Trial of the Sekhemas is one of the most reliable profit strategies in Path of Exile 2 when it is approached as a repeatable service farm rather than a one-off ascendancy clear. The core idea is simple: build a relic setup that makes runs safe and fast, sell carry spots to players who need their ascendancy completion, and stack additional value from unique relics, magic relics, Timelost Jewels, and end-of-run chests.

This guide explains how to farm the Trial efficiently, which relic stats matter most, how to reduce failed runs, and where most of the value actually comes from. It is especially useful for players looking for a low-investment strategy with strong returns, whether they want more gear upgrades and crafting resources or extra PoE 2 currency for a stronger endgame setup.

Why Trial of the Sekhemas Is So Profitable

The Trial has several overlapping income streams, which is what makes it stand out from many single-reward farming methods. Instead of relying on one jackpot alone, a good run can generate value from multiple sources at once.

• Ascendancy carry fees from players paying for completion
• Unique relic drops from the final boss
• Magic relics with valuable stat combinations
• Timelost Jewels and Grand Spectrum-style jewel rewards
• Chest rewards such as currency and other tradable items

The carry service is the most consistent part of the strategy. Loot is the upside that pushes the farm from good to excellent. That combination makes Trial farming attractive for players who want dependable endgame PoE 2 currency without needing a highly specialized mapping setup.

The Basic Farming Model

A standard profit loop looks like this:

• Buy or use an appropriate Trial entry item
• Run the Trial with a relic setup focused on safety and reward scaling
• Reach the final boss while preserving enough Honour to finish comfortably
• Before the boss dies, bring in customers who need ascendancy completion
• Kill the boss, collect carry payment, and sort loot afterward

This structure matters because the service fee is locked in once the customers safely receive their completion. The rest of the loot becomes bonus profit. If your build can clear the Trial consistently and kill the boss without drama, the farm becomes very stable.

Best Relic Setup for Trial Farming

The relic setup has two goals: make the Trial easier to complete and increase the value of boss drops. For most players, the best configuration uses medium relics for defence and small relics for reward scaling.

Medium Relics: Prioritize Honour Resistance

The most important defensive stat is Honour Resistance. A practical target is around 60% to 75%. This reduces how much Honour is lost when you get hit, which is crucial for newer players and for anyone doing repeated runs where consistency matters more than speedrunning.

For the second modifier on medium relics, strong options include:

• Merchant has an additional choice
• Reduced Merchant prices
• Bosses take increased damage

The safest all-purpose choice is extra Merchant choice because it helps you find stronger boons and smooth out weaker Trial paths. Boss damage can be excellent too, but only if your build already feels stable.

Small Relics: Quantity of Relics Dropped by Monsters

The key farming stat on small relics is increased quantity of relics dropped by monsters. The benchmark to aim for is a total of at least 100 across your small relics. Reaching that threshold significantly improves the value of the farm because it increases the number of relic drops and helps the final boss consistently produce multiple unique relics.

If you are building on a budget, do not chase perfect rolls. Mid-range values are usually much cheaper and still accomplish the goal. A lower-cost relic with the right stat is often better than overspending for a near-perfect version.

After relic quantity, the best supporting stats are:

• Maximum Life for safer runs
• Movement Speed for faster clears

Newer farmers should start with Life. Experienced players who rarely get clipped can swap into Movement Speed to complete more runs per hour. That tradeoff is where the farm starts scaling harder for advanced characters.

Budget Setup vs Advanced Setup

Budget Version

If you are starting out, use:

• Two medium relics with Honour Resistance
• Small relics that together reach 100+ relic quantity
• Maximum Life as the preferred secondary stat

This version is ideal for learning afflictions, building confidence, and generating campaign PoE 2 currency that transitions into a stronger endgame bankroll.

Advanced Version

Once you are comfortable, upgrade into:

• Honour Resistance on medium relics with better secondary utility
• 100+ relic quantity on small relics with stronger rolls
• Movement Speed on small relics where possible

This setup is aimed at maximizing runs per hour. It is especially strong for players using established PoE 2 currency farming strategies who want another high-value rotation alongside mapping.

Important Afflictions to Avoid

Success in Trial farming is not just about damage. It is mostly about choosing afflictions that do not cripple your run. Many failed attempts happen because players click quickly and accept a modifier that ruins consistency.

Some of the most dangerous afflictions include:

• You are not always taken to the room you select
• Afflictions are unknown on the Trial map
• Gain a random minor affliction at shrines
• Monsters have more life
• Heavy penalties to Armour or Energy Shield

Unknown-room and random-affliction effects are especially bad because they remove your ability to route safely. More monster life can also be annoying because it slows the final floor and makes the boss phase less efficient, especially in full parties.

Always judge afflictions based on your build. If your character barely uses Energy Shield, that downside may be free. If your defence relies heavily on Armour, the same choice could be disastrous.

Take a look at: PoE 2 farming tier list after update 0.5

Movement Speed Matters More Than Most Players Think

Fast Trial farmers value movement speed very highly. Escape rooms and traversal-heavy sections become much easier when you can simply outrun delayed attacks and reposition cleanly. Boots with strong movement speed are one of the simplest upgrades for this farm.

Movement speed improves:

• Room completion time
• Safety in escape sections
• Overall runs per hour
• Carry service throughput

That means it boosts both direct loot and service income. If you are trying to improve efficient PoE 2 runs, this is one of the first optimizations to make.

The service side of the farm is straightforward. Players pay a fee to join before the final boss so they receive ascendancy completion when the boss dies. This creates guaranteed value even before loot is counted.

Typical pricing depends on demand, time of day, and competition. Lower pricing fills faster, while higher pricing may increase profit per run if you already have a reputation or strong demand. Beginners can start with fewer customers per run and scale up as they get more comfortable.

Best Practices for Carry Runs

• Recruit before the final boss so customers do not wait too long
• Tell players where to stand and warn them not to enter danger early
• Track who has paid to avoid confusion
• Start with smaller parties if your build is not proven in full groups

Party scaling matters. A larger group makes the boss tougher, so there is a balance between extra fee income and slower or riskier kills. If your character is still developing, treat this as PoE 2 build budget currency farming first and a max-capacity service later.

Can Most Builds Do This Farm?

Yes, but not every build does it equally well. The best Trial farmers usually have:

• Reliable damage without long setup time
• Good mobility
• Strong control or safe uptime on the boss
• Enough defences to survive chip damage while preserving Honour

The final boss is much more approachable than many players expect, especially after changes that made the encounter less punishing. That means many competent endgame builds can handle carries with practice, even if they are not top-tier boss killers.

Main Loot Sources Beyond Carry Fees

Unique Relics

The final boss can drop highly valuable unique relics. These are among the biggest reasons to stack relic quantity on your setup. Some will fluctuate heavily in price, and a rare jackpot can massively outperform average-run expectations.

Do not build your expectations around ultra-rare hits alone, but treat them as meaningful upside that improves long-term profit.

Magic Relics

Magic relics are easy to underestimate. Many sell for little, but the right combinations can be worth a lot. Identify them all and check for high-roll combinations such as:

• Honour Resistance
• Movement Speed
• Quantity of relics dropped by monsters
• Merchant utility mods
• Boss damage modifiers

Roll quality matters. A useful combination with low values may be cheap, while the same pair with near-perfect numbers can be worth several Divine Orbs. This is one reason the farm generates solid trading PoE 2 orbs over time even outside jackpot drops.

Timelost Jewels are another meaningful source of value. Demand shifts by color and by current build trends, so always check the market before selling. Some variants move much faster than others, and that affects how much practical profit you can extract from your stash.

For players who like flexible loot pools, this is a nice bonus because the Trial does not force all value into one item category.

End-of-Run Chests

If you have leftover resources at the end, prioritize reward chests that can return the most value. Currency-style caches and jewel-related rewards are usually the most interesting. Even when you miss premium outcomes, these chests help smooth variance across many runs.

Take a look at: Ritual farming guide

How to Evaluate Relics After the Run

After each session, identify your relics and sort them by useful stat pairings. A simple evaluation process saves time:

• Check whether the relic has one premium mod
• Check whether it also has a strong supporting mod
• Look at the roll values, not just the names
• Price the best combinations individually
• Bulk-sell weak leftovers if stash space becomes a problem

This step is important because a lot of the farm's hidden profit comes from items that look average at first glance. Players focused only on big-ticket uniques often undervalue the steady stream of sellable relics.

Who Should Farm Trial of the Sekhemas?

This strategy is best for players who:

• Enjoy repeatable instanced content
• Want lower setup cost than some mapping farms
• Have a build that can boss safely
• Are comfortable interacting with the trade economy
• Want a mix of guaranteed and high-variance rewards

It is less ideal for players who dislike service-based gameplay or who prefer purely solo loot loops. If you would rather compare it against other endgame options, check out our PoE 2 farming tier list after update 0.5 for a broader view of current profit strategies.

Common Mistakes That Lower Profit

• Ignoring afflictions and bricking runs with bad choices
• Overpaying for perfect relics instead of buying efficient mid-rolls
• Running too little Honour Resistance when learning
• Failing to price magic relics correctly
• Inviting too many carry customers too early
• Neglecting movement speed and losing runs per hour

Avoiding these mistakes is often more important than squeezing out tiny optimizations. Consistency is what turns the Trial into a real farming engine.

Final Thoughts

Trial of the Sekhemas is one of the most complete profit farms in Path of Exile 2 because it combines guaranteed service income with several valuable loot categories. A smart relic setup, disciplined affliction choices, and clean carry management are the foundation of the strategy.

If you are looking for a farm that can fund gear upgrades, rerolls, and future crafting without requiring expensive map juicing, this is an excellent option. It also scales well: start with a defensive budget setup, learn the encounter flow, then shift into faster relics and fuller parties as your confidence grows. Players who want to branch into other profitable content later can also compare it with our Ritual farming guide to decide which loop best fits their build and playstyle.

How much Honour Resistance should I aim for?

A good target is 60% to 75%. That range makes mistakes far less punishing and is ideal for consistent farming.

Do I need expensive relics to start?

No. Mid-roll relics with the right stats are enough. Focus on Honour Resistance and 100+ total relic quantity before chasing premium upgrades.

What is the most reliable source of profit in the Trial?

Ascendancy carry fees are the most consistent income source. Unique relics, magic relics, and jewels add extra upside on top.

Is this better than mapping for making currency?

It depends on your build and tolerance for service gameplay. For many players, it is a strong alternative to mapping-focused PoE 2 currency farms.

Should I sell every magic relic immediately?

No. Identify them first and check the rolls. Some combinations with high values can be worth far more than they appear at a glance.