Summary
If you're pushing for level 100 in Path of Exile's 3.29 update and want the fastest possible experience per hour, the newly buffed Abyss strategy on City Square is currently unrivaled. After the Abyss buff patches, this approach has overtaken even the most juiced Breach strategies, delivering over 120 million XP per hour from level 99 to 100 . To sustain the scarabs and juiced maps required, you may need to buy POE currency to keep your farm running smoothly without downtime. This guide will walk you through the complete setup, execution, and rewards of this hyper-efficient farming method.
Why Abyss on City Square?
The brilliance of this strategy lies in its predictability. On the City Square map, Abyss cracks consistently run along the four borders of the square. This creates a simple, brain-off loop: enter the map, run the perimeter, clear the pits, and leave.
Predictable Layout: No searching for the Abyss. It follows the map's edge, making it incredibly fast to complete .
Insane XP Density: By juicing the map with scarabs and Atlas nodes, each Abyss spawns a massive number of magic and rare monsters, which are the primary source of endgame experience .
Brain-Off Farming: Unlike Breach, which requires sprinting between expanding hands, this strategy is simple. You just follow a line .
Atlas Tree Setup
Your Atlas tree needs to be hyper-focused on maximizing monster density and Abyss rewards. Here is the breakdown of the priority nodes :
The Full Abyss Package: You need every Abyss node on the tree. These nodes ensure maximum rare and magic monster spawns from the pits, which is where the bulk of your XP comes from .
Searing Exarch Altars: Choose Searing Exarch over Eater of Worlds. The "red" altar monsters spawn instantly, whereas Eater of Worlds packs have a slight delay. In a speed-farming strategy, those seconds add up .
Beyond: High-density Abyss encounters are perfect for spawning Beyond demons. This adds another layer of monsters and XP to the map .
Delirium: Adding a Delirium orb (or using the Delirium mirror) provides yet another extra layer of monsters, significantly boosting your XP yield .
Increased Explicit Map Modifiers: These nodes scale the pack size and quantity of your 8-mod maps, making them even juicier for XP .
Scarab and Map Selection
The choice of scarabs is critical to the success of this farm.
Scarabs
2x Abyss Scarab of Multitudes: This scarab provides 100% increased monsters spawned by Abysses. This is the primary driver of your XP density .
3x Abyss Scarab: These additional scarabs increase the length of the Abyss, ensuring it covers the entire perimeter of the map and spawns a maximum number of pits .
Map Selection
Tier 16 Eight-Modded Maps: You need corrupted rare maps with eight modifiers. The more modifiers, the higher the pack size and quantity, which translates directly to more monsters and better XP .
City Square: As mentioned, this map is non-negotiable for the strategy's efficiency .
Bulk Preparation: You will clear these maps in 1-2 minutes. Prepare a large stock (20-30+ maps) beforehand so you don't interrupt your flow to trade .
Step-by-Step Execution
Once you have your Atlas, scarabs, and maps ready, the gameplay loop is straightforward.
Enter the Map: Immediately start moving along the map's edge.
Run the Perimeter: Your goal is to run along all four borders of City Square, "triggering" all the Abyss pits. Do not stop to clear any chests or small packs yet.
Clear the Lane: Once the Abyss is fully spawned, run back and forth along the lane, killing all the monsters that emerge from the pits. The pits will turn dark when all monsters in that section are dead .
Check the Final Chest: You can only get the jackpot reward—the Skittering Lockbox—from the final Abyss pit. Save your looting for this last chest. Quickly check if it's a Skittering Lockbox (which rewards valuable scarabs); if not, just move on .
Optional - Boss Rush: For a small extra profit, dash into the center of the map and kill the three bosses. This takes about 5 seconds and provides a steady stream of valuable boss-rush loot like Astrolabes .
Exit and Repeat: Leave the map and immediately start the next one. Efficiency is key.
Reward Cheatsheet
Main Focus: Pure Experience.
Jackpot: The Skittering Lockbox from the final pit. It has roughly a 50% spawn rate and drops high-value scarabs .
Secondary Income: Boss drops and bulk currency.
XP Per Hour and Expected Results
Testing from level 99 to 100 shows this strategy averages 121 million XP per hour .
Map Count: It will take approximately 76 maps to go from level 99 to 100 .
Profit: While this is primarily an XP strategy, you will still make profit. WealthyExile data shows consistent profits in the range of 10-16 Divine Orbs per hour when factoring in the scarabs from the Skittering Lockboxes and boss drops .
Variance: Some maps will yield less XP (around 65M/hr) due to RNG, while others with a "giga" Abyss can push close to 200M/hr .
Abyss vs. Breach: Which is Better?
Feature | Abyss (City Square) | Breach (Standard Farm) |
XP per Hour (99-100) | ||
Map Time | Very Fast (1-2 mins) | Longer (4-5 mins) |
Difficulty | Relaxing, follows a line. Accessible to most builds. | Requires a fast blaster build (screen-wide clears) |
Loot | More focused on Scarabs (Skittering Lockbox) | Higher chance at raw currency (Divines) and expensive uniques from the Flawless Breachstone drops |
Flow | Brain-off "run the line" | Intense, requiring fast movement between expanding Breaches |
Conclusion: If your goal is the absolute fastest XP, the Abyss strategy is superior. If you value high variance jackpots and raw currency drops, Breach is still excellent. However, the predictability and ease of this Abyss farm make it the best choice for most players pushing for level 100. For those who need to quickly restock on scarabs or maps, you can find POE currency for sale from various providers—MMOEXP is a solid option to consider. By following this guide, you'll have the tools to make your level 100 push smoother, faster, and more profitable than ever before.
