Keepers of the Flame: League Mechanic Summary

Path of Exile's next big update, Keepers of the Flame, is launching soon. Read on to find out all about the new league mechanic in 3.27, including the overhaul to the beloved Breach mechanic!

Keepers of the Flame: Gameplay Overview

Path of Exile's 3.27 league mechanic is the Keepers of the Flame, an updated version of the Breach mechanic. The Keepers of the Flame will retain the general feel and simplicity of Breach gameplay, with encounters that revolve around simply slaying monsters in an expanding circle, but it will also expand in other areas.

Join The Order

Unite with Ailith and her Order of the Keepers of the Flame in a quest to push back the encroaching advance of the Breachlords into Wraeclast.

Ailith, founder of the Order of the Keepers of the Flame

Breach Renewed

This update will introduce a new encounter alongside the classic expanding circle, where you'll escort Ailith, a new NPC and founder of the Order of the Keepers of the Flame, to destroy Breach structures that do not belong in Wraeclast. Protect Ailith long enough while she empowers the Flame, and hold off the onslaught of Breach horrors until the structures are destroyed.

Breach structures sprawled across Wraeclast

Familiar Encounters

Some areas will contain a large Breach Hand that somewhat resembles a Breach encounter of old. Touching it will begin to expand a circle from the centre, unleashing a swath of Breach monsters. Killing enough of these monsters will stabilise the Breach. Upon stabilising a Breach, you'll begin to encounter Rare and Unique monsters - good luck exile!

A Breach Hand enveloping the area in chaos

Enter the Hive

Rarely you'll stumble into Breach Hives; constructs that have been left too long without opposition. Entering a Breach Hive will take you to a dreamlike world where you'll fight the Hiveborn in their domain, and even have the possibility of encountering a Breachlord itself, triggering a new boss fight.

A dangerous encounter awaits at the end of a vivid dream

A New Form of Crafting: The Genesis Tree

As you progress further into the Keepers of the Flame expansion, Ailith with grant you access to The Genesis Tree, the well of power at the heart of the Keeper's Monastery.

The Source of Power Untold

Ailith and The Genesis Tree

Keepers of the Flame will expand the Breach mechanic, introducing a new exclusive crafting system; The Genesis Tree. With this being Path of Exile, a tree wouldn't be a tree without actually being, well, a tree...

The Genesis Passive Tree

Specialise into The Genesis Tree and utilise it to grow currency, tailored equipment items, Foulborn Uniques and gain access to Grafts, a new socketable character equipment item.

The Genesis Tree can also birth specialised currency of two different types: an upgraded version of base currency items, and a new type of currency that specifically only interacts with new Graft items, which are detailed below.

A Foulborn version of a Regal Orb

An example of an upgraded base currency item is the Foulborn Regal Orb, which skews modifier weighting upon use to grant a higher chance to receive a modifier with a higher level upon upgrading the item from Magic to Rare.

A new type of Graft currency

Grafts are a new equipment item to provide character power, detailed below. New forms of currency that can only be found via growth on The Genesis Tree can be used to modify Graft items directly.

A Classic With A Twist: Foulborn Uniques

One of the exclusive rewards that can be obtained from The Genesis Tree is Foulborn Unique items, Uniques that essentially have had one of their modifiers replaced with a new one.

A Foulborn version of Esh's Visage

Foulborn Unique items provide the potential for Keepers of the Flame to unleash new levels of build creativity, with incredible possibilities resulting from previously unobtainable combinations of modifiers.

A Helping Hand: New Graft Equipment

Grafts are a brand new equipment item that adds power to your character - they're literally hands that grow out of areas on your body where hands... shouldn't grow. Grafts provide passive bonuses and each different type of Graft grants a new unique skill! Graft skills are typically powerful, with lengthy cooldown, and are also passive in nature, triggering when specific conditions are met.

Molten Xophgraft and the Heart of Flame skill

Like other rewards that are grown by The Genesis Tree, Grafts can be influenced by your choices of passive nodes to specialise their outcomes, empowering your build.