This guide covers the "Slithering Dead" side quest in Path of Exile 2, focusing on its walkthrough and reward choices.
Quick Links
The Slithering Dead quest involves helping Servi, a guide in the Ziggurat Encampment, uncover the fate of her son and the secrets of a rival tribe. While the quest itself is straightforward, the reward selection can be tricky. You get only one of three rewards, and the choice is permanent.
The Slithering Dead Quest Walkthrough
To begin, locate the Venom Crypts entrance within the Jungle Ruins map (Act 3 and Act 3 Cruel). It's situated near the Waypoint. The Venom Crypts are optional; you can revisit them later if missed.
Explore the Venom Crypts until you find a corpse in the Den of the Serpent Priestess (location varies per map).
Interact with the corpse to obtain Corpse-Snake Venom. Return to Servi in the Ziggurat Encampment and give her the venom to complete the quest.
Choosing Your Venom Draught Reward
The Slithering Dead is repeatable (Act 3 and Act 3 Cruel), with different rewards each time.
Act 3 Rewards:
- Venom Draught of Stone: 25% increased Stun Threshold.
- Venom Draught of the Veil: 30% increased Elemental Ailment Threshold.
- Venom Draught of Clarity: 25% increased Mana Regeneration Rate.
Generally, the Venom Draught of Clarity is the safest and most universally useful option, especially for mana-hungry melee builds. Venom Draught of the Veil is a good alternative for builds that don't struggle with mana. Venom Draught of Stone is the least desirable unless you're facing significant stun issues.
Act 3 Cruel (Act 6) Rewards:
- Venom Draught of the Lost: +10% to Chaos Resistance.
- Venom Draught of the Sky: +5 to All Attributes.
- Venom Draught of the Marshes: 15% Reduced Slowing Potency of Debuffs.
Here, the Venom Draught of the Lost (+10% Chaos Resistance) is usually the superior choice due to the rarity of Chaos Resistance on gear. The exception is builds using Chaos Inoculation, which would benefit more from the Venom Draught of the Sky (+5 to all Attributes).
Remember, your choice is final. Choose wisely!
