Path of Exile 2: The Slithering Dead Quest Guide

This guide covers the Path of Exile 2 side quest, "The Slithering Dead," detailing its walkthrough and offering advice on choosing the optimal quest rewards.

Quick Links

• The Slithering Dead Quest Walkthrough
• Choosing the Best Venom Draught Reward

The Slithering Dead, initiated by Servi in the Ziggurat Encampment, tasks the player with uncovering the fate of her son and the secrets of a rival tribe. While the quest's progression is straightforward, selecting the correct reward presents a challenge. The choice is permanent and irreversible.

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 due to randomized maps).

Interact with the corpse to obtain Corpse-Snake Venom. Return to Servi in the Ziggurat Encampment to complete the quest.

Choosing the Best Venom Draught Reward

The Slithering Dead is repeatable (Act 3 and Act 3 Cruel), offering different rewards each time.

Act 3 Rewards:

Servi presents three Venom Draughts:

• 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.

Recommendation: Venom Draught of Clarity is generally the best option, especially for melee builds often lacking mana regeneration. Venom Draught of the Veil is a strong alternative for builds less reliant on mana. Venom Draught of Stone is the least desirable unless specifically addressing stun issues in a build.

Act 3 Cruel (Act 6) Rewards:

Three Venom Draughts are available:

• 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.

Recommendation: Venom Draught of the Lost (+10% Chaos Resistance) is typically the superior choice due to the rarity of Chaos Resistance on gear. The exception is Chaos Inoculation builds, where Venom Draught of the Sky (+5 to all Attributes) might be preferable.