking too many negative player modifiers (e.g., "monsters deal 100% increased damage as fire") in high-tier maps unless your build can handle it.
Step 5: Using the Atlas Passive Tree for Searing Exarch Synergy
The Atlas Passive Tree is essential for sustaining and optimizing Exarch influence farming.
5.1. Recommended Nodes:
Focus on these passive clusters in the top left and bottom left of the Atlas Tree:
Eldritch Gaze – More chances to get additional altars.
Wrath of the Cosmos – Increases altar reward quantity and quality (be cautious: it also increases monster damage).
Severed in Sleep – Adds chance for additional Invitations to drop.
Destructive Play – Adds chance for Maven to witness map bosses and double-boss fights for more loot (if you’ve already completed Maven unlocks).
Combining these nodes creates a fast-paced loop of maps with multiple altars and frequent boss invitations.
Step 6: Efficient Mapping Strategy
To maintain Exarch influence and profit consistently, adopt an efficient high-tier mapping loop.
6.1. Best Maps for Searing Exarch Farming
Some great high-tier maps for sustaining Exarch influence include:
Crimson Temple – Great for card drops (Apothecary), open layout for altars.
Cemetery – Also good for cards and altar layouts.
Dunes or Strand – Easy layouts, quick clears for farming efficiency.
6.2. Use Scarabs and Sextants
Add Map Scarabs (e.g., Rusted Cartography or Ambush Scarabs) to boost pack size.
Use Sextants that increase altar quantity or special monster rewards.
Pairing scarabs with high-pack-size maps increases your altar density and thus reward potential.
Step 7: Running the Searing Exarch Fight
After every 14+ tier influenced map chain, you’ll receive an Incandescent Invitation. Use it in the Map Device, select Searing Exarch, and prepare for the boss fight.
Tips:
Bring fire resistance and movement skills.
Learn the rolling meteors and beam sweep mechanics.
Defeating the Exarch can drop Omniscience-themed gear, Flame currency (Embers), and Voidstones.
You’ll want to repeat this loop to keep enhancing your Atlas and build.
Final Tips and Takeaways
Focus on clearing maps quickly while selecting the best altar rewards.
Use your cheap POE Currency Atlas passive tree strategically.
Always farm Tier 14+ maps to get the best Exarch gear and invitations.
Invest in quantity gear, sextants, and scarabs to supercharge your mapping.
With careful planning and execution, you can easily sustain Searing Exarch influence, make currency, and challenge one of PoE’s most rewarding endgame loops.