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The Slithering Dead is a Path of Exile 2 side quest in Act 3 (and Act 3 Cruel). Servi, the Ziggurat Encampment guide, needs your help uncovering secrets about a rival tribe and the fate of her son, Apus. The quest itself is straightforward, but choosing the reward can be tricky. You get only one of three options, and the choice is permanent.
The Slithering Dead Quest Walkthrough (Step-by-Step)
To begin, enter the Jungle Ruins map in Act 3 (and Act 3 Cruel) and locate the Venom Crypts entrance next to the Waypoint. The Jungle Ruins has two exits: Venom Crypts and Infested Barrens. The Infested Barrens continues the main Legacy of the Vaal questline, while the Venom Crypts is optional. You can return later if you miss it.
Explore the Venom Crypts until you find a corpse in the Den of the Serpent Priestess (its location varies on each map).
Interact with the corpse to obtain Corpse-Snake Venom. Return to the Ziggurat Encampment and give the venom to Servi to complete the quest.
Which Venom Draught Quest Reward Should You Choose in The Slithering Dead in PoE 2
The Slithering Dead is a repeatable quest, appearing in Act 3 and Act 3 Cruel, with different rewards each time.
Slithering Dead Reward Choice in Act 3
Servi will offer three Venom Draughts; choose wisely, as your decision is final. The options are:
Grants 25% increased Stun Threshold
Grants 30% increased Elemental Ailment Threshold
Grants 25% increased Mana Regeneration Rate
The Venom Draught of Clarity (increased mana regeneration) is generally the best choice, especially for mana-hungry melee builds.
Venom Draught of the Veil (increased elemental ailment threshold) is a good alternative for classes less concerned with mana.
Venom Draught of Stone (increased stun threshold) is the least desirable, as stun is less frequent than other ailments.
Slithering Dead Reward Choice in Act 3 Cruel (Act 6)
Three more Venom Draughts await:
Grants +10% to Chaos Resistance
Grants +5 to All Attributes
Grants 15% Reduced Slowing Potency of Debuffs on you
The Venom Draught of the Lost (+10% Chaos Resistance) is usually the superior choice, as Chaos Resistance is harder to obtain than other resistances.
The exception is builds using Chaos Inoculation, which makes them immune to Chaos damage but reduces HP to 1. For these builds, Venom Draught of the Sky (+5 to all attributes) is preferable.
