Grinding Gear Games continues to refine the campaign progression in Path of Exile 2, and with Version 0.3 introducing The Third Edict, players now gain permanent upgrades through Act 4 and the Interludes instead of the old Cruel difficulty rewards. These permanent buffs are critical for both leveling and endgame prep, as they give you lasting bonuses to attributes, resistances, weapon set skill points, and more.

Whether you're pushing through the story for the first time or planning your next build for efficient progression, knowing where to get these permanent bonuses in PoE 2 Act 4 and the Interludes is essential. This guide breaks down every permanent buff, how to unlock them, and whether they're reversible.

Why Permanent Buffs Matter in Path of Exile 2

Permanent buffs are not temporary stat increases-they stay with your character throughout the campaign and into endgame content. They're essentially free power spikes that reward exploration, boss fights, and completing specific trials. Unlike gear upgrades that may be swapped out, these buffs become part of your character's foundation.

In Path of Exile 2, permanent buffs also offer flexibility: some are tied to attributes like Strength or Intelligence, while others enhance recovery or give skill points that directly expand your build options. Optimizing these choices is especially important if you're planning to min-max or compete in early mapping races. Players who buy POE2 Items often pair their gear investments with these permanent upgrades for maximum efficiency.

All Permanent Bonuses in Act 4

Act 4 introduces five different permanent buffs. Some require defeating bosses, while others come from activating shrines or statues. Here's the breakdown:

The Blind Beast - Isle of Kin

·Reward: +2 Weapon Set Skill Points

·How to Get: Defeat the Blind Beast.

·Reversible: No.

This bonus is a direct DPS upgrade, as more weapon set skill points mean more room to customize your damage setup.

Navali's Rest - Eye of Hinekora - Silent Hall

·Reward: +5% Increased Maximum Mana

·How to Get: Activate the jade coffin in the Silent Hall.

·Reversible: No.

Mana scaling buffs are especially useful for casters or mana-intensive builds like Totems.

Ancestral Tattoos - Halls of the Dead

Reward (choice of one):

·+5 Dexterity or +5% Lightning Resistance

·+5 Intelligence or +5% Cold Resistance

·+5 Strength or +5% Fire Resistance

How to Get: Complete three trials in the map to unlock tattoos.

·Reversible: No.

This is one of the more versatile rewards, letting you tailor your build defensively (resistances) or offensively (stats).

Yama the White - Trial of the Ancestors

·Reward: +2 Weapon Set Skill Points

·How to Get: Defeat Yama the White.

·Reversible: No.

Another crucial skill point boost that stacks well with The Blind Beast's reward.

Goddess of Justice - Abandoned Prison

Reward (two toggleable buffs):

·+30% increased Mana recovery from flasks

·+30% increased Life recovery from flasks

How to Get: Activate the statue of the Goddess of Justice.

·Reversible: Yes.

The toggleable nature makes this reward particularly valuable, allowing you to adapt depending on whether your build needs sustain for mana or life.

All Permanent Bonuses in the Interludes

Path of Exile 2's Interludes act as mini-chapters between acts, and each one carries multiple permanent buffs. Across all three Interludes, there are six core bonuses, plus one final reward before heading into the endgame.

Interlude 1: Wolvenhold

·Boss: Oswin, The Dread Warden

·Reward: +2 Weapon Set Skill Points

·Reversible: No.

Straightforward and powerful, this bonus once again reinforces the importance of stacking skill points.

Interlude 2: Qimah and The Khari Crossing

Seven Pillars - Qimah

Reward (choice of one):

·+5 to all Attributes

·+5 to all Elemental Resistances

·12% increased Cooldown Recovery Rate

·3% increased Movement Speed

·20% increased Presence Area of Effect

·15% increased Global Defences

·5% increased Experience Gain (comes with a debuff)

Reversible: Yes.

The Seven Pillars offers the most customization of any permanent bonus in Path of Exile 2. The Experience Gain option is tempting, but it comes with a debuff equivalent to losing the benefits of other stats.

Molten Shrine - Skullmaw Stairway

·Reward: +5% Increased Maximum Life

·How to Get: Pick up and activate the Molten One's Gift.

·Reversible: No.

A must-grab for tankier builds, this scales with all life modifiers later in the game.

Akhti and Anundr - The Khari Crossing

·Reward: +2 Weapon Set Skill Points

·How to Get: Trigger the "Clearing the Way" quest from Risu in The Khari Bazaar, then defeat the bosses.

·Reversible: No.

Another reliable way to expand your weapon set customization.

Interlude 3: Kriar Village and Howling Caves

Lythara, the Wayward Spear - Kriar Village

·Reward: +40 to Spirit

·Reversible: No.

This permanent boost is massive for Spirit-based builds, providing both resource scaling and synergy with certain skill mechanics.

The Abominable Yeti - Howling Caves

·Reward: +2 Weapon Set Skill Points

·Reversible: No.

Completing this fight nets yet another important weapon skill point boost.

Final Bonus Before Endgame

After completing all three Interludes, speaking to The Hooded One grants an additional +2 Weapon Set Skill Points. This reward is unmissable and ensures every character has enough flexibility to build around their chosen playstyle before diving into mapping and endgame bosses.

Conclusion

With Act 4 and the Interludes replacing the old Cruel difficulty rewards, Path of Exile 2's permanent buffs are more streamlined, impactful, and tied to meaningful gameplay moments. From core stats like Strength and Intelligence to flexible flask recovery toggles and weapon set skill points, these bonuses shape how your build develops across the campaign.

For new players, grabbing every permanent buff is a simple way to stay strong through the story. For veterans, min-maxing choices at the Seven Pillars or balancing resistances with attributes can make or break high-level mapping efficiency.

If you're preparing for endgame in PoE 2, make sure you don't miss a single one of these rewards-your character, your build, and even your stash of Path of Exile 2 Currency will thank you later.