Leagues in Path of Exile represent the game worlds or domains that characters exist within. A single character can only belong to one league at any time, and can't interact with characters outside that league. Leagues in Path of Exile are split in 2 different categories: permanent and temporary leagues. Each league is narrowed down further with optional game modes that represent different playstyles by introducing key conditions and restrictions to gameplay.
Below is a list of all leagues in Path of Exile in order of release, starting by the current challenge league:
Version | League | Weeks | International |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | poe2 | 2024 | |
| 3.24 | 3.24 | 13 | 2024-02-17 |
| 3.23 | 3.23 | 13 | 2023-11-18 |
| 3.22 | Ancestor | 13 | 2023-08-19 |
| 3.21 | Crucible | 19 | 2023-04-08 |
| 3.20 | Sanctum | 17 | 2022-12-10 |
| 3.19 | 16 | 2022-08-20 | |
| 3.18 | 14 | 2022-05-14 | |
| 3.17 | 14 | 2022-02-05 | |
| 3.16 | 15 | 2021-10-23 | |
| 3.15 | Expedition | 13 | 2021-07-24 |
| 3.14 | 14 | 2021-04-17 | |
| 3.13 | Ritual <Echoes of the Atlas> | 13 | 2021-01-16 |
| 3.12 | Heist | 17 | 2020-09-19 |
| 3.11 | Harvest | 13 | 2020-06-20 |
| 3.10 | Delirium | 14 | 2020-03-14 |
| 3.9 | Metamorph <Conquerors of the Atlas> | 13 | 2019-12-14 |
| 3.8 | Blight | 14 | 2019-09-07 |
| 3.7 | Legion | 13 | 2019-06-08 |
| 3.6 | 13 | 2019-03-09 | |
| 3.5 | Betrayal | 13 | 2018-12-08 |
| 3.4 | Delve | 14 | 2018-09-01 |
| 3.3 | Incursion | 13 | 2018-06-02 |
| 3.2 | Bestiary | 13 | 2018-03-03 |
| 3.1 | Abyss <War for the Atlas> | 12 | 2017-12-09 |
| 3.0 | Harbinger <The Fall of Oriath> | 18 | 2017-08-05 |
| 2.6 | 22 | 2017-03-04 | |
| 2.5 | Breach | 13 | 2016-12-03 |
| 2.4 | Essence <The Atlas of Worlds> | 13 | 2016-09-03 |
| 2.3 | 13 | 2016-06-04 | |
| 2.2 | 13 | 2016-03-05 | |
| 2.1 | 12 | 2015-12-12 | |
| 2.0 | Warbands and Tempest <The Awakening> | 12 | 2015-07-11 |
| 1.3 | Torment and Bloodlines | 15 | 2014-12-13 |
| 1.2 | Rampage and Beyond <Forsaken Masters> | 13 | 2014-08-21 |
| 1.1 | Ambush and Invasion <Sacrifice of the Vaal> | 18 | 2014-03-06 |
| 1.0 | Domination and Nemesis | 18 | 2013-10-24 |
| 0.11 | Anarchy and Onslaught | 18 | 2013-06-05 |
Roughly every 13-16 weeks, a new challenge league is released that is intended to introduce and test new content and provide players with a fresh start and a set of optional challenges that can be completed for cosmetic prizes. Traditionally, challenge leagues are accompanied by a number of balance changes, new skill gems, and content from an accompanying expansion. Older challenge league content may also be periodically removed from the core mechanics of the game.
When a challenge league ends, all characters and their stash will be sent to their respective parent permanent league. Map progress will be transferred, along with maps. However, the map progress will be reset in Standard league once the new temporary league (and the accompanied expansion) starts. Players restore their atlas completion progress by completing any single T16 legacy map (or partial restoration of the progress by complete a legacy as high tier as they can). Voidstones and atlas passive progress (only the invitation and pinnacle bosses kill part) are not reset at the start of each expansion, however.
Permanent leagues are standard, default leagues that only include mechanics that are core to the game, have no additional modifiers, and exclude any content from the current challenge league. Permanent leagues include: Standard (Softcore/Trade), Standard Hardcore, Standard Solo-Self Found, and Standard Hardcore Solo-Self Found. Ruthless versions of these permanent leagues are added in April 2023 after the end of Sanctum leagues, the first expansion that introduced Ruthless .
Characters used in Hardcore versions of Ruthless mode or certain Event Leagues (such as Endless Delve or Mayhem) are automatically transferred to a Void League upon death or at the end of the race's duration. Characters in Void Leagues cannot be accessed from the character selection screen, and can only be deleted or kept as a trophy. Their equipment and passive trees are still visible on a player's web profile and can be imported to the Path of Building third-party software.
| Version | League | Bosses |
|---|---|---|
| 3.20 | Sanctum league |
|
| 3.17 | Siege of the Atlas | The Searing Exarch · The Black Star · The Eater of Worlds · The Infinite Hunger |
| 3.15 | Expedition | Medved, Feller of Heroes · Vorana, Last to Fall · Uhtred, Covetous Traitor · Olroth, Origin of the Fall |
| 3.14 | Ultimatum | The Trialmaster |
| 3.13 | Echoes of the Atlas | The Maven |
| 3.11 | Harvest | Oshabi, Avatar of the Grove · Ersi, Mother of Thorns · Namharim, Born of Night · Janaar, the Omen |
| 3.10 | Delirium | Omniphobia, Fear Manifest · Kosis, The Revelation |
| 3.9 | Conquerors of the Atlas | Sirus, Awakener of Worlds · Al-Hezmin, The Hunter · Veritania, The Redeemer · Drox, The Warlord · Baran, The Crusader |
| 3.7 | Legion | Queen Hyrri Ngamaku · Cardinal Sanctus Vox · Viper Napuatzi · Aukuna, the Black Sekhema · General Marceus Lioneye |
| 3.6 | Synthesis | Venarius · Rewritten Synthete · Augmented Synthete · Altered Synthete · Twisted Synthete |
| 3.5 | Betrayal | Catarina, Master of Undeath |
| 3.4 | Delve | Ahuatotli, the Blind · Aul, the Crystal King · Kurgal, the Blackblooded |
| 3.3 | Incursion | The Vaal Omnitect |
| 3.2 | Bestiary | Craiceann, First of the Deep · Farrul, First of the Plains · Fenumus, First of the Night · Saqawal, First of the Sky |
| 3.1 | War for the Atlas | The Elder · The Constrictor · The Enslaver · The Eradicator · The Purifier |
| 3.1 | Abyss | Amanamu, Liege of the Lightless · Ulaman, Sovereign of the Well |
| 2.5 | Breach | Chayula, Who Dreamt · Esh, Forked Thought · Tul, Creeping Avalanche · Uul-Netol, Unburdened Flesh · Xoph, Dark Embers |
| 2.4 | The Atlas of Worlds | The Shaper · Guardian of the Chimera · Guardian of the Hydra · Guardian of the Minotaur · Guardian of the Phoenix |
| 1.2 | Beyond | K'tash, the Hate Shepherd · Ghorr, the Grasping Maw · Beidat, Archangel of Death |
| 1.1 | Atziri | Atziri, Queen of the Vaal · Vessel of the Vaal |
There are currently 3 optional game modes under the permanent and temporary league categories: Hardcore (HC), Solo Self-Found (SSF), and Ruthless. These modes can only be selected during the character selection screen and represent different popular playstyles by introducing key limitations.
When creating a character, a player can choose to combine game modes, resulting in HCSSF, HC Ruthless, SSF Ruthless, and HCSSF Ruthless.
Race leagues are temporary leagues created specifically for a single race event. These leagues have their own stash. At the end of the event, characters and their stashed items will be moved to the parent league, typically Standard, Hardcore, or Void League. The player's race stash may be placed in remove-only stash tabs if the parent league has no empty tabs.
Private leagues are independent, temporary leagues that are purchasable with Path of Exile store points. They are customizable, allowing players to select their name, start time, amount of players, duration, and additional modifiers. When creating a private league, you can choose a league type to base it on. This can be a variation of the current challenge league or one of the permanent leagues.
By default, every private league has a base cost of 120 Path of Exile store points, a duration of 10 days, and 10 player slots. You may increase the number of players or the duration of the league at an additional cost both when creating the league and after. The player that creates the league can either pay for the cost directly or crowdfund it, allowing for other players to contribute Path of Exile store points to fund the league.
You may also choose additional modifiers to make the league more challenging for no extra cost. These modifiers will be active for the entirety of the league's duration and cannot be deactivated. Options include:
Players can also based their private league on an event league type. Event leagues are only available occasionally (and for a fixed period), but can be created for free with a restricted set of modifiers.
For example, private leagues are popularly used by players who are interested in progressing through a league in a group and restrict trading amongst themselves, normally referred to as Group SSF (GSSF).