Path of Exile 3.30: Covens of Umbra is set to change how players prepare maps, select league mechanics, and approach endgame currency farming. Grinding Gear Games is removing Scarabs and replacing them with Threads of Creation, while rebuilding the Atlas passive tree and adjusting several existing league mechanics. For players who rely on efficient mapping to generate PoE currency, the biggest change is a shift away from the familiar Scarab-based setup toward a system that combines targeted mechanic selection with greater investment in map difficulty.
The expansion launches on November 13, 2026 (PST), across available platforms. Although GGG has confirmed the main direction of the endgame rework, some detailed numbers and interactions remain subject to the full 3.30 patch notes, which the developer has scheduled for November 11 (NZT).
Scarabs Are Out, and Threads of Creation Take Their Place
The removal of Scarabs is the most immediate change for experienced map farmers. In previous leagues, players used Scarabs to add encounters, increase rewards, or specialize maps around particular mechanics. Path of Exile 3.30 replaces that system with Threads of Creation, which are placed directly into the Map Device.
GGG has confirmed that Threads apply a chosen league mechanic to an area while increasing the rarity and difficulty of its monsters. Spending additional Threads also improves the chance of powerful random effects augmenting that mechanic. This means map investment is becoming more directly tied to the content players choose to run and the additional difficulty they are willing to accept.
| Feature | Previous approach | PoE 3.30 approach |
|---|---|---|
| Map mechanic selection | Scarabs | Threads of Creation |
| Adding league content | Use Scarabs to modify maps | Apply Threads through the Map Device |
| Scaling encounters | Depends on Scarab effects | More Threads increase monster difficulty and rarity |
| Mechanic specialization | Scarab combinations and Atlas passives | Threads combined with the redesigned Atlas tree |
For currency farmers, this changes the preparation process. Instead of simply comparing Scarab combinations and their market costs, players will need to evaluate which mechanics deserve their Threads and whether the additional difficulty is justified by the expected rewards.
The exact profitability of each setup cannot be established before players have access to the new system and reliable drop data. However, the design clearly gives players a more direct way to invest in selected encounters.
The Redesigned Atlas Tree Changes Long-Term Farming Plans
The Atlas passive tree is also receiving a complete layout overhaul. GGG says the refreshed tree includes dozens of new wheels, stats, and effects, including features that were previously available through Scarabs.
This is important because the removal of Scarabs does not simply eliminate an item-based mapping system. Some of their former functions are moving into Atlas progression, changing how players build specialized farming strategies.
A player who wants to focus on one league mechanic may need to approach Atlas progression differently from someone who prefers flexible mapping. The value of individual passive clusters will depend on how their effects interact with Threads and the available map content.
It also means older Atlas farming guides should not automatically be treated as reliable 3.30 recommendations. Even when a familiar mechanic remains available, its investment requirements and relationship with other systems may have changed.
Shaped Regions Offer an Alternative to Thread Investment
Another important change is the introduction of shaped regions on the Atlas. These regions guarantee a specific league mechanic in maps within the relevant area without requiring players to spend a Thread.
GGG's FAQ also clarifies that players cannot run a map in a shaped region while avoiding its guaranteed mechanic. However, after running that map, the mechanic's influence retreats from that map, allowing players to move away from an unwanted encounter over time.
This creates two different approaches to mechanic selection: use Threads to choose and strengthen content, or take advantage of shaped regions for guaranteed encounters without spending those resources.
For players managing their mapping budgets, that distinction could become an important part of early-league progression.
Existing League Mechanics Are Being Reworked
The Atlas changes are not limited to Scarabs and passive nodes. GGG has also confirmed adjustments to several established endgame mechanics.
| Mechanic | Confirmed 3.30 change | Potential farming impact |
|---|---|---|
| Mirage | Returns as a random map encounter and a rollable map modifier | Adds another option for specialized mapping |
| Beyond | Killing a Beyond boss no longer stops further portals from spawning; bosses can open portals to their realm | Beyond encounters may continue offering additional combat opportunities |
| Harvest | The Sacred Grove is replaced by Tangled Roots in maps, which can be modified with currency | Harvest-related map preparation changes |
| Expedition | Gwennen receives a new service involving players' own items | Changes how players interact with her crafting-related options |
| Incursion | Atziri moves into the Temple of Atzoatl | Changes the Temple's encounter structure |
These changes matter because a farming strategy is only as useful as the encounters it can consistently support. A mechanic that previously required a separate setup may now interact with the new Atlas structure in a different way.
However, players should avoid assuming that every old farming combination will remain equally profitable. The announcement confirms broad mechanic changes, but it does not provide enough information to calculate reliable currency-per-hour comparisons yet.
Loot Changes Could Reshape Currency Farming Priorities
GGG has described the 3.30 loot update as a fundamental change to how items drop in Path of Exile. That makes it another major factor for players planning their early-league economy.
One particularly important clarification concerns Item Rarity on player gear. In its official Covens of Umbra FAQ, GGG states that rarity from player equipment will not affect currency items dropped by enemies. Instead, rarity from non-player-gear sources, such as map modifiers and monster modifiers, can affect those drops.
This distinction matters for players deciding whether to sacrifice combat performance for additional Item Rarity. If the primary goal is currency farming, stacking rarity on equipment should not be treated as a way to increase currency drops.
The new Threads system also connects encounter investment with monster difficulty and rarity. Combined with the wider loot rework, this suggests that players will need to evaluate both map modifiers and the mechanics they choose to empower.
Still, there is not enough confirmed information to establish a new best currency strategy. Claims about exact Divine Orb increases, guaranteed returns, or specific currency-per-map results should wait for official patch details and actual league data.
What Players Should Prepare Before Covens of Umbra
The safest preparation is to understand the new system rather than commit to an unverified farming build.
- Review your Atlas plans: The passive tree is being rebuilt, so existing 3.29 strategies may no longer translate directly.
- Learn the Threads system: Map preparation will revolve around selecting mechanics and deciding how much difficulty to add.
- Compare shaped regions and Threads: Guaranteed regional encounters may help preserve resources during early progression.
- Avoid relying on old rarity assumptions: Player gear Item Rarity does not increase currency drops, according to GGG's clarification.
- Wait for updated farming data: The most profitable combinations will need to be evaluated after the expansion launches.
For players focused on PoE currency farming, the central question in 3.30 will no longer be simply which Scarabs provide the best value. It will be how to combine Atlas progression, Threads of Creation, and map difficulty into a sustainable strategy.
Covens of Umbra introduces a different framework for endgame mapping, but the most efficient approach will only become clear once the full patch notes and real league results are available.
