Grinding Gear Games is back with another major update for Path of Exile, and version 3.27 - Keepers of the Flame - promises to set Wraeclast ablaze with innovation. This expansion revitalizes the Breach mechanic, one of the community's favorite encounter systems, while layering in deep new crafting options and item systems designed to reward creative players. In this guide, we'll break down everything you need to know about the Keepers of the Flame league, from the lore and gameplay to the new Genesis Tree, Foulborn Uniques, and Graft equipment.

The Story: Join Ailith and the Order of the Keepers of the Flame

In Keepers of the Flame, Exiles will ally with Ailith, founder of the Order of the Keepers of the Flame, to stop the Breachlords from consuming Wraeclast. The league's story centers on this devoted order's mission to push back the darkness spreading from the Breach - dimensional rifts that connect the mortal realm to the corrupted planes of chaos.

Ailith serves as your new NPC guide. She'll aid you in battle and introduce players to the mysterious Genesis Tree, a new crafting entity of immense power. Lore enthusiasts will find this league rich in narrative, with Ailith's backstory adding depth to the ever-growing mythos surrounding the Breachlords.

Breach Renewed: Familiar Chaos, Fresh Mechanics

At its core, Keepers of the Flame preserves the thrilling simplicity that made Breach encounters so addictive - open the circle, slay as fast as possible, and collect your loot before the portal closes. However, this time the mechanic has evolved.

During these encounters, players will escort Ailith as she attempts to destroy corrupted Breach structures scattered across the landscape. You'll need to protect her as waves of Breach monsters spawn in increasing numbers, similar to a defensive stronghold scenario. Once Ailith completes her ritual, the structures will collapse, showering you with loot and Breach rewards.

Meanwhile, the classic Breach Hand encounters return as random map events. Touching a Breach Hand triggers the familiar expanding circle mechanic, unleashing waves of enemies that culminate in battles with Rare and Unique Breach monsters. These events reward aggressive, fast-clearing builds and are a callback to the chaotic, loot-filled moments that defined early Breach leagues.

Enter the Hive: A New Endgame Challenge

A brand-new feature, Breach Hives, offers a twist on the familiar. These corrupted constructs act as portals to the Hiveborn realms, dreamlike dimensions infested with nightmarish creatures. Inside, Exiles face escalating waves of enemies and environmental hazards, with a chance to confront an actual Breachlord in a remixed boss battle.

The rewards are substantial: Hive encounters drop exclusive crafting components, rare Breach splinters, and unique resources for the Genesis Tree. Each Hive is designed as a self-contained mini-dungeon, offering an intense challenge with high replayability.

The Genesis Tree: Path of Exile's Next Great Crafting System

The centerpiece of 3.27 is the Genesis Tree, a new form of endgame crafting that grows alongside your progression in the league. Once unlocked through Ailith's questline, this enormous, luminous tree allows you to develop Path of Exile Items, currency, and unique gear through specialized passive branches.

The Genesis Tree is fully customizable - each node you select influences the rewards and mechanics of future growth cycles. The deeper your investment, the more specialized your yields become, ranging from enhanced currency items to Grafts and Foulborn Uniques.

Two major crafting outcomes are possible:

1. Upgraded Base Currency - Traditional items like Orbs of Alteration, Chaos Orbs, and Regal Orbs receive Foulborn variants, which bias modifier rolls toward stronger affixes. For example, the Foulborn Regal Orb skews its upgrade toward higher-tier mods when transforming Magic items into Rares.

2. Graft-Specific Currency - A completely new class of currency dedicated to modifying Graft equipment, granting Exiles deeper build customization without needing to reroll their entire setup.

3. This system bridges the gap between classic PoE crafting and deterministic item design, rewarding experimentation while keeping RNG-driven excitement intact.

Foulborn Uniques: Twisted Takes on Classic Gear

The Foulborn Uniques are exclusive to the Keepers of the Flame expansion. These are corrupted variations of existing Unique items, where one modifier has been replaced by an entirely new, league-specific one. Imagine your favorite Unique but with a fresh twist - for example, Esh's Visage now has a Foulborn version with an alternate modifier that shifts its core function entirely.

Foulborn Uniques add new layers of creativity to buildcrafting, giving Exiles access to previously impossible combinations of effects. Whether you're chasing a niche interaction or redefining a meta build, these items will be at the center of 3.27's economy.

Grafts: New Equipment That Changes the Game

Perhaps the most intriguing addition is Graft Equipment - bizarre, organic appendages that grow from your character and grant unique passive powers. These Grafts not only provide stat boosts but also come with exclusive Graft Skills that trigger automatically under certain conditions.

For instance, the Molten Xophgraft grants the Heart of Flame ability, unleashing a fiery wave whenever you take lethal damage or reach full Rage. Grafts scale with your Genesis Tree progression, and their modifiers can be directly influenced by the special Graft currency mentioned earlier.

Each type of Graft empowers a specific playstyle - defensive, offensive, or hybrid - and adds an entirely new avenue for build diversity, rivaling Ascendancy-like complexity.

Final Thoughts: Keepers of the Flame Ignites the Future of Path of Exile

Path of Exile: Keepers of the Flame (3.27) looks to be one of the most ambitious updates since Crucible, combining nostalgia, innovation, and mechanical depth. The return of Breach content ensures a satisfying foundation for fast-paced combat, while the Genesis Tree, Foulborn Uniques, and Grafts open entirely new layers of progression and customization.

If you're planning to dive into the league, now's the time to buy POE Currency or Path of Exile Items early to get ready for launch. With the Order of the Keepers of the Flame standing against the Breachlords once again, Wraeclast's future burns brighter - and bloodier - than ever.