Today, I want to show you the ultimate maps guide to Path of Exile 2, including Best Maps, Good Maps, Bad Maps, Worst Maps, and Unique Maps.
Best Maps
Wetlands
Let's start with Wetlands. This is my best map category. Redland is a nice open map with a really good boss. It's an easy, fast boss that is safe, especially for hardcore play. This is important, but in general, there are better and worse bosses, so keep that in mind. Redland definitely has a good boss, the Devourer, and there are actually two of them. Some maps have two bosses, like another one where you have to blow the Miller double, which doubles the amount of drops. This map has a simple layout with two circles and a small corridor on the side, making it easy to clear with lots of open areas. This is the mark of a good map: lots of space for rituals and breaches and no small corridors that slow you down or funnel monsters into a line to blast you with projectiles.
Willow
Next, we have Willow, which is similar but with more obstacles like annoying little trees. Willow is generally nice and has a good boss, making it easy to fully clear without missing anything. You go around the edges and work your way inwards, avoiding bigger forest obstacles and rocks. Then there's Step, which has a diamond shape. You can go around the edges and work inwards, which is how I tend to clear them. It may depend on the mechanics you find, like breaches or rituals, but this is my general approach.
Steppe
Then we have Steppe, which follows a similar pattern. It's shaped like a diamond, and you can usually go around the edges of these maps and then work your way inwards. This is how I tend to clear them. I teleport in from somewhere, go around, and make circles in the water. However, it may depend on the mechanics you encounter. For example, a breach might make you move in weird patterns, or rituals and expeditions might do the same. But in general, this is my approach to clearing this map.
Steaming Springs
Steaming Springs is another superb map with lots of open space and nice monster types. It has a really nice, easy boss, like the snake from Act 2. I enjoy going to Steaming Springs because of its ambiance.
Savannah
Savannah is usually a short, open map with ruins and walls. Be aware of monsters spawning inside the ruins, but it's generally easy to clear with easy monsters and a relatively easy boss. Just be cautious of the boss's big slam attack, especially on Hardcore.
Sandspit
Sandspit is probably everyone's favorite map. It's a two-way beach map where you go up one side and down the other. The only annoying part is the freezing shades that freeze you with one attack and can't be damaged in their shade form. Despite this, it's a great map and very fast to clear.
Rustbowl
Rustbowl is similar to Savannah, with a short, open area and an easy boss, the Rust King.
Creek
Creek is another open map with side areas that you might want to clear out properly. It's not a true diamond shape but generally open, and it has a nice boss.
Burial Bog
Burial Bog is a great map with a big circle layout. Be aware of the side areas to ensure a full clear. The boss is usually in one of these areas, and is very simple.
Blooming Field
Blooming Field has obstacles like rocks, flowers, and ravines, but I don't mind them. The boss has three phases and can take a while to defeat, especially with a low DPS build. Despite this, I like Blooming Field and recommend it.
These are the best maps I like to run all the time, even if they don't have any mechanics or buffs. I always go for these maps because they are nice and chill to run.
Good Maps
Backwash
This one is Backwash, an okay map that reminds me of Willow but with more little corners that you can easily miss. Be aware of areas connected through small corridors, and make sure to clear the entire area. You might need to turn around and do circles to ensure you don't miss anything before continuing. This map has multiple parts, and the boss, the Queen of Filth, is pretty dangerous. She can bonk you, so be cautious.
Bloodwood
Next, we have Bloodwood. I like this map; it's long but relatively narrow, with enough space to fight and do league mechanics. There are a few little alcoves to be aware of, but it's mostly a long line with a crescent shape. It's relatively simple. Just make sure to clean out the side areas.
Cenotes
Then there are Cenotes, which I really like because of its nice ambiance, nice monsters, and relatively open spaces. There are some larger rock obstacles and caves, but overall, it's easy to navigate.
Crimson Shores
Crimson Shores is another good map with lots of space, though it's long and winding, with multiple parts connected by bridges or docks. Focus on clearing out the side areas, and don't let monsters get stuck in corners.
Decay
Decay is an underground map with a cave feeling but is relatively open. It has a nice boss, the Druid from Act One, which is one of the easiest bosses in the game.
Fortress
Fortress is a good map, usually one big circle with a path through the middle. The boss, the Gin Barrier from Act Two, can be tough, but the map is easy to run.
Hidden Grotto
Hidden Grotto is also relatively simple to clear despite more obstacles in the corridors. It's usually packed with easy monsters.
Hive
Hive is a favorite map of mine, with a nice open area and lots of little crawling monsters. It's easy to clear by going around in a circle.
Oasis
Oasis is a desert map with a round shape that doesn't connect, so make sure to clear out the larger areas in the corners.
Ravine
Ravine is a long, winding map with low density but enough space for breaches. It's nice to run without worrying about missing monsters.
Riverside
Riverside is similar but with more obstacles and corners. Clear each part one by one, and be cautious of the boss, the Silver Fist, who is very dangerous.
Spider Woods
Spider Woods is another good map with lots of little spiders, density, and obstacles like trees and rocks. It's relatively simple and open.
Sulphuric Caverns
Sulphuric Caverns is an underground map with big areas and a nice boss fight with the Bone Construct and the Summoner from Act Two. I run this map relatively often.
Sump
Finally, there's Sump, an open area where you need to do multiple smaller circles throughout the map. Be aware of the boss, the Witch on the motorbike, who can be very annoying and time-consuming. Overall, these are the good maps I recommend.
Bad Maps
Abyss
Let's start with Abyss. This is another underground map with lots of winding corridors and not much going on. The boss, Tallgold the Defiler from Act 2, is relatively tanky and has a long spawn animation, making the fight quite tedious. I don't really like Abyss, but occasionally, I go for it because the boss is somewhat safe on Hardcore.
Augury
Next, we have Augury. Many people might put this in the worst maps category, but I don't think it's that bad. It's easy to clear, and you can't really miss anything. However, people hate the three levers you have to activate to go into the center, which can be annoying. I don't mind it and put it in this category because you just go around in a circle, press the three levers, and you're done.
Crypt
The Crypt is another relatively bad map with little space for league mechanics. However, I often go for this map when there's a boss because the boss is very simple, like the wax boss from Act One. It's a fast clear, but you don't get a lot of juice out of it.
Deserted
Deserted is kind of open with lots of space, but I hate running this map because it's easy to miss corridors or corners where rares might be hiding. There are many paths to take, and I haven't found a good way to consistently fully clear it without backtracking.
Gothic City
Gothic City is another map I don't like. It has some open spaces but is mostly a large, open map where it's easy to miss something. The boss, the Consort from Act One, is nice, but I try to avoid this map unless it has a boss.
Necropolis
Necropolis is another Iron Citadel-related map. I like it a bit more than Gothic City because it has the Draven boss, but it's still mid-tier without a boss. There are lots of little paths and side areas where rares might be hiding.
Penitentiary
Penitentiary is also an Iron Citadel map that I don't like. It has the Executioner boss, which is somewhat dangerous for some people. The layout isn't great, but it's a bit better than the other two.
Seepage
Seepage is a bad map with lots of doors and little corridors. It's relatively small and easy to clear, but the boss is pretty good. Whenever there's a boss on Seepage, I usually go for it because it's the same Druid boss from Decay.
Woodland
Woodland is a big open map with lots of space but many obstacles and little areas to clear out. You have to go through corridors and navigate around obstacles, which makes it tedious. However, working with a boss is nice. The Miller boss, or even two Blood Millers, can give double boss drops, making it worthwhile. Without a boss, it's not great. And that concludes the bad maps category.
Worst Maps
Channel
Let's start with Channel. The paths are easy to miss, requiring a lot of backtracking. There's no good way to clear this map without missing something, so you have to get lucky. The boss is also relatively dangerous, so be careful. In general, I hate this map and avoid it if possible.
Forge
Next is Forge, which has lots of corridors. These corridors are large enough for some league mechanics, but it's still annoying to run due to backtracking and a dangerous boss, the Titan. Avoid this map.
Lofty Summit
Lofty Summit is a very long map with parallel paths. You need to go around, clear parts, and backtrack, making it very annoying. The long path to the boss, if there is one, adds to the frustration.
Mineshaft
Mineshaft is probably my least favorite map in the entire game. It's very long and has a dangerous boss, the fire lady from Act 2, who can one-shot you with her swings. Avoid this map unless you have to.
Mire
Mire is another horrible map with narrow paths. It's easy to miss enemies in corners, so clean out houses and side areas carefully. There's a connection through the middle, so I usually go in a circle and take the path inside, hoping for the best.
Sun Temple
Sun Temple is another map I hate. It has lots of walls and little rooms, requiring you to go through doors. The monsters are dangerous, blasting you with projectiles and explosions. The sun also bothers you, preventing energy shield recharge. V City is even worse than M Shaft. It's super large, long, and has a dangerous boss fight with lots of dangerous monsters. Stay away from this map.
Vaal City/Factory/Foundry
Vaal Factory is similar, with lots of doors and little corners where rares might hide. There's no good way to clear this map without missing something, so I avoid it. Vaal Foundry is a bit better because it's more straightforward. As long as you clean the side areas, you're fine. However, it still has little corridors, paths, and doors everywhere, with dangerous monsters. If there's a boss, you have to take down the elevator and blast the boss, which is annoying.
Conclusion
Here is the ending of this useful map guide. You can also view Wudijo's original video to check out the Unique Maps part.
