Path of Exile's Betrayal League, introduced in December 2018 and later incorporated into the core game, remains one of the most complex and rewarding systems in the ARPG's rich history. At the heart of the Betrayal mechanic is the Immortal Syndicate, a shadowy organization composed of dangerous members whose motives, alliances, and betrayals shape your rewards.

 

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about Betrayal mechanics-from manipulating the Syndicate board and interrogating members to maximizing profit through safehouses and crafting to get Path of exile currency.

 

What Is the Betrayal League?

Betrayal introduces a unique mechanic where players engage with the Immortal Syndicate, an organization of rogue exiles organized into a hierarchical structure with interwoven relationships.

 

Your goal is to:

 

Investigate their operations.

 

Weaken their hold on Wraeclast.

 

Manipulate their structure to gain high-value rewards from safehouses and eventually confront their leader, Catarina, Master of Undeath.

 

The Four Syndicate Divisions

The Syndicate is split into four divisions, each with its own leader and themed rewards:

 

Fortification

 

Encounter Type: Defend a fortress. Kill Syndicate members protected by walls and minions.

 

Rewards: Armor-based crafting and gear.

 

Transportation

 

Encounter Type: Escort a caravan. Stop Syndicate members from escaping along a road.

 

Rewards: Weapon-based rewards and fossils.

 

Research

 

Encounter Type: Infiltrate a lab. Kill Syndicate members while they conduct experiments.

 

Rewards: Strong crafting materials, gems, and quality upgrades.

 

Intervention

 

Encounter Type: Ambush. Syndicate members ambush you mid-map.

 

Rewards: Jewelry-related items and betrayal-exclusive uniques.

 

Each division has a safehouse run by a lieutenant. Defeating them gives you access to the safehouse and its stash of rewards. Positioning key members in the right division is how you target specific loot types.

 

How to Trigger Betrayal Encounters

Betrayal encounters randomly appear in maps (and sometimes in acts).

 

You'll encounter one of the four division types-only one per area.

 

Killing Syndicate members opens up manipulation options.

 

Syndicate Member Interactions

After defeating members, you're presented with various options. Your choices shape the entire organization:

 

Interrogate: Imprison the member for 3 turns to gather intelligence on their division.

 

Execute: Promote the member within their division (used tactically to make someone a lieutenant or leader).

 

Bargain: Offers various rewards-sometimes item drops, sometimes manipulation like destroying evidence or switching divisions.

 

Betray: If multiple members are present, one may betray another, reducing trust and shifting relationships.

 

Understanding how to use these options is crucial to controlling the Syndicate board and reaching your goals.

 

The Syndicate Board (Investigation Board)

The Investigation Board displays the current state of the Immortal Syndicate, including:

 

Each division and its leader.

 

Members assigned to divisions.

 

Relationships (rivalries, allies).

 

Intelligence progress toward each safehouse.

 

Safehouse Access

Each division has a progress bar. Accumulate enough intelligence through interrogations and encounters to unlock the safehouse.

 

Once unlocked, you can:

 

Run the safehouse (map-like instance).

 

Fight the division leader and loot the reward room.

 

Catarina's Safehouse

After raiding all four safehouses in one Investigation cycle, you unlock the final confrontation with Catarina. Defeating her grants exclusive loot and high-tier crafting materials.

 

Manipulating the Syndicate

To maximize profits, you'll want to manipulate the Syndicate structure. Here's how:

 

1. Assign Desired Members to Specific Divisions

Each Syndicate member drops different types of loot depending on the division they're in. For example:

 

It That Fled in Research = high-value Delirium crafting materials.

 

Riker Maloney in Intervention = Scarabs.

 

Manipulate their positions by:

 

Bargaining them into other divisions.

 

Betraying relationships to force relocations.

 

Executing to promote within a division.

 

2. Establish Rivalries

Rivalries cause members to appear more often in each other's encounters-useful to force desired combinations.

 

3. Promote the Right Members

Each member offers better rewards when promoted to lieutenant or division leader. The third tier of rewards (leader) is usually the most lucrative.

 

Example:

 

Guff "Tiny" as leader of Research allows you to craft powerful items with veiled modifiers.

 

Hillock as leader of Fortification improves item quality in ways not available elsewhere.

 

Veiled Items and Jun

Many Syndicate members drop Veiled items, which are equippable gear with modifiers hidden behind a veil. To unveil them, you talk to Jun Ortoi, the master NPC of the Betrayal League.

 

Why Unveil?

Grants powerful mods not found on regular gear.

 

Each unveiled item contributes to your recipe unlocks, adding new crafting options at the Crafting Bench.

 

Example Mods:

Chance to avoid elemental ailments.

 

Additional physical damage as chaos.

 

Double damage with attacks.

 

Best Syndicate Members for Profit

While all members have value, some are significantly more lucrative:

 

1. It That Fled (Research)

Delirium-related loot.

 

Can drop Simulacrum splinters or oils.

 

Often top-tier for currency profit.

 

2. Riker Maloney (Intervention)

Offers Scarabs and mapping tools.

 

Scarabs are highly valuable for farming.

 

3. Cameria (Intervention or Research)

Drops rare Betrayal-only Uniques and currency bundles.

 

High-end scarabs at leader tier.

 

4. Guff (Research)

Custom crafting interface.

 

Allows rerolling items with specific influences or categories.

 

Advanced Tips and Strategies

1. Soft Reset the Board

If your board becomes unmanageable, you can soft-reset it:

 

Interrogate all members repeatedly.

 

Allow others to change positions slowly over time.

 

Eventually, the board will randomize members and relationships.

 

2. Avoid Killing All Members at Once

If all four safehouses are ready and you kill Catarina without prepping your board, your Investigation resets. Only fight her when you're ready to start over.

 

3. Prioritize Research First

Research is the most rewarding division in general due to its gem experience, incubators, fossils, and other crafting items.

 

4. Run Safehouses at Tier 14+

Safehouse rewards scale with map tier. Always trigger encounters and safehouses in higher maps for better to buy POE currency.

 

Catarina, Master of Undeath

Once all four divisions are cleared, you can enter Catarina's safehouse. She is a challenging boss fight with multiple phases and mechanics:

 

Summons minions and undead horrors.

 

Casts deadly AoE spells.

 

Rewards include veiled uniques, master crafting materials, and sometimes unique Betrayal-only loot.

 

Catarina is also your final chance to extract key members for rerolling the Syndicate board before it resets.

 

Conclusion

The Betrayal League mechanics remain one of the most complex and rewarding systems in Path of Exile. By carefully manipulating the Immortal Syndicate's structure, players can unlock powerful crafting resources, rare loot, and a unique boss fight. Whether you're in it for the Scarabs, veiled modifiers, or the thrill of board control, Betrayal offers rich endgame content that's both strategic and lucrative.