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As September draws to a close, the final event in Path of Exile 1 Race Qualifier series is set to begin. Once this concludes, the full roster of eight winners, drawn from both PoE 1 and PoE 2 qualifiers, will be finalized, setting the stage for the grand finals at ExileCon 2026 in November.

Race Qualifier 4 represents your last chance to secure a spot in the finals and compete for major prizes; however, even if you prefer to simply watch, the new Twitch Drops are an opportunity you won't want to miss!

Here is everything you need to know about PoE 1 Race Qualifier 4 so you can make the most of the event.

When will Race Qualifier 4 start?

This round begins on September 24 at 2:00 PM PDT and runs for one week, concluding on October 1. If you are currently participating in the third qualifier, you have less than a day left to either maintain your standing or catch up to the leaders.

The development team has been rolling out weekly updates for Path of Exile 2 Race Qualifiers since August 6, while the first round for the original game began on September 3.

How to qualify for ExileCon 2026 finals?

The second half of the year is packed with major in-person gaming events. Following Gamescom 2026 and BlizzCon 2026, ExileCon 2026, an event dedicated specifically to Path of Exile fans, will take place on November 7-8.

In addition to revealing further details about Path of Exile 2 version 1.0 launch (scheduled for December) and updates on the future of PoE 1, the event will host various in-person competitions, including Race Finals.

The eight players selected through PoE 1 and PoE 2 race qualifiers will compete for the top prize over the course of the two-day ExileCon 2026 event. To secure one of these spots, you must finish first in any of the qualifying rounds and ensure your lead holds until the round ends.

To achieve this in the upcoming Qualifier 4, you must, while adhering to the rules, complete Acts 1 through 5 of the campaign as quickly as possible using a newly created character, with the ultimate goal of defeating Kitava, the final boss of Act 5.

If you enter the race early, even if you are temporarily in first place, you must remain vigilant to ensure you aren't overtaken; otherwise, you will need to run the race again to set a record.

If you start during the final few days, you need to make your attempt count, as there won't be enough time for repeated runs.

What are the new Twitch Drops?

To encourage players who aren't participating in the qualifiers to follow the event, Path of Exile development team has introduced new Twitch Drop rewards for each qualifier.

The reward for Race Qualifier 4 is Scavenger Bat Pet. To earn it, you simply need to watch the event stream, or any Path of Exile stream, for a total of 30 minutes within the first 24 hours of the qualifier's start.

While these rewards are purely cosmetic and offer no gameplay advantages, they are visually striking and free!

Twitch is also crucial for qualifier participants

First, even if you plan to fully participate in Race Qualifier 4, you can still find time to unlock Scavenger Bat Pet.

Furthermore, to ensure your race result is valid, you must link your Path of Exile 1 account to Twitch beforehand and use that specific account to stream your entire run.

Additionally, ensure your Twitch stream remains stable throughout the event and avoid running other software simultaneously; if any part of the stream is unwatchable or the user interface is obstructed, your result will be invalidated.

You must also ensure that the stream VOD remains public after your run concludes, allowing organizers to review and verify it.

It is also worth noting that if you participated in the first three qualifiers but struggled to achieve an ideal result due to a lack of efficient routes or strategies, watching other players' streams can provide valuable insights.

What is next for Path of Exile 1?

Path of Exile 2 recently launched Forbidden Rites transitional mini-league and is set to exit Early Access for its full 1.0 launch in December.

In contrast, the situation for Path of Exile 1 is much quieter; aside from the four race qualifiers in September, 3.29 league, launched in July, is continuing at a steady, albeit unremarkable, pace.

Based on the game's typical update schedule, 3.30 league would normally launch in late November or early December; however, doing so would cause it to clash with the launch of PoE 2 version 1.0, potentially splitting the player base.

Consequently, we anticipate that the development team will announce their plans for 3.30 league shortly after the conclusion of Race Qualifier 4, whether they decide to launch it early or delay it while running a transitional event, such as Return of the Ancestors.

Finally, a quick reminder: don't be discouraged if you fail to qualify for the finals. After all, there is only one winner's spot per qualifier, and the competition is fierce, sometimes the difference between first and second place comes down to mere seconds.

In fact, the experience gained from competing will boost your efficiency when you tackle the campaign in future standard leagues!

That covers everything for now. Whether you are participating in the competition or simply watching from the sidelines, we hope you have a great time!

As one of the four qualifier leading to the in-person ExileCon Grand Finals, Path of Exile 1 Qualifier 3 kicks off on September 17 at 14:00 PDT. The winner of the qualifier secures not only the prize for the specific match but, more importantly, a spot in the live Race Finale at ExileCon 2026.

For speedrunners, this means their online performance can translate into a chance to take the main stage at ExileCon. This round marks the penultimate opportunity to claim a seat in the finals. As the qualifiers progress, the intensity of the competition is sure to draw increasing attention.

Format Breakdown

Qualifier 3 continues to utilize Standard Solo Self-Found (SSF) fixed seed environment. Participants must progress through the campaign from scratch and defeat Kitava - Act 5 boss - as quickly as possible. This format places immense demands on a speedrunner's overall skillset.

Solo Self-Found

SSF means players cannot trade or party with others; all gear and resources must be obtained independently. This eliminates variables introduced by teamwork or economic trading, focusing the competition purely on the individual's understanding of game mechanics and mechanical skill.

Fixed Seed

The defining feature of a fixed seed is that map randomness is standardized. Since all participants face the same zone layouts, they can study routes beforehand and navigate familiar paths during the actual race.

This makes map knowledge a crucial component of competitive ability. A seemingly minor routing choice can accumulate into a significant time difference across multiple zones; when skill levels are close, minimizing wasted movement and quickly locating key areas can be the deciding factor in the final rankings.

Death Penalty

The death penalty is another major factor influencing race strategy. While players are not permanently disqualified upon death, a one-minute immobilization penalty is enough to alter the course of the race.

In a standard campaign run, a death might simply mean backtracking or losing some time; in a race, however, competitors must factor every risk into their overall route planning. Deciding whether to engage in high-risk combat to save a few seconds - and potentially face the time penalty of death - is a judgment call players must make in the heat of the moment.

Viewing Guide and Twitch Drops

Qualifier 3 will be broadcast live in its entirety on the official Twitch channel, featuring commentary from renowned streamers ZiggyD and RaizQT. Both commentators are highly popular within Path of Exile community, and their expert analysis and entertaining style promise to make the event a compelling watch.

Generous Twitch Drops await viewers as well. By watching the official channel -or any Path of Exile 1 stream - for at least 30 minutes, viewers can earn Darkshard Helmet Attachment cosmetic item. The Twitch Drops campaign runs for 24 hours starting from the event's commencement, concluding at 2:00 PM PDT on September 18.

Regarding participants, all players in Qualifier 3 are required to link their Path of Exile accounts to their Twitch accounts and stream their gameplay throughout the event. Failure to provide a viewable stream to officials will result in disqualification from prize eligibility. This rule ensures the competition remains transparent and open to oversight.

Participants and the Significance of the Event

While Path of Exile speedrunning community may be small in size, the competition within it is fierce. Even before the start of ExileCon 2026 qualifiers, community forums were abuzz with predictions about potential contenders. Top names mentioned include renowned speedrunners such as Izaroth, Tie23he, Allexpleblord, and ImExile, while players like SargeTwo, Tytykiller, Balaar, and Havoc are also considered strong contenders for the championship.

It is worth noting that the four winners of ExileCon 2023 qualifiers were ImExile, Tytykiller, Havoc616, and Tie23he. These players possess extensive experience and outstanding track records in Path of Exile speedrunning scene; their participation undoubtedly adds significant excitement to the 2026 qualifiers.

Speedrunning events place immense demands on a player's build-planning capabilities. In this environment, competitors must precisely calculate acquisition paths for essential skill gems, gear-farming efficiency, the acquisition and expenditure of POE currency, and damage windows during boss encounters. Every decision can impact the final completion time.

For the average player not participating in the qualifiers, the race offers more than just the spectacle of competitors vying for the title. Since all participants must progress through the storyline from scratch, the strategies and techniques demonstrated during the race are directly applicable to the typical player's own playthrough.

Aspects such as early-game skill selection, timing for gear upgrades, areas where time can be saved, and risk management during boss encounters all serve as valuable references for the audience.

Of course, the routes taken by elite speedrunners may not be suitable for every player to replicate exactly. While the race prioritizes maximum efficiency, the average player often balances speed with exploration, gear collection, and the overall gaming experience. Nevertheless, observing how top players manage resources and time provides valuable insight into the process of progressing through PoE storyline.

The countdown to Qualifier 3 is underway. We look forward to seeing who - under Standard Solo Self-Found fixed seed rules - can turn every detail into a time advantage and secure a coveted qualifying spot.

Path of Exile 3.29 league has been live for nearly a month and a half, and you may have already completed most of the challenges. Your goal might now be shifting toward finding a top-tier build capable of reliably and efficiently destroying Uber Bosses.

To help you achieve this quickly, we are introducing a build based on Pearl of Tsoatha ring, a specific item added in 3.29 league, and the transfigured spell Lightning Spire Trap of Overloading.

By leveraging unique mechanical synergies, this build can easily dish out massive damage in the endgame. If you're interested, don't miss the crafting guide below!

Leveraging specific gear for core functionality

The core crafting philosophy of this build lies in stacking three elements: the massive base damage gained from high skill levels, extreme critical strike multipliers, and seamless area-of-effect coverage.

To this end, gear selection is crucial; beyond Pearl of Tsoatha (which we'll cover shortly), Crest of Desire Fluted Bascinet is indispensable.

This helmet has long been a game-changer for spell-based builds, offering innate properties such as +8 to the level of socketed gems, +50% to the quality of socketed gems, and a chance to deal double damage.

Typically, the fatal flaw of Crest of Desire is that it has only a single socket and cannot directly link to support gems; essentially, you trade the benefits of multiple support gem multipliers for exceptionally high base stats on a single skill.

If you primarily use spells that scale heavily with skill level, this trade-off is highly worthwhile. However, for trap skills that rely on multiple support gems, this limitation often creates significant mechanical drawbacks.

Pearl of Tsoatha, introduced in PoE 3.29, effectively solves this problem. It allows you to apply the effects of additional support gems directly to skills socketed in your helmet, gloves, boots, or even those on your passive skill tree.

This enables you to indirectly infuse Lightning Spire Trap of Overloading (socketed in Crest of Desire) with extra support gem effects, all without compromising the helmet's single-socket constraint.

Consequently, Crest of Desire retains its powerful innate properties while effectively gaining top-tier support bonuses equivalent to a 5-link or even 6-link setup, shattering the helmet's inherent limitations in one fell swoop.

Gear options for other slots

Beyond the two key items mentioned above, if you want a more streamlined path to completing this Path of Exile 3.29 build, consider slotting Marylene's Fallacy into your amulet slot. When enhanced with high-quality catalysts, it provides a massive boost to critical strike multiplier.

For the body armor slot, adding Carcass Jack grants increased AoE and essential elemental resistances.

As for the weapon, you can start with a staff base that has +2 to Level of all Spell Skill Gems and then craft an additional +4 to Level of Lightning Spells modifier onto it.

To achieve this, repeatedly re-roll your weapon base using Deafening Essence of Wrath until you hit the + Level of Lightning Spells modifier.

Next, use the crafting bench to lock the prefix and block unwanted suffixes, roll for the final modifier, and then craft the specific suffix you desire.

Note that this process requires a significant amount of various currencies; if you run low on supplies, be sure to buy PoE currency promptly to avoid stalling your crafting progress.

Skill setup centered on Lightning Spire Trap of Overloading

Among the many spells in PoE, Lightning Spire Trap of Overloading stands out as the ideal vehicle for this mechanic, thanks to its unique stat profile.

As a transfigured version of Lightning Spire Trap, it boasts a long 10-second base cooldown but compensates with massive single-hit damage and a 100% base critical strike chance.

To fully capitalize on this rare base critical strike chance, it is best paired with Bifurcate passive skill from Assassin Ascendancy class.

Bifurcate causes your critical strike damage to be calculated twice if both checks result in a critical hit, though it comes at the cost of a 30% reduction in critical strike chance.

However, even with the critical strike chance penalties from Bifurcate and your gear, Lightning Spire Trap of Overloading can still reach the critical strike chance cap.

Further increasing the skill's quality will also add more waves to the attack. If you socket a gem into the blue slot of Crest of Desire, you can even increase the number of waves from 8 to 16, effectively doubling the damage output once again.

To maximize the shotgunning effect of Lightning Spire Trap of Overloading, where multiple projectiles or waves strike the same target simultaneously, you also need to invest in increased AoE.

Increasing AoE expands the coverage area of each individual wave without altering the spacing between them. Consequently, with a sufficiently large radius, you can virtually guarantee that every wave connects with a single target.

Additional mechanics to leverage

Beyond the core items and skills mentioned above, you can further enhance this build's performance against single-target bosses by incorporating other Path of Exile mechanics.

For instance, linking Lightning Spire Trap of Overloading with Advanced Traps Support helps mitigate its lengthy 10-second cooldown, resulting in a smoother, more responsive playstyle.

To push your damage output even higher, you can stack various buffs and debuffs before the boss fight begins. A great example is using Stormblast Mines linked with Arrogance Support, combined with the appropriate passive skills to extend mine duration, to set the stage.

You can deploy up to 20 mines simultaneously; bolstered by aura effects, these mines can increase the damage taken by nearby enemies by 140%.

If you have the currency to spare, you can also utilize specific flasks for additional advantages. Bottled Faith, for example, further amplifies the damage enemies take, while Vessel of Vinktar provides increased lightning penetration.

Whether you want to breeze through Uber boss challenges in the mid-to-late game of Path of Exile 3.29 or simply experience the thrill of instantly obliterating high-difficulty content, this build is not to be missed! Give it a try if you're interested!