The Ancestors have heard your call. The beloved Trial of the Ancestors mechanics return to Path of Exile in a three-week event starting June 25 (PDT)! Harness the power of Phrecian Ascendancy classes and new Tattoos to challenge the legendary Karui chieftains.

• Start Date: 3PM June 25th PDT (Jun 25, 2026 6:00 PM (EDT))
• End Date: 3PM July 16th PDT (Jul 16, 2026 6:00 PM (EDT))
• Based on: Mirage
• Platforms: PC and Consoles
• Standard, Hardcore, Standard Solo Self-Found and Hardcore Solo Self-Found versions available. The event also has a Ruthless mode available which uses the same Ascendancy Classes as non-Ruthless versions.
• This event is not voided. Items and characters will transfer to parent leagues at the end of the event. Upon migration, your characters’ Ascendancy points will be respecced and you'll be assigned one of the core Ascendancy classes.

In Return of the Ancestors event, you will find silver coins in areas across Wraeclast, which you can use to gain passage to the Karui Afterlife where you will compete against Karui tribes by assembling your own team of warriors. Battle their chieftains in the tournament to earn valuable rewards! If you have not played the original Trial of the Ancestors league, check out the announcement here for more information on how the mechanics work.

The legacy Trial of the Ancestors Tattoos are making a comeback in this event. In addition, we are introducing a new variety of Tattoos that can be applied to your Ascendancy Classes. These Tattoos are exclusive to the Return of the Ancestors. Here is an example:




Please note that during the event, Tattoos will not be available as a reward through Kingsmarch shipping.

All regular Ascendancy classes in Return of the Ancestors are replaced with 19 Phrecian Ascendancy classes (please note that the Reliquarian Ascendancy does not have a Phrecian counterpart and is disabled in this event). The balance for these classes remains the same as in the previous Phrecia event. Check out this post to find out more about the Phrecian Ascendancies and this post for the balance changes we made in the previous event. Note that the Atlas Idols system will not be available in the Return of the Ancestors.


By killing Kitava in Act Ten, you will be automatically awarded a Return of the Ancients Mystery Box. This is a guaranteed prize that's only available once per account per event. Killing Kitava multiple with multiple characters in the same event will not grant multiple mystery boxes.


If you’re a community Item Filter creator, check out these item lists with updates for the event:

Returning Items for the Event
Returning Unique Items for the event
New Items


When the event begins on June 25th, just create a new character in either Standard or Hardcore Return of the Ancestors event on the Character Selection screen. If you want to play SSF, don’t forget to select this option on the screen.


Will the Return of the Ancestors event run on all platforms?
Yes. The event is available on PC and Consoles.

Can I play my existing character?
No, you’ll need to make a new character.

Can I change my Ascendancy class during the event?
Yes.

Is Reliquarian Ascendancy available in this event?
No, as it doesn’t have a Phrecian counterpart.

Will Forbidden Tattoos grant passives from regular Ascendancies or Phrecian Ascendancies?
They will grant passives from the regular Ascendancies.

What passives will Forbidden Tattoos grant in Ruthless?
They will grant passives from the Ruthless versions of the regular Ascendancies.

Can I apply a Ranger Ascendancy Tattoo as a Witch?
Yes.

Will I be able to finish my remaining Mirage Challenges in this event?
Yes.

Will I be able to use Ascendancy Tattoos in Standard after the event?
No, Ascendancy Tattoos are exclusive to the event league.

Can I apply Ascendancy Tattoos to multiple choice notables, Bloodline Ascendancy notables or notables that grant passive points?
No, but on a related note the Scavenger Ascendancy now has a new non-multiple choice notable "Tabula Rasa" which grants nothing, but can have Ascendancy Tattoos applied.

Have fun, Exiles!