With the arrival of the Third Edict update, Path of Exile 2 players have been given a brand-new endgame chase item: Kulemak's Invitation. This rare and mysterious artifact serves as the only way to access one of the toughest new Pinnacle Bosses in the game. More importantly, it's also the exclusive gateway to the Abyssal Lich Ascendancy, a coveted specialization that can dramatically reshape how a character plays.

Just like everything in Path of Exile, however, nothing about Kulemak's Invitation is straightforward. Obtaining it requires careful planning, a fair dose of RNG luck, and often some savvy trading using POE2 Currency. Whether you're the type of player who thrives on grinding bosses for that one elusive drop, or you'd rather take the efficient route and purchase your way to success, understanding how the invitation works is crucial for making the most of this new endgame feature.

What is Kulemak's Invitation?

At its core, Kulemak's Invitation is a key item that allows you to enter the Black Cathedral, a unique arena where players face off against Kulemak, the Abyssal Tyrant. This fight is no ordinary endgame encounter-it's been designed as one of the most punishing Pinnacle Boss challenges in Path of Exile 2 so far.

Like the Maven or Sirus encounters in the first game, Kulemak represents a true test of mechanical skill, build optimization, and endurance. His fight is filled with layered mechanics, escalating phases, and devastating damage checks that push even the most refined builds to their limits. Victory is never guaranteed-but the rewards make the risk worthwhile.

Among those rewards, the standout prize is access to the Abyssal Lich Ascendancy. Unlocking this path allows players to harness dark, corpse-driven powers that offer devastating damage scaling and unique defensive twists, making it one of the most highly sought-after specializations in the current meta.

How to Obtain Kulemak's Invitation

The biggest hurdle is simply getting your hands on the invitation itself. Unlike fragments that drop consistently from known encounters, Kulemak's Invitation has a more elusive acquisition process.

1. Farming Tasgul and Vandroth

The “purest” and most direct way to acquire an invitation is by farming Tasgul and Vandroth, two powerful bosses introduced alongside the Third Edict. Each has a small chance to drop the invitation upon defeat. This route appeals to players who enjoy self-sufficiency and want the satisfaction of earning the invitation entirely through gameplay.

The downside? The drop rate isn't generous. Expect to run these fights multiple times, invest in sustain mechanics, and refine your farming routes if you want a realistic chance at seeing the invitation drop in a timely manner.

2. Trading with POE 2 Currency

For many players, the more practical option is buying the invitation from other players. The Path of Exile economy thrives on supply and demand, and Kulemak's Invitation has quickly become one of the hottest trade items on the market. If you've been farming currency efficiently-whether through mapping, crafting, or flipping-you can save yourself countless hours by purchasing the invitation outright.

This method isn't cheap, especially in the early weeks of a league when demand is at its peak. Still, if your primary goal is testing your build against Kulemak or unlocking the Abyssal Lich Ascendancy, trading might be the fastest and most reliable approach.

Preparing for the Black Cathedral

Getting the invitation is only the first step. Entering the Black Cathedral unprepared is a recipe for disaster. To maximize your chances of success, consider the following preparation strategies:

Optimize Your Defenses: Kulemak deals a mix of elemental and physical damage, often layered in overlapping mechanics. Builds that rely solely on damage output tend to get deleted quickly. Cap resistances, invest in armor/evasion layers, and ensure your flasks are tuned for survivability.

Movement is Survival: Much like Shaper or Maven fights, positioning is everything. Kulemak's arena is designed to punish stationary players. Movement skills-whether leaps, teleports, or dashes-are mandatory for dodging his sweeping attacks.

Damage Windows: The fight isn't about constant DPS. Instead, you'll need to survive long stretches of mechanics before short vulnerability phases. Builds with burst damage often outperform those relying on steady but lower DPS.

Consumables & Currency Prep: Don't walk into this fight empty-handed. Bring in currency-crafted flasks, high-quality gems, and consider consumables from the trade market to push your build's power as far as possible.

The Abyssal Lich Ascendancy

The true reward for overcoming Kulemak is unlocking the Abyssal Lich Ascendancy. This path revolves around necrotic power and corpse manipulation, and it offers some of the most unique mechanics currently available in PoE 2.

Highlights include:

Corpse Empowerment: Instead of consuming corpses simply for skills like Detonate Dead, Lich powers allow you to absorb strength from lingering corpses, enhancing both damage and defenses.

Dark Regeneration: Life leech and energy shield sustain are amplified through shadow-themed mechanics, rewarding aggressive play while maintaining survivability.

Abyssal Minions: Specialized summons that scale differently than traditional minions, offering hybrid synergy with self-cast and corpse skills.

Because of its complexity, the Abyssal Lich is not a beginner-friendly Ascendancy. However, in the hands of experienced players, it has the potential to redefine the current endgame meta.

Risk vs Reward: Should You Chase It?

Not every player needs to engage with Kulemak's Invitation. The grind for the item, the steep difficulty of the fight, and the sheer cost of trading for it make it a high-risk endeavor. But for those seeking a pinnacle challenge and one of the most powerful new Ascendancies, it's hard to ignore.

For competitive players and hardcore build theorists, mastering the Black Cathedral and claiming the Abyssal Lich path is a mark of prestige. For casual players, the smart play might be selling invitations early in the league for massive profit. Both paths hold their own form of victory.

Final Thoughts

Kulemak's Invitation is one of the most exciting additions to Path of Exile 2's endgame in the Third Edict update. It perfectly embodies what makes the franchise beloved: difficult encounters, rare and prestigious rewards, and the ever-present choice of grinding versus trading.

Whether you're farming Tasgul and Vandroth for the drop, trading piles of POE 2 Currency Orbs for instant access, or preparing to push your build to its limits inside the Black Cathedral, the journey to face Kulemak is one of the defining experiences of the new league.