Path of Exile 2: The Slithering Dead Quest Guide %v

This guide details the "Slithering Dead" side quest in Path of Exile 2, focusing on its walkthrough and optimal reward choices.

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The Slithering Dead Quest Walkthrough
Choosing the Best Venom Draught Reward

The Slithering Dead, initiated by Servi in the Ziggurat Encampment, involves uncovering secrets of a rival tribe and the fate of her son. While the quest's location is straightforward, selecting the right reward proves challenging. Only one of three rewards can be chosen, and this decision is irreversible.

The Slithering Dead Quest Walkthrough

To begin, locate the Venom Crypts entrance adjacent to the Jungle Ruins Waypoint in Act 3 (and Act 3 Cruel). The Venom Crypts are a separate area from the main questline's Infested Barrens. Even if missed initially, you can revisit the Venom Crypts later.

Explore the Venom Crypts until you find a corpse within the Den of the Serpent Priestess (location varies due to randomized maps).

Interact with the corpse to obtain Corpse-Snake Venom. Return to Servi in the Ziggurat Encampment and deliver the venom to complete the quest.

Choosing the Best Venom Draught Reward

The Slithering Dead is repeatable (Act 3 and Act 3 Cruel), offering different rewards each time.

Act 3 Rewards:

Servi presents 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.

The Venom Draught of Clarity is generally the best option, particularly beneficial for mana-intensive melee builds. 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 specifically addressing stun issues in a particular build.

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.

The Venom Draught of the Lost (+10% Chaos Resistance) is overwhelmingly the superior choice due to the rarity of Chaos Resistance on gear. Only builds utilizing Chaos Inoculation, which necessitates the Venom Draught of the Sky (+5 to all Attributes), would deviate from this.