Welcome to Path of Exile, where every step you take could lead to glory or peril. In this guide, we'll delve deep into one of the game's most intriguing mechanics: Incursion. So, whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned exile looking to sharpen your skills, let's journey together into the heart of the Temple of Atzoatl.

What is Incursion?

Incursion is a unique mechanic in Path of Exile that introduces players to Alva Valai, a master of time manipulation. Alva will appear in your maps and quests, offering you the chance to travel back in time to the ancient Temple of Atzoatl. Your mission? To alter its fate by defeating its denizens and shaping its layout.

You'll encounter Alva first in Act 7, and from then on, she'll randomly spawn in your campaign maps and maps generated by the Atlas of Worlds. However, there's a catch—unless you invest passive points into increasing her appearance chance, encountering her will be a matter of luck.

How Does Incursion Work?

When you encounter Alva, she'll transport you back in time to the Temple of Atzoatl. You'll have a limited number of incursions—usually twelve—to shape the temple's layout. Each incursion involves defeating monsters and influencing the temple's rooms.

Alva will present you with a selection of rooms, each with its unique modifiers and rewards. Your goal is to strategically upgrade these rooms to maximize the benefits they offer in the present day.

Navigating the Temple: A Tactical Approach

Once inside the temple, you'll face hordes of monsters that drop time, which extends your stay within the incursion. Your primary targets are the architects—the key to shaping the temple's destiny.

There are two types of architects: resident and non-resident. Killing a resident architect changes the room's type while defeating a non-resident architect upgrades its tier. Understanding this distinction is crucial for optimizing your temple layout.

Room Upgrades and Strategic Choices

As you progress through incursions, you'll have the opportunity to upgrade or change the temple's rooms. Killing the right architect upgrades the room while defeating the other alters its type. Strategic planning is essential here, as each decision impacts the temple's final layout.

The ultimate goal is to create a fully upgraded temple with valuable rooms like Locus of Corruption, Doryani's Institute, and Apex of Ascension. These rooms offer lucrative Path Of Exile Currency rewards, making them highly sought after by players.

Passive Skill Tree: Enhancing Your Incursion Experience

The passive skill tree offers various nodes to enhance your incursion experience. From increasing the chance of encountering Alva to improving incursion pack size, these nodes provide valuable bonuses that can tip the scales in your favor.

Notable nodes like Val Oligarch's Incursion and Treasure Hunt significantly impact your incursion runs, providing additional challenges and rewards.

Enhancing Incursions with Scarabs

Introduced in the Necropolis League, incursion scarabs are consumable items that enhance your incursion experience. From guaranteeing Alva's presence to increasing monster density, these scarabs offer a range of benefits to aid you in your incursion runs.

Maximizing Rewards with Strategic Scarab Usage

Strategic scarab usage can significantly boost your incursion rewards. Whether you're farming for POE currency or seeking valuable temple items, using the right scarabs at the right time is key to maximizing your gains.

Conclusion: Mastering the Temple of Atzoatl

In conclusion, mastering the incursion mechanic requires a blend of strategy, planning, and adaptability. By understanding the intricacies of room upgrades, architect mechanics, and scarab usage, you can shape the Temple of Atzoatl to your advantage and reap the rewards it offers.

So, fellow exile, venture forth into the depths of the temple and may fortune favor your incursions. And remember, in Path of Exile, the journey is just as rewarding as the destination.