The Best XP Farming Strategy in Path of Exile Right Now
Today we're diving into what I truly believe is one of the most effective, brain-dead simple XP farming strategies in Path of Exile right now. This method has been tested and refined through dozens of maps and hours of grinding, with an emphasis on ease of use, safety, and sheer XP efficiency-especially relevant in the current post-nerf environment after patch 3.26.
Whether you're pushing from 95 to 98 or going all the way to 100, this setup will get you there faster, with minimal gear investment and surprisingly decent currency returns as a side benefit.
Why This Strategy Works
The magic of this approach lies in the perfect synergy between Beyond and Domination, paired with smart Scarab usage and Atlas passives that pour monsters onto your screen. It's not flashy, it doesn't require a King's March, and you won't be dealing with complex mechanics. The entire plan is:
In tier 16 maps using this method, I was pulling in over 100 million XP per hour at level 98, without juicing maps to insane levels or risking frequent deaths. Want to know the best part? You can do this in nearly any layout-Mesa, Dunes, and Jungle Valley are great, but even Maze works if you've got the patience.
XP Penalties and How to Avoid Them
Before we dive into the mechanics, here are two core rules of XP efficiency in PoE:
1. Don't Die.
Obvious? Sure. Easy? Not always. Dying costs 10% of your level's XP, and at high levels that's a soul-crushing setback. If you're serious about XP, invest in Omens of Amelioration. They reduce death penalties to around 1.5%-one use per map, but they can save you hours.
2. Fight High-Level Monsters.
The higher your level, the less XP you gain from monsters below you. Tier 17 monsters provide more XP than Tier 16, so if your build can handle them, upgrading is worth it. But beware-the danger spikes, and deaths become more likely. I personally farm Tier 16.5s and juice them instead.
Mechanics Used: Beyond + Domination
This is my favorite league mechanic for XP farming. It adds shrines to the map, which buff you significantly and spawn additional monsters-many of them magic-rarity. It's like having a mini Mageblood, and it stacks beautifully with Head Hunter or Tides of Time.
While it's traditionally annoying and slows down map clear, the reworked Beyond adds a ton of extra mobs to kill-especially when triggered off rare monsters. We'll use a clever Scarab combo to force those rare mobs to show up in droves.
Together, these mechanics create an infinite loop of monster spawning. Kill rares, get more Beyond portals. Kill those, get even more. The result? A non-stop XP buffet.
The Scarab Setup
Here's the Scarab loadout that fuels the fire:
2x Monstrous Lineage Scarabs
(+40% magic pack size each = +80% total). They crank up monster density and item drop quality.
Domination Scarab of Evolution
(Adds an evolving shrine, with a doubled chance to upgrade monsters into rares.)
Beyond Scarab of Invasion
(Killing rares spawns Beyond portals directly.)
Each Scarab costs 1 chaos or less. That's less than 5c per map for massive returns-XP, loot, gold, and even divines.
If you're running Head Hunter, consider swapping one of the above (usually Evolution) for a Nemesis Scarab. That will load rares with even more modifiers-making for extremely fun (and profitable) buff stealing.
Bonus: Head Hunter vs. Tides of Time
A quick side note for my fellow Toxic Rain Pathfinder players: While Head Hunter is fun, it's not necessarily better than Tides of Time for damage and consistency. But if you're just trying to have fun flying around and stealing buffs from hundreds of rares, Head Hunter is an absolute blast with this setup.
Atlas Passive Tree
Let's talk tree.
You'll want every Shrine and Beyond node except the boss-related ones (like Demonic Power and Torn Veil). Why? We're not fighting bosses-they're slow, not worth it, and turn off Beyond portals once they die.
The key notable nodes:
Drawn to Power-Shrines spawn extra packs of monsters.
Synchronism-Buff duration and power for shrine buffs.
Refiner's Bargain-Converts possessed monster loot into Thaumaturgic Dust, great for those doing King's March.
Baited Demons-Focuses Beyond monsters toward dropping PoE currency (Divines, raw chaos, etc.).
Scarabs, Map mod effect, and pack size nodes in the center of the tree.
Want to skip Beyond? You can-but it's strictly worse XP. However, if your FPS tanks or you're dying too much, it's a valid swap.
Maps, Layouts & Boss Rushing
You can run this strategy on any map layout you enjoy, but my top picks are:
Mesa-Tight loops, great for boss rushing, good monster flow.
Dunes-Clean, open, and super smooth.
Jungle Valley-Underappreciated but solid.If you're farming for currency while gaining XP, target maps from the Fortress map column on the T17 chart. That's where the long-term value lies. Don't forget to use domination on the map device-it's cheap and essential to the whole strategy.
Currency Gains
Even though this is designed for XP, the currency farming is no joke.
In just a couple of hours, I pulled:
6 raw Divines
Stacks of scarabs
Countless valuable div cards
Thanks to Monstrous Lineage and Beyond Scarab of Invasion, your screen will be painted with loot explosions. Add Refiner's Bargain and Seance, and you're also stacking 10K+ Thaumaturgic Dust per map on average-free King's March progression just from your clear speed.
Optional: Delirium?
Could you juice this more with Delirium orbs? Technically, yes. But Delirium massively increases difficulty and often results in deaths-defeating the purpose of this XP-first strategy. Unless you're cracked or running a boss-layered setup, I recommend skipping it.
TL;DR - Quick Strategy Recap
Map Strategy:
Tier 16 or 16.5 maps (Mesa, Dunes, Jungle Valley).
Domination selected on the map device.
No bossing, full clear with high mob density.
Scarabs:
2x Monstrous Lineage
Domination Scarab of Evolution
Beyond Scarab of Invasion
(Optional: Swap one for Nemesis if using Head Hunter)
Atlas Tree Focus:
All shrine nodes
All Beyond nodes (except boss ones)
Refiner's Bargain
Scarab, map mod effect, and pack size clusters
Tips:
Use Omens of Amelioration to mitigate death XP loss.
Skip Beyond if your build/FPS can't handle it.
Spam your favorite layout until you're 100.
Final Thoughts
This leveling strategy has everything: XP, currency, low cost, and high simplicity. If you're tired of complex mechanics and just want to see the bar move, this is your go-to method. Plus, it's fun. Watching your screen fill up with monsters and loot is classic Path of Exile at its best.
MMOexp POE Team