Path of Exile thrives on depth, and one of the most fascinating league mechanics that transitioned into the core game is Ritual. Originally introduced in the Ritual League, this system revolves around fighting waves of monsters at special Ritual Altars, earning Tribute, and then spending that Tribute to purchase powerful rewards.

 

If you're new to Rituals, or just want to maximize your gains, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know: how Ritual Altars work, how Tribute is earned, and the best ways to spend it for long-term profit.

 

What Are Ritual Altars?

Ritual Altars are special interactive objects that appear randomly in maps and areas. Each altar marks the location of a Ritual encounter-a wave-based fight where monsters spawn inside a ritual circle.

 

Activation: Clicking on an altar begins the encounter.

 

Combat: Monsters spawn in waves and must be defeated within the circle. You cannot leave the circle during combat.

 

Completion: Once all enemies are defeated, the altar unlocks a Ritual Reward Panel where you can spend Tribute.

 

Multiple Ritual Altars can appear in a single map (usually 2-4). Each one increases the pool of monsters and Tribute gained. By completing all altars in a map, you unlock the option to reroll or defer rewards.

 

What Is Tribute?

Tribute is the special currency tied to Ritual mechanics. It is not tradable and can only be earned through Ritual encounters.

 

Earned From Monsters: Every defeated enemy inside the ritual circle grants Tribute.

 

Amount Scales With Difficulty: Higher-level maps, more dangerous enemies, and stacked mechanics increase Tribute rewards.

 

Used to Buy Rewards: Tribute is spent at the Ritual Reward Panel to buy POE currency.

 

Think of Tribute as a temporary currency-what you don't spend in one map is lost forever unless you defer items (more on that later).

 

The Ritual Reward Panel

After completing a Ritual Altar, you can open the Reward Panel, which displays a list of items available for purchase with Tribute.

 

Item Variety: Rewards include rare gear, uniques, currency items, maps, fragments, and even valuable crafting bases.

 

Cost: Each item has a Tribute cost. Cheaper items are usually less impactful, while premium rewards like Divine Orbs or top-tier uniques can cost tens of thousands of Tribute.

 

Multiple Altars: Each altar adds new rewards to the same pool, giving you more options the deeper you go in a map.

 

Defer and Reroll Explained

Two mechanics-Defer and Reroll-give you long-term control over Ritual rewards.

 

Defer

Deferring an item means you don't buy it now, but you want it to show up again later.

 

The next time it appears, its cost will be reduced.

 

Items can be deferred multiple times until you can afford them.

 

This allows you to target expensive rewards like Exalted Orbs or six-linked bases without having to grind 20k Tribute in a single map.

 

Reroll

You can spend Tribute to reroll the Reward Panel.

 

This refreshes the list of items, giving you another shot at valuable rewards.

 

Use rerolls when the panel is full of junk.

 

Be careful not to waste Tribute-you might need it to buy or defer something later.

 

How to Maximize Tribute Gains

Getting the most out of Rituals requires understanding how Tribute is calculated and how to influence it.

 

1. Increase Monster Density

More monsters = more Tribute. Use mechanics that add packs to your map:

 

Beyond, Breach, Delirium, or Legion encounters.

 

Strongboxes or Alva's Incursions.

 

Sextants and Scarabs that boost monster spawns.

 

2. Run Higher-Tier Maps

Higher map tiers produce tougher enemies and better Tribute payouts. A Ritual in a T16 map will yield far more than one in a T5 map.

 

3. Atlas Passives

The Atlas Tree offers Ritual-specific notables that:

 

Increase the Tribute earned.

 

Boost the chance of Ritual Altars spawning.

 

Improve the quality of rewards (more currency, uniques, maps).

 

4. Stack Map Modifiers

Ritual rewards scale with map difficulty. Rolling maps with multiple dangerous modifiers increases Tribute at the cost of harder fights.

 

Best Rewards to Look For

Not all Ritual rewards are equal. Here are the categories worth prioritizing:

 

Path of exile currency Items: Divine Orbs, Exalted Orbs, Chaos Orbs, and Orb of Annulment are always top-tier picks.

 

Scarabs and Fragments: Valuable for juicing maps or selling on the trade market.

 

Six-Link Items: Even a random six-linked chest can sell well early in a league.

 

Unique Items: Some uniques are highly valuable (Headhunter, Mageblood, etc.), while others are vendor trash. Always check trade value before buying.

 

High-Value Bases: Influenced or fractured bases can be worth more than raw currency.

 

When to Defer vs. Buy

Knowing when to defer versus buy is the heart of Ritual efficiency.

 

Buy Immediately: If you have enough Tribute and the item is valuable now, take it. Currency items usually fall into this category.

 

Defer Expensive Rewards: If something costs more than your Tribute but is a big-ticket item (like a Divine Orb or rare unique), defer it.

 

Ignore Junk: Don't waste Tribute on low-value rares unless you need filler gear while leveling.

 

Strategy: Farming Ritual for Profit

If you want to target Ritual as a league strategy, here's a proven approach:

 

Spec into Ritual on the Atlas Tree: Take nodes that increase Tribute, altar spawn chance, and reward quality.

 

Juice Maps for Density: Run scarabs, sextants, and mechanics that add monsters.

 

Run Red Maps (T14-16): These maps maximize Tribute output.

 

Check Rewards Carefully: Defer high-value drops, reroll when panels are weak, and buy profitable items when possible.

 

Sell Deferred Rewards Later: When you finally get an expensive item you've been deferring, list it for trade to maximize profit.

 

This farming loop ensures steady Tribute inflow and long-term rewards.

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Spending Tribute on Trash: Don't waste resources on gear that has no trade value or build impact.

 

Ignoring Deferral: Passing on a big item without deferring it means it may never return.

 

Rerolling Too Aggressively: Burning all Tribute on rerolls instead of saving for good rewards is a quick way to lose value.

 

Skipping Altars: Each altar compounds rewards-don't leave maps half-finished.

 

Final Thoughts

Ritual is one of Path of Exile's most rewarding mechanics when used wisely. By understanding how Tribute works, how to use defer/reroll effectively, and how to maximize monster density, you can turn Rituals into a consistent source of profit and progression.

 

Always remember:

Tribute is temporary-use it wisely.

 

Defer expensive items you can't afford yet.

 

Focus on currency, uniques, and bases with real market value.

 

Master these strategies, and Ritual Altars will become one of your most reliable allies on the road to riches and endgame power in Path of Exile.