Atlas Biomes as an Endgame Progression Layer – Expanding the Biome System with Dungeons

**Additional Idea – Expanding the Biome System with Dungeons**

After writing the original post and thinking more about biome-based progression, another idea came to mind that could further expand this system without changing the core Atlas structure.

The proposal below builds on the same philosophy described earlier — preserving Atlas randomness, supporting PoE2’s identity, and adding more long-term engagement to biome gameplay.

This is not meant to replace any of the previous ideas, but rather to **extend the biome system with an additional layer of exploration through biome-specific dungeons** that could occasionally appear during mapping.

Currently, the Atlas in Path of Exile 2 already contains biomes scattered across the Atlas, and I think this is a very strong design choice.
I would like this to remain exactly the same — biomes should stay distributed, and the Atlas should preserve its natural randomness.

The goal of this proposal is not to remove randomness or to force a specific playstyle, but to support Path of Exile 2’s own identity, while adding more long-term endgame structure around biomes.

1. Biomes stay scattered – Atlas identity first

Farming a single map in PoE1 is not a flaw, but a deliberate and well-established mechanic.
PoE2, however, is clearly moving in a slightly different direction with its Atlas design.

To preserve PoE2’s identity:

Biomes should remain scattered across the Atlas.

Players should naturally gravitate toward targeting biomes, not locking themselves into one specific map.

Variety in layouts, bosses, and encounters should stay intact.

2. Light biome targeting via new Cartographer currency

To reduce friction without removing randomness, PoE 2 could introduce additional Cartographer currency that provides light assistance when targeting a biome.

Example: Cartographer’s Chisel / Cartographer’s Orb

Used with a Waystone.

Rerolls the biome of the map to a random different biome.

For example:

Savannah / Desert Biome → Bloodwood / Forest

The player cannot choose the resulting biome.

The same biome cannot be rolled again.

This provides gentle steering, not deterministic control, and helps players engage with biome-focused progression while preserving Atlas randomness.

3. Avoiding forced metas and “best biome” farming

It is important that:

No biome simply grants more generic currency.

No biome becomes the universally optimal farming choice.

The added currency exists only to support biome access, not to increase raw efficiency.
Randomness at the currency level should remain untouched.

4. Biome progression as a tracked statistic

Each biome could have a tracked progression stat, for example:

Swamp Biome: 37 maps completed
Desert Biome: 12 maps completed

This statistic:

Is league-based and account-wide.

Increases by completing maps of that biome.

Does not directly increase generic currency drops.

Its purpose is to reward commitment and variety, not to optimize a single route.

5. Biome-specific rewards and bosses

Higher biome progression would unlock:

Better chances to drop biome boss entry fragments

Biome-exclusive rewards

Access to biome-specific bosses and Uber versions of those bosses

Each biome’s bosses would offer different, meaningful rewards, strong enough that players would want to engage with all biomes, not just one.

6. Biome-based special events

Long-term engagement with a biome could also unlock rare events, for example:

After completing 100 maps of a given biome:

A stronger Rogue Exile may appear

A biome-specific roaming miniboss

A unique high-risk encounter

These events would be:

Random

Not reliably farmable

A way for the Atlas to react to player behavior

7. Summary

PoE1’s single-map farming is a valid and intentional system.

PoE2 can maintain its own identity by encouraging biome-focused play instead.

Light assistance through new Cartographer currency helps players engage with biomes without removing randomness.

Biome progression adds long-term goals without forcing a meta.

Overall, this would act as a horizontal endgame progression layer that complements the existing Atlas, rather than replacing or simplifying it.

8. Biome Dungeons – Deep Encounters Within Each Biome

To further expand biome-based gameplay, each Atlas biome could also contain rare entrances to Biome Dungeons.

These would not replace mapping, but occasionally appear during map runs as optional deeper encounters tied to the biome itself.

For example:

While running a Savannah map, a player may discover an entrance to a Buried Savannah Dungeon beneath the surface.

These dungeons could function as short multi-layer encounters:

Level 1 – Dense monster packs tied to the biome
Level 2 – Elite packs or biome hazards
Level 3 – A biome miniboss
Level 4 – A final dungeon boss

The deeper the player goes, the greater the reward and difficulty.

This structure would create moments of exploration within the Atlas while preserving the core mapping loop.

9. Unique Enemy Pools Per Biome

Each dungeon would use a biome-specific monster ecosystem rather than generic map monsters.

Examples:

Forest Biome Dungeon

Poison-based enemies

Summoning creatures

Dense foliage combat spaces

Volcanic Biome Dungeon

Fire and lava hazards

Explosive enemies

Fire-based elite monsters

Frozen Biome Dungeon

Freeze and slow mechanics

Ice traps or collapsing terrain

This reinforces the identity of each biome and encourages players to adapt their builds and strategies.

10. Biome Dungeon Bosses

Each biome could contain a set of dungeon bosses separate from Atlas bosses.

For example:

Forest Biome

2–3 dungeon minibosses

1 dungeon boss

These bosses would not replace existing pinnacle encounters, but rather serve as mid-tier biome challenges that add variety and unpredictability to mapping.

Rarely, completing biome progression could also unlock an empowered dungeon boss variant.

11. Biome-Specific Rewards

Biome Dungeons could offer rewards tied to the biome theme.

Examples:

Forest Biomes
Poison-related items or crafting components

Desert Biomes
Movement or evasion-themed rewards

Frozen Biomes
Cold-related modifiers or crafting bases

The goal would not be to make one biome objectively stronger, but to give each biome its own identity and incentive.

12. Rare Deep Dungeons

Very rarely, a dungeon entrance could lead to a Deep Biome Dungeon.

These would extend further than normal dungeons and include multiple stages before a powerful boss encounter.

These would function as:

High-risk exploration content

Rare Atlas events

Memorable encounters during mapping

They would remain unpredictable and non-deterministic to avoid creating a farmable meta.

Sounds interesting. GGG should add upVote button in forum.

I don't think Biomes is the answer. You will find that there is a very specific Atlas Point that breaks your idea. All meta atlas trees will start to look the same, and all players will start to run a very specific Biome because of it.... Which would end up being Swamp Biomes for increase in currency drops. The only way your idea works is if the atlas point gets removed... And even then, what would be the point of the biome to begin with anyways, because the map doesn't even have to match the biome right now....

You never seen a Deserted map labeled as swamp before? Well I have and it doesn't make sense. As far as I remember deserted is a desert

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bashkarthegreat#9171 wrote:

I don't think Biomes is the answer. You will find that there is a very specific Atlas Point that breaks your idea. All meta atlas trees will start to look the same, and all players will start to run a very specific Biome because of it.... Which would end up being Swamp Biomes for increase in currency drops. The only way your idea works is if the atlas point gets removed... And even then, what would be the point of the biome to begin with anyways, because the map doesn't even have to match the biome right now....

You never seen a Deserted map labeled as swamp before? Well I have and it doesn't make sense. As far as I remember deserted is a desert

Removing or change a one Point is easy. It shouldn't be a Problem.

There are probably still errors with correct assignment specific map on a Biome, but what my idea is that if the GGG want to stay with the current Atlas it could be much funnier to play more rewarding on specific Biomes to find splinters and beat Uber Bosses, every Boss can drop different Uniques like it is currently.


We have already Biomes so they can be something more then just Names.