PoE 3.30 Covens of Umbra: League Mechanic & Changes
Covens of Umbra (PoE 3.30) launches November 13. Here is how Fates and the Wickerman work, what replaced Scarabs and how to plan your league start.
Path of Exile 3.30, Covens of Umbra, launches on November 13 (PST) on PC and consoles at the same time. The league mechanic lets you pick a Fate for the boss of your area, which makes the fight harder and the loot better, and empowered bosses drop Viscera that you feed to your own Wickerman. On the endgame side, Scarabs are gone and Threads take their place.
PoE 3.30 launch date and what Covens of Umbra is
Grinding Gear Games revealed Covens of Umbra at ExileCon on November 6 and calls it an expansion, with the tagline "She comes for your realm." The patch is 3.30.0 and the launch date is November 13, PST. PC and console players start on the same day.
The patch notes went up on November 10 PST, three days before launch. At the time of writing we have not seen GGG confirm the exact launch hour in the posts we checked, so keep an eye on the official countdown before you plan your night. Curse of the Allflame ended on November 9 and does not go core this time, though GGG has said it wants to bring that mechanic back later.
If you are coming back after a break, the short version is this: the new league is about choosing how hard each boss fight should be, and the endgame was rebuilt around Threads instead of Scarabs. Both change how you farm, so it is worth reading the rest before you pick a starter.
How the league mechanic works: Fates, Viscera and the Wickerman
While you map or run the campaign, you will find Covenites performing rites to summon their Queen. Break up the ritual and the game asks you to pick a Fate for the boss of the area you are in. Every Fate raises both the danger and the reward of that fight, and the next set of Fates stays hidden until you lock one in.
Bosses you empower this way can drop Viscera, a piece of their power you take home. You place those remains on your own Wickerman. The Wickerman belongs to one character, so it does not carry over to your alts, but Viscera itself is tradeable.
- Regular bosses have a chance to drop Viscera, and that chance goes up as you stack more Fates, including duplicate Fates.
- Pinnacle bosses empowered by a Grim Fate always drop Viscera.
- The league has 40 challenges (plus 8 in Ruthless). From challenge 19 onward, every third one gives a Totem Pole hideout piece.
Our take: early on, pick the safer Fates. A dead map costs more than a slightly better drop. Once your character can take a hit, start stacking Fates on bosses you already kill quickly, because more Fates means better odds at Viscera.
Scarabs are gone: Threads and the new Shaped Regions
This is the biggest endgame change in years. Scarabs are removed and Threads take over their job. Your old Scarabs turn into Threads or Frayed Threads, so nothing in your stash goes to waste. You can apply up to eight Threads to an Atlas area, and each extra Thread raises the chance of stronger effects in that map.
The ten Thread types in 3.30
| Thread | Brings this mechanic to your maps |
|---|---|
| Abyss | Abyss |
| Bestiary | Bestiary |
| Betrayal | Betrayal |
| Blight | Blight |
| Breach | Breach |
| Expedition | Expedition |
| Incursion | Incursion |
| Legion | Legion |
| Ritual | Ritual |
| Ultimatum | Ultimatum |
Outside Ruthless, core league mechanics also no longer spawn at random in maps. You get them through Threads or through Shaped Regions, which were rebuilt into ten types, one per Thread. Finishing a region gives a free Thread to the maps it affects instead of extra map mods. You also no longer need to block content on the Atlas to focus a strategy.
What this means in practice: you choose your farm by choosing Threads. Pick one or two mechanics you like, put Threads into those maps and let the matching Shaped Regions feed you more. Astrolabes now add a Shaped Region too.
Loot rework: Item Tiers, rarity and currency changes
From Act 6 onward, Magic and Rare items can drop with an Item Tier from 2 to 5. The tier affects the item's mods, base type, quality, sockets and links, so a high-tier rare is worth a second look. Ruthless has no Item Tiers. Currency drop pools were also split by item rarity: for example, Alchemy, Chaos and Divine Orbs now come only from Rare monsters' pools and Transmutation and Alteration only from Magic ones.
- Item rarity was cut on Nightmare and Originator maps. GGG also says rarity on your gear does not affect currency drops.
- Orbs of Binding can no longer be found, though ones you already own still work. Orbs of Chance are much rarer and vendors no longer sell them, but their chance to make a unique was raised a lot.
- Divine Vessels are now stackable currency that create Deified areas.
- Delirium Orbs give a Delirious percentage instead of an enchant.
- 31 maps return to the pool and 31 maps leave it.
For a league start, this rewards picking up and checking rares in maps more than past leagues did. Chance orbs become a scarce, stronger tool rather than something you spam on vendor bases.
Atlas tree, Mirage and other endgame changes
The Atlas passive tree was reworked and now grows out from the centre. You get 150 Atlas points (up from 138), so expect to respec your old Atlas plan rather than copy it. Our Path of Exile Atlas guide still covers the basics of map progression and Voidstones, but treat its passive choices as pre-3.30.
- Mirage becomes core, so it stays with us after this league.
- Atziri moves to the Temple of Atzoatl.
- Harvest, Betrayal, Expedition, Ritual, Heist, Ultimatum and Bestiary were all reworked.
- Ruthless: each league mechanic spawns on its own, Voidstones set a minimum map tier of 12 (was 16), and Kirac's shop now tops out at tier 14.
If you only farm one mechanic, read the full patch notes section for it before launch. Several of those reworks change what drops and how you start the encounter, and an old guide for, say, Ritual or Heist will be out of date.
New skills, uniques and balance changes for league starters
3.30 adds a new skill, Arcane Link, which links you to an ally and gives lightning damage based on your mana. The catch is real: if the linked ally dies, so do you. Scion is offered Arcane Link, and Marauder, Duelist and Templar can buy it from Petarus and Vanja. There is also a new transfigured gem, Fireball of Radiation, plus 11 new uniques and a new jewel base called Mycelium Core.
On the class side, the Reliquarian's Notables were shuffled, and Luminary, Pathfinder, Warden and Trickster were changed.
- Nerfs to watch: Flame, Lightning and Stone Golem buffs are lower (Flame Golem's damage buff, for example, is now 15 to 24% instead of 20 to 29%), Winter Orb now fires 2 projectiles at 70% damage effectiveness (was 80%), and Transfusion no longer supports instant spells. Vaal Sacrifice was also changed.
- Buffs: Flame Link and Pact of Beidat were improved. Check the exact numbers in the patch notes before you build around them.
If your usual starter used golems, Winter Orb or Transfusion, test it in the first acts before you commit currency. The safest picks on day one are builds that clear without leaning on the changed skills, then swap once you know how Fates and Threads feel.
How to plan your first days in Covens of Umbra
- Pick a starter that clears fast and survives, and check it against the nerf list above.
- Run the campaign with safe Fates. Use the Act 6 Item Tier change: pick up rares that show a high tier.
- Once you reach maps, spend your converted Threads on one or two mechanics instead of spreading them thin.
- Plan your new 150-point Atlas tree around the same mechanics so Shaped Regions keep feeding you Threads.
- Start stacking Fates on bosses you kill quickly, and save Viscera for your Wickerman or sell it, since it trades.
Short on time for the campaign? Our PoE League Starter Bundle and Leveling and Five-Way service can get a character to maps while you plan the Atlas side.
What is still unconfirmed
As of November 11, a few details were still missing from the official posts we checked: the exact launch hour, the name of the Coven Queen, the cosmetic rewards for challenges, and whether 3.30 supporter packs and a new Kirac's pass will be sold. We will update this guide once GGG confirms them.
Path of Exile services for the 3.30 launch
PoE League Starter Bundle
- Levels 70–100
- Acts 1–10 + 4 Labs
- 4 Defined Bundles
Leveling & Five-Way
- Defined Level Targets
- Five-Way Run Packs
- Optional 4th Lab
Atlas, Maps & Voidstones
- Atlas Points
- Voidstones
- Map & Nightmare Clears
Currency & Orbs
- Named Currency Packs
- In-game Delivery
- No Login Required
PoE 3.30 Covens of Umbra FAQ
When does PoE 3.30 Covens of Umbra launch?
Grinding Gear Games lists November 13, 2026 (PST) for PC and consoles together. The exact hour was not confirmed in the official posts we checked, so watch the official countdown.
What is the Covens of Umbra league mechanic?
When you disrupt a coven's rite, you choose a Fate for the boss of that area. Fates make the boss harder and the loot better, and Fated bosses can drop Viscera, which you place on your own Wickerman.
Are Scarabs removed in PoE 3.30?
Yes. Scarabs are replaced by Threads, which come in ten types. You can apply up to eight Threads to one map area. Your existing Scarabs convert to Threads or Frayed Threads.
Is the Wickerman shared between characters?
No. The Wickerman is per character. Viscera is tradeable, so you can move it to another character through trade.
Does Mirage become core in 3.30?
Yes. Mirage becomes a core mechanic in 3.30. Curse of the Allflame ended on November 9 and does not go core this time, though GGG has said it hopes to bring it back later.
How many Atlas passive points are there in 3.30?
The reworked Atlas tree gives 150 points, up from 138, and it now grows out from the centre.
Related guides
For map basics and Voidstones, see our Path of Exile Atlas guide. Playing both games this winter? Our Path of Exile 2 1.0 release guide covers the December 11 launch. When you are ready for the endgame, the Atlas, Maps and Voidstones service can finish your Atlas progress.