This guide covers the "Slithering Dead" side quest in Path of Exile 2, focusing on its walkthrough and reward choices.
The Slithering Dead Quest: A Step-by-Step Guide
To begin, locate the Venom Crypts entrance within the Jungle Ruins map in 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 the Ziggurat Encampment and give the venom to Servi to complete the quest.
Choosing Your Venom Draught Reward
The Slithering Dead is repeatable (Act 3 and Act 3 Cruel). Rewards differ each time, and the choice is permanent.
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, Venom Draught of Clarity is the safest and most broadly useful option, especially for mana-intensive melee builds. Venom Draught of the Veil is a good alternative for builds less concerned with mana. Venom Draught of Stone is the least desirable unless stun resistance is a critical build need.
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.
In Act 3 Cruel, Venom Draught of the Lost (+10% Chaos Resistance) is usually the best choice due to the rarity of Chaos Resistance on gear. Only builds utilizing Chaos Inoculation with Eternal Youth might prefer Venom Draught of the Sky for the attribute boost.
