Path of Exile 2: The Slithering Dead Quest Guide

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• The Slithering Dead Quest Walkthrough (Step-by-Step)

• Which Venom Draught Quest Reward Should You Choose in The Slithering Dead in PoE 2

The Slithering Dead is a Path of Exile 2 side quest where Servi, the Ziggurat Encampment guide, needs your help uncovering secrets about a rival tribe and the fate of her son, Apus. The quest itself is straightforward, but choosing the reward is where things get tricky. You get only one choice from three options, and it's permanent.

The Slithering Dead Quest Walkthrough (Step-by-Step)

To begin The Slithering Dead, enter the Act 3 (and Act 3 Cruel) Jungle Ruins map and locate the Venom Crypts entrance next to the Waypoint.

The Jungle Ruins map has two exits: Venom Crypts and Infested Barrens. Infested Barrens continues the main Legacy of the Vaal questline, while the Venom Crypts entrance is easily missed as it's not essential for the main story. However, you can revisit the Venom Crypts even after reaching the endgame if you missed it initially.

Explore the Venom Crypts until you find a Corpse in the Den of the Serpent Priestess. The location is random due to PoE 2's map generation, but it's always far from the entrance.

Interact with the Corpse to automatically obtain Corpse-Snake Venom. Teleport back to the Ziggurat Encampment and give the Venom to Servi to complete The Slithering Dead.

Which Venom Draught Quest Reward Should You Choose in The Slithering Dead in PoE 2

The Slithering Dead is a repeatable quest, appearing in Act 3 and Act 3 Cruel, with different rewards each time.

Slithering Dead Reward Choice in Act 3

Servi will offer three rewards; choose carefully as your decision is final. The options are:

This choice is permanent and cannot be changed.

The Venom Draught of Clarity (25% increased Mana Regeneration Rate) is generally the best choice, especially for melee builds often lacking mana regeneration.

Venom Draught of the Veil (30% increased Elemental Ailment Threshold) is a strong alternative, particularly for classes less concerned with mana, offering increased resistance to elemental ailments.

Venom Draught of Stone is the least desirable, as increased Stun Threshold is less impactful than ailment resistance. However, some Warrior builds might find it useful.

Slithering Dead Reward Choice in Act 3 Cruel (Act 6)

Again, three Venom Draughts are available:

The Venom Draught of the Lost (+10% to Chaos Resistance) is usually the superior choice due to the rarity of Chaos Resistance on gear.

The exception is builds utilizing the Chaos Inoculation (CI) Node, which makes characters immune to Chaos damage but reduces HP to 1, often paired with Eternal Youth. For these builds, Venom Draught of the Sky (+5 to all Attributes) is preferable.