Time: 2025-10-31 by mmojugg Game: Path of Exile Guide Tags: Keepers of the Flame
Hey, fellow exiles—nothing beats that rush of stacking Chaos Orbs before you've even cleared Act 10. With Path of Exile's patch 3.27 on the horizon, Heist's getting some killer upgrades that make it an even smoother path to early-league riches.
If you're gearing up for the launch, why not bookmark this spot for quick reference? And while you're at it, swing by our Path of Exile shop to grab some Chaos Orbs, Divine Orbs, Exalted Orbs, crafting currency, rares, uniques, and more to fuel your runs right from the start.
Heist has always been a go-to for zero-investment currency grinding, letting you snag basic orbs and markers without fancy builds or atlas setups. You dash through corridors, crack open chests, and pocket rewards—all before Kitava's final roar. But in 3.27, it's leveling up big time.
Two standout changes make it irresistible:
Asynchronous Trading: Contracts and blueprints now sell themselves from your stash. No more pausing mid-map to haggle—list 'em and let the market work while you grind. This turns Heist into a passive income stream, especially for flipping high-value targets to players who skip the mechanic.
Max-Level Rogues from the Jump: Forget grinding low-tier jobs to level your crew. Every Rogue in the Rogue Harbour starts at peak skill levels, speeding up runs mechanically. Since rogue efficiency ties directly to skill tiers, expect quicker clears across the board—no more slogging through entry-level heists.
These tweaks mean Heist isn't just viable early; it's a league-starter powerhouse. On a good day, you could net hundreds of Chaos from contracts alone, scaling to Divine-level jackpots via grand heists with replica uniques and experimental bases.
Heist demands zero damage output—you're not bossing down Sirus here. It's all about momentum. Prioritize movement speed to zip through hallways and evade patrols. Boots with flat MS, uniques like Seven-League Step, or Queen of the Forest quiver setups shine. We're partial to Toxic Rain Pathfinder for its blistering pace and flask uptime, turning you into a toxin-slinging blur. Tankiness helps during escapes (more on that later), but speed is king. Even a budget leveling rig works; just slap on some MS and go.
Scarabs? Skip 'em—Heist has none yet, though who knows what future patches hold.
The Atlas passive tree offers light support, with a tiny 3.27 tweak: Heist's blocker node returns, letting you suppress encounters. But why block? Async trading makes free drops a boon—embrace the chaos (pun intended).
Heist clusters are sparse but potent, mostly in the bottom-left tree. Path to these four notables for a low-commitment twig that slots into any strategy:
Notable | Effect | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
Secret Stash | +40% chance for Smuggler's Caches in maps (base ~8%, caps at 48%). | Guarantees Heist spawns without full investment—easy extra contracts/blueprints to sell. |
Beautiful Friendship | Huck auto-joins on Smuggler's Cache opens; grants 20% increased damage, attack/cast speed, MS, and XP gain. | Free mercenary vibes—boosts map efficiency, especially for leveling alts. Huck's no tank, but that XP bump? Gold. |
Favour of the Rogues | Higher chance for high-value/precious contract targets; more Rogue's Markers from them. | Ideal for self-farming—pump out Markers for reveals or gear. Less useful for bulk selling, as buyers ignore tiers (async trade might shift this, but history says nah). |
Casing the Joint | +100% chance for blueprints from caches; 10% chance for fully revealed ones. | Blueprint lottery—fully revealed versions fetch up to a Divine. Even casuals should grab this for passive flips. |
No Honour Among Thieves | More caches per map; +5% chance for 6 extra if one spawns; Rogue's Markers bonus. | Multiplies Casing's value—stack with map device mods for 8-10 caches per map. Synergizes with contract farming for bulk sales. |
Fold this into your left-side tree paths. It's not a full strategy—just a currency cherry on top.
Start with three: Tibbs the Giant, Karst the Lockpick, and Isla the Engineer. Unlock the rest via contracts—each intro leads to a chain. Here's the corrected order (six contracts total, a breeze early):
Tibbs Chain: Tibbs → Tullina the Catburglar → Nenet the Scout
Karst Chain: Karst → Huck the Soldier → Niles the Interrogator → Vinderi the Dismantler
Isla Chain: Isla → Whakano the Goldsmith → Jana the Gemcutter
Why full crew? Nine skills cover every job, and specialists clear faster. Huck's the wildcard—all-rounder with Brute Force, plus that XP aura. Vinderi maxes Demolition and Trap Disarmament at level 5. Jana's Deception skill unlocks blueprint reveal discounts (30% base, up to 40% scaled)—endgame gold for scaling profits.
Gear your rogues lightly: Four slots (weapon, body, etc.) for bonuses like level 15 Haste auras. Haste on Huck? Chef's kiss for map speed. Equip via compatible slots—it's flexible, but Haste reigns supreme. Pro tip: Run Deception contracts with Jana early for those discounts.
Contracts are Heist's maps—grab from Adira, pick your best-skilled rogue (highest level = fastest), and dive in.
Roll 'em clean: Quantity/rarity only buffs monster drops, not chests or targets. Scour for speed—nasty mods like extra guards can wreck escapes. Keybind rogue actions (default V, but mouse-wheel it).
Gameplay loop:
Dash to Objective: Blitz hallways, smash en route strongboxes for orbs/Markers. Ignore most side rooms—alert level spikes kill momentum.
Manage Alerts: Bar fills from noise (boxes, fights). Full bar? Lockdown—timer starts, guards swarm. Hit the objective (e.g., lockpick crate) fast.
Grab and Extract: Snag the target (currency chest? Sell to Faustus for Markers). Escape phase is dicey—patrols choke doors. Be tanky here; "door league" ain't affectionate for nothing.
You keep incidental loot (orbs from small chests), but Markers are the real prize—fuel reveals and trades. Spam low/mid-tier early; sell high-value to Faustus or stash for async flips. A fast build clears in seconds, netting 50-100 Chaos per handful.
Blueprints amp contracts—3-4 wings with player-sellable rewards: raw Divines, replicas (twisted uniques), experimental bases, Thief's Trinkets.
Prep:
Reveal Wings: Whakano IDs 'em (cost ramps per blueprint—Jana's Deception discount saves big). Skip side areas; they're meh ROI.
Plan Jobs: Assign three unique rogues per wing (diverse skills = passive bonuses; no doubles). Confirm and portal in.
Running:
Wings mimic contracts: Rogue-assisted clears, strongboxes optional (skip most—low yield vs. time).
Mid-Run Flex: Full inventory? Exit to Rogue Harbour—portal persists. No progress loss.
Contraband Watch: Rare drops? Exit via entrance (pre-lockdown) to secure—avoids death/drop penalties.
Pro Moves: Tanky? Skip Agility/Trap jobs yourself. Laggy league start? Breathe.
Rewards scale wild: Replicas for builds, enchants on rares for flips, Tailoring Orbs (2+ Divines early). Finish all wings or dip partial—flexible.
First one unlocks a bonus slot for incubators (Legion-style loot bombs). Rolls vary: Chance to transmute Regal to Divine (4% god-roll), or add Delirium to chests. Even trash tiers boost quantity—free power creep. Farm via blueprints; it's nonzero gains for minimal effort.
Early: Spam contracts pre-Act 10. Mid: Flip async blueprints. Late: Jana-discounted reveals + Atlas caches = Divine printers. It's refreshing map alternative, now buffed for 3.27 accessibility.
Stay tuned to MMOJUGG for more PoE 3.27 breakdowns and tips to conquer the Keepers league. We are committed to bringing you the latest insights, detailed guides, and expert strategies to help you master every aspect of the game. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or just starting out, our comprehensive coverage will keep you ahead of the curve. Join our community, share your experiences, and level up your gameplay with MMOJUGG — your ultimate Path of Exile resource.
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