In Path of Exile 2 there is a specific game mode for those who enjoy a challenge. The competition to see who reaches the maximum level first has now taken a dramatic turn.
What kind of competition is this? In Path of Exile 2, there is not only the regular game mode “Softcore” but also the game mode “Hardcore”. If a character dies in Hardcore mode, they are lost and cannot be resurrected in the Hardcore league. Additionally, there is the “Solo-Self-Found” modifier, which prohibits players from trading items. Instead, players are only allowed to use items they have found themselves.
Among the professionals of Path of Exile 2, a competition is taking place under exactly these two most challenging conditions, with the goal of being the first to reach level 100 with a character. While the top gamers are only one level away from the maximum, something happens that no one likely saw coming.
When you can’t trade, this NPC is especially useful for identifying items:
More Risk for Rank 1
What happened to the frontrunner? The Blood Mage waitingforedbuff, belonging to the Twitch streamer Oskarmln, had long been ranked number 1 on the leaderboard (via PathofExile.com). He had gathered the most experience points without dying. However, with level 99 out of 100, a message shocks the PoE2 chat: “waitingforedbuff (Level 99) has died in position 1 of the leaderboard”.
While the chat reacts with respect, some are also asking on Reddit what might have happened. A look at his stream on Twitch provides some clarification.
Oskarmln was trying to be the first to reach level 100 with his character. However, his competitors’ characters were catching up because they had better builds and items. Since he was not allowed to trade, he could hardly adjust his build. Therefore, he had to change his strategy.
What was his plan? In order to still win the race, he tried to increase his experience points more quickly. For that, he dared to face an enemy that brings many rewards but is also extremely strong, the Arbiter of Ash.
The boss is already infamous in the community because some of his mechanics can kill any character, no matter how strong they are. In a clip on Twitch, you can see the end of his run.
The level 99 Blood Mage is hit by an ability of the boss, and Oskarmln can’t save him anymore. His reaction in the chat: “xdd”. He seems to be taking the whole situation with humor. In the end, he shows his gear, as the character is not deleted but is now in the Softcore league. However, he can no longer participate in the competition.
Shortly after the death of his Blood Mage, his biggest competitor, the Invoker HDB_oOps, has taken the lead of the leaderboard. He is also at level 99 along with the Invoker sargetwo_LachlannLMAO and the Infernalist PADJILOY. However, the two are significantly behind the new frontrunner and are still ranked behind the fallen character that previously led the list.
The Arbiter of Ash is the enemy that will likely undergo the most changes in the new patch. For players who do not play in Hardcore mode, there will be six attempts instead of just one to defeat the enemy. All further information about the update can be found here: The first big update of Path of Exile 2 in 2025 changes the endgame more than expected – Official Patch Notes
