The new 3.27 league in Path of Exile adds something that really shakes up how you build your character – Bloodline Ascendancies. Think of them as a second layer of ascendancy power that sits alongside your regular one, giving you a small but impactful set of passives that can completely change how your build plays. You’ll pick one of three unique Bloodlines, each with its own flavour and strengths, and the choice sticks with you unless you pay a hefty cost to swap later. You’ll start seeing PoE Currency-style rewards tied to this system pretty early, but the real depth comes once you’ve unlocked your Bloodline tree and start shaping your build around it.

To get your Bloodline, you’ll need to track down Bloodmarked Altars while running maps. Triggering one kicks off a fight that’s more than just a few mobs – expect waves of tough rares and, at the end, a Blood-Cursed Guardian that really tests your setup. Beating the guardian always drops Sanguine Ichor, the key currency for the league. Gather enough of it and head back to your hideout, where you’ll find the new NPC, Vexia the Bloodline Seer. She’s the one who channels the Ichor into unlocking your chosen Bloodline Ascendancy. Changing your mind later is possible, but it’ll burn through a big chunk of Ichor, so most players will stick with their first choice unless their build takes a big turn.

The Crimson Executioner is for anyone who loves hitting hard with physical damage, especially bleed and impale setups. It’s built for aggressive, close-range combat. One standout notable, Serrated Edge, boosts your physical damage over time and makes bleeds tick faster. Another, Taste of Blood, adds strong life leech and makes enemies explode on death, dealing physical damage around them – great for clearing packs without slowing down.

If you’re more into spellcasting, The Azure Mystic is your go-to. It’s perfect for mana-heavy builds and mixes strong offence with defensive tricks. Runic Barrier gives you Ward based on max mana and lets you recover some of it when casting. On the offensive side, Storm Weaver makes your lightning and cold spells chain to extra targets and boosts chill and shock effects, helping you control crowds while stacking more damage.

The Verdant Warden is all about chaos damage, poison, and keeping yourself alive while enemies slowly melt. Unyielding Growth ramps up life regen and stops it from being interrupted when you’re hit, which makes you feel near-unkillable in long fights.

Noxious Vines adds toxic ground to chaos skills, slowing foes and dealing damage over time, while also stretching out poison duration. It’s a great pick for tanky, grind-them-down builds. Choosing the right Bloodline can completely change your league experience, and with PoE 1 Currency flowing in from your altar runs, you’ll want to plan ahead to make the most of it.