Arena of Champions Overview for Last Epoch

Among various endgame activities that are available in Last Epoch, the Arena is one of the most exciting ones. Inside the Arena, two different modes are available: the Arena of Champions, and the Endless Arena. This guide will focus on the Arena of Champions, a mode that has a limited number of waves and a boss at the end.

The Arena of Champions is very different from the Endless Arena. You will not fight infinite waves of enemies; the Arena of Champions has only 50 waves, with checkpoints in between that will let you choose some modifiers. Wave 50 ends when you defeat one of the three Champion bosses.

The difficulty of the Arena of Champions depends on four different tiers, and the modifiers you choose. Each tier has some pros and cons. Tier 1 is the easiest, and Tier 4 is the hardest, but Tier 4 also has the best loot. In each Tier, at Wave 10, 20, and 30, you can choose between two different random modifiers.

Keep in mind: If you die, the run will end.

Each Arena of Champion run will end with one of the following three bosses that you will have to defeat:

• Alfrig Wolfmaw (Primalist Champion): This boss will use different abilities from the Beastmaster and Shaman masteries. Having good lightning resistance can be life-saving.
• The Crimson Blade (Rogue Champion): This boss will use various attacks from the Bladedancer. It is a fast and agile enemy, and will require you to be very attentive.
• Vaion the Arsenal (Sentinel Champion): This boss will use a set of skills from the Paladin and Forge Guard masteries. It is the most tanky boss of all three, and can take quite a while to take down.

The Arena can be accessed from Champion's Gate, a place in the Divine Era that you can reach from Heoborea. The first time you travel there, head to Wengari Fortress and follow the path through Kolheim Pass, until you find The Champion's Gate.

To enter the Arena, you need to spend an  Arena Key which can be obtained as a drop from the Monolith of Fate, or as an optional reward from an Arena run. The Monolith of Fate is another endgame system that consists of randomly generated timelines with different modifiers and objectives. Each time you complete five Echoes in a row without dying inside the Monolith of Fate, you will get an Arena Key, and there is a small chance of obtaining more keys in between.

Additionally, keys can also be obtained inside the reward chest when abandoning an Arena Run. The chance for a key to be in the chest will scale depending on the amount of waves you completed before quitting. The more waves you cleared, the higher the chance of getting another key.

The Arena of Champions has four tiers of difficulty, each with its own rewards and modifiers. The higher the tier, the harder the enemies and the better the loot. You can also choose some modifiers every 10 waves, to make the run more challenging and rewarding. Here are some examples of the tiers and modifiers:

• Tier 1 - Level 50
  • Wave 10: You can choose between more exalted items or more runes, glyphs, or affix shards from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 20: You can choose between a Dungeon key or rare pieces of gear from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 30: You can choose between an Arena key or an additional glyph of chaos and unique items from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
• Tier 2 - Level 70
  • Starting Modifiers: The champion will drop additional Idols, exalted items, affix shards, glyphs, and runes. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 10: You can choose between more exalted items or more runes, glyphs, or affix shards from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 20: You can choose between a Dungeon key or rare pieces of gear or several affix shards from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 30: You can choose between an Arena key or an additional glyph of chaos and Unique items from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
• Tier 3 - Level 90
  • Starting Modifiers: The champion will drop additional idols, exalted items, affix shards, glyphs, and runes. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 10: You can choose between several exalted items or more glyphs, affix shards, runes, or idols from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 20: You can choose between a Dungeon key or rare pieces of gear or several affix shards from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 30: You can choose between an Arena key or an additional glyph of chaos and Unique or Set items from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
• Tier 4 - Level 100
  • Starting Modifiers: The champion will drop additional idols, exalted items, affix shards, glyphs, and runes. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 10: You can choose between several exalted items or more glyphs, affix shards, runes, or idols from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 20: You can choose between a Dungeon key or rare pieces of gear or several affix shards from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health.
  • Wave 30: You can choose between an Arena key or an additional glyph of chaos and Unique or Set items from the champion. Enemies have increased damage and health

Here are some tips and tricks to help you get through the 50 waves of the Arena of Champions:

• The difficulty depends on the tier and the modifiers you choose. The higher the tier and the harder the modifiers, the stronger the enemies and the better the loot. Choose wisely according to your build and gear.
• The champions are based on the classes of Last Epoch, and use skills from their masteries. Knowing the classes and their skills can help you fight them. They can be very tough in Tier 4, but not impossible to beat.
• Have a balanced build that can deal damage and survive. Even though there is a fixed number of waves, you still have to survive 50 waves to get the most out of the run.
• Position yourself well in the Arena, and don't let yourself get surrounded. Find the best spots to fight enemies after another, or to kite them around if necessary.

The Arena of Champions rewards you with experience and loot. The more waves you clear, the more experience and better loot you get. The loot includes gold, items, runes, glyphs, and idols. Some items are Unique or Set items that have special bonuses and effects for your build. The rewards will improve in quantity or quality based on the modifiers you choose.

The 3 bosses will also drop some unique loot:

•  Penumbra (Unique Ring): Dropped by The Crimson Blade
•  Omen of Thunder (Unique Belt) - Dropped by Alfrig Wolfmaw
•  Vaion's Chariot (Unique Boots) - Dropped by Vaion the Arsenal

The Arena of Champions is one of the most interesting endgame activities, as you face waves of enemies and challenge yourself. It is an enjoyable mode where you can test your skills against various enemies, while also getting some gear. Furthermore, it's less demanding than the Endless Arena, and can be a good training zone for those who are not ready for the Endless Arena just yet.