In POE currency, endgame progression revolves around the Atlas of Worlds — a sprawling map system that challenges players to battle through increasingly difficult encounters, uncover powerful loot, and conquer endgame bosses. At the heart of this system are the Masters of the Atlas, powerful NPCs who guide players through mapping, crafting, and exploration. Understanding how to progress efficiently through the Atlas while leveraging the Masters’ mechanics is key to unlocking the full potential of your build and gearing up for the most difficult challenges in Path of Exile.

This guide covers everything you need to know about the Masters of the Atlas — including their functions, mission systems, and how to efficiently use their features to power your endgame journey.

1. The Atlas of Worlds – Overview

After completing the main campaign and entering the Epilogue, players unlock the Atlas of Worlds, which represents the endgame map system. Each map is an item that opens a portal to a new area filled with monsters, bosses, and unique encounters. The goal is to progress through map tiers, collect Atlas Passive Points, and defeat Pinnacle Bosses like Sirus, Maven, and Uber Elder.

The Masters of the Atlas — Einhar, Alva, Niko, Jun, and Kirac — each offer unique mechanics that interact with maps. Their missions add depth, rewards, and opportunities for specialized farming strategies.

2. Introducing the Masters of the Atlas

Each Master offers different gameplay mechanics, crafting benches, and missions. Here’s a breakdown of what each one does and why they matter in your Atlas progression:

Einhar, Beastmaster

Mechanic: Capturing Beasts during maps.

Primary System: Bestiary.

Purpose: Allows players to craft powerful gear modifiers and create unique items using captured beasts.

Tip: Use Einhar missions in maps with high monster density to increase the number of beasts you can capture. Target unique beasts to craft specific modifiers later.

Alva, Master Explorer

Mechanic: Temporal Incursions and the Temple of Atzoatl.

Primary System: Incursion.

Purpose: Each Alva encounter allows you to enter a mini-temple and influence its layout. After 12 incursions, you can raid the fully constructed Temple of Atzoatl for huge rewards.

Tip: Always aim to upgrade valuable rooms (e.g., Strongboxes, Corruption, and Gemcutter’s Workshops). Incursions are excellent for currency farming and gem upgrades.

Niko, Master of the Depths

Mechanic: Delve encounters and Sulphite collection.

Primary System: Delve Mines.

Purpose: Allows access to the Azurite Mine, a sprawling underground network where you can farm fossils, resonators, and hidden bosses.

Tip: Save Niko missions to gather large amounts of Sulphite efficiently. Use a high movement speed build for faster delves and focus on fossil farming routes for profit.

Jun, Veiled Master

Mechanic: Betrayal encounters and uncovering Syndicate operations.

Primary System: Immortal Syndicate.

Purpose: Jun missions let you battle Syndicate members, uncover hidden safehouses, and earn Veiled Mods to craft advanced gear.

Tip: Always aim for valuable members in Research or Intervention branches — Catarina, Janus, and It That Fled often yield top-tier rewards.

Commander Kirac

Mechanic: Map missions and Atlas progression.

Primary System: Atlas Scouting.

Purpose: Kirac offers maps with specific modifiers, unique layouts, or boss encounters. He’s your key to efficient map progression and completion bonuses.

Tip: Always check Kirac’s map offerings after completing a new map — he often sells maps you haven’t completed yet. Kirac missions are essential for completing Atlas objectives early on.

3. Earning and Using Master Missions

Master Missions are awarded from various sources:

Map Completions: Every time you finish a map, there’s a chance to earn a Master Mission for one of the five Masters.

Daily Resets: Each day, players receive new Master Missions for different map tiers (white, yellow, and red maps).

Atlas Passives: Certain regions on the Atlas grant extra mission chances or improve Master encounter quality.

You can store missions and choose when to use them by interacting with the Map Device before opening a map. This system gives flexibility — you can save up missions and run them in maps that synergize with your farming strategy.

4. Atlas Passive Tree and Master Specialization

The Atlas Passive Tree is one of the most important systems in PoE’s endgame. It allows players to customize which mechanics appear more frequently in maps — including Master missions.

Here’s how to use it effectively:

Einhar Path: Increases the chance of encountering beasts and improves the rewards from red beasts.

Alva Path: Adds extra Incursion encounters and improves the value of Temple rooms.

Niko Path: Boosts Sulphite collection and increases fossil drop rates.

Jun Path: Makes Syndicate encounters more frequent and boosts Safehouse rewards.

Kirac Path: Improves Kirac’s map mission variety and quality.

Choose Master nodes that align with your farming focus. For example, if you want to make currency through Temple farming, allocate Alva-related nodes. If you prefer crafting materials, go for Jun or Niko paths.

5. Efficient Atlas Progression Tips

Tip 1: Focus on Completion Bonus Early

Complete each map at least once to unlock Atlas Bonuses, which increase map drop rates. This is critical for sustaining your map pool.

Tip 2: Use Kirac to Fill Gaps

If you’re missing specific map completions, Kirac can sell or offer those maps as missions. This helps prevent being stuck at certain tiers.

Tip 3: Save Master Missions for Red Maps

Running Master missions on higher-tier maps yields better rewards, especially for Niko, Jun, and Alva.

Tip 4: Target Specific Rewards

Need crafting materials? Focus on Jun or Niko.

Want currency and rare drops? Choose Alva.

Want to fill your menagerie for crafting? Run Einhar missions.

Tip 5: Combine Mechanics for Efficiency

Running multiple mechanics together (e.g., Alva + Jun + Harbingers) can drastically improve your loot efficiency and experience gain.

6. Advanced Atlas Strategies

Sextants and Scarabs

Use Sextants on your Atlas Watchstones to modify map behavior — like adding additional Master encounters or increasing pack size. Pair them with Scarab items to guarantee specific mechanics. For example:

Rusted Bestiary Scarab: Guarantees Einhar appears in your map.

Polished or Gilded Incursion Scarab: Adds extra Alva encounters.

Combining Scarabs with Sextants lets you fine-tune maps for profit.

Atlas Favor System

As you complete boss encounters and special content, you’ll earn Favor that allows you to customize your Atlas appearance and Map Device options. Some advanced players use this system to optimize aesthetics or map modifiers.

7. Endgame Goals with Masters of the Atlas

The ultimate goal of the Atlas and Masters system is to prepare your character for Pinnacle Bosses and Uber versions of these encounters.

Sirus, Awakener of Worlds – unlocked through Watchstones and region completion.

The Maven – challenges players to defeat multiple bosses simultaneously.

Elderslayers (Baran, Veritania, Al-Hezmin, Drox) – progress the Atlas storyline.

Master missions and passive specialization help you reach these fights faster by improving map drops, crafting options, and item acquisition.

Conclusion

The Masters of the Atlas are the foundation of endgame progression in buy POE currency. Each offers unique rewards, missions, and crafting opportunities that can dramatically shape your experience and playstyle. Whether you’re building wealth through Temple farming, chasing fossils in the Azurite Mine, or uncovering the Syndicate’s dark secrets, mastering these systems will empower your journey through Wraeclast’s deadliest challenges.