Quest: Sever the Right Hand

Quest: Sever the Right Hand

The quest "Sever the Right Hand" is a pivotal objective in Act 3 of Path of Exile, given by General Gravicius in the Sarn Encampment. Your mission is to track down and eliminate the treacherous thaumaturge, Piety, who is conducting horrific experiments within the Grand Malachai's laboratory. Successfully completing this quest is crucial for progressing through the campaign and earning a valuable passive skill point.

Quest Objective: Defeat Piety

Your primary goal is to confront and defeat Piety. She is located deep within the Lunaris Temple Level 2. To reach her, you will need to navigate through several dangerous zones:

1. The Ebony Barracks: Start from the Sarn Encampment and proceed into the Ebony Barracks. This area is heavily fortified with Blackguard soldiers and various constructs.
2. The Lunaris Temple Level 1: From the Ebony Barracks, locate the entrance to the Lunaris Temple Level 1. This temple is infested with Lunaris worshippers and their grotesque creations.
3. The Lunaris Temple Level 2: Continue through Lunaris Temple Level 1 to find the entrance to Lunaris Temple Level 2. Piety awaits you at the end of this level.

Navigating the Lunaris Temple

The Lunaris Temple is a multi-level dungeon filled with challenging enemies. Be prepared for:

• Lunaris Concubines: These enemies often cast projectile spells and can be dangerous in groups.
• Lunaris Champions: Stronger melee foes that can deal significant physical damage.
• Undying Grapplers and Alchemists: Expect a mix of physical and elemental damage from these undead horrors.

Maintain your defenses and be mindful of environmental hazards. The layout can be labyrinthine, so keep an eye on your minimap and follow the main path to avoid getting lost.

Boss Strategy: Piety

Piety is a formidable boss with multiple phases and dangerous elemental attacks. She primarily uses Cold and Lightning damage, making resistance to these elements highly beneficial. It is strongly recommended to have your Cold and Lightning resistances capped at 75% or as close as possible before engaging her.

Phase 1: Human Form

In her initial form, Piety will attack with a combination of Cold and Lightning spells:

• Ice Spear: A fast-moving cold projectile. Dodge this as much as possible.
• Spark: Launches multiple lightning projectiles that bounce off walls. Try to position yourself in open areas to avoid being trapped by these.
• Cold Snap/Storm Call: She may occasionally cast area-of-effect spells that deal cold or lightning damage. Watch for ground indicators and move out of the affected zones.
• Teleport: Piety frequently teleports around the arena, making her hard to pin down. Maintain mobility and be ready to re-engage.

Focus on dealing consistent damage while avoiding her attacks. Flasks that grant instant recovery or remove elemental ailments (like Freeze or Shock) will be invaluable.

Phase 2: Vaal Oversoul Form (Transformation)

Once Piety's health drops to a certain threshold (approximately 50-60%), she will transform into a grotesque, tentacled monster resembling a miniature Vaal Oversoul. This phase introduces new, more powerful attacks, primarily focusing on Fire damage.

• Fire Breath: She will unleash a cone of fire in front of her. This attack deals high damage and can ignite you. Move behind her or to her sides to avoid this.
• Ground Slam: Piety will occasionally slam the ground, creating a shockwave. This is a physical attack, but it can be telegraphed.
• Summon Adds: She may summon small, fast-moving minions to distract you. Prioritize clearing these adds if they become overwhelming, as they can quickly chip away at your health.
• Tentacle Slam: A powerful melee attack with a short wind-up. Stay mobile and use movement skills to evade.

Key Strategy for Phase 2: While Piety's primary elemental damage shifts to Fire in this phase, her attacks are often mixed. Having balanced elemental resistances (especially Fire, Cold, and Lightning) is ideal. Focus on avoiding her Fire Breath and Ground Slam. If you have any fire resistance flasks, now is the time to use them. Continue to deal damage and use your defensive cooldowns as needed.

General Tips for the Fight:

• Elemental Resistances: Prioritize Cold and Lightning resistance for Phase 1, and Fire resistance for Phase 2. Aim for 75% cap on all three if possible.
• Life Flasks: Bring several instant or hybrid life flasks. Consider flasks that remove Bleeding or Freeze.
• Movement Skills: Skills like Whirling Blades, Flame Dash, or Leap Slam are excellent for dodging Piety's attacks and repositioning.
• Minions/Totems: If your build uses minions or totems, they can draw aggro and provide consistent damage, making the fight significantly easier.
• Damage Over Time (DoT): If your build relies on DoT effects, apply them consistently to Piety, as they will continue to tick even when she teleports or transforms.

Quest Rewards

Upon defeating Piety, return to General Gravicius in the Sarn Encampment to complete the quest.

Rewards:

• 1 Passive Skill Point: A crucial reward that allows you to further customize your character's build on the passive skill tree.
• Access to Imperial Gardens: Defeating Piety opens the path to the Imperial Gardens, allowing you to continue your journey through Act 3.