"Sharp and Cruel" is a critical quest in Act 2 of Path of Exile, where you’re tasked with retrieving a sinister artifact known as Maligaro’s Spike. This quest involves exploring dangerous areas and facing formidable enemies, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Completing this quest grants you a selection of powerful Support Gems, essential for enhancing your character’s abilities.
Quest Overview
Quest Name: Sharp and Cruel
Objective: Find and retrieve Maligaro’s Spike.
Rewards: A selection of Support Gems to augment your abilities.
Step 1: Finding Maligaro’s Spike
Your journey begins when Helena, after escaping the Chamber of Sins, informs you that Maligaro’s Spike, a powerful artifact, is missing. To find out where it might be, you need to ask around the Forest Encampment.
Objective:
Talk to Silk in the Forest Encampment to learn about the Spike’s location.
NPC Dialogue:
Eramir: "Could be the nasty piece of work Silk picked up near the Chamber of Sins. Looks too much like Maligaro’s dark science to me."
Silk: "I go into eight-leg forest in south-west… meet the mother of all eight-legs. We fight, big fight, from sunrise to sunset. I stick my best spear in mother’s eye and return to village… My best spear still in mother’s eye! You go. Get my spear. Finish good story with good ending."
Silk reveals that he lost his spear, which is actually Maligaro’s Spike, during a battle with a massive spider known as the Weaver in the Weaver’s Chambers. Your task is to retrieve it.
Step 2: Recovering Maligaro’s Spike
The next part of the quest requires you to venture into the Weaver’s Chambers, a dark and treacherous cave system filled with deadly spiders. The Weaver, a powerful boss, awaits you at the end of the chambers.
Objective:
Find Maligaro’s Spike in the Weaver’s Chambers.
Tips for Surviving the Weaver’s Chambers:
Bring AoE Skills: The Weaver’s Chambers is teeming with small spiders. Area-of-effect (AoE) skills will help you clear them out quickly.
Prepare for the Weaver Boss Fight: The Weaver is a challenging opponent that can deal significant damage. Make sure you have plenty of health flasks and some form of crowd control or evasion ready.
Step 3: Defeating the Weaver and Retrieving the Spike
After navigating through the chambers, you’ll face the Weaver. Defeating this monstrous spider will allow you to recover Maligaro’s Spike from its corpse.
Objective:
Kill the Weaver and retrieve Maligaro’s Spike.
Combat Strategy:
Stay Mobile: The Weaver can summon swarms of spiders and shoot venomous projectiles. Keep moving to avoid getting overwhelmed.
Use Fire or Lightning: These elements are particularly effective against the Weaver and its minions.
Once you’ve slain the Weaver, collect Maligaro’s Spike from its body.
Step 4: Returning to the Forest Encampment
With Maligaro’s Spike in hand, return to the Forest Encampment and speak with Silk. He will express his gratitude and offer you a choice of Support Gems as a reward.
Objective:
Talk to Silk in the Forest Encampment to complete the quest.
NPC Dialogue:
Silk: "That spear… yes, that is my best spear, the one I stuck in the eye of old Mother Eight-leg. I think you keep it now… Wait… no, you need more than just spear and happy words for this great deed. You kill mother of all eight legs! You need a prize."
Rewards
Upon completing the quest, Silk rewards you with a selection of Support Gems, which are crucial for enhancing your character’s skills. These include:
Witch: Faster Casting Support, Minion Speed Support, Concentrated Effect Support, Controlled Destruction Support, and more.
Templar: Faster Casting Support, Concentrated Effect Support, Elemental Damage with Attacks Support, and others.
Marauder: Melee Physical Damage Support, Elemental Damage with Attacks Support, Shockwave Support, and more.
Duelist: Melee Physical Damage Support, Elemental Damage with Attacks Support, Vicious Projectiles Support, and others.
Ranger: Vicious Projectiles Support, Elemental Damage with Attacks Support, Close Combat Support, and more.
Shadow: Faster Casting Support, Melee Physical Damage Support, Trap and Mine Damage Support, and others.
Scion: Melee Physical Damage Support, Elemental Damage with Attacks Support, Faster Casting Support, and more.
Final Thoughts
"Sharp and Cruel" is a pivotal quest in Act 2 of Path of Exile, offering not only a thrilling adventure through the Weaver’s Chambers but also valuable rewards that can significantly boost your character’s power. The Support Gems you receive as a reward are indispensable tools that will help you progress through the challenges that lie ahead in Wraeclast.
Good luck, Exile, and may your blade (or spell) strike true!