Unveiled: Path of Exile 2's Slithering Dead Quest

Path of Exile 2: The Slithering Dead Quest – A Comprehensive Guide

The Slithering Dead is a side quest in Path of Exile 2's Act 3 (and Act 3 Cruel). Servi, a guide in the Ziggurat Encampment, seeks your help in uncovering secrets about a rival tribe and the fate of her son, Apus. While the quest itself is straightforward, selecting the right reward can be tricky. This guide will walk you through the quest and help you choose the optimal rewards.

The Slithering Dead Quest Walkthrough

1. Locate the Venom Crypts: Enter the Jungle Ruins map in Act 3 (or Act 3 Cruel). The Venom Crypts entrance is adjacent to the Waypoint. Note that the Venom Crypts are optional for main quest progression.

2. Explore the Venom Crypts: Thoroughly explore the Venom Crypts until you find a corpse within the Den of the Serpent Priestess. The corpse's location is randomized per map.

3. Retrieve the Venom: Interact with the corpse to automatically obtain Corpse-Snake Venom.

4. Return to Servi: Teleport back to the Ziggurat Encampment and give the venom to Servi to complete the quest.

Choosing the Right Venom Draught Reward

The Slithering Dead is repeatable, appearing in both Act 3 and Act 3 Cruel (Act 6). The rewards differ each time, making the choice crucial. Remember, your selection is permanent and cannot be changed.

Act 3 Rewards

Servi offers three Venom Draughts:

• Venom Draught of Stone: 25% increased Stun Threshold.
• Venom Draught of the Veil: 30% increased Elemental Ailment Threshold.
• Venom Draught of Clarity: 25% increased Mana Regeneration Rate.

Recommendation: The Venom Draught of Clarity is generally the best option, especially for melee builds often facing mana issues. The Venom Draught of the Veil is a strong alternative for builds less reliant on mana and more susceptible to elemental ailments. The Venom Draught of Stone is the least desirable unless your build heavily struggles with stun effects.

Act 3 Cruel (Act 6) Rewards

The Act 3 Cruel rewards are:

• Venom Draught of the Lost: +10% to Chaos Resistance.
• Venom Draught of the Sky: +5 to All Attributes.
• Venom Draught of the Marshes: 15% Reduced Slowing Potency of Debuffs on you.

Recommendation: The Venom Draught of the Lost (+10% Chaos Resistance) is the superior choice for most builds due to the rarity of Chaos Resistance on gear. The Venom Draught of the Sky is only preferable for builds utilizing Chaos Inoculation (CI) and Eternal Youth.

By carefully considering these recommendations, you can maximize the benefits from The Slithering Dead quest in Path of Exile 2.