Atlas Biomes as an Endgame Progression Layer

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.