Path of Exile 2 0.5.5 Ritual Farming vs Speedrun

Forbidden Rites adds an interesting choice to the Path of Exile 2 campaign. You can stop and clear most Rituals for extra loot, or ignore almost everything and push through the story as quickly as possible.

Neither approach is always better. The right choice depends on what you want from the character, how strong your build is, and how much time you are willing to spend before reaching endgame.

The Case for Full Ritual Farming

The Ritual-focused approach is simple: clear almost every convenient encounter while progressing through the campaign.

The biggest advantage is consistency. You get more chances at rare equipment, currency, and useful Unique items, which can make gearing a fresh character much easier.

This approach is particularly good for newer players. If you are still learning the campaign, extra gear can cover resistance problems and make difficult bosses less frustrating. You also have more opportunities to find upgrades instead of relying entirely on random drops from the normal campaign.

The downside is time.

Clearing every Ritual adds extra combat to almost every zone. If your character already destroys normal enemies quickly, those additional fights may eventually become a noticeable delay.

Think of the curve this way: early Rituals can provide a large boost compared with the small amount of time they require. Later, once your character is already well equipped, the value of another ordinary Ritual usually drops.

The Speedrun Approach

A pure speedrun character has a completely different goal.

You ignore most side content, avoid unnecessary backtracking, and focus on reaching the next objective as quickly as possible. This is especially effective when your build already has strong damage, good defenses, and reliable movement.

The major benefit is efficiency. Instead of spending several extra minutes clearing Rituals, you reach higher-level areas sooner and start accessing better endgame farming opportunities.

The weakness is obvious: your gear can be less consistent.

You may reach the endgame faster but arrive with weaker equipment, fewer crafting resources, and less POE2 Currency in your stash.

For experienced players starting a familiar build, this trade-off is often worth it. For a new player struggling to survive, it can make the campaign unnecessarily difficult.

The Best Middle Ground: Boss Rituals Only

For most players, the best answer is somewhere between the two extremes.

Clear normal Rituals when they are directly on your route, but do not make long detours for them. More importantly, prioritize the special boss Ritual encounters.

Boss chains have a much stronger reason to stop because their rewards can justify the additional time. They also provide a better opportunity to find something that meaningfully changes your early gearing plan.

This approach keeps the campaign moving while still taking advantage of the most valuable part of Forbidden Rites.

When Should You Go Full Ritual?

Choose full Ritual farming if:

• Your character needs frequent gear upgrades.
• You are playing through the campaign for the first time.
• Your build kills Ritual monsters quickly.
• You enjoy building currency and gear during the campaign.
• You are specifically hunting useful early Uniques.

In these situations, the additional time can pay for itself through better gear and smoother progression.

When Should You Speedrun?

Speedrun instead when:

• Your build already has strong campaign gear.
• You know the zones and boss mechanics well.
• Your main goal is reaching endgame quickly.
• Normal Rituals take too long to clear.
• You are leveling another character and already understand the route.

If a Ritual takes several minutes while giving you an upgrade you probably will not use for long, skipping it is usually the correct decision.

A Simple Decision Rule

Do not ask whether Rituals are good or bad. Ask whether the next Ritual is worth its time.

If you can clear it in under a minute and the reward has a realistic chance of improving your character, stop and do it.

If you need to backtrack, fight through a large pack, or spend several minutes for a mediocre reward, keep moving.

For most players, the ideal campaign route is boss Rituals first, convenient normal Rituals second, everything else optional.

This gives you a good balance between loot and speed without turning the campaign into a full farming session.

New players should lean toward Rituals because the extra gear makes the campaign easier and teaches the mechanic naturally. Experienced players should favor speed and only stop for high-value encounters.

If you later decide to buy POE 2 Currency, remember that currency alone will not fix a poorly planned character. Good gear comes from understanding what your build actually needs.

The fastest route is not always the best route, and the most loot is not always the best value. Find the point where your character stays strong without sacrificing unnecessary time, and Forbidden Rites becomes a useful part of the campaign rather than another chore.